I've still got a long way to go with the novel I'm writing (Percival Gynt and the Conspiracy of Days), but in commemoration of the first day of NaNoWriMo, I wanted to toss up something writery.

(Fun Fact #312: writer's get to make up their own words.)

Here's a quick set of questions I put together to help guide me through the ongoing editing/revision process:

• Are the characters consistent? engaging? distinct?

• Are the plot points clear? Are the individual moments clear?

• Is the exposition too heavy-handed? Does it stop the narrative in its tracks?

• Is the plot too slow paced?

• Is the description too flower/over the top? Is there anything jarring about the prose style? Are the shifts in tone jarring?

• Are any of the elements too derivative?

• Do any of the emotional moments fall flat or feel forced?

• Is any of the foreshadowing too jarring or too vague to be valuable?

• Are there clear stakes? Does the plot seem to wander too much?

• Who likes cookies?

(Fun Fact #313: the best writers always know who likes the cookies.)