Some basics here for thinking about your novel. This works for all genres.
- Is your novel hook the best you can create? Is your very first line a thud or a grabber?
- Do you have sufficient story for a whole novel? Many writers have a story, but not enough for a novel, and they begin to stretch it too thin just to fill up the white space.
- Are the major plot lines mapped? Do you at least have a general idea of the major source of dramatic tension or complication?
- Have you sketched out your major scenes or at least have a good idea how many and what type of major scenes you will need to portray the major novel elements and characters?
- How does theme relate? Do you have a firm theme statement? Is it relevant to the major complication of the story?
- Have you used narrative enhancement techniques and devices as necessary and appropriate given the scene, story, and relevant circumstance?
- Are suspense devices injected as appropriate and necessary, both on a macro and micro scale? (Remember the value of a good topic sentence, something even experienced writers sometimes forget! Ideal for setting suspense tone.)
- Have you satisfied the "Art of Fiction"? If your wordsmithing is less than Annie Proulx-like, is your content original and dynamic enough to drive the narrative forward, to keep the reader reading? Especially important for genre writers.
- Are your most important events within the story crafted in fictive present?
- Is padding eliminated? Does every character, slice of dialogue, and scene serve a purpose?
- Is your story original, high-concept for your genre market? If you're not sure, why not?
