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hello! I love your blog. you helped me so much with writing. if you don't mind can you do writing notes on character study. I wanted for so long to do it but I'm lost. thanks for everything
Writing Notes: Character Study
Character Study - a deep dive into a character’s traits, personality, and development in literature, TV, and film.
GUIDE #1. The model below provides a guide for the analysis of the characters in order to identify the personality of each of them, their attitude and the network of relationships holding together the drama/story. The analysis will focus on:
the character’s physical appearance (description of body and face, clothes and accessories);
story of his/her life (identification of all biographical elements that define the character’s story and situate him or her in relation with the others);
point of view (interpretation of the character’s perspective in relation to the overall vision of world as proposed by the author);
personality (description of the character’s behavior defining his/her personality on stage as it relates to others: tone of the voice, gestures, movements, distance or proximity to other characters);
description of the mask (different ways in which each character places himself/herself in relation to others);
definition of the mask’s motivation and choice through which the character will achieve his/her goals.
GUIDE #2. Identify each character on the 4 basic levels of characterization from information you find in the text. The following is a list of suggestions for each category. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, but meant to be used as a guideline:
A. Physical/Biological. gender, age, size, coloration and general appearance
Age – be as specific as possible
Gender/Sex – not only male/female, but virile, macho, feminine, etc.
Health – from excellent to sickly, including how one’s health may or may not effect his/her appearance.
Particular physical characteristics that makes the character distinctive – big nose, hunchback, large breasts, etc.
Physical Activity - dynamic, active, sedentary, listless, etc.
Face – handsome, good looks, common, homely, etc.
B. Social. economic status, profession or trade, religion, family relationships
Class Situation – aristocracy, upper, upper middle, middle, lower middle, lower, beggar etc.
Economic Situation – rich, independent, salaried, day labor, dependent (just because someone is a member of the aristocracy, doesn’t mean they have money)
Social Situation/Social Role - how is the character related to the other characters in the play? Family? Friends? Co-workers? The boss? The King? Etc. Is there a specific social event taking place, such as a wedding, where in the character has to take on a particular social role, such as father-of-the-bride?
Relationship to the World around him/her – How does the character fit into his/her social situation? Is the character popular? Does he/she have friends? Is he/she a loner? Etc. How does the character interact with the other characters - is the character: a leader, a helper, a follower, submissive, a slave?
Occupation – list the character’s specific job or trade
Group Affiliation – Does the character belong to or identify with a specific group or team? (example – a minority group, a club, a sports team, a political group, etc)
Is there a specific social event taking place, such as a protest rally, where in the character identifies with a particular group, such as feminists?
Political affiliation – Republican, Democrat, etc.
Religious affiliation – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc.
C. Psychological/Emotional Reveals habitual responses, desires, motivations, like and dislikes – the inner workings of the mind. Reveals how the characters think (psychological) and what they feel (emotional). This is considered the most essential level of characterization. Keep in mind that a person’s thoughts and feelings can often be determined as a further extension of his/her physical and social characteristics. For example – under social, you can determine a character’s religious affiliation. Under psychological/emotional, you can determine what that person thinks or feels about his/her religion.
Psychological State – what does the character think about his/herself and the world around them? Is the character: open-minded objective, subjective, unselfish, selfish, paranoid?
Emotional State – what does the character feel about his/herself and the world around them? Does the character feel: accepted, rejected, oppressed, etc?
Emotional Depth - are the character’s relationships: life-long, lasting, moderate, passing, momentary?
Emotional Control – no temper, slow temper, even tempered, quick tempered, a loose cannon
Emotional Type – extrovert, ambivert, introvert...
Desires or goals – what does the character want?
Loves – what, or who, does the character value?
Weaknesses – what, if anything, is a potential psychological or emotional weakness, on the part of the character, that can interfere with the character obtaining his/her desire?
Prejudices – what, if anything, does the character feel prejudicial about?
Fixed Attitudes – Similar to a prejudice, but not with the negative connotation. For example, in your social analysis you’ve determined the character is Jewish. Now, determine how that character feels or thinks about Judaism – is the character: a zealot, a liberal, orthodox, conventional, a skeptic?
