What to Look For When You Edit Your Own Work or Beta Read
Some things to look for when you edit your own work or beta read for someone else.
Source: cammykitty’s blog (reposted with her permission), (her sources are listed at the bottom) and some things were my own additions.
This is not the end all, be all list but a tool to help in the editing process.
Opening:
Does story start in right place?
Does opening grab you?
Does opening raise questions or hint at conflict?
Is it interesting or exciting?
If there is a prologue, does it need to be killed?
Characters:
Are their actions motivated?
Are their actions consistent?
Are they developed enough?
Any stereotypes?
Do characters need to react more - or explain his/her lack of reaction more?
Have feelings been shown more often than told?
Are secondary characters described when they first show up? Originally?
Is back story used appropriately - enough? Too much?
Is something at stake for the main character in each scene?
Are the stakes high enough?
Do the stakes get raised?
Is the character’s interior monologue realistic? Does it show his/her personality and/or sense of humor? Can you delete "she thought?"
Are the character relationships (good and bad) believable?
Are character relationships developed enough?
Setting/Description:
Any talking heads?
Do we know where we are?
Does setting help scene along in some way?
Is the description well-done and balanced?
5 senses - taste, touch, smell, hear, see - and the 6th sense
Is there description?
Emotion:
Is there any feeling?
Is there too much angst? Not enough?
Is it melodrama (soap opera)?
Is the feeling shown and not told?
Dialogue:
Again, any talking heads?
Is dialog blended with enough action and description to keep it interesting?
Any, "As you know Bobs"?
Anybody talk too long?
Do the words carry the flavor of the character that speaks them?
Are there unnecessary words?
Do any characters just drop out of a scene while someone's talking? - oops, Jane spoke once and then poof!
Is there conflict within the dialog - do different speakers have different agendas? Do they misunderstand each other?
Are there things left unspoken? Between the line stuff.
How does the dialog sound?
Do the characters have distinct voices?
Content:
Continuity errors?
Dropped ideas/missing information?
Character development - is it believable or just evolved for plot convenience?
What can I cut (i.e. are the scenes pulling their weight)?
Does anything need to be planted or foreshadowed?
Are promises to reader fulfilled?
Does the plot hold up - or are there some -duh- moments?
Is the timing consistent - i.e. we don't use the brooch before we have the brooch etc?
Does story evoke the emotions intended?
Does anything get more attention than it deserves? Such as a paragraph to describe a wood carving that never gets used ?
Are there any subplots/tangents that detract from the story ?
Grammar/Nuts & Bolts:
Consistent formatting?
Are Proper Nouns (names/places) spelled consistently?
Check spelling and grammar.
Are there too many "As she...." or -ing phrases?
Are there too many adverbs?
Is ther a problem with passive language?
Style:
Sentence structure - anything awkward?
Is sentence rhythm good?
Paragraph structure/breaks work? Are there any paragraphs that are too dang long?
Clichés, vague words, wrong words, repeated or overused words?
Kill any word that isn't pulling its weight?
POV. Any head hopping? Correct POV?
Is exposition used appropriately?
Is the writing style consistent?
Does tone suit subject matter?
Do metaphors and other images work - is there a better one that is more consistent with the overall story?
Does anything stick out as too poetic, too crass, too whatever?
Any Passive Voice?
Any stilted language?
Pacing:
Too fast?
Too slow?
Description drawn out?
Are scenes in the best order or is it fast, fast, fast, without a break, or OMG Sloooooow?
Does the story read smoothly?
World Building:
Is it consistent?
Are there info dumps or as-you-know-Bobs?
Is the world foreign enough?
Are the rules consistent?
Do the rules make sense?
Any info dumping?
Repeats:
Do you repeat or overuse any particular words or phrases?
Do you say the same thing, but differently, more than once - can you delete the weaker way and make the whole thing stronger?
Are there characters or scenes that repeat?
Anything obviously remind you of someone else’s published work?
Magic:
Is it magical enough?
Does the magic system make sense?
Is there enough magic or too much magic?
Is the magic too technical?
Does the magic system seem hinky at all?
Does the magic feel magical or mystical?
Ending:
Are all the loose ends tied up?
Is the ending exciting?
Is the ending predictable?
Did all the subplots make it to the end?
Is the ending satisfying?
Were any subplots dropped or lost?
( Keep any big changes that are "go back laters" recorded at back of journal & check off as done).
cammykitty:"This was pulled from all sorts of sources, Holly Lisle's one pass revision article on her site, some critique articles from sfwa's site, Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, an email of "The Three Levels Model" of critiquing Bryan sent me, my own head, feedback I've gotten from various people. I might add a few things from Zette's class notes on revision later. Her last pass is a back to front process where she adds a sensory detail on every page. Kind of like adding the trills to a piece of music. Anyway, I may break this down and look at parts of this on different passes through. Holly has been doing this long enough to keep all this in her head and address it on one pass. But I'm not Holly."
