Creative Writing Rubric

Points Characterization Imagery Plot Length Grammar Dialogue

1 Characters are The writer does not The writer has not The story is less There are more Dialogue is
under- developed and a try to employ tried to create a than 700 words. than 12 errors in: unnatural and stiff.
don’t have an imagery at all. No cohesive plot of any -punctuation There is excessive
adequate effort is made to kind. There’s no -capitalizati- exposition, Q&A
background, create a sensory structure, and it is on between characters,
personality, or experience for the not engaging or -commas and overly formal
motivation. They reader. original. -quotation marks speech.
don’t feel like real -word choice
people at all.

2 Characterizat-ion is The writer is The writer has The story is There are 10-12 Dialogue between
shaky. The uncreative and uses crafted a story with 700-849 words long. errors in: characters feels stiff
characters motives imagery sparingly. a central plot that -punctuation and unnatural.
are unclear, they The reader does not lacks one or more of -capitalizati- There is too much
have no consistent get a full sensory the following: on of two or more of
personality traits, and picture of what is conflict, rising -commas the following:
there’s no sense of a happening in the action, climax, -quotation marks exposition, Q&A
personal history. story. falling action, and -word choice format, or
resolution. The plot stiff/formal speech.
is unoriginal,
unengaging, and
doesn’t make much
sense.

3 Some attempt was An adequate The writer has The story is at least There are 7-9 errors Dialogue between
made to create a attempt was made crafted a story with 850-949 words long. in: characters feels stiff
background, to describe the a central plot that -punctuation and unnatural.
personality, and world of the story. lacks one or more of -capitalizati- There is too much
motivations, but the The writer chose the following: on of one or two of the
characters don’t feel key scenes to conflict, rising -commas following:
real. The emphasize, but action, climax, -quotation marks exposition, Q&A
characterization is didn’t go the extra falling action, and -word choice format, or
flimsy. mile. resolution. The plot stiff/formal speech.
makes sense, but
isn’t very original or
engaging.
 Creative Writing Rubric
4 Characters fall just The writer creates a The writer has The story is at least There are 4-6 errors Dialogue between
short of feeling real world of sensory crafted a story with 950-999 words long. in: characters is
and three images. A strong a central plot that -punctuation natural. The
dimensional. They attempt is made to has conflict, rising -capitalizati- wording and flow of
are missing describe scenery, action, climax, on speech mimics real
something essential: emotions, and falling action, and -commas life. There is very
a fully developed actions. The reader resolution. The plot -quotation marks little exposition,
background, can visualize what’s makes sense and is -word choice Q&A format, or
identifiable happening. engaging. It is stiff/formal speech.
motivations, or somewhat lacking in
consistent originality.
personality.

5 Characters feel like The writer creates a The writer has The story is at least Punctuation and Dialogue between
real people. There’s a world that is full of crafted a story with 1000 words long. capitalization is characters is
sense of history and sensory images. a central plot that correct. Commas natural. The
background. They The reader can has conflict, rising and quotation marks wording and flow of
have a clear picture certain action, climax, are placed and used speech mimics real
personality and the actions, scenery, or falling action, and correctly. Word life. There is no
reader understands facial expressions. resolution. The plot choice is sophistica- exposition, Q&A
their motivations. The imagery is makes sense, is ted. No more than format, or
detailed and engaging to the 1-3 errors. stiff/formal speech.
expertly employed. reader, and is
The writer is original. There are
creative in his or her no tropes.
use of imagery.