Welcome to the final results of category Setting. Before announcing the results, here are the judges who helped us in finding the gems under the category:

AakritiPathak
&
blue512_lagoons

(Participants are requested to either give them a follow, or give a shoutout to any of their works. A form of gratitude for their hardwork and time.)

Now onto the results:

Winning entry:

SabrinaEttey: Scorned blue

Showing vs Telling: 9.5/10
Description: 10/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Originality: 8.5/10
Technicality: 9/10
Overall score: 46/50

Strength: Woah! The vivid descriptions of the settings portrayed an accurate historical world, and the characters were both relatable and interesting, especially the character of Nathaniel. I could imagine the atmosphere of the kingdom vividly due to your descriptive language. Aravena’s characterization by the author made me hate her initially. The pace of the story is good, I loved how deliberately various secrets of the past and characters unfolded. The author did an excellent job by using various figures of speech that makes the dialogues more hilarious. At first, I thought blue blood is used as a figure of speech but that was a mystery, I guess, because I read like 7-8 parts only.

What can be improved: Everything's in its right place. It would have been better if you had included small snippets from the kingdom’s people, like how people had been living, earning, their shops,works,etc. Of course not at the cost of readers’ interest and the plot building. That’s just a suggestion, otherwise everything’s fine.

Winning sticker & certificate:

SECOND POSITION:

We've a tie between two entries for this position, they are:

A. krsnaradhika: Krishavyayam 

Showing vs Telling: 9/10
Description: 10/10
Intrigue: 8.5/10
Originality: 8/10
Technicality: 9.5/10
Overall score: 45/50

Strength: This book stands out as a gem. The descriptive language and the attention to even minor details is commendable. I thought all the wide variety of words were used nicely without any purple prose. I loved Krishuu so much; the perfect protagonist. Your narration skills are perfect. The characterization, especially of Karn, is spot-on, it made me hate that idiot more than ever. I am no professional but here’s a piece of suggestion- Consider publishing this book in hard copy; your skill shines through. 

What can be improved: While the book is captivating, I deducted some marks because a few words in the middle of chapters disrupted my reading flow, despite your excellent vocabulary. Consider maintaining consistency to enhance the overall reading flow.

B. SKVokey: Death of Hope

Showing vs Telling: 9
Description: 10
Intrigue: 8
Originality: 9
Technicality: 9
Overall score: 45/50

Strength: Detailing of the town of Shimori is absolutely beautiful! Descriptions are immersive and evoke a sense of intrigue with each paragraph. Beautiful writing overall!

What can be improved: Nothing as such. Possibly, the words could be used in more synonymous ways so as to avoid certain repetitions. Although the vocabulary is rich and vibrant, enhancing it more will make the writing even brighter. Good luck!

Certificate and stickers:

THIRD POSITION:

A. SuVida777 : Rhodoreef

Showing vs Telling: 9/10
Description: 8/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Originality: 9/10
Technicality: 9/10
Overall score: 44/50

Strength: Firstly, this novel had a refreshing style of storytelling/narration that kept me hooked from the very beginning itself. I found the rebellious teen, Dea, truly relatable. Granny's character was praiseworthy with its realistic portrayal, and I loved how you characterized her like a typical grumpy merwoman who despises humans.

Speaking of world-building, the author did an exceptional job with the water metaphors in this book, capturing the essence of being submerged in a unique and creative manner. I was impressed with how they used water as a central element that shapes many technological, social, and environmental aspects of this world.

What can be improved: I would recommend you to increase the length of descriptive paragraphs of the underwater buildings, things,etc, but make sure it’s not tiresome, otherwise good use of imagery. Enhancing your vocabulary would do wonders to your writing.

B. Glassgalaxi: The lake house sirens

Showing vs Telling: 8
Description: 8
Intrigue: 10
Originality: 9
Technicality: 9
Overall score: 44/50

Strength: Talk about the intrigue! Mesmerizing writing style, powerful imagery, and beautifully portrayed events. The scenery is described really well.

What can be improved: Not particularly in this category, the setting has been executed quite well. Other aspects, including characters’ description, their inner conflict, dialogues, and interactions can be worked upon. It's a beautiful story. Keep writing. All the best! 

Stickers and certificate:

Congratulations to all the three position holders.

