50 Things Your Manuscript Is Judged On

My heart candy poem thing sort of fizzled out when I realized the majority of the phrases were impossible to read. I was basically left with the phrases, "Get Real," "See Ya," and "No Way," which don't make for very encouraging poetry (although, it did make me think that rejections would be much sweeter if agents would just send us candy hearts like that).

Instead, I'm going to share a judging sheet from a Young Adult novel contest. I think most of these apply to all categories and genres, so hopefully the list will give you some things to think about. We're told time & time again that we've got one shot to impress, so here are a few things that the average judge/agent might be looking for.

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At this point, many agents are so flooded with queries and partial/full submissions that they are looking for reasons to reject (not that they're not super-nice-friendly-awesome people, but when you're going through a pile of three-hundred, any reason to move on is a good one). Look over your manuscript, look over this list, and don't give them a reason.

*This sheet is based on people reading 5-10 chapters, so the synopsis is a little more important here (so that judges can have an idea of where the novel goes). That's why it has 10 points taken into consideration.*

*My apologies for any format issues...I love you Blogger, but you're not cooperating this morning :)

*I know this goes against the rule of "keep blog posts fairly short" and I promise not to do it often :)

PROFESSIONAL IMPACT:

[ ] 1. Is the entry presented professionally - in correct manuscript format?
[ ] 2. Does the entry follow required format of this contest?
[ ] 3. Are the grammar, spelling, and punctuation correct?

WRITING MECHANICS:

[ ] 4. Is the first chapter compelling? Is there an intriguing hook? Does it make you want to
continue reading?
[ ] 5. Does the author use the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) appropriately to create a
vivid experience?
[ ] 6. Does the author show rather than tell? Is the writing active and not passive? If passivity is used, is it appropriate for the scene and unobtrusive?
[ ] 7. Is the writing style clear and distinct with appropriate use of adjectives/adverbs?
[ ] 8. Is exposition presented in a believable and well-balanced manner?
[ ] 9. Do the scenes flow smoothly? Is the manuscript well-paced?
[ ] 10. Is the story told in a fresh, clear, and focused manner, without irrelevant digressions?
[ ] 11. Does the author present the work in a distinct style/voice?

READER’S INITIAL REACTION:

[ ] 12. Does the book open at the right place, and does the opening reveal something
important and/or hint at the story conflict?
[ ] 13. Are the central character(s) introduced at an appropriate moment? Is this first
appearance believable and intriguing?
[ ] 14. Are the opening situation and introduction of characters presented in a clear manner, without
unnecessary confusion? If some information is withheld for suspense, is it done effectively?

CENTRAL CHARACTER/PROTAGONIST:

[ ] 15. Is the protagonist recognizably young, and behave plausibly for his/her age, time, and culture?
[ ] 16. Is the central character/protagonist an active character? Do his/her actions affect the course of
the plot?
[ ] 17. Can you identify with the central character(s), even if he or she isn't sympathetic?
[ ] 18. Does he/she interact realistically with other characters?

OTHER MAJOR CHARACTERS:

[ ] 19. Are the other major characters all necessary to the story? Do they play essential roles?
[ ] 20.. Is each major character well-defined and distinctive?
[ ] 21. Do the actions of the major characters have an effect on the plot?
[ ] 22. Are their interactions with the central character plausible, given the ages involved?

CONFLICT AND MOTIVATION:

[ ] 23. Do the motivations of the character(s) create genuine conflict, not contrived or forced?
[ ] 24. Is the conflict (or conflicts - internal/external) strong enough to carry a story of this type
and length?
[ ] 25. Are the goals of the central character established or foreshadowed?
[ ] 26. Do you see conflict rising in an effective way as the story goes on?

PLOT:

[ ] 27. Do the story events fit the Young Adult themes? Is this clearly a story aimed at younger readers
and not adults?
[ ] 28. Are the story events believable even if they are extreme in some way? Is the plot free of logic
lapses?
[ ] 29. Does the plot promise to develop as a comprehensive whole, not just a series of
episodes without much linkage?

SETTING:

[ ] 30. Is there a clear sense of time and place, as perceived by a young person?
[ ] 31. Does the setting add depth and/or conflict to the experience and journey of the young
protagonist??

POINT OF VIEW:

[ ] 32. Is the Point of View approach effective and appropriate for this plot and a Young Adult book?
[ ] 33. Does POV create empathy and understanding of the character(s) and a good vicarious
experience for the reader?
[ ] 34. Does the POV presentation enhance the story, such as by creating suspense, giving a unique
perspective on an event, creating an intriguing character voice, or increasing the level of
emotion?

DIALOGUE:

[ ] 35. Do the characters sound like real people? Are character voices consistent with their age,
education, gender, ethnicity, etc.? Is the dialogue appropriate for the time and place of the
story?
[ ] 36. Does each character have a distinct voice that reflects his/her age and culture?
[ ] 37. Is the exposition (information transfer) in dialogue natural to the speaker and situation?
[ ] 38. Do the dialogue passages effectively use paragraph length, word choice, placement and type of
quote tags, punctuation, vocal idiosyncrasies (like sentence fragments, etc), action, and
introspection to create a conversation experience both inside and outside the quotation
marks?
[ ] 39. Does the dialogue move the story forward and cause plot change?
[ ] 40. Do the conversations between characters reveal and change their relationship?

SYNOPSIS:

[ ] 41. Is the synopsis presented in an acceptable format and does it clearly define the period,
situation, and locale of the story?
[ ] 42. Does the synopsis present a story of appropriate length and approach for a Young Adult novel?
[ ] 43. Does the synopsis tell the story in a clear chronological fashion, with the cause-and-effect
dynamic of events identified?
[ ] 44. Does the synopsis clearly show the actions of the major characters and how they affect the
plot?
[ ] 45. Does the synopsis answer all the questions the reader might have about the plot?
[ ] 46. Does the synopsis describe the conflicts and show how they rise in tension and
resolve in the end? Does the ending answer the story questions?
[ ] 47. Is there a presentation of the emotional cause and effect of story events?
[ ] 48. Are the characters, their motivations, and their conflicts clearly defined in the synopsis?
[ ] 49. Do transitions between events effectively link one event to another and promote the
ease of the reading experience and the coherence of the plot?
[ ] 50. Does the synopsis make you want to read the rest of the book?

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See you on Friday!