The 10 Point Checklist for Novel Revision
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
This week I have set aside as a writing retreat to finally finish this draft of the Middle Grade Novel That Never Ends.
Honestly, that’s how it’s beginning to feel. I’ve got to get it out to readers soon, because I’ve lost perspective. I’ve been hammering away at it too long. This is a natural part of the writing process, but it is starting to feel like a slog. I wrote in my journal this morning, “I am so done with this novel.” But... it needs a little more work before I can send it off. The beginning, especially, is a mess.
And I have to make sure I can answer the 10 Point Inside Outline Checklist (courtesy of Jennie Nash and Author Accelerator). These are ten questions that will really help make sure your novel holds together, that there is a clear narrative drive, and clear character development. If you can answer these positively, you can rest assured your novel is ready to be sent to beta readers.
Is the story’s Point clear? Is the story about something? This is sometimes referred to as the “theme.”
Is the Point of View consistent and clear throughout? It doesn’t matter if you have one POV character, two, or 12. Each scene should focus on that POV character and what they know, feel, and believe. Don’t “head-hop” between characters in a scene.
Is there an arc of change? Does the ending resolve the problem of the beginning?
Check the character motivation and logic: Do the protagonist’s actions make sense? Would they actually behave this way based on who they are and what they want?
Does your protagonist have agency? Are they making choices and decisions, or are things just happening to them? Make sure they’re not a cardboard cutout who only reacts to whatever happens to them.
Is something at stake in every scene? This could be inner or outer consequences of the protagonist’s decisions. Do they, or someone they care for, stand to lose something? What will happen if they make one choice versus another?
Is there a cause-and-effect trajectory? In every single chapter, do the protagonist’s actions drive to the next thing that happens? If not, they are probably just reacting to their circumstances, which means a boring character. Or, the plot is just “one thing after another” without any meaning building throughout.
Is there a clear force of opposition? This mean internally (their flaws and misbeliefs) as well as externally (their culture and society, competitors and antagonists)? It can be hard as an author to make your character suffer, but the struggle is what makes readers root for the character.
Check the pacing and flow of the story: Is there tension throughout? Does it build and grow? Are there scenes that don’t drive the story forward? Can they be cut, or combined, or altered in some way?
Does the story fit the genre conventions? Certain genres have clear expectations around word length, content, outcomes and conclusions, etc. Make sure that your story meets them. Yes, you want to be fresh and original, but if you defy genre conventions (especially as a first-time author) you may have trouble selling your story.
At the end of a long revision process, you may be eager to finish (I know I am). However, it pays to go through carefully and make sure you can answer these questions. If these are not clear, especially at the end of a revised draft, you need to do some work. These are big issues that mean your novel is not ready for beta readers, never mind submission to agents or editors. (Of course, you can also use these questions to guide you before you begin revision, or even before you start a first draft).
If you are not sure about these questions, or feel stuck, then those might be things to ask your beta readers about. In an upcoming post, I’ll discuss how to use beta readers effectively to get comments that will help improve your story.
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