One of the hardest parts of writing a novel and editing it is seeing your work objectively. Use this revision checklist to identify areas where your book needs additional editing.
- Does the main plot arc initiate close enough to the beginning that you won’t lose the reader?
- Does your protagonist alternate between up and down moments, with the most intense towards the end?
- Are you able to trace the major plot arcs throughout the book? Do they have up and down moments?
- Do you have enough conflict?
- Does the reader see both the best and worst characteristics of your main characters?
- Do your characters have backstories and histories? Do these impact the plot?
- Is the pacing correct for your genre? Is it consistent?
- Is your voice consistent? Is it overly chatty or sarcastic?
- Is the tense completely consistent? Is the perspective consistent?
- Is there sufficient description that your reader feels grounded in the characters’ world?
- Is there too much description? (David R. Slayton)
- Are momentous events given the weight they deserve?
- Look closely at each chapter. If you can take out a chapter and the plot will still make sense, is it really necessary? Should some events be folded in with others?
- Do the relationships between your characters develop and change and become more complicated as the book goes on?
- What do your characters want? Is it apparent to the reader? Do they have both conscious and unconscious motivations?
- Do you know what your writing tics are? Do you overuse adverbs, metaphors, facial expressions, non-“said” dialogue tags, or interjections? Have you removed them?
- Do you overuse certain words or phrases? Is your word choice perfect throughout?
- Does your book come to a completely satisfying conclusion? Does it feel rushed?
- Do your main characters emerge from the book irrevocably changed?
- Are your characters distinguishable? Does it make sense to combine minor characters? (Kiersten)
- Do each of your scenes make dramatic sense on their own as well as move the overall plot forward? (Pete Peterson)
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Art: Poor Artist’s Cupboard by Charles Bird King
I've found that some of my side characters can be combined so the reader has to remember fewer names and the characters have greater impact.
This is an invaluable checklist.
I've found that some of my side characters can be combined so the reader has to remember fewer names and the characters have greater impact.–Kiersten
I just finished doing that. It does make a difference.
OMG,
remember yesterday's blog post?
My word verification should be added:
pooflog
I've learned in a character-heavy ms to refer to some characters by their last names, it's easier for a reader to identify the surname "Solarno" or "Tellis" as one of the bad guys than if he has the name Kevin, Matt, Todd, etc.
The first four of your list are the hardest, imo, and probably what keeps lots of books unsold.
aHave you created a main character who we can relate to? Who we empathize with? Just a few ways you can do this:
Good at something, has a strength
Liked or loved by someone else
Has a familiar flaw
Shows forgiveness
Do individual names stand out or do they blur together and become indistinguishable?
This is a huge help, Nathan. Thank you!
Nice list – w/ my recent work, I feel fairly confident about all of these (except, perhaps, the description part)… the key for me for this vs certain other stories I've written is that I cared about the characters far more… so along those lines (which can probably be inferred by several of your points – e.g., best and worst characteristics – but not necessarily)…
Does the reader experience sympathy /empathy for your characters (not just protags)?
Do you make use of all five senses where appropriate?
(a biggie, I think)
Does anything interrupt the "dream vision" of the story?
If you read the dialog aloud, does it sound like real people talking?
Do you have a hook?
This is too much fun. I'm going to be here all day. All I need now is a crumpet and I'll be set.
Wow! Great list – especially #4.
HHS
"Is your word choice perfect throughout?"
BTW – this one sux big time; I used to be far less critical of my own writing; now the writing's far superior to what I did even a couple of years ago, but I'm never pleased with it; eventually I'll settle on something that conveys what I want fluidly, but I'm fairly certain that I'll never believe it's perfect (though, to comfort myself, I'm 99.99% certain there is no just thing as a perfect book)