D. Moral/Ethical Reveals what the characters are willing to do (moral beliefs) to get what they want and what characters actually do (ethical behavior) when faced with making a difficult choice. Determine the characters’ moral beliefs and ethical behavior, and how those relate to the world of the play. Be very careful not to judge them based upon your own morals and ethics. For example, you may believe it is morally wrong for two people to live together unless they are married. However, in the world of this play/literature, no characters may hold this moral belief, and the playwright/writer may not be making a point about this moral belief, and therefore such actions are not to be seen as immoral or unethical within the context of the work.
Moral beliefs – an individual’s or society’s beliefs in what is right and wrong in terms of behavior.
Is the character able to determine right from wrong and to make decisions based upon that knowledge?
Determine the individual character’s morals, based on what his/her conscience suggests is right and wrong, rather than on what the law or society dictates.
Determine the morals of the world of the play in general: the principles of right and wrong judged by the standards of the average person or society at large, and how those principles govern standards of general and/or sexual behavior. Does the character hold beliefs in contradiction to those of their society?
Does the character evolve/change? For example, is there a moral belief the character holds at the beginning of the play that he no longer holds at the end of the play? In other words, does something happen for the character to change his mind and be convinced otherwise?
In the work itself, is there a “moral to the story”? Is the writer using the character as a positive or negative example in relation to this moral?
Ethical behavior – how an individual or society conducts themselves according to their morals.
How does a character’s moral beliefs affect his/her conduct? For example, is a character unable to act due to a moral/ethical dilemma?
How does a character’s goals affect his/her conduct? Is the character’s ethical behavior contrary to his/her moral beliefs? For example, a character believes it is morally wrong to commit murder, but to obtain his goal, his is willing to behave unethically and kill.
Does the character believe that he is acting ethically, yet is the writer holding him up as an example of how one should not behave?
Does the character behave according to or contrary to any of the 4 basic levels, therefore giving a false perception of themselves to the other characters? For example, you may have determined that a character is seriously ill, yet the character behaves as if he were in perfect health. Or a character may masquerade as someone he is not. What morals and/or goals are affecting this behavior?
E. Mental/Intellectual A 5th area you can consider. Reveals how intelligent and creative a character may be.
CHARACTER ANALYSIS. A character analysis is a close examination and evaluation of one character from a work of fiction such as a novel, short story, or play.
The only direct description of most characters in fiction is of their physical appearance and/or their professions.
Their identities and traits are established through their interactions with other characters as well as their opinions, reactions, and moods.
For instance, while introducing Katniss (from The Hunger Games), the author did not bluntly state that she is courageous. Rather, this was demonstrated through several scenes in the book, such as when she volunteered to take her sister’s place at the Reaping.
In a character analysis, the writer’s job is to pick up on such hints and subtle clues in the story to reveal a clear image of the subject character. The writer can also evaluate the character, critiquing their development and the role they played in the plot.
Developing a Character Analysis. In order to write a character analysis, the first task is to choose the subject, if not already determined in the assignment question. It is easier to pick if the writer is already familiar with the text in which the character exists. Recognizing the types of characters also helps during the selection.
Once the subject character has been decided upon, the text ought to be critically read, with special attention being paid to the character.
As mentioned earlier, much of their personality and qualities are hinted at and indicated indirectly through their actions and thoughts, and not openly stated.
Thus, the re-reading should be done with the aim of picking up on these clues.
Oftentimes, the character’s backstory is also not included in the text but can be discerned from their behavior and characteristics. It, too, should be pieced together during the analysis, as it has a bearing on the character’s actions and lets readers better understand their motivations.
A record of the character’s involvement in each element of the plot, how this involvement affected other characters, and the eventual direction and outcome of the story should also be kept. Their own personal changes/growth/development should also be tracked.
Outline of a Character Analysis Essay
Introduction: The text and the character are briefly introduced. The thesis statement informs readers of the thrust and goal of the essay. It includes a claim about or evaluation of the character that will be borne out by the rest of the essay.