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PARTICIPANTS

Participants' sticker:

1: ash20178: Whispers of night

Showing vs Telling: 5/10
Description: 6/10
Intrigue: 7/10
Originality: 7/10
Technicality: 6/10
Overall score: 31/50

Strength: The easy-to-follow descriptions of the palace gardens bring the vampire palace to life, setting the stage for an intriguing plot. The way you described their dresses and night palace was good. Although the vampire-human conflict is a common idea, the added layers of murder mystery and Kraven's complex behavior brings a new turn to the story. 

What can be improved: The first two chapters of the story are quite rushed, which overwhelmed me as a reader and distorted the pace of the story. I would have preferred to know more about the human kingdom settings/environment. I would suggest adding more depth to the character of Lori's father and Lori's inner turmoil. That would be an effective way of showing his character rather than straightforwardly telling that he was ruthless and why the courtiers were unhappy with him. I felt like something was missing, maybe because I was not invested fully. About showing vs telling, let's look at an example(ignore the city name because I couldn’t find any better):-

1.Telling: "Brackley was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it."
2. Showing: The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the weathered buildings of Brackley. Faded paint clung desperately to the aging structures, and the creaky swings on the front porches swayed in a rhythm that reflected the town's weariness (you can write more here).....

In the first, it's just said that Brackley was an old town and all. In the second, you're immersed in the experience of Jenny in a bleak and weary atmosphere. You see, in the second case you can actually visualize the settings and this tip can be applied to the characters as well. Like showing monologues, dialogues and paying attention to even their minor details/actions, could improve this aspect of the book. Keep going!

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2: dwarkaratna: Parth Probodhika

Showing vs Telling: 6/10
Description: 6/10
Intrigue: 7.5/10
Originality: 7/10
Technicality: 7.5/10
Overall score: 34/50

Strength: This book shines in its focus on Subhadra and Arjun, putting the central characters in the spotlight and offers the growing bond between the two. The emotions used adds depth to the character’s portrayal, creating a balanced connection with the readers. The pace of the story is perfect. The descriptions at the beginning of each chapter set the bars high, but the strength could be maintained consistently throughout the chapters, providing a more immersive experience for the readers.

What can be improved: The absence of historical settings and details about the places takes away the interest from what could have been a wonderful journey through the pages of the Jaya (Mahabharata) because I felt that I wasn’t much immersed in the chapters due to that reason only. It could have enhanced the overall impact. Additionally, you missed an opportunity to delve further into the theme of marriage at the time, and the disappointment of Balram. You know what, you should have put this under the bonding category because ArSu’s dynamics shines in this book. Keep improving!

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3: Kanhakisakhi: Kayadhu Kalyan 

Showing vs Telling: 5.5/10
Description: 6/10
Intrigue: 7/10
Originality: 8/10
Technicality: 5/10
Overall score: 31/50

Strength: The concept of this book is really unique in its own right. I have read many books on Indian history and hindu mythology, but I haven’t read any novels about Kayadhu. It definitely invokes the hindu epic style with modern elements which is fairly good. I think the only character I got to know really well was Hiranyakshyipu. His monologues were satisfactory. 

What can be improved: Personally I didn’t feel connected to the characters on a deeper level. Now this is the place where you need to improve the most; leave the settings, pacing and format aside for a moment. It’s just a simple case of tell-not-show. If you enhance your characterization, this would promise readers’ investment in this book. You can use various monologues and dialogues to show Kayadhu’s characterization. About settings, your lack of descriptive language made me feel like it needs more…stuff? You can describe What the demon world is like, their palace(literally), how people were treated there, etc. About minor things like sentence formats and grammatical errors, you just need to proofread and edit the drafts. The sentence structures were jarring at times. You need to add the descriptions of the places where the characters visit as it immerses the readers in that particular environment. All the best!

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4: ArabelaTaylor: If we don't meet upon earth let's meet in heaven

Showing vs Telling: 5/10
Description: 5/10
Intrigue: 7/10
Originality: 8/10
Technicality: 5/10
Overall score: 30/50 

Strength: I really liked how the story was original and came directly from the author's viewpoint. The concept of this book was really creative, It awed me. The plot was fantastic, and it captured my interest at the end, especially with the plot twist in the last chapter. Overall this is good as a short story but it needs more editing and detailing.  

What can be improved: I observed grammar issues and uneven sentence structures/formats in the first chapter, impacting the overall reading flow. You should have been more cautious when applying for this category because this category is literally about how the characters connect to their environment and world, how their place looks, etc. While there were engaging parts, occasional mistakes and minor details hindered the reading flow, and the pacing shifted abruptly. Certain sections indicated the need for proofreading, as structural errors were noticeable and required correction. I felt like putting it in the settings category was not really a good choice considering it is a short story. Besides that, plotwise and as a short story, you’re doing great.

