Opening & Closing
Strength of opening sentence in engaging reader, and impact of closing in lingering
The five levels
Each anchor describes what separates one level from the next — not a general description of quality. This is the text the evaluator itself reads.
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Level 1 Below Standard
Dull opening doesn't engage + ending leaves no impact
Example "I will tell you a story about..." / Ending with flat narration
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Level 2 Approaching
One stronger than the other, no balance
Example Strong opening ending with clichéd close or vice versa
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Level 3 At Standard
Both acceptable but neither stands out
Example Opening and ending fulfill their function without special creativity
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Level 4 Above Standard
Opening grips reader + ending seals meaning firmly
Example First sentence poses implicit question answered by ending
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Level 5 Exemplary
Unforgettable opening + ending that drives re-reading
Example Reader returns to opening after ending to see what it meant
Where does your own work sit on these levels?
Submit one work to be read against this criterion alone: your position across the five levels, why you are not higher and why not lower, three literal quotes from your own work, and one exercise with its success check. Your first card is free.
Price: 7 SAR · Included in Pro & Artist Plus · First one free — Pricing details
Read my work by this criterionOther criteria in the same art
Ability to show emotions through actions and details rather than direct statement
The five levels →Constructing the scene like a building: setup, tension, climax, resolution
The five levels →Short sentence's ability to carry deep multi-layered meaning
The five levels →Conscious movement between times, using flashback and other techniques
The five levels →Consciously speeding and slowing text according to scene demands
The five levels →Character's convincing growth or transformation across the text
The five levels →Creating and managing anticipation and emotional investment in character's fate
The five levels →Using the five senses to bring the scene vividly to the reader
The five levels →