Editing

• Is it what you meant to say, really?
• Have you found the best way to convey it?
• Would a particular event really have happened that way?
• Would a particular character definitely use that expression or turn of phrase?
• Does an idea or scene really belong where you’ve put it, or would the piece be better if that element was cut? Could it be used elsewhere, or on another occasion?
• What’s missing from your story? Details or background information?
• Is there enough to engage your reader?
• Do events occur in the best order and are significant events given enough weight, or are they lost beneath less important things? If so, is that what you intended?
• Does it read too slow, or too fast?
• Overall, does the writing convey the right tone – does it create the mood you hoped for?