Body: The character is delved into in greater detail here. The analysis is laid out where their traits, appearance, backstory, and role are examined in detail. The character’s growth – or lack of it – are highlighted here as well. An outline drawn up during the prewriting process helps in organizing this section in a coherent manner that holds up the claims in the thesis statement.
Conclusion: The essay is concluded with a final assessment of the character that confirms the validity of the thesis.
Hi, thanks for telling me. Glad to hear this! Here are some tips and guides I found for you. There are numerous guidelines available online, so choose which one (or combine elements from such guides) you want to use. You can find more details in the sources linked above. Hope this helps.
Hi! Sorry to disturb. I'm a quite inexperienced writer, I'm trying to write my first long work and I don't want to just get it out and be done with it, I want to put care in it, so your blog has been super helpful for both small tips and for big deals. So I have a doubt and I thought I'd ask you, if you can't or don't want to answer that's fine!
One of my main characters is a singer but most importantly a song writer so the songs she writes really have a meaning with the story and are meant to get a reaction from her counterpart. I tried a few ways but I can't seem to incorporate her singing very well in my pages, how would you go about it? Do you have any tips?
Thank you and have a good days and holidays if you celebrate xx
Hi! Here are some references and tips from various sources I found for you. Use which ones would work best with your specific story, and alter as needed:
Writing Template: Singing Scene
Part 1
What perspective will this be from? The singer or the audience? Maybe both.
There is more to singing than using the voice.
Will the audiences’ emotions be front and center for this scene or will it be the character’s? It doesn’t matter if you are writing first person or second person. The character can show the reader what the audience is thinking based on body language.
If the character is singing alone, the audience can be more than just themselves. It could be a deity they believe in, or a loved one that passed away and is present either in physical spirit or thought. Could be a pet or even nature itself (trees, grass, etc) as the character’s audience. They all would respond in their own ways. Maybe the trees dance in the wind while the character sings a melody. Or the birds and bees join in on the tune.
Part 2
Connect a deep feeling and understanding back to the reader.
Remember, overall experience is more important than mechanics.
What is the song about? What genre? How does it sound? Is it slow or fast? Lighthearted or formal? Does the singer have a high voice or a low one, or a mix?
How does the song make people who hear it feel? Is the singer doing anything else while they sing?
Let’s say the main character has a song stuck in their head. One way to show the reader (if it’s important to the overall plot) is when every time the song gets stuck in the character’s head, the paragraph would stop and a new one would start with the lyrics.
Part 3
Create an emotion profile for why the character is singing
Is there a message you want to convey? This can be shown by how the character sings.
Tone/breathy, maybe the sound of an exasperated sigh would be heard in parts of the singing.
How the character holds tension in the body can really influence the emotion. Are they rigid, loose? Perhaps seemingly overthinking it.
Diction can be shown through how you write the lyrics the character is singing. For example, hard/soft on the consonants using bold letters or capitalization. The character can have pauses and slurring in the singing, shown through the way you write the lyrics.
Breath. Every emotional state has a breathing pattern associated with it. Ways to write breathing for singing would be through body language and onomatopoeia. For example if the character is scared and is hyperventilating: He placed a hand over his heart, barely able to stare into the crowd of onlookers. Wheeze, gasp! Was all the lyrics we heard from him that night”.
Think about the type of song and the genre. For example, if you’re writing about rock music, the instruments will be guitar, drums, piano. So ‘Her voice rose higher, while trying to follow the raspy, intense notes of the musician’s bass.
Is this a new song?
If you’re using well-known songs, include action, internal monologue, and scenery description to avoid a reader skipping over to the actual story.
If a song is new or a unique take, you can paraphrase the lyrics in a way that tells you something relevant to the character or moment.
Example: The goofy man staggered down the street in his drunken stupor singing: “You ma-a . . . blue-eyed girl!” He took another swig from the bottle in his hand. “Do you remember when . . . we used to sing: Oh la la, la la, la la, la la, la te da! Just like that!” He took another swig. “All alone on my own. I thought I saw you the other day. But it was my dreams—” He was silenced by sirens coming from behind him down the alley. He bolted!
