My instructor passed out a form for us to critique the work of others.
I thought we could pass this form to our beta readers. They can use it as a guideline. We could use it ourselves and see if we are spotty in some areas. Each section is worth five points for a total of 20 points.
Plot
-Attention needs to be paid to plot development
-The story lacks credibility in places
-Good start/good ideas but loses direction and force
-The story holds interest throughout but the ending is disappointing
-Flows smoothly,well researched, almost there
-This is a well-crafted story and it is clear that the author has considered all the aspects of the plot
Characterization
-The characters do not always come over as real people
-Told from the viewpoint of too many characters, so that the readers learns little about them
-In general, the characters are believable , although there is room for improvement
-The characters are well drawn and true to life/does the character have an inner life
-Strong characterization means that the reader’s sympathies are instantly engaged.
Pace
-The story starts slowly
-The story needs a more varied pace
-Side-issues slow the story down
-In general, the story moves well, although there are times when interest wavers
-A good pace is maintained throughout
-This story’s page-turning quality is excellent
Dialogue
-The characters all tend to speak with the same voice
-Some attention should be given to the dialogue, which does not always ring true
-Although the dialogue is believable, there are places where it serves no obvious purpose
-In general, the dialogue sounds authentic
-the sharply written dialogue reveals much about the characters
-The dialogue is excellent, adding a sparking dimension to the story
Sharon C. Williams-Author 
Very useful – especially as I’m close to suing beta readers. Many thanks!
This is actually a really good list, even for self-evaluation.
The minute i saw the form I knew it had to be shared. 🙂
I’m glad you did!
I love forms! (I know I’m a nerd.)
I am the same way. 🙂
Reblogged this on Kate Policani and commented:
This is a cool critique form from Maine Muse:
Holly buckets! I think I’m going to copy this and glue it to my …forehead! Thanks for sharing Awesome job!
XOXOX
You are so welcome. I figure every time I ask someone to read my works will toss in a copy of this form. 🙂
Sharon, reading this helped me realize something I’ve missed with one of my characters. Thank you!
Which part was it? I am so glad this helped you Maria. 🙂
Because of this in the form, “does the character have an inner life”, I realized that I need to add some detail that will show who she is. This made me realize that she is someone who would notice small things, and so I pictured her walking with her beloved and stooping to notice something in the grass. This would portray her for others, and be something her beloved would admire in her.
It is the little things that make readers attach to our characters. Well done Maria.
Thanks for the nudge toward doing this, and the kind words!
Maria
You are so welcome. If you go down my blog you will see other posts about the class i took.
Thanks, Sharon! Will do.
Nice form for critique. It makes one think about all the characters and their roles.