The Laurel Wreath Awards

General Fiction ROUND II RESULTS

Please stay tuned for the  judge results and show some love to our amazing judges! They'll be ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd!

THESE ARE THE GENERAL FICTION SCORES AND FEEDBACK:
Thank you to all of our judges who got these results back to me in a timely manner. Thank you to the participants who allowed themselves to be vulnerable as we reviewed your work. I hope that the in-line comments and feedback have found you well. Do not let feedback discourage you! Allow this input from a secondary source to spur you onward to review and improve your work! You are all so talented <3

(You can view your judges in Round I results. The winners of each genre and category will be posted separately in Round III results!)

CBMokedi Mouse and the Fallen Star

Total Score: 89/100

Feedback: The story thus far features interesting concepts such as a Biblically accurate angel. Michael is described similarly to Azrael, of the Bible, who had multiple eyes all over his body. Michael in the text is also described to have multiple wings which seemed quite unique and made me wonder if Luc is short for Lucifer. I also wonder if Michael is referencing Michael the Archangel. Some words could be traded out with better synonyms but overall, the vocabulary choices are diverse. Imagery is effective, as the writer does very well at describing things. If anything, there is a little more information given in the first few chapters than necessary, which can be overwhelming. I kept up with it well enough, but the storyline itself needs to be the priority so as not to bore readers with a plethora of facts or recollection of events which occurred in past events. The characters are intriguing and there is a depth to Luc that the author explores. The concept of his eternal existence, for example, is well detailed and the feelings that are borne of his loneliness make sense if you think about it. Of course, we cannot fathom eternity in ourselves, so maybe Luc, an eternal being might be improved if depicted as a wiser, extremely intelligent being after all those eons of life he's already written to have endured.

binaforreal The Untold Identities

Total Score: 92/100

Feedback: The cover and title are given higher scores as they seem to accurately reflect the storyline as per the synopsis, and are both creative and visually striking. After reading the synopsis, I found little to no errors. The writer wowed me with their descriptive words and technique of writing in just the few paragraphs of the synopsis. I'd like to make a mention to the fact that this story was greatly considered for the Best First Line, and was definitely the runner up. It is short, concise and draws the attention of the reader in a way that retains an artful ambiguity. I find myself absolutely enraptured by the care with which you describe the scenery, which does wonders to bring the world to life. I am particularly happy with the extent to which you use tasteful words and eccentric vocabulary. The characters are intriguing, seeming almost villain-like, and the way you have managed to portray these characters is unlike anything I have read before. Your characters betray your skill in bringing imagination to life. It feels as though you put great thought into who they are and what they would say— because their voices and the impressions these characters give off are consistently baffling.

ArielMLongee Safforia

Total Score: 83/100

Feedback: The cover is quite simple but the coloring and subject of the image seem to adequately represent the genre to which Safforia belongs. I like the title, which is creative and has a nice ring to it. The synopsis however, gives away parts of the storyline that reveals not only the name of the primary antagonistic force, but also some other key points that this story should be exploring. Men in Suits sounds quite straightforward, and maybe another name, like that of an organization they belong to should be attributed to make them seem more threatening overall. First impressions from the synopsis made the men in suits seem a childish force at best, like that you'd see in a cartoon following the protagonists around. Try to alter the synopsis to better capture the danger they pose. Create a sense of urgency. The Saviors are also named in a similar, obvious way. These names simply lack creativity and zest, not to assume that will be the same for the story overall, but not the best start. I do like the way the writer seems to create different aspects of this world, such as a birdroid, but by comparing it to something we know today, a walkie talkie. I think this is an interesting addition, among others which helps to distinguish this world from the one we know in reality. There is mention of a Tyrannosaurus early on, as well. Another addition to this story that does feel creative, as well as Kat'a purple flame. It would seem to play into what was mentioned in the synopsis about Ocea's parents and their mixed heritage. Overall, there are not many grammar mistakes, but some phrases and sentences could be worded better and include more advanced vocabulary to help this story stand out among the rest.

TheWordArtistBooks Small Paws Big Pride

Total Score: 61/100

Feedback: Cover is magical, title is creative. The synopsis is well written, short and to the point, and it gives just enough information to imply the central conflict of the story.  The characters sound a little flat in their dialogue, and not as interesting in their speech as I'd hoped from a pack of wolves. I could visualize the scenery, however, I think that more descriptive words could be used to better portray these characters as animals. Their actions are not described as particularly animal-like. For example, the mother wolf is described as blushing. We know wolves don't blush, at least not that we can see on their fur. It is a little inconsistent with the facts of their species as wolves, as they shouldn't be blushing and this takes away from the unique effect of a wolf's perspective. The same can be said about the muttering and other human language. Why not say growled, or baring their teeth, or other more wolfish tag lines? The wolves also engage in dialogue and refer to themselves as people. I think there are many details that are sorely overlooked. A lot of telling rather than showing.

CubistPerson A Blade of Dead Poems

Total Score: 95/100

Feedback:
CaitlynDesselle: I think that the writer is very skilled in describing these characters and detailing this world in a way that makes it stand out from the others. After only the first chapter, the writer has hooked me and has been able to introduce a plot that not only presents an outer conflict that the character has faced against another human being and the underlying issue of these murdered teens, but also an inner conflict. This presents the main character with a depth that helps readers to feel even more engrossed in this story, wherever the author shall lead us. The dialogue and the motivations behind the MC's actions capture attention in a way that will keep readers reading, on the edge of their seats for more.

Rubi_Rupa: Amazing imagery, intriguing storyline. This story is very enjoyable. The plot is genuinely so interesting I actually plan to read until the end of it. The story is still ongoing as a matter of fact. The characters are dynamic honestly. Also nice dialogue and word choice.

LiebeKlara Love at Dawn

Total Score: 81/100

Feedback: I actually really like the cover. It fits the story and the vibe of the story. The only thing is the author's name is kind of blurry but other than that it's great. The title is wonderful. The synopsis is formatted a bit weird. Maybe space out the paragraphs? Other than that it's good. It introduces the characters amazingly along with informing the potential reader of the plot.  The imagery alone really stood out. I loved the use of descriptions, it made the world and characters easy to imagine. The worldbuilding was amazing as well. It felt like I was there. The vocabulary was wonderful as well, I liked the words you chose. They fit the timeline of the story from what I've read. Great job.
The pacing was great. I liked the time skip surprisingly cause usually I'm not a huge fan of those but you did it convincingly. The characters are intriguing and really kept the story rolling. I love the different personalities of the characters and how you show what they're like through description, and dialogue.