Part 4
Create emotion profiles for the song.
Purpose of the song. Is the message in the content of the song or the characters reaction to them?
Songs in fiction have multiple purposes such as giving background details, foreshadow, used as a metaphor, portray emotion or conflict, reflect or mirror events of the story, used for character development, etc. The message you are trying to convey will determine how you write them.
One method is good for when the content of the song is unimportant or secondary to the characters reaction. Simply include a description of the song. Using broad terms, describe the topic and style of the song but keep focus on how it affects the characters.
Part 5
How does it end? Good note or bad? Audience wanting more? Character feeling happier?
Don’t be afraid to end the scene or chapter here.
When it ends, is there thunderous applause?
How are they feeling? What are they thinking? Their posture. Are there any subtle movements in their hands, eyes, and breathing patterns?
After singing the character could simply move on to later that night or the next day. You don’t necessarily have to show what happens right after. It may even make the reader curious. You can show the results of singing throughout the story, for example, if other characters start treating the singing character nicer, or they get a contract deal, or if their depression has subsided. Example:
Intense, was the crescendo as it built to a slow roll that crashed like a great wave into the souls of those that listened. A calming silence fell over the eager audience; they were captivated by the intoxicating tune coming from this slender throat. From the depths of his soul, the lyrics rose and swelled around everyone in that room as if all could feel his misery. In this moment, his pain was their pain and the audience and singer were as one.
Some Personality Traits of Singers
3,088 singers were surveyed to learn what personality traits and interests make them unique.
Singers are artistic and enterprising. They tend to be predominantly artistic individuals, meaning that singers are creative and original and work well in a setting that allows for self-expression. They also tend to be enterprising, which means that they are usually quite natural leaders who thrive at influencing and persuading others. [Using the Holland codes]
The top personality traits of singers are openness and social responsibility. Singers score highly on openness, which means they are usually curious, imaginative, and value variety. They also tend to be high on the measure of social responsibility, indicating that they desire fair outcomes and have a general concern for others. [Using the Big Five]
Character Development through Music
One device that is highly effective in understanding character is music. Music is nearly universal in its influence.
It’s a bit too easy to just answer the question, “What kind of music does my character like?”
More difficult might be, “What kind of music would my character turn off?”
You might think of an entire type of music or, more likely, a specific song. Maybe a song that would break your character’s heart in two at just the first beat.
Think about instances of revealing character traits using music as a way to show your reader more about how your character interacts with the world.
Music can be explored in literature showing us just how responsive this device can be to character.
Our knowledge of character may be deepened by their interaction with music.
How might this work in your own writing?
Try this exercise, using the first few words from Prince’s iconic “Kiss”:
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL…”
Copy this line, including the quotation marks. Unless your character is Prince, write says, or sings, or said, and your character’s name.
Imagine your character speaking these 6 words.
To whom did they say them? Where are they talking? Are they singing at a bar? Or is your scene NOT connected to the reality of this song at all?
You can imagine that your character is the first person to ever say these words to another. Take time to free-write this scene, and see what happens next.
More references:
On Sensory Language ⚜ Word Alternatives: Auditory
Words to Describe Someone's Voice ⚜ Key Musical Terms
Hope this helps. No need to apologise, this was such an interesting request for me to look into. So thanks so much for that & happy holidays to you! <3
As a child, what did they want to be when they grew up?
What do they actually do?
What gets them out of bed in the morning?
Are their parents still alive?
What is their social class?
Where do they like to socialise?
What is the defining moment of their life so far?
What is their greatest fear?
What’s the biggest lie they’ve told?
Are they religious?
Cat person or dog person?
Behaviour Matrix
Instead of creating detailed character profiles, you may consider making behaviour matrices instead.
Example
Selfish — Altruistic
Aggressive — Passive
Dishonourable — Honourable
Disordered — Ordered
Believer — Sceptic
Fervent — Restrained
Apathetic — Inquisitive
How to use this matrix:
For each row, pick from one of the columns.
