Checklist for Revising Fiction

The following list can be especially helpful in revising fiction.

1. Is my story believable? Does it make sense?
2. Are my characters realistic? Do they act like real people?
3. Do my characters talk like real people?
4. Do my characters dress like real people during the time my story takes place?
5. Have I used quotation marks to indicate dialogue?
6. Do the actions of my characters arise from their personalities? Do they behave according to their natures?
7. Does my story have conflict, or a problem that must be solved?
8. Are my scenes realistic? Do they paint pictures in the minds of my readers?
9. Does every scene build toward the climax?
10. Is my climax exciting? Is it a natural ending to the development of the story?
11. Does my conclusion tie together all the loose ends of my story?
12. Is my story satisfying?