Gold Medallion Book Award
Category Description and Judging Criteria
FICTION
Category Description
This award is for full-length, narrative writing whose source is the imagination of the author and whose intended audience is adults.
Judging Criteria (using a scale of 1-10)
1. Characterization
Does the author create believable, memorable characters with all the uniqueness, complexity, and individuality of real people— people with both positive and negative traits present?
Do the main characters respond to and influence events?
Are they changed by the action in the story?
Does the dialogue contribute to rich, vivid, unique characterization so that individual characters possess unique voices?
2. Plot
Does the author construct a clear, convincing and compelling story line with a clearly recognizable arc of conflict, crisis, and resolution?
Does the narrative flow or tend toward the disjointed?
Are the obstacles to be overcome sufficiently challenging to the protagonists?
Is the resolution innovative? Credible? Authentic?
3. Theme
Does the author present a coherent theme?
Does the story contain a central or dominating idea made concrete through the characters and their actions?
How well is the message integrated into the story?
4. Writing Style / Mechanics
Does the quality of the author’s prose (syntax, word choice, etc.) enhance the story?
Do specific, definite, concrete, and particular details appeal to your senses and hold your attention?
Does the rhythm of the prose enhance the meaning?
Are there errors in spelling, grammar, paragraphing, and punctuation?
Are words used incorrectly?
5. Design
Do the cover and title of the novel make you want to read the book?
Do the tag line, back copy and/or endorsements further encourage you to read the novel?
Do the layout, text size, and margins combine to make the reading experience a pleasurable one?
6. Impact
Are all the elements of the story consistent with a Christian worldview?
Does the story engage your emotions?
Do you come to care deeply about the characters and about the outcome of the novel?
Are your mind and spirit stimulated and enlightened by the experience of reading this novel?
Download the Word document
Category Description and Judging Criteria
FICTION
Category Description
This award is for full-length, narrative writing whose source is the imagination of the author and whose intended audience is adults.
Judging Criteria (using a scale of 1-10)
1. Characterization
Does the author create believable, memorable characters with all the uniqueness, complexity, and individuality of real people— people with both positive and negative traits present?
Do the main characters respond to and influence events?
Are they changed by the action in the story?
Does the dialogue contribute to rich, vivid, unique characterization so that individual characters possess unique voices?
2. Plot
Does the author construct a clear, convincing and compelling story line with a clearly recognizable arc of conflict, crisis, and resolution?
Does the narrative flow or tend toward the disjointed?
Are the obstacles to be overcome sufficiently challenging to the protagonists?
Is the resolution innovative? Credible? Authentic?
3. Theme
Does the author present a coherent theme?
Does the story contain a central or dominating idea made concrete through the characters and their actions?
How well is the message integrated into the story?
4. Writing Style / Mechanics
Does the quality of the author’s prose (syntax, word choice, etc.) enhance the story?
Do specific, definite, concrete, and particular details appeal to your senses and hold your attention?
Does the rhythm of the prose enhance the meaning?
Are there errors in spelling, grammar, paragraphing, and punctuation?
Are words used incorrectly?
5. Design
Do the cover and title of the novel make you want to read the book?
Do the tag line, back copy and/or endorsements further encourage you to read the novel?
Do the layout, text size, and margins combine to make the reading experience a pleasurable one?
6. Impact
Are all the elements of the story consistent with a Christian worldview?
Does the story engage your emotions?
Do you come to care deeply about the characters and about the outcome of the novel?
Are your mind and spirit stimulated and enlightened by the experience of reading this novel?
Download the Word document
