But the farther you can get self-editing on your own, the more you’ll get out of the editing process. Is my novel’s title evocative and genre-appropriate?Īll of this is easier said than done! It’s so difficult to see what is and isn’t on the page, which is why seeking feedback is important.Is my word count appropriate for my genre?.If I’m pursuing traditional publishing, does the first installment in a series come to a completely satisfying conclusion that does not depend on a sequel?.Am I using active verbs and clearing out the clutter in my prose?.Is my prose belabored with excessive words or explanations that are already apparent from context? Am I over-explaining “default” objects?.Do I know my writing tics? Is my voice consistent?.Are my gestures specific and individualized? Am I including aimless stage direction?.Are my mysteries chosen judiciously or am I being so vague I’m going to confuse the reader?.Am I giving the reader sufficient context to understand what’s happening? Am I bogging things down with aimless info-dumps?.Am I orienting the reader at the start of new scenes?.Am I providing adequate physical description to immerse the reader in the setting? Am I describing new characters and settings when they’re first introduced? Is it clear how characters are moving from Point A to Point B?.Am I over-relying on dialogue? Do the conversations have a point? Are my protagonist(s) motivations and thought processes clear from the narrative voice?.Are the adults running away with my children’s novel?.Do any of my characters feel flat? Do they need to be spiced up?.Do my characters have backstories and histories? Do these impact the plot? Do I really need them on the page?.Do conflicts between characters end in the same muddled place or are conflicts allowed to linger? Are there ups and downs? Do the characters have to work hard to achieve resolutions?.Do the relationships between my characters change and become more complicated as the book goes on?.Do my characters have specific hopes and dreams?.Is my protagonist(s) engaging or am I risking “losing” the reader with actions that are beyond the pale?.Does the reader see the best and worst characteristics of my main characters? Are their strengths balanced by weaknesses? Am I being too easy on them?.Does my book come to a satisfying climax? Does the ending feel rushed?.If I can take out a chapter and the plot will still make sense, is that chapter really necessary? Should some events be folded in with others?.Are momentous events given the weight they deserve? Am I being conscious about what is dramatized and what happens off the page?.Is the pacing correct for my genre? Is it consistent?.Does my protagonist(s) alternate between up and down moments, with the most intense towards the end?.Are my chapters well-organized? Do they reach a definitive moment of punctuation or do they fizzle out?.Does my main plot arc initiate close enough to the beginning that I won’t lose the reader? Should I include a mini-quest before the main plot kicks off to keep the protagonist active?.
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