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5: Krishnpriyataa_123 and -Ankitaa: Samyati

Showing vs Telling: 5
Description: 5
Intrigue: 7
Originality: 8
Technicality: 6
Overall score: 32/50

Strength: Creating an aura where you can almost visualize a family sitting inside a posh dining room and laughing together - this is the prime strength of the story. The fusion of characters, their emotions, and the world through their eyes, is beautiful.

What can be improved: Overall, what this category is about. How does the mansion appear to be? How are the places looking when the sisters rush by? How does the scenery appear to be when the time shifts? Description of places needs much work. All the best.

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6: Mahashweta2000: Siya Rama

Showing vs Telling: 6
Description: 6
Intrigue: 9
Originality: 8
Technicality: 9
Overall score: 38/50

Strength: One of the most beautifully written accounts of the historic Ramayan journey. The writing style, characters’ description, emotions and intrigue - everything is marvelously penned. 

What can be improved: As much as the characters and the events are described, equally the description of surrounding and setting is missing. It's important to include written visuals of the places where the characters reside, be it the temple, the Hall, palace, or etc. Including more descriptions of the places might help. Good luck! Keep writing.

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7: iliamah: Celementina two halves 

Showing vs Telling: 8
Description: 6
Intrigue: 9
Originality: 9
Technicality: 8
Overall score: 40/50

Strength: Characters’ depth, description, and development are beautifully crafted. Especially the instances of inner turmoil, showcase of emotions, and bonding. Had it been narration or Protagonist category, this entry may have shine more.

What can be improved: There are a few shortcomings when it comes to descriptions. When a character is talking about passing through a landscape, make sure it's not only the ‘talking’ part, but also ‘showing’. What do the eyes see? 

All the best! 

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8: JessicaIvy24: The dream of the dead

Showing vs Telling: 7
Description: 7
Intrigue: 9
Originality: 8
Technicality: 7
Overall score: 38/50

Strength: The overall plot line, it's intriguing. Story, characters, ideas - these are planned really well.

What can be improved: Pacing and execution can be worked upon. Even if the plotline is interesting, descriptions can be improved. More scenic paragraphs, a little depth in character's understanding of the world and things, as well as slowing down in narration - these will help in making the story a beautiful read. Good luck! 

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9: lilac_minded : Plague 2022 

Showing vs Telling: 7
Description: 7
Intrigue: 10
Originality: 10
Technicality: 7
Overall score: 41/50

Strength: Woah! The rush, the pacing, the dynamics, teamwork, and the depth in the story. It's an enjoyable read for sure. The story so hauntingly freshens up the memories of Covid times, and the narration of the impending apocalypse is something which is shown smartly.

What can be improved: Since this is not a genre award, but a specific category award, I'll be cutting marks for the lack of enough descriptions. If the airport is empty, or even the streets in Seoul, I'd like to have more visuals in the form of words, so I could imagine where my characters are headed to. Sometimes to make the strong plotline more immersive, you need to describe the sensory scenic details as well. Otherwise, a really good job. Best wishes!

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10: itsshikha: His Mishti

Showing vs Telling: 6
Description: 6
Intrigue: 7
Originality: 6
Technicality: 7
Overall score: 32/50

Strength: Once you start reading, the turmoil of characters grip you in a way where reading seems smooth. Plot execution is a plus point. Characters have been established really well.

What can be improved: As the category is for - setting. Which means the world these characters reside in. How does the Indrapuri, or Devanagri, or Yamunapanth appear to be? When Mishti says the place has changed, get slower and add a few tid-bits about scenic shifts as well. This will make the story more immersive. All the best! 

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11: Jitroy03: Lacuna Obscura

Showing vs Telling: 8
Description: 7
Intrigue: 9
Originality: 8
Technicality: 8
Overall score: 40/50

Strength: Pretty Dan Brown vibes! The world built around the characters, the amount of mystery thrown in, and the step by step increasing depth of the plot, these points are worth reading.

What can be improved: The more the Austrian landscape described, the more immersive it will be. Even when a character is on a rocky journey (literally!), or viewing the Alps, describe the world, so the readers visualize it and carry along the journey. Otherwise, the narration and story is beautiful. Keep writing. Good luck!

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Good luck to all.