Once all the entries are in at the completion round, judging will commence. It will follow this rubric:

Round 1: Show exemplary mechanics such as good grammar, accurate punctuation, consistent tense, sentence readability, correct spelling, proper formatting, etc. (20 points).

Round 2: Write an amazing hook. We want to be asking, "And then what happened?" (20 points)

Round 3: Character quality and polished dialogue. Ask yourself: Are my characters well-rounded and relatable? Are their introductions smooth and well-paced? Do they exhibit engaging interaction? (30 points)

Round 4: Final ranking will be based on plot development (10 points), world-building (10 points), and prompt adherence (10 points). In other words, everything else that makes, or breaks, a good story, all between 5000 - 7000 words.