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