To those who participated in our Novel Writing Competition: how cool is it that you’ve officially started working on your first book!? Whether you used this contest as a jumping-off point for a more substantial work, or you just wanted the challenge of writing an excellent excerpt, we were blown away with your could-be novels. To help us choose a batch of winners from this pool of fierce fiction, we called on YA Author Emily Gale for help. Today, Emily shares which pieces showcased the best display of “good flow [and] natural dialogue”.
BEST ENTRY
“The System” by Vin (US)
The System stood out as ambitious and polished. This writer is able to employ metaphor that feels relevant to the themes with enough restraint so that the more elaborate prose does not interrupt the narrative flow. The dialogue felt natural, there’s good tension and I enjoyed the more sinister details that were cleverly embedded in the text. The themes feel current and compelling. It was clever to show an excerpt that broadened the scope of the story beyond Claire’s limited perspective. By the end I felt invested in both strands of the story and keen to learn how the author intends to maintain that balance. It is more than a fine piece of writing; it’s a door opening into a world that has a familiar feel in some ways and the promise of something speculative in others.
RUNNER UP
“Gone With The Tide” by sophmailloux (Canada)
Gone With The Tide is full of promise and this excerpt did a fantastic job of drawing me in. With a very likeable narrative voice, this writer is able to create vivid scenes and to move with ease between the present and past, creating excellent tension and intrigue. It is unclear how involved the narrator is in the life-changing events that have occurred but this gives them a perspective that the reader can become easily attached to—the narrator knows more than the reader, but does not know everything. I admire the lightness of touch in such a dramatic scene. Most importantly, the reader is left desperate to know what happens next, and confident that this writer can pull it off.
BEST PEER REVIEW
Lottifus’s (UK) review of on “Pretty Isn’t Everything” by Charisse Marison
This reviewer certainly has a future career as a fiction editor should they be interested in that line of work. They’ve managed to create a perfect balance of encouragement and critique, highlighting the general features of the piece that appealed to them while giving clear signposting for where improvements could be made. This review examines the bigger picture but also recognizes the importance of detail, and it is obvious to me from the advice given that the reviewer understands the elements of good writing and how to create whole characters.
Honorable Mention
- “Steadfast” by Alliyah (US)
- “Jill” by Maya! (Canada)
- “A Gift” by DaydreamForever (UK)
