Quick Editing Checklist

Plot	1.      Does the story have recognizable structure i.e. point of action, complications, climax, falling action and resolution 2.      Is the first chapter really interesting and start with an action 3.      Does each scene have a goal, conflict, action and disaster. 4.      Do the sequels start with a reaction and end in a decision for the dilemma which will in turn lead to some kind of action. 5.      Do the scenes move fast enough with less description, back story and shorter sentences. 6.      Are the sequels just long enough and not too long. If you’re tempted to skim, they probably are. 7.      Do the subplots tie in seamlessly with the plot and do they follow the basic plot structure. 8.      For each scene is the POV and VP character clear. 9.      Is the theme coming through naturally and not contrived.
Characters	1.      Are your characters unique or can you find them somewhere if you can think hard enough. Give them unique histories, unique personalities and personalized quirks. 2.      Are all main characters well developed and are they acting true to their intended nature 3.      Is the main character sympathetic to the reader and is he someone you and the reader can understand and relate to 4.      Does the main character have a compelling enough goal that failure to meet would lead to some kind of tragic loss 5.      Does the main character change into a better, worse or a more mature person by the end of the story 6.      Pay close attention to what the characters are seeing and feeling. 7.      Make sure of the appearance and disappearance of characters. Make it logical. 8.      Make sure that characters still look and act the same way.
Setting	1.      Is it spread in sprinklings all through the story or is it overloaded in one place. 2.      Is the description done by showing the characters experience of it rather than just telling us what everything looks like.
Dialogue	1.      If it doesn’t drive the plot forward, provide information about the characters or show the relationship between characters – kill it. Don’t write in complete grammatical sentences. 2.      Is it believable 3.      Get rid of most of the chitchat and social niceties 4.      Instead of using dialogue tags instead just start the action immediately. 5.      Start a new line even if one character doesn’t talk 6.      Freeze the conversation with a few sentences of prose 7.      Ellipses show the characters trailing off and dashes to show the characters being cut off by another 8.      For each conversation you provide, each character must have his/her voice. Don’t use difficult words for a farm boy.
Description	1.      Replace abstract nouns like she was happy with an action like she smiled. 2.      Is it vivid and vibrant 3.      It must be balanced with dialogue and  narration 4.      Do all scenes use all the five senses. 5.      In any particular paragraph not more than three senses should be used otherwise you’re just overdoing it.
Writing Style	1.      Delete adjectives 2.      Replace adverbs with stronger verbs like spoke quietly with whispered 3.      Delete weak qualifiers like really, very, rather, little, somewhat, extremely, quite. 4.      For overused words check for synonyms. You can use the find feature to check for overused words and phrases. 5.      Replace Negatives i.e. Mary didn’t like Tom instead use a positive like Mary hated Tom, Overused words with synonyms and Abstract words like happy, angry with actions that display the emotion 6.      Replace passive voices like she was eaten to active voice like the shark ate her. 7.      Delete clichés 8.      Check if you have the same reactions for different characters when experiencing the same emotion. Both Lila and Cameron should not run their hands through their hair when they’re angry.
Grammar	1.      Check punctuation 2.      Check spellings, autocheck is not enough. 3.      Cut down over clunky sentences by reducing their length. 4.      Make sure the tense is the same throughout your novel. 5.      Vary sentence, paragraph, scene and chapter lengths
Title	1.      You don’t have to come up with a title immediately but its always good to have a standby 2.      Has it been used before 3.      Is it appropriate to the genre; imagine a horror novel titled ‘How to be happy’. The audience you’re targeting will wonder if you went a bit nutty like your characters. 4.      Does it attract attention
Formatting	1.      Does it meet the publisher’s demands on font, spacing, margins. If not then move on to two 2.      Font size 12 and justified text. 3.      Font color black 4.      1 inch margins, and double spacing between paragraphs (no extra spaces between). 5.      First line of each paragraph indented by ½ an inch.

The Basics of Free Writing

When free writing;

1.      Give yourself a time limit of 30 – 60 minutes or a minimum word count.

2.      Keep your hand moving during this whole time limit. Do not pause to read what you’ve written.

3.      Write in a way that is most comfortable for you. If you type faster than you write; type. If vice versa then you know what to do.

4.      Choose an environment that is the least distracting for you and that you know helps you concentrate. Some people love the idea of being in a coffee shop with people milling around others just want to be locked in a room all alone with nothing but their computer.  As long as it works.

5.      Switch off your internal editor. Knock yourself out with the spelling mistakes, bad grammar, adverbs, metaphors and clichés, no one cares (at least not right now).

6.      Stop the research. I’ve been a culprit of this many times i.e. using research as an excuse for writing. Believe me during your first draft you need only the information you used in creating your synopses. If you don’t know the Israeli name for that new flat Mossad agent just name him Moses, highlight it with blue or underline and move on, you can sort him out later.

7.      And for Christ sake; Stay away from facebook, twitter, yahoo or your blog

Sample Mystery Plot Outline

1	Disclose crime (Some choose to make the crime a whole prologue from the point of view of the victim or the perpetrator) in the most dramatic way possible. Reveal a clue but don’t bring attention to it Introduce detective Introduce Setting
2	Start the detective on the path to solving the crime by remembering the clue that was notice in chapter one or introducing one. Select suspects and start out interviewing, either obtrusively or unobtrusively. One of them should turn out to be the criminal later on in the story.
3	Introduce a subplot that affects another part of the sleuth’s life (a new friend, an enemy or higher in rank sleuth, a friend who kisses her complicating their relationship, a sister who reappears). Reveal facts about some suspects Find a few more clues that may eliminate one or two suspects but brings one suspect to the forefront
4	Interview the forefront suspect Find a clue that shows he/she lie or testimony from other suspects who is also now eliminated Make the forefront suspect disappear, runaway or die
5	Everything points to the missing suspect but the detective just feels it doesn’t feel right plus there are some clues that are still unexplained Provide a climax for a subplot that distracts the sleuth from solving the crime, makes the crime personal or demands that they stop the investigation or a crisis with the crime itself
6	Now the investigator has a personal stake in solving the crime as a result of the previous crisis(either threat to his life, loved one, emotional attachment). Broaden the investigation to put suspicion on other suspects. Start to focus your clues towards your solution though try not to make it obvious.
7	Reveal shocking histories, unexpected characters coming to town, shocking revelations, formerly secret relationships e.g business arrangements, affairs, hidden kinships, and scores to settle. Clarify previous clues that had not been understood. Missing suspect is found (either dead, in a coma or unwilling to talk) but either way is automatically eliminated
8	Interpretation of found clues leads to a dead end and the sleuth has to review to determine where he/she went wrong making all left suspects equally able to have committed the crime. New clues are only complicating the mystery and not helping in its solution i.e. throw in a twist (e.g. the food isn’t what poisoned the victim). Resolve one of the sub – plots. Remember the clue in chapter one that skipped us and add to what the sleuth knows so far. Sleuth makes a conclusion which is undisclosed to the reader
9	The sleuth seeks evidence to support the as yet undisclosed conclusion. Two suspects left (you may reveal or not reveal). Sleuth finds something (perhaps it proves that the flimsy alibi of the prime suspect is actually valid). Criminal and the other suspect turns up where sleuth is trying to find evidence.
10	Dramatic confrontation between sleuth and criminal which the detective will win either by the timely entrance of his best friend who he’d called before, the cops