This defines your character based on attitude and response, and avoids injecting any kind of ethical commentary.
These attributes are not inherently good or bad and, when combined, form a surprisingly nuanced sense of who the person is and how they might react to any given situation.
Even better, this behaviour matrix also allows for and actively encourages contradictions, which are the foundation of any interesting character.
Worksheets & Templates People Watching; Things to Love about People; A Better World; Celebrations and Parties
Use the following questions as a story guide, or to "interview" your characters...
PEOPLE WATCHING
Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you with? What is the time & date?
How crowded is it?
What makes someone catch your attention?
What typifies the behaviour of the people you can see?
How do you determine the relationship between people?
What assumptions do you make about people’s social status based on their appearance and behaviour?
What assumptions do you make about people’s occupations based on their appearance and behaviour?
What judgements do you find yourself making about strangers you watch?
How do you think people perceive you as you sit and write?
How does inventing stories about people help you understand their behaviour?
What patterns do you notice in people’s behaviour?
What behaviour do you see people engaged in most frequently?
If someone repeats an action, how does each repetition differ?
What changes occur in the people you see as time passes?
Who do you see who…
is wearing red?
should be somewhere else?
notices you?
is eating?
is annoying?
moves fast
drops something?
is working?
Watching people is excellent practice for learning to describe characters. Their physical appearance, their movements, their speech… Refer to the following questions next time you’re sitting in a café and don’t know what to write.
What do they look like?
What are they doing?
What's their story?
What do they look like?
What are they doing?
What's their story?
THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT PEOPLE
List down ___________ you love:
Traits
Attitudes
Expressions
Behaviours
Gestures
Looks
Skills
Relationships
Complete the following phrases:
I love people who make me feel...
Things I love to know about people...
I love people who have...
To love someone, I need to...
A BETTER WORLD
What do you love about the world you live in?
A better world has more _________. How does it have more of these things?
A better world has less/fewer __________. What are these things replaced by?
How are resources used and distributed better?
How are communities organised better?
How are conflicts resolved better?
How do people live better?
How do people care for each other better?
What's more fun?
CELEBRATIONS, FEASTS, PARTIES
The Occasion
What's being celebrated?
At what time and date does the celebration take place?
How often does this celebration take place?
What happened at the last celebration?
Why is this celebration especially important?
What would make the celebration a success?
What goes wrong?
What happens after the party?
The People
Who organised the celebration?
Who's invited/isn't invited, and why?
How did the guests prepare?
What's the dress code?
Who's pleased/displeased, and why?
Who makes a speech?
How do people act different than usual?
Who doesn't show up?
Who cleans up?
The Location
Where does the celebration take place?
How has the location been decorated?
How is the location symbolic?
What food and drink is available?
What are the entertainments?
How does the location compare to its usual use or appearance?
What breaks or is damaged?
How does the location look after the guests leave?
Self-Reflective Questions. To help jumpstart self-reflection (Woronko, n.d.):
Am I using my time wisely?
Am I taking anything for granted?
Am I employing a healthy perspective?
Am I living true to myself?
Am I waking up in the morning ready to take on the day?
Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep?
Am I putting enough effort into my relationships?
Am I taking care of myself physically?
Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?
Am I achieving the goals that I’ve set for myself?
The following are questions you can ask yourself every day to get to know yourself better (William, n.d.):
Who am I, really?
What worries me most about the future?
If this were the last day of my life, would I have the same plans for today?
What am I really scared of?
Am I holding on to something I need to let go of?
If not now, then when?
What matters most in my life?
What am I doing about the things that matter most in my life?
Why do I matter?
Have I done anything lately that’s worth remembering?
Have I made someone smile today?
What have I given up on?
When did I last push the boundaries of my comfort zone?
If I had to instill one piece of advice in a newborn baby, what advice would I give?
What small act of kindness was I once shown that I will never forget?
How will I live, knowing I will die?
What do I need to change about myself?
Is it more important to love or be loved?
How many of my friends would I trust with my life?
Who has had the greatest impact on my life?
