The Summer Smoothie Awards

Romance

Judge: @-impulse

Get to know your judge:

@-impulse is not quite an expert in the field of romance, but she has been an avid watcher and reader of all things rom-com that started after watching the 90's classic 'Clueless' years ago. She is a lover of all works that are zany and fun, with a splash of romance—which is the realm in which most of her current works on Wattpad remain. She is always on the quest for feel-good romance stories, so that she could sit back and relax with a cup of hot cocoa that's always at hand.

Entries: 

1) @BriannaRoseC | Queen of Crime |

2) @SGnGigi | The Faded Rose |

3) @lishaaa7 | Not Meat to Be |

4) @SSMarie358 | Rebound |

5) @Soumya_Roy | Slide into my DMs |

How much your judge will read: 5+ chapters 

Rubric:

Cover (5): Is the cover related to the story? Does it fit the genre of romance? Is it eye-catching?

Blurb (5): Is the blurb relevant and well-written? Does it divulge enough information about the story? Does it draw the reader into reading more?

Grammar (10): Is the grammar good? Are there any punctuation errors or spelling typos or other grammatical issues? Are sentence structures varied and interesting to read? Are paragraphs broken appropriately?

Writing Style/Setting (20): Are your descriptions descriptive enough (yay), or is it heavy on the use of dialogue (boo)? Is there proper flow in your writing? How do you build up on the setting for your readers? What is the tone your writing evokes? How do you write your character's emotions? Do you 'show, not tell' in your writing?

Pacing (15): Is the pacing for the romance novel done well? Is the romance too rushed, or is the slow-burn going at a snail's pace? Do chapters fit together to form a cohesive whole? Is there enough buildup to address the conflict?

Characterization (15): Are your character's interesting? Relatable? Are any of your characters a Mary-Sue or a living cliche? Do their motives/actions/thought processes make sense given the situation?

Creativity / Originality (20): Does the writer use cliches and tropes to tell their romance story? If they do, is it a fresh take on a common cliche? Is there an actual plot outside of the romance? Is this a plot-line I have seen before in other romance stories?

Chemistry (5): Is the attraction between your lead characters sizzling? Does it make me want to put the story down mid-reading so I could squeal? Are the interactions between the characters meaningful?

Enjoyment (5): Was this an enjoyable read? Is this a story I would recommend to others to read? Would I continue following your story even after the competition is over?

Total: 100 points

Remember to follow your judges. 5 points will be deducted if you fail to do so