Novel writing is a form which opens windows into different worlds, drawing readers in through the creation of an intriguing and believable narrative. From a mysterious card game under the glow of a streetlamp to a pair of siblings navigating loss, the winners of our Novel Writing Competition took us into new settings and introduced us to complex and exciting characters.
Read on to discover the winners, finalists and highly commended pieces, along with commentary from Guest Judge Julie Strauss-Gabel!
WINNERS
Winner: hide and seek by typos, many of them (US)
“Hide and Seek” accomplishes quite a lot in under a thousand words, and it’s executed with patience and a comfortable surety of craft. There are just enough clues about the world to situate, even immerse, the reader, without making it a chore. There’s promise of the story ahead, and intrigue established, without giving up many proper plot details. But what most distinguished the piece is the author’s firm command of its narrative voice. Everything the reader comes to understand about the world and the plot is framed within Ebba’s distinct POV and grounded in character. Best, that’s achieved with a light touch through observations, distinct phrasing choices, and subtle subversions of expectation. You want to know more about what’s happening because you want to know more about Ebba.
That strong POV also endeavors to be coy, in degrees, with both Hugo and the reader, so demands perhaps a higher degree of precision when shifting its gaze and describing action and dialogue outside of Ebba’s interior monologue. It’s comparatively somewhat less sharp, less clear when the piece turns its attention to Hugo (and Toby). It will be interesting to see how the author continues to evolve this very close third person as the storytelling becomes more expansive.
Runner up: Dinnertime by thuphamm (Vietnam)
Though we are only seeing establishing hints of its setting and themes, it seems clear that “Dinnertime” is going to engage with large-scale issues—the pandemic, grief and loss, class—assumedly against a city backdrop that is itself a complex character. But even with those big topics, “Dinnertime” does a praiseworthy job of focusing on its smallest moments. Starting from the first sentence, the piece finds its best footing when the narrator’s focus is on little sister Vân. There is a lightness and ease in those interactions with Vân that bookend the piece, and it’s an emotional grounding that should serve the project well.
Best Peer Review: Don’t fall into dreams, reviewed by lochnessie (Australia)
Lochnessie strikes an artful equilibrium between micro and macro feedback. The sentence-level comments are observant and useful, building nicely on each other. I appreciate the attention to sentence breaks and flow. And I especially admire the way the more critically constructive comments are direct and clear, not sugar-coated but delivered in a way that displays an understanding of the fuller piece and an investment in helping to make it stronger. The longer- form comments do an excellent job of observing the tricky balancing act of imagery, information, specificity, vagary, etc. and how every choice ultimately contributes to the overall message of the piece as a whole.
FINALISTS
Excerpt from Into Gold by Janina G (US)
Autumn Awakened by NightRain (US)
The Cement Horse by Holy_Grail (Nigeria)
Ring by Blue Moons (US)
PEER REVIEW FINALISTS
Revolution, reviewed by Ninja girl (Australia)
boys are cuter when they cry, reviewed by mesh_mckinney (US)
Eavesdropping in the Alcove or Desperate Times Call For Unconventional Measures, reviewed by Lilies and Peonies (Australia)
Sink Or Swim, reviewed by Anna A. (the Philippines)
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Noonchi by Ryan Lee (US)
Bootleggers by IdaWaterman! (US)