Would I break the law to save a loved one?
Would I steal to feed a starving child?
What do I want most in life?
What is life asking of me?
Which is worse: failing or never trying?
If I try to fail and succeed, what have I done?
What’s the one thing I’d like others to remember about me at the end of my life?
Does it really matter what others think about me?
To what degree have I actually controlled the course of my life?
When all is said and done, what will I have said more than I’ve done?
These prompts and questions are great ways to put your journal to use (Tartakovsky, 2014):
My favorite way to spend the day is . . .
If I could talk to my teenage self, the one thing I would say is . . .
The two moments I’ll never forget in my life are . . . (Describe them in great detail, and what makes them so unforgettable.)
Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.
“Write about a moment experienced through your body. Making love, making breakfast, going to a party, having a fight, an experience you’ve had or you imagine for your character. Leave out thought and emotion, and let all information be conveyed through the body and senses.”
The words I’d like to live by are . . .
I couldn’t imagine living without . . .
When I’m in pain—physical or emotional—the kindest thing I can do for myself is . . .
Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and whom you can genuinely trust. Then, make time to hang out with them.
What does unconditional love look like for you?
What things would you do if you loved yourself unconditionally? How can you act on these things, even if you’re not yet able to love yourself unconditionally?
I really wish others knew this about me . . .
Name what is enough for you.
If my body could talk, it would say . . .
Name a compassionate way you’ve supported a friend recently. Then, write down how you can do the same for yourself.
What do you love about life?
What always brings tears to your eyes? (As Paulo Coelho has said, “Tears are words that need to be written.”)
Write about a time when your work felt real, necessary and satisfying to you, whether the work was paid or unpaid, professional or domestic, physical or mental.
Write about your first love—whether it’s a person, place or thing.
Using 10 words, describe yourself.
What’s surprised you the most about your life or life in general?
What can you learn from your biggest mistakes?
I feel most energized when . . .
“Write a list of questions to which you urgently need answers.”
Make a list of everything that inspires you—whether books, websites, quotes, people, paintings, stores, or stars in the sky.
What’s one topic you need to learn more about to help you live a more fulfilling life? (Then, follow through and learn more about that topic.)
I feel happiest in my skin when . . .
Make a list of everything you’d like to say no to.
Make a list of everything you’d like to say yes to.
When reading as a writer, you must question every single choice that the author decided to keep in the final draft of the story. You must assume that it was intentionally left there to hold a clue, convey a feeling, connect ideas, and/or point to an overall theme. Here's a starter pack of questions to ask when reading as a writer, broken down into the 3 main elements of storytelling:
SETTING
Why did the author choose this setting?
Does the setting affect the story? If yes, in what way?
How do the characters interact with the setting?
Could the setting be different? If yes, how would that affect the overall story?
CHARACTERS
Did the author develop all of the main characters in the story?
What makes the characters relatable?
How do the characters reflect the theme(s) of the novel?
How do the characters change throughout the story?
Are you satisfied with the way the characters progress or are there opportunities to do more?
PLOT
What makes you care about what happens to the characters in this story?
What conflicts (internal and external) cause the characters to act the way they do?
Are the characters' choices moving the story forward naturally or is the author forcing the characters to do something that may not be natural to them?
How does the plot contribute to the theme of the story?
How does the author build momentum towards the climax?
How long does the author give between climax and resolution?
OVERALL
How did the author transition from one scene to the next?
How did the pacing change through the story?
Do you feel like the pacing fits the moment?
Did you notice the flow of language?
Did it shift to match the pace, tone, or mood of the scene?
What did you think of the author's word choice?
Did it enhance the reading experience and, if so, how?
What part of the story hooked you and why?
What character grabbed you and why?
What did the author choose to show in the scene?
What do you wish they did show?
How did the point of view affect the way you experienced the story?
Could a switch in point of view have improved the story? If so, how?
What stylistic choices did the author make with the prose, and how did those choices impact the overall storytelling?
What do you like about this story?
What did the author do well?
What wasn't done well?
What tone and mood do the writer use throughout the story and how does that affect your reading experience?
