[RUBRIC]
I'm not a professional reviewer by any means, but I know what I like. Stories that draw people in and seem "real" are what I love. I don't mind grammar issues as long as it's not too glaring and the plot and feelings are all there. So yes - even if English is not your first language, do not feel shy! Please write from your heart and pour it onto pages for others to see. The following are guidelines for those interested in knowing what I'll be looking for.
[BASICS - 15 points]
Title - A unique title that relates to the story or prompt.
Foreword/Description - An enticing blurb that tells us what we're about to read but doesn't give it all away.
Grammar/POV - Grammar and tenses are not a sticking point for this competition, but should not be ignored. Try to stick to one POV (ex: 1st vs 3rd person). It's fine if you want to switch which person's POV you're speaking from if you're using 1st person. Please be sure to state it when switching inside the chapters so there's no confusion.
There are no additional points given for layout or poster. These are nice but not necessary for a good read. I much prefer that you focus on plot and development of your characters - we can work on prettying it up later on.
[CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT - 50 points]
Taeyang/Youngbae - A large chunk of the "grading" process will be based on how well you portray TY/YB in your story. He must be relatable to the real artist and person that fans see from interviews, variety shows, concerts, etc. He is a very complex person, so you will have many sides of TY/YB to select from. For example, you can choose shy and "innocent" YB, or the louder, brash Taeyang you see today on stage. Keep in mind, there will be underlying qualities that these "individuals" share that should be prominent. Whichever you choose, just be sure to keep your TY/YB in character throughout the story and you should be fine.
Other characters used in the story should also stay in character. They should be vibrant and visible - I should remember who your other characters are because you've described them well and left an impression on me. I don't know many artists outside of YG, so here's your chance to enlighten me!
"Staying in character" - What does this mean to me? This doesn't mean they can't be rude or mean if they're supposed to be innocent and sweet. It's fine to let characters have a "bad" day as long as you explain the situation or reasonings for their actions. But try to not make them bi-polar. >.< This will errode their character in my mind. Their behavior should not stray too far from how you've described them. Humans are prone to patterns and it's very difficult to get someone to change who they are unless something traumatic has occurred.
[STORY DEVELOPMENT - 30 points]
Story flow is a main factor here. Does it move too fast? Is it developing too slow? There should be enough foreshadowing to garner interest but not too much to give it all away. I don't mind cliché stories - in fact, I dote on them if they are done well and include plot twists that are unusual. So yes - bring on the arranged marriages and high school first-love! Just make sure your story unfolds appropriately and incorporates the prompt/song you've chosen.
The story should also be "believable". Nothing should sound forced - even the or kissing scenes! Fluff is fine... but too much and I might throw up. We should be moving with each chapter - gaining some sort of ground in your story.
[ENJOYMENT - 5 points]
This is purely subjective. But you'll get no points here if Taeyang ends up alone. HINT! <--- totally joking! (not really)
[JUDGING]
Judging for this contest will be completed by me and some special YB-stan guest judges. I won't say who yet, but I'm hoping some of my favorite YB authors & readers on AFF will join me. We'll see... I'll announce the judges once the deadline gets closer. [More than likely, they will have subscribed to your stories and will be judging incognito!]
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