Nothing usually renders me useless, like an excellent book. In this Gen Z and Gen X society, we’ve all lived vicariously through ourselves. The literature category at Octave allows you to put these scenarios to good use and give us the best short story ever that the judges are bamboozled. Moreover, this category tests your writing skills and allows you to become Rupi Kaur 2.0. Alas, we all wonder, to be or not to be.

Short Story 

• Entries will have to be submitted in English
• The topic/prompt will be assigned on campus 3 hours prior to the category’s start
• Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
• Word Limit: 500-1000 words.

Extract Analysis

• Participants will be given a prose passage to analyze.
• The response must be in english and should explore setting, plot, any shifts in the story and characters.
• Time given for the analysis will be 1 hour.
• Word Limit: 500-750 words
• There will be 2 rounds for this category. Both rounds will follow the same rules.
• Participants will be given a new text to analyze for the second round.
• Participants shortlisted from the first round would be tested again in the second round, narrowing it down to the best candidate.

Poetry

• Entries will be accepted in Urdu and English.
• Clear handwriting is required to avoid misinterpretation of the poem.
• Maximum no. of lines: 30
• Entries must be original; Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
• Only 2 Verses can be quoted from a relevant poem.
• Theme/Topic will be released 7 days prior to the start of Octave to ensure that quality content is submitted.