Okay, we come to this issue every year, and it seems even this year we have this error occurring.

What issue, you ask?

Fantasy stories not going in the category we want fantasy stories.

Look, I get it.  I'm a Fantasy writer whose stories have a sub-genre of action and adventure.

Sci-Fi and some other fantastical stories make that breach occasionally as well. But we notice it most with Fantasy type stories.

Guys. Eragon and The Lord of the Rings are still Fantasy. Star Wars is still Sci-Fi.

Why is this a point we are stressing so much? Because here is the judging criteria.

❄Blurb: (hooking? Well written? Not too short or long?)
❄Writing style: (Flows well? Clean grammar? Knows how to make the writing hit you?)
❄Plot: (original? Engaging? Concise and planned out?)
❄Characters: (do they feel real? Individualized? Add to the story?)

However, each category will get its own special criteria that is specific to the genres represented. They are as follows:

❄Worldbuilding: (Magical Elves: How well they build their world, the thought and execution of their lore, originality)

❄Feels: (Underneath the Mistletoe: Do you actually root for the love interests? Is there chemistry? Is it forced?)

❄Adrenaline: (Holiday Shopping: Do you feel like you're on the edge of your seat at the right moments? Do they build tension well? Good fight scenes? A feeling of mystery or danger?)

The way you shape and build your world in fantastical type stories is VERY important. All genres are guilty of info dumped and forced world building, but these genres are notorious for it, and because of that, the Magical Elves category is getting strictly judged on it.  But to do that... We need the right books in there.

Now, if your story has extremely light fantastical elements (this is why horror is still okay; even when it has fantastical elements, it's not normally that intricate), you can make an argument for it.

But please please please. Put your stories in their primary genre categories. And if you already signed up and your book is in a category it shouldn't be in, please let us know.

Also, the criteria is still in the decision phase, so it could change between now and when we start judging the Finalists, so if you have any suggestions, let us know.