Lesson Three Activity Sheet

Theme: Editing your manuscript

Activity: Use this guide to begin editing your manuscript.

Answer the questions below.

In what chapter of your novel is your main character’s “why” revealed?

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If this scene didn’t occur before Chapter Four, this might be an indication that the novel’s
pacing is too slow. Is there any way you can move the scene up to Chapter One, Two, or Three?

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What obstacles are preventing your main character from getting what they want?

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Describe the actions your main character takes to try and overcome the obstacles they face.

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What are your main character’s major flaws and how are they presented in your novel?

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How does your main character suddenly become aware of their major flaw and how it’s
affecting their life?

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What action does the main character take to address this major imperfection?

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Take a look at the first conversation in your book and read it aloud. As you read it out loud, do
you find that each of the characters who are speaking have different cadences, vocabularies,
and ways of expressing themselves? Or do all of the characters sound the same?

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Review the dialogue tags in this conversation. Are most of them “he said” or “she said?” If you
have tags like “exclaimed” or “cried” or “lamented,” would it be too difficult to change them to
“said?”

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Does the conversation continue for more than four pages? If so, can you condense it?

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What is your story’s exposition?

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What is the inciting incident in your novel?

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What moments of your story can be labeled as rising action?

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What happens at your story’s climax?

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What is your story’s falling action?

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Please describe your story’s resolution.

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Are there any sections in your novel where your main character’s backstory is presented in
several paragraphs? If so, can these sections be condensed to no more than three sentences?

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In the opening scene of your novel, are the surroundings described? If so, what words and
sentences are used to provide readers with visual stimulation?

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Are any of the reader’s other senses stimulated in this scene? For example, are readers
provided with intel on how the setting smells or how their environment makes them feel?

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Are you able to comb through Chapter One of your novel for adverbs (words such as angrily,
sadly, and happily) and try replacing them with descriptions of character’s emotions?

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