Rate Your Story: THE RATING SCALE

*PLEASE NOTE:
While the below links will remain active, RYS has moved to a new website. You can now find all RYS info, blog posts, and more at: WWW.RATEYOURSTORY.ORG
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You may use this badge on your site if you score a 1!

The Rate Your Story Rating Scale is unique. Although scores are given within a familiar 1-10 range, 10 is the lowest score. So, when you get your story back and it's rated a 2–don't be bummed!

Here's what the numbers mean:

10 - Consider this story as practice and write a new one.
9 - This story is best saved for reading to your family.
8 - If at first you don't succeed...rewrite, rewrite again.
7 - Your idea has merit, but the story needs a lot of revision.
6 - Not bad, but it doesn't stand out.
5 - Better than average, but still needs work.
4 - A decent story – could be great with some polishing.
3 - Good story – Get a critique or two and polish before submitting.
2 - A very good story - with the potential to be great.
1 - Great story! You should consider submitting this.

What we look for when rating a story:
Most short stories have similar elements–whether you're writing a picture book about a toddler turning two or a dark fantasy story for vampire enthusiasts. There's character, plot, conflict, and resolution. Your diction, or word choice, will be considered. If there is dialogue, how realistic is it? Your genre and target age group/audience, if known to us, will also be taken into consideration. Formatting and technique counts–so don't be sloppy or use pink font. If you're not sure what makes a good story, please visit Aaron Shepherd's webpage entitled "What Makes A Good Story?" If you don't know how to format a manuscript, you can visit Holly Lisle's site for general guidelines, or see our submissions page.