Be sure to defend your answer with more than “yes” or “no.” The answers to these questions will improve your writing.
Reading like a writer takes practice. After all, you’ve spent decades reading as a “reader,” i.e. the intended audience. Switch up your focus and approach content from the writer’s perspective. It will make you a better writer. Put the above tips into practice and you’ll see how quickly your storytelling abilities improve, specifically pacing, plotting, and characterization.
Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References ⚜ Tips & Advice ⚜ Rhetoric
Active Reading ⚜ Historical Research ⚜ Critical Reading
Identify and fix macro problems relating to plot, character development, narrative arc, and theme.
THEME & IDEA
Is a compelling dramatic question present throughout the book?
Is there a clear theme? Is it well-developed and engaging?
Can you recap your story or argument in this single sentence? “[Character] must [do something] to achieve [goal] or [reason why the audience should care]”
Is there a clear central conflict? Is it resolved by the end of the book?
STRUCTURE Fiction & Memoir; Nonfiction
Fiction & Memoir
Is there a strong beginning, middle, end?
Does your exposition effectively set the story? Introduce the cast of characters? Impart backstory?
Is your rising action triggered by a compelling inciting incident? Does it escalate the conflict and raise the tension?
Is the pace of each act in the narrative arc appropriate?
Does the plot maintain forward movement in each chapter? Do subplots support that momentum?
Are all major plot threads and subplots resolved by the denouement?
Do the plot points sync with the narrative arc and theme that you want to convey?
Do the plot twists make sense? Are there plot holes in the story?
Nonfiction
Does the first chapter of your book introduce your central question and explain why it’s important to answer?
Does your exposition adequately introduce readers to your topic? Does it provide enough context for them to understand your main argument?
Does each chapter or section build on the information that comes beforehand?
Is the length and pace of each chapter appropriate?
Does each chapter contain an appropriate mixture of fact and anecdote?
Is your structure engaging and easy to follow?
Does your book contain any extra information that distracts or detracts from the main argument?
Does the protagonist have strengths and weaknesses? Do these interact with the story appropriately?
Does the protagonist grow and change?
Does the protagonist have defining mannerisms? Clear character traits?
Does the protagonist have external and internal goals? Are they visible throughout the story?
Does the protagonist act believably in each scene? Is the protagonist’s behavior consistent? Chart the protagonist’s character arc over the course of the story. Is it clearly and compellingly conveyed in the story?
Antagonist
Does the antagonist have story motivation?
Does the antagonist have a believable backstory?
Is the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist clearly defined?
Supporting Cast
Is the supporting cast fleshed out?
Do the secondary characters have a reason to be there? Do they:
Reveal key details?
Advance the plot?
Motivate the protagonist?
Help define the setting?
Are interactions between the secondary character and the protagonist believable and well-placed?
Do the secondary characters have distinguishing characteristics or mannerisms?
Setting
Does the setting make sense for the purposes of the story? Does it matter to the plot?
Are descriptions of the setting rendered effectively and appropriately?
Does each scene convey a clear sense of place and time?
Is the worldbuilding fully realized? Logically consistent?
Fact-check each scene in relation to the setting. Are objects, props, mannerisms, and behaviors native to the time and place of the story?
PART 2: The "Scene" Level
Strengthen specific elements within individual scenes
SCENES & CHAPTERS
Is the opening scene effective?
Does it start in the right place?
Does it have a hook? Is the hook immediately gripping?
Are the scenes appropriately paced to grab the readers’ attention? Are the chapter lengths effective?
Does each scene serve a purpose in the story?
Is each scene oriented in terms of time and place?
Are scene transitions smooth?
DIALOGUE
Does the dialogue serve a purpose in each scene? Does it:
Provide information?
Advance the plot?
Help the pace?
Does each character have a distinct voice?
Is the dialogue believable for the time and place of the story? Is the word choice reflective of the time period?
Does the dialogue use action beats to control the pace of the scene?
COMPOSITION Voice & Point of View; Prose
Voice & Point of View
Is the narrator’s voice consistent?
