The Summer Smoothie Awards

Science Fiction

Judge: @mcyruswrites

Get to know your judge: 

I like reading fantasy and "Other world" type of stories–I love when I can be "transported" to a new place–it really shows how good an author is. I really like writing fantasy and I LOVE characters!! I love hearing about other characters and I fall in LOVE with them. I'm a big talker and I love telling my thoughts. If I don't like something I will be very vocal, if I like something, I'm very vocal. You will get your feedback XD

Entries:

1) @AbdulKabir1 | The Star Slayer |

2) @AshlynForge | We Can Go Back |

3) @ProteinShowdown | King Eden |

4) @krydwen | The First Slumber |

5) @heraharker | Map to Anywhere |

How much your judge will read: 5+ chapters; stopping when loosing interest 

Rubric:

Cover (5): Is it interesting? Is it relevant to the story? Is there the basic information of title and author name? Does it fit the genre?

Blurb (5): Is it interesting? Does it give away enough information? Is it fitting for the plot of the book?

Spelling/Grammar (15): Do the grammatical errors pull me out of the story? Does it cause a reader to stumble through the reading?

Prose/Narration (10):

• Natural/Flowing Sentence Structure. Do they use similar sentace structure over and over, is it different?

• Writing Style: Is it entertaining? Does it keep the reader invested? Is the narrative voice effective and helpful for the reader to follow along with the mystery/suspense?

• POV: Is the POV clear (in the case of 3rd Person POV stories).

• Do the dialogues seem natural and do they flow properly?

Characterization (15):

• Good establishment of character traits and personality in opening chapters. Do they introduce their characters and their traits in a unique/creative way? Will I be able to see these personalities change over time?

• Interesting and unique qualities. Are they all the same? Different? 3 dimensional?

• Relatability/realism: Can I (as a reader) relate to these characters and build a connection to them. Do they have flaws? Are the characters diverse?

• Are their character traits consistent throughout the chapters? With the exception of clear developmental changes in accordance with major plot points.

Plot Originality/Creativity (10): Is the story creative? Is it fresh and different? Are there any cliches and how are the cliches handled? Do I feel invested in the world and the plot? Do I have a desire to keep reading?

Setting/World-building (25):

• If it's in a different time period, can I really see the world? Am I painted a clear picture? Am I given small details with time? Are there interesting creatures?

• Do they have a sufficient description of the character's surroundings? Do you get a character's personal bias or the real picture?

• Does the setting add to or hinder the story?

• Is the setting original? Is it pulled from somewhere else?

Pacing (15):

• Strong Hook in the opening chapter. Do I want to read on?

• Emotional/Mood Build-up. Does the narration build up the reader's perspective of the story? Do I feel invested I the world enough to care what's happening?

• Am I consistently invested in the story? Or, do I lose interest and want to skip on in some spots?

• Is the plot advancing throughout the chapters consistently?

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