Is there anything you would add or change?
Source: cammykitty’s blog (reposted with her permission), (her sources are listed at the bottom) and some things were my own additions.
This is not the end all, be all list but a tool to help in the editing process.
Opening:
Does story start in right place?
Does opening grab you?
Does opening raise questions or hint at conflict?
Is it interesting or exciting?
If there is a prologue, does it need to be killed?
Characters:
Are their actions motivated?
Are their actions consistent?
Are they developed enough?
Any stereotypes?
Do characters need to react more - or explain his/her lack of reaction more?
Have feelings been shown more often than told?
Are secondary characters described when they first show up? Originally?
Is back story used appropriately - enough? Too much?
Is something at stake for the main character in each scene?
Are the stakes high enough?
Do the stakes get raised?
Is the character’s interior monologue realistic? Does it show his/her personality and/or sense of humor? Can you delete "she thought?"
Are the character relationships (good and bad) believable?
Are character relationships developed enough?
Setting/Description:
Any talking heads?
Do we know where we are?
Does setting help scene along in some way?
Is the description well-done and balanced?
5 senses - taste, touch, smell, hear, see - and the 6th sense
Is there description?
Emotion:
Is there any feeling?
Is there too much angst? Not enough?
Is it melodrama (soap opera)?
Is the feeling shown and not told?
Dialogue:
Again, any talking heads?
Is dialog blended with enough action and description to keep it interesting?
Any, "As you know Bobs"?
Anybody talk too long?
Do the words carry the flavor of the character that speaks them?
Are there unnecessary words?
Do any characters just drop out of a scene while someone's talking? - oops, Jane spoke once and then poof!
Is there conflict within the dialog - do different speakers have different agendas? Do they misunderstand each other?
Are there things left unspoken? Between the line stuff.
How does the dialog sound?
Do the characters have distinct voices?
Content:
Continuity errors?
Dropped ideas/missing information?
Character development - is it believable or just evolved for plot convenience?
What can I cut (i.e. are the scenes pulling their weight)?
Does anything need to be planted or foreshadowed?
Are promises to reader fulfilled?
Does the plot hold up - or are there some -duh- moments?
Is the timing consistent - i.e. we don't use the brooch before we have the brooch etc?
Does story evoke the emotions intended?
Does anything get more attention than it deserves? Such as a paragraph to describe a wood carving that never gets used ?
Are there any subplots/tangents that detract from the story ?
Grammar/Nuts & Bolts:
Consistent formatting?
Are Proper Nouns (names/places) spelled consistently?
Check spelling and grammar.
Are there too many "As she...." or -ing phrases?
Are there too many adverbs?
Is ther a problem with passive language?
Style:
Sentence structure - anything awkward?
Is sentence rhythm good?
Paragraph structure/breaks work? Are there any paragraphs that are too dang long?
Clichés, vague words, wrong words, repeated or overused words?
Kill any word that isn't pulling its weight?
POV. Any head hopping? Correct POV?
Is exposition used appropriately?
Is the writing style consistent?
Does tone suit subject matter?
Do metaphors and other images work - is there a better one that is more consistent with the overall story?
Does anything stick out as too poetic, too crass, too whatever?
Any Passive Voice?
Any stilted language?
Pacing:
Too fast?
Too slow?
Description drawn out?
Are scenes in the best order or is it fast, fast, fast, without a break, or OMG Sloooooow?
Does the story read smoothly?
World Building:
Is it consistent?
Are there info dumps or as-you-know-Bobs?
Is the world foreign enough?
Are the rules consistent?
Do the rules make sense?
Any info dumping?
Repeats:
Do you repeat or overuse any particular words or phrases?
Do you say the same thing, but differently, more than once - can you delete the weaker way and make the whole thing stronger?
Are there characters or scenes that repeat?
Anything obviously remind you of someone else’s published work?
Magic:
Is it magical enough?
Does the magic system make sense?
Is there enough magic or too much magic?
Is the magic too technical?
Does the magic system seem hinky at all?
Does the magic feel magical or mystical?
Ending:
Are all the loose ends tied up?
Is the ending exciting?
Is the ending predictable?
Did all the subplots make it to the end?
Is the ending satisfying?
Were any subplots dropped or lost?
( Keep any big changes that are "go back laters" recorded at back of journal & check off as done).
cammykitty:"This was pulled from all sorts of sources, Holly Lisle's one pass revision article on her site, some critique articles from sfwa's site, Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, an email of "The Three Levels Model" of critiquing Bryan sent me, my own head, feedback I've gotten from various people. I might add a few things from Zette's class notes on revision later. Her last pass is a back to front process where she adds a sensory detail on every page. Kind of like adding the trills to a piece of music. Anyway, I may break this down and look at parts of this on different passes through. Holly has been doing this long enough to keep all this in her head and address it on one pass. But I'm not Holly."
Is there anything you would add or change?