Judging will take a LOT of time, and have a LOT of steps within it. No kidding. I have recently been planning out the judging process, but will most likely continue to revise. None of it is final quite yet.

Also, I will not open judge applications until later on in the contest, so as to ensure that everyone who applies will be available when the time comes.

First things first, here is le lovely rubric:

Title: 5 points

Description/Foreword: 10 points

Characterization: 20 points

Plot/Originality: 20 points

Flow: 20 points

Writing Conventions: 15 points

Prompt Use: 10 points

Total: 100 points

Also, the judging process will be conducted as follows:

Part 1: All early scoring will be completed.

Part 2: As the deadline passes by, all incomplete entries will be eliminated from the contest, and extensions will be distributed accordingly.

Part 3: All remaining entries will be divided between the judges based on their genre interests and areas of expertise. The judges will then score based on the rubric and any bonus opportunities they believe should apply.

Part 4: The top 75% of entries will be scored a second time by different reviewers, and the remaining 25% will be eliminated.

Part 5: If two judges give entirely different scores on a certain story, they will now discuss it with one another until a final score is decided.

Part 6: All judges discuss the scores with one another before averaging them out and ranking them.

Part 7: Prizes and smiles :)