Fiction Revision Checklist

Here is a sample:

1. Revise for spelling and grammar.
2. Revise for content.
3. Viewpoint: Is this the appropriate viewpoint for your type of story, the characters, the theme, the genre.
4. Descriptions: Make sure descriptions are vivid and interesting; use the right word choices.
5. Transitions: Use the appropriate transitional words and transitional scenes.
6. Avoid cliche: Don’t just avoid cliche words, but cliche characters, cliche scenes, cliche themes.
7. Recreate scenes: Include a mixture of summarized and dramatized scenes; transitional scenes might be summarized while principle scenes should be dramatized; according to Henry James “dramatize dramatize dramatize.”
8. Images and metaphors: Be vivid and concrete; avoid cliche.
9. Reread for what works: Does your story work?
10. Revise dialogue: Word choice, pacing, and rhythm of dialogue; does dialogue reveal character? Does dialogue move the story along? Does dialogue work?
11. Revise setting and general environment, if necessary.
12. Revise narrative, if necessary.
13. Does story have introduction, middle and resolution?
14. Revise as a reader, not a writer.
15. Revise general pace and rhythm of story.
16. Revise storyline: Is this story a meaningful pattern of events? Do the events create suspense and build character? Other storyline questions: Does storyline determine character? Does character determine storyline?