First of all, big thanks to the judges stbunnicula and bowdownpeasantz for participating as judges in our contest! I hope the participants can support their books by checking them out.

As to the winners below, congratulations! PM for your prizes.

For those who didn't win, don't be discouraged! Note that judging is really subjective. And there is always a next time. PM if you wish to know your results/review. We will stop accepting requests for the sharing of your results 10 days post the announcement.

Without further ado, here are the winners for Short Story:

1st Place:

"The Coagulum" by DonBoye 

Score: 96/100

Review: Firstly, the author's writing styles amazed me right from the blurb. And the stories blew my mind. The descriptions are so vivid and visual. They brought all the scenes of the story alive. There were a few punctuation errors but they were not distracting at all. The lack of dialogues suits the stories really well. The writing style of the author made the stories very engaging. Each story had a somewhat moral or meaning behind them. It was a great read!

2nd Place:

"Elegantly Wasted" by gldnsuns

Score: 93/100

Review: It was an enjoyable read. The author has a very good writing style. The descriptions were on point and the use of language was flawless, no errors spotted. The plot had a smooth flow and development. The two protagonists, though strangers in the starting chapters, were characterised very well. The author keeps the story at a natural pace, enough to hook the reader to the next chapter every time. Overall, it was a nice work!

3rd Place:

"When Days are Dark" by iamnothansolo 

Total: 90/100

Review: You've got an exceptional writing style! It transported me to the world of your writing and it almost felt like I was there with the main character. The way you delivered your message in your story is wonderful! I'm just lacking in the characters' substances as some of them are purely static. But overall, it's a fantastic story to read for melancholic hearts.

Runners-up:

4. "Healing Hearts | REWRITTEN" by GracelovesGod444

Score: 88.5/100

Review: The cover and blurb are able to captivate the reader's attention. The plot looked intriguing. Though the sequence of the scenes was confusing for me. I was wondering whether the story was in the past or in the present or how much in the past were the flashbacks. I expected the story to start from what is mentioned in the blurb and then go back to the past, maybe that's why. But either way, it was a nice read. The author has very good writing skills, only a few grammatical or punctuation errors were spotted. There was a good characterisation of the protagonists. Nice work!

5. "14 Days" by prettysmut 

Score: 88/100

Review: This is a lovable read, as if I'm reading a great comic due to the excellent imagery and narration. The characters leave an impression on me but there's something lacking in their personalities. But besides that, the story is very wholesome in its own way!

6. "Illuminating Heart" by ghostair 

Score: 88/100

Review: I loved the cover, blurb and title. They all matched well. The chapters were a bit short but covered every important scene of the story. Though I wished the scenes were a bit more descriptive to help the reader sympathise with the protagonist. Similarly, the characterisation can also be enhanced. As for the plot, I would say there is a smooth development. It is a simple, sweet and sad story. It was a nice read.

7. "Alone" by Choco_late8 

Total: 86.5/100

Review: The cover sort of didn't match the story but it hooked me, nonetheless. The overall plot is like a combination of Disney princesses like 'The Sleeping Beauty', 'Tangled' and 'Frozen', which makes it fairytale-like. I love how enchanting and bittersweet the story ends as if it's another spin of 'Romeo and Juliet'. There are minor issues with punctuation and there are missing words throughout the story. That being said, I suggest that the author should insert some commas on the dialogues.

8. "Lavender: Strange Somebody (Vol 1)" by Cryswave14 

Score: 85/100

Review: Firstly, the blurb was intriguing. The start of the story was very good. The chapters were quite short but still seemed engaging. The characterisation of the characters were well done and I felt much sympathy for the protagonist right from the start. There is good development of the plot, though it is a bit slow since the chapters are short. And there were some punctuation errors and unnecessary use of ellipsis. But overall, the author has good writing skills, though it can be improved. Good work!

9. "The Realm of the Dead" by Nicental 

Score: 84/100

Review: This story thrills me to read more despite the chapter length. The words flow naturally so that it's very easy to read. The use of imagery makes it ten times more interesting. And the glossary is a huge help for readers that are unfamiliar with the language used. Keep it up and keep on writing.