| Bloc Buster Challenge 2018 |
| Story Title: |
Prophecy
|
| Month: |
February
|
Judge: |
3
|
|
|
|
| Plot: |
Possible 25 points |
|
24 |
Splendidly constructed plot, very pleasurable to read. My only quibble is that it wasn’t really clear why Jennifer warned him not to stay at the B&B. She knew he lived in the village, so why would he have done that anyway? |
| Is the story unusual/original and told with a particular skill? |
5 |
|
| Is the conflict, crisis, and resolution recognizable? |
5 |
|
| Is the plot easy to follow? |
5 |
|
| Does the tension mount throughout story? |
5 |
|
| Does the climax have a revelation, surprise, or twist ending? |
4 |
|
| Characterization: |
Possible 20 points |
|
20 |
The author did a nice job of making it easy to keep track of the 5 female characters without being clumsy about it. The male character and Jennifer each had very distinctive voices, and the three sisters were obviously from a different time. Everyone made intelligent choices consistent with their backgrounds & needs, which is often lacking in a horror story. |
| Are the characters believable, memorable, with unique individuality? |
5 |
|
| Are the characters’ motivations and problems they faced believable? |
5 |
|
| Are the characters’ introspections and dialogue appropriate for their age and background? |
5 |
|
| Does the story focus on the main character? |
5 |
|
| Setting: |
Possible 10 points |
|
10 |
Descriptions for sound, sight, and temperature are especially well employed to create a very spooky atmosphere. |
| Does the description use the 5 senses to help visualize the setting? |
5 |
|
| Does setting enhance the story by contributing to the mood and emotions of the characters? |
5 |
|
| Style: |
Possible 25 points |
|
24 |
Very evocative descriptions (stone so dark shadows disappeared, a sinister fog) enrich the story. I’m not sure “voluptuous” describes Beatrix and Deborah. To me, that word implies curvy, even ample or plump. Since two of the sisters are slender or scrawny, perhaps another adjective would be better. Prophecy is misspelled a couple times. |
| Does the author satisfy the contest assignment? |
5 |
|
| Does the author skillfully use language to express the character, theme, and setting? |
5 |
|
| Does the author “show” versus “tell” the story? |
5 |
|
| Does the author use precise, active verbs? |
5 |
|
| Are there spelling, grammatical or typographical errors? (don’t deduct for minor errors) |
4 |
|
| Impact: |
Possible 10 points |
|
10 |
Very entertaining story with a roller-coaster ride from sadness to fear to lust. |
| Does this story engage your emotions? |
5 |
|
| Will you remember this story and these characters long after reading? |
5 |
|
Writers’ workshop and writing group
