What Questions would you ask?

The Dan Poynter Global eBooks Awards Ceremony is tomorrow (Saturday 20th) in sunny Santa Barbara. I know I can't go, but still, it's nice to feel I've had some part in it this year. I've really enjoyed reading and reviewing the books; I've even, almost, enjoyed generating scores--the score-sheets certainly made it much more interesting than just applying 3 stars or 4 or 5. It's got me thinking I should maybe make my own score-sheet for book reviews, or at least, for reviewing and editing my own work... Could be depressing, but I think it might help. But what questions would I ask? Dan Poynter offered 15 categories in 5 sets of 3, which seems a pretty good number. Of course, I wouldn't score covers and format if I'm just editing... so here's my personal 15...

  1. Story structure: Does the beginning grab me? Does the middle keep me interested? Does the end satisfy?
  2. Words: Are words spelled wrongly or misused? Are words repeated? Are words appropriate to the characters and story?
  3. Sentence structure: Are sentences overcomplicated? Are sentences oversimple or repetitious? Is the grammar appropriate to the characters and story?
  4. Dialog: Can I tell who is speaking? Is the dialog boring? Is the dialog plausible?
  5. Overall effect: Is the story confusing? Do the separate parts fit into the overall theme? Were the scenes well-chosen or were their vital pieces missing?
 What do you think? Have I missed something important? What questions would you ask?

Comments

Malcolm R. Campbell said…
I tend to notice locations. Do we have a sense of place at all? Are the facts about the place correct? Is the place over-used--that is, it there so much in there about hotels, restaurants, etc. that it sounds like the author just went on vacation there and has dumped the itinerary into then novel. What do the characters think about the place, especially those who are POV characters?

Malcolm
August 19, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Laura Eno said…
You have a good set of questions. In fact, I think I'll print them out for my own editing. It's a shame you can't go to Santa Barbara after all the work you've done!
August 19, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Ruth Cox aka abitosunshine said…
I love the scoresheet idea for book reviews. I might have to snag that idea and incorporate it into my reviews.
(If you don't mind..:-)
August 19, 2011 at 1:20 PM
Sheila Deeth said…
I think I'm going to have to add to or rethink some of these. I like your sense of place questions Malcolm.

And yes Ruthi, feel free to use them. It's nice to have had the chance to judge and learn the idea.
August 20, 2011 at 9:45 PM
grins said…
I copied these down and put them with tips that I understand. I'm new at writing. I write humor but these apply to that also. thank you
August 21, 2011 at 4:52 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Connect those Connections

Taken from a talk I gave on Sunday at the Writers' Mill. This is a very low-level approach to getting connected, from one beginner to another... Internet Writing, Marketing and Networking If you’ve got an email address you’re on the internet. If you’ve got a book out or an article in a magazine, you’re into marketing. If you’ve got friends, you’re networking. And if you use Google, you can do almost anything. Google Google is your friend. Google “how to join facebook” “How to join goodreads” “How to join Twitter” etc… Google “facebook badges” “blogger widgets” etc… to spice up your pages. Anything you want to know, a nice simple question to google will almost certainly tell you. But keep safe . Don’t just click on the first link you see. Make sure it looks vaguely genuine. “F*@!book.com/badges” might take you somewhere you don’t want your computer to go. “Facebook.com/badges” tells you all about badges. Why would you want to join all these interne...
Read more

Eternal curse might hide a blessing too.

Image
Today is the official launch day for Toi Thomas's paranormal romance, Eternal Curse, and I was lucky enough to be offered a free preview copy some while ago. The novel creates an intriguing mythology of angelic beings and the Fall, binding it nicely to modern day characters in search of meaning for their lives. There's an interesting blend of the paranormal, faith and science, and the story has a nicely old-fashioned feel with separate underlying tales taking center stage on the way to resolution. So... here's the cover, the blurb, and my review: ABOUT THE BOOK 'You have plenty of time to change your mind. You have not yet seen the monster I can be.' Giovanni has been waiting his whole life to meet someone like Mira, someone from the outside world who might be able to help him. He wonders if there really is help for him as he continues to hold tightly onto dark secrets and even darker memories. Giovanni wants to be hopeful and he wants to accept Mira...
Read more

Author or transcriber, reader or visitor, greatest or least? Meet Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

Image
 Today I'm delighted to welcome Kathryn Elizabeth Jones, author of " I walked with Jesus ," to my blog. I very much enjoyed her short stories retelling miracles from the life of Christ - we clearly have faith and short fiction in common with each other.  I loved how historical, real, and relevant Kathryn's stories felt. You can find my review here:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4904771188 . I'd love to meet the author and chat in person, but inviting her to my blog is the next best thing, so I asked her to let me and you how she finds her audience. Here's what she told me. Why I think my audience is beginning to find me by  Kathryn Elizabeth Jones One of the hardest things to do as an author, other than writing or marketing a book, is to find that often illusive audience. It’s easier with mysteries or children’s picture books, probably because you know who reads them; adults and teens who love sleuthing and children and their parents who love reading....
Read more