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So you’ve written your book and it’s time to look at its structure. I wanted to share a few of the things I look for when it comes to making changes.
1. Did you show instead of tell?
It’s easy as a writer to skim over some of the things that happened to these characters. If it was important enough to mention, then it would be better to have a scene where it happens instead.
For instance, say your character has been summoned to visit an important figure because they have information about a coming threat. Let’s say you wrote it and he is already at the meeting, but mentions in some inner monologue what happened when they asked for him. It would be better to show the character doing something he enjoys(you learn a little about his interests and show that he doesn’t have a care in the world right now) and then an official comes and summons him. He could ask, “Do you know what this is about? “ then by giving a brief mysterious answer, you can lure the character and the reader.
It’s always better to show instead of tell.
2. How does this serve to progress the story?
Let’s say you have your story and this chapter is about one of the characters.
There’s no reason to mention things the reader already knows, unless it changes how the character feels or impacts the character in a new way. You don’t need to constantly mention that the main character is still upset about incident B. Save it for when it means something to the reader.
Another thing is, when your MC is having a conversation with someone, does it show the reader anything about these characters. What do they learn about their personalities or how they arefeeling?
A chapter needs to feel meaningful. Now this can mean a number of things, and a good way to ask yourself is, “What would a reader learn from this chapter?”
3. Is this conflict exciting enough?
A lot of stories have “conflicts” and they are different based on what kind of story it is. Now let’s say you have a big epic fantasy battle scene. You need to ask yourself a few things.
Is the battle one-sided?
This is almost always a bad thing. You want it to have a back and forth struggle. You don’t want it to be obvious to the reader which side is going to win.
Do your characters feel like their lives are in danger?
You never want the reader to think that all the good guys are safe. This may be a little harder with the MC—unless you have a reputation like George R.R. Martin—but they shouldn’t look like they are always going to win. You know which characters are going to be alive at the end of this battle, but your reader shouldn’t, and if they don’t feel threatened your reader will catch on.
4. Is the ending satisfying?
You want to make sure your ending is satisfying. That’s not to say it has to be a happy ending, but you don’t want the reader to come away unsatisfied. I have a golden rule: it’s stay away from “It was all a dream endings.” Those can make the story feel unnecessary and pointless.
Another thing is, if the story is “to be continued,” make sure there is something to make them excited about the next installment. This can be a number of things, but a good one is to reveal something that has a big impact on the future of the series.
Final notes
You know your story. And if you look at its structure and notice some problem areas, do your best to fix them, however, you probably won’t catch everything. This is where Beta readers come in. A fresh set of eyes can be super helpful.
Remember you want your story to be the best it can be.