Scapegoat — No. 1: Cold Feet, Chapter One
The hunter can read fear on the Nightcrawler’s crotch.
Read the storyAugust 2026 Emoti winners
18 Write Club members voted to select the winners.
ROFL
Funniest authored line or sequence
HAWT
Most romantically compelling character
Co-winner
The Witch and the Duskborn — Chapter 1
Gideon Marsh — vulnerability, banter, and unwanted chemistry.
Read the storyCo-winner
Running with the Pact — Chapter 6 (Write Club Edition): Neon-Blue
Fiona — the capable rescuer who becomes endearingly awkward with Danny.
Read the storyNOPE
Scariest or most unsettling sequence
The Zacora Mutation — Chapter 1: Nightmare on Phyllus II
The remembered surgical horror and the footage of bodily disintegration.
Read the storyFLEX
Outstanding literary composition
The Grimoire of Tanzil — Chapter One: The Memory Remains
The broken steering wheel becomes the childhood rope swing.
Read the storyOOOF
Most emotionally powerful moment
The Triune Deer
Xereli restores Bravery’s pelt and tends to the dead deer with reverence.
Read the storyGASP
Best revelation
WHOA
Most distinctive on-page invention
Ink — Flash #1: Fastball
Tattoos transfer health and lifespan, while Cassius physically bears what he takes.
Read the storyICON
Most compelling character
Unhuman Resources — Part 1 of 3
Heller, “a smartass and clearly something of a disaster.”
Read the storyGOAT will be announced separately.
How the Emotis work
Write Club readers discuss stories and share reactions during each session. Those conversations inform the Emoti shortlist.
From August 2026, each author may receive one community story award per month. Confirmed votes determine the ranking: an author keeps their largest raw-vote victory margin, and other awards pass to the next eligible author. Equal margins are settled by runner-up eligibility, category participation, then the first-to-third vote gap; admins resolve any remaining choice of category for the same author. Eligible nominees tied within a category share the award. GOAT recognizes outstanding reader feedback and is separately judged. Earlier months retain their original judging process.
Explore reading archives and judging materialAward guide · nine categories
HAWT
Maximum Swoon
Romantic tension and chemistry that made the room swoon.
ROFL
Funniest Line(s)
Dialogue, narration, or comic timing that landed hardest.
FLEX
Literary Craft
Exceptional sentences, technique, or structure.
OOOF
Maximum Feels
An emotional turn that hit the room with unusual force.
NOPE
Things We Cannot Unsee
Horror, dread, or imagery that stayed with readers.
GASP
Best “Wait, What?!”
A reveal or turn that surprised the room.
WHOA
Mind-Blowing Concept / Idea
Ideas and worldbuilding that opened new possibilities.
ICON
Iconic Character
A character with an unforgettable voice or presence.
GOAT
Outstanding Reader & Critic
Community feedback that helped authors strengthen their work.