Notes

21-point checklist for revision
do not rush this process. Many books don't sell because they were rushed through revision because their author was eager to sell it.
1.)spellcheck. This is not mainly what revision is about,though