First Revision Checklist: How to Get Your Book Ready for Professional Editing

• Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
• Are there clear stakes and a central conflict that drive the story?
• Are all major plot points (inciting incident, midpoint, climax, resolution) present and effective?
• Are there any slow or rushed sections? Does pacing feel balanced throughout?

• Are the protagonist’s goals, motivations, and internal conflicts clear?
• Do characters grow or change throughout the story (characters have arcs that close logically)?
• Are character actions and decisions consistent with their personalities and motives?
• Does every side character serve a purpose in the story?
• Are relationships and interactions between characters believable?

• Is the world (real or fictional) fleshed out and immersive without infodumps?
• Are setting descriptions engaging and tied to character experiences or plot?
• Do time/place/scene transitions make sense and help the reader stay grounded?

• Does the prose have a consistent tone that fits the genre and story?
• Are themes or messages emerging clearly without being heavy handed?
• Do scenes support the tone and theme consistently?

• Does each scene accomplish at least 2 storytelling goals, e.g., advance plot, deepen character, reinforce theme, raise tension?
• Does the POV character have a clear goal, conflict, and consequence in each scene?
• Is the point of view consistent and well-chosen for each scene?

• Does the story open with a hook or compelling situation?
• Are chapter and scene openings engaging?
• Do chapter endings leave the audience eager to turn the next page?

• Is the prose clear and easy to follow?
• Are there unnecessary filler words, repetition, or awkward phrasing?
• Are metaphors, similes, and figurative language used purposefully and not overdone?
• Is your authorial voice consistent and engaging?

• Does dialogue sound natural and suit each character’s voice?
• Do conversations reveal character, advance plot, or build conflict?
• Has any idle chatter been removed or rewritten?
• Are dialogue tags and beats used effectively and not overused?

• Are important emotions and turning points shown through action or internal thought, not just told?
• Have narrator summaries and exposition been replaced with demonstration wherever possible?

• Are standard punctuation, grammar, and spelling rules followed?
• Is dialogue punctuation and formatting correct?
• Have you removed most typos and simple errors? (Don't make the editor do your job in addition to his.)

• Are names, places, timelines, and spellings consistent throughout?
• Have you checked for continuity errors (e.g., character injuries; object locations)?

• Is the book's word count within the expected range for your genre?
• Is the manuscript formatted according to industry standards (12 pt font, double-spaced, left-aligned)?
• Have you used styles (instead of manual tabs, line spacing, headings, etc.)?

• Have you read your manuscript out loud or used text-to-speech to catch elusive issues?
• Have you taken a break between drafting and revising (1-2 weeks) to approach the MS with fresh eyes?

• Have you gotten feedback from beta readers or critique partners?
• Have you made revisions based on that feedback where applicable?

• Have you taken the manuscript as far as you can on your own?
• Are you clear about what kind of editing you’re looking for (developmental, line, comprehensive)?