How We Score Humans Write Competitions

Every submission in a Humans Write competition is judged on a 500-point rubric designed to balance craft, creativity, and impact. 

Submissions are scored across key categories: 

• Spelling and grammar (40 points)

• Setting and World-building (60)

• Storytelling and Plot (100)

• Character and Dialogue (100)

• Creativity and Originality (80)

• Competition Alignment (50)

• Writer’s voice (50)

• Judge’s choice category (20)

Judges award points within each category using detailed benchmarks, but they aren’t restricted to round numbers—scores like 73 or 86 reflect the nuance of each piece. 

Was your piece memorable, unique, or delightful in a particularly pleasing way? How does Humans Write account for that “je ne sais quoi” in a piece? The competition judge has the opportunity to award a maximum of 20 points based on their emotional response to the piece. 

Submissions may also lose points for breaking the rules: 

• Up to –100 points for undeclared AI use

• Up to  –50 for going over word count 

• Up to –50 for format noncompliance

This system ensures fairness while celebrating what makes the written word so powerful. Whether your piece is polished to perfection or experimental and daring, our rubric helps judges recognize both craft and creativity.

Multiple judges review each submission and the average of these becomes your final score. Our system is designed to let the highest-scoring and most memorable stories rise to the top. To see more detailed information about the rubric used for your specific writing contest, please reference the Official Rules & Regulations linked on the competition page in the "Description" section.