The Arena Awards [Open For Entry]

FAQ

Not every question will be covered, so there is an inline at the bottom to ask your question/make suggestions. Please be sure your question has not already been asked though!

Why are only fantasy and sci-fi entries accepted? Will other genres ever be included?
Our community is speculative fiction-focused. We hope to expand to include other genres in the future, but that is largely dependent upon having enough active judges. Any main genre awards that appear on our profile will be afterwards be included in The Arena Awards.

How does one become a judge for The Arena Awards?
Currently there are only two ways to become a judge (1) through judging for one of our main genre awards and being offered a position upon completion of your work and (2) through private recommendation/invitation. 

How many winners are there for an arena?
There will only be one winner in each arena, regardless of the number of entries. There can only be a single Champion left standing after all.

Is there a chapter minimum? What part of the book is judged?
There's no chapter minimum because chapters do not have to be judged chronologically for this awards. Participants will instead be asked to provide which chapters they think best fit the chosen arena. If applying to the Arena of Daggers - Best Action Scene, they would be asked to give the chapter number that includes the action scene. This will vary depending on the arena and its judge(s), so be sure to read the rules carefully for each one!

Is there an entry limit?
There is no limit in that you can (A) enter as many arenas as you wish, regardless of whether you have won previously (B) enter as many different books as you wish. This means you could enter multiple works into an arena, provided that you fill in the form and complete payment for each one. This does not mean you can enter multiple characters or scenes from a single book. You can only choose one—the character or scene which you think best displays the traits to fit the arena.

e.g. You may enter a character from Book A and a character from Book B into the Arena of Blades - Best Main Character. You may not enter two characters from Book A.

Can sequels be entered into the awards?
Yes, you may enter with your sequels! Most of the subcategories will not be affected by whether your book is a sequel or the first in the series. When entering with two books in the same series, they are still counted as different books (see question above) but please avoid entering the same character, ship, or world twice. Use the book that will showcase the specific aspect the best for those, but feel free to compete with both in the arenas for scenes, titles, or beginning lines.

What timeline does this run on?
The current plan is to accept entries for one arena every month. Some arenas may take longer to judge than others. It is possible for multiple arenas to be running at once.

Is fanfiction accepted?
Fanfiction will be accepted in some arenas, but not others. Fanfiction must also be in either the fantasy or sci-fi genres. Character arenas will not be open to Fanfiction for example, unless the character entered is an original character. The World-building arena would not be open to Fanfiction if another author's world is being used.

The slots are full. What do I do?
Each arena has a limited number of slots based on the subcategory being judged and the judges' availability. Slots are filled in application order—first come, first served. There will be other arenas to compete in, but you can fill out a form regardless just in case a slot opens up. Just be aware that it may not be accepted, so you should not complete the payment until it is.

Why do we have to complete judge payments?
The judges are volunteers who take time out of their schedules to read. It's a small thank you and we believe that reading a chapter or two of a judge's book is more meaningful than a follow. You are not required to follow the judges and the community follow is only necessary for as long as you're competing.

If you have suggestions for subcategories you would like to see in the future (and we may already be planning to hold them or something like them, but this could bump them up a slot :D) you can give them here —>

If you have questions that were not addressed in the FAQ, you may ask them here —>