Joy of Revision - Checkpoints for Revising Your Novel

Middle

• Did I write in scenes?
• Does the story develop in an interesting and dramatic manner?
• Is anything happening?
• Are the characters developing, changing and growing?
• Do the characters act as well as react?
• Have I followed the rule of cause and effect?

Ending

• Did I write in scenes?
• Is the resolution believable? Too predictable? Too static?
• Have the characters changed and grown?
• Is the ending too slow? Or too fast?
• Have I written beyond the actual ending?
• Are the final scenes dramatic and interesting?

General

• Have I pruned my words?
• Have I used too many adjectives and adverbs?
• Have I used strong nouns and active verbs?
• Do I have any cliche characters, situations, figures of speech?
• Is the chronology of the book correct?
• Have the people in the novel acted in a manner consistent with their characters?
• Are all transitions clear? And not too long?
• Is the viewpoint consistent and clear, or have I hopped into too many minds?
• Will the reader turn every page?
• Is something happening?
• What is the main conflict? (Conflict does not necessarily mean argument.)
• Have I checked all facts for accuracy?
• Can I feel the emotions as I read through? (love, hatred, fear, envy, etc.)
• Is the motivation for each action strong and believable?
• Have I edited the dialogue enough?
• Have I left any story threads dangling?
• Are the spelling and grammar correct?

Copyright 1995-2010, Meg Chittenden