Is the voice appropriate given the context of the book and its story or argument?
Is foreshadowing used effectively, if applicable? Metaphors? Similes?
Is the viewpoint character always clear? Is it consistent between scenes?
Is the point of view suitable for each scene? Is there a better alternative for a viewpoint character in any given scene?
Prose
Is the backstory of the world or characters efficiently woven into the story?
Does each sentence contribute something to the story?
Do you “show, don’t tell” with your dialogue, characters, and setting?
QUOTES & REFERENCES
Are quotes and references used to support the argument?
Are all of your sources reliable?
Do quotes help aid the narrative progression, or do they interrupt it?
Have you paraphrased where possible?
Are there appropriate transitions before and after references?
Are all quotations accurate?
Have you chosen a citation style?
Have you cited all references according to that style?
PART 3: The "Line" Edit
Ensure the text is objectively correct. This covers everything from typos and grammar to continuity and syntax.
PUNCTUATION & DIALOGUE
Limit the use of adverbs in your dialogue tags. (Show, don’t tell!)
✗ “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?” said Harry angrily.
✓ Harry upended the table. “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?”
Check for the use of other dialogue tags and replace them with “said” and “asked,” unless other emphasis is absolutely necessary.
✗ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” queried Amber.
✓ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” asked Amber.
Check that all of the dialogue is formatted correctly.
✗ “I love you.” Said Pam.
✓ “I love you,” said Pam.
VOICE
Limit the use of weak verbs and adverbs in general.
✗ Leonard ran quickly to school.
✓ Leonard sprinted to school.
Replace all “hidden” verbs.
✗ Offer an explanation
✓ Explain
Check for the use of passive voice and replace with active voice, whenever appropriate.
✗ The ball was kicked.
✓ She kicked the ball.
Use “telling” words such as “felt,” “saw,” “knew,” and “seemed” sparingly.
If you could relive one day of your life without changing anything that happened, which day would you choose?
What about if you could change the course of events?
Who were you closest to as a child?
What’s something you quit, that you now regret giving up on?
What was the best party you ever went to?
What childhood memory still…
Makes you proud?
Makes your toes curl?
PART 2. Hypothetical Scenarios
Test your character’s boundaries with these hypothetical scenarios.
You’re at a bar when the one person you don’t want to see walks in. Who are they? What do you do?
Your friends are speaking unfairly about a mutual friend. Do you speak up?
How would you break up with someone?
If you won the lottery, how would it change your life?
How would you react…
If you were catcalled?
If you saw a friend who owes you money spending frivolously?
If you witnessed a victimless crime?
If someone brought up your biggest insecurity in front of a crowd of strangers?
To an apology from somebody you still can’t forgive?
PART 3. Habits & Routines
Learn more about the rhythm of your character’s days, and the ins-and-outs of the more mundane aspects of their life — they can be surprisingly illuminating.
What do you think about in the shower?
What do you do if you can’t sleep?
Who or what do you turn to when you’re upset?
What does your morning routine look like?
Do you stay up late or wake up early?
Early bird
Night owl
Are you more of a text person or a phone call person?
Phone calls all the way
I’ll stick to texts, thank you
Why?
PART 4. Negative Traits
Use these questions to explore the less-than-lovely aspects of your character.
What’s the worst thing you’ve wished on somebody? Who was it?
When was the last time you lied? What made you do it?
Is there somebody you haven’t been able to forgive? What did they do? Do you want to forgive them?
Can you lie easily?
Do you handle rejection well?
Have you ever done something illegal?
Are you more likely to ask for permission or forgiveness?
What terrible thing have you done you never thought you would?
What criticism would your worst enemy would make of you, that you secretly agree with?
PART 5. Miscellaneous
General questions that might help you discover character quirks.
If you could erase one movie from existence, what would it be?
What’s the weirdest job you would be willing to do?
What’s a job you would never consider (no matter how good the pay)?
How do you feel in large groups versus small ones?
Who was the last person you obsessively stalked on social media?
What was the last book you read? Did you like it? Why or why not?
