The best kind of feedback gives details – that is, the reviewer gives the author specific examples and recommendations of what works or doesn't work. This makes it much easier to polish technique and see a steady improvement. However, it's a good idea to have a 'gut reaction' section in a checklist too - for those feelings that can't so easily be analysed. Here are some sample checklists for different areas of writing: they will provide a useful basis for quality feedback.
1. Pacing
- Could the pacing be changed to slow things down?
- Could the pacing be changed to speed things up?
- Could the tension be improved? If so, where and how?
- Is there any scene that is not necessary to move the story forward?
- Is there any part of a scene that could be cut?
- Is there a good balance of action and reflection?
2. Dialogue
- Do the characters sound sufficiently different?
- Does the dialogue sound realistic?
- Is there a good balance between speech tags, action, speech, thoughts and narrative?
- Can the reader picture where the dialogue is taking place?
- Can the reader visualise the character who is talking as well as 'hear' the dialogue?
3. Characters
- Can the reader empathise with the main character?
- Does the reader know who the viewpoint character is?
- Are all characters well-drawn and believable?
- Are the characters' names sufficiently different to avoid confusion?
- Does the reader have a good sense of what various characters look like?
- Does the reader have a good sense of each character's personality?
- Are the main characters complex enough to keep the reader interested?
4. Plot
- Does the reader continually want to know what happens next?
- Are all characters' actions logically motivated?
- Does the main character want something badly enough to drive the story?
- Does the reader care about what the main character wants?
- Are the stakes high enough to build tension and provide believable motivation?
- Are the stakes raised as the story develops?
- Does each scene lead logically to the next?
- Are all loose ends tied up? (If applicable for this scene/excerpt/chapter)
- Does the timeline flow logically?
5. Style, Technique, Grammar and Language
- Are any sentences too long or too short?
- Are any sections too wordy?
- Has any necessary backstory been integrated smoothly?
- Are there any 'pet phrases' that appear too often?
- Did any expression or phrase grate on the reader? (If so, what and why?)
- Were there any grammatical or spelling errors?
6. Gut Reaction
- The reader's gut reaction to the scene/chapter etc that has just been reviewed. General comments welcome.
It's useful for writers in a critique group to share checklists and to produce customised versions for specific genres. For example, a feedback checklist for a mystery writer could include checkboxes for clues and red herrings; one for a fantasy writer could refer to world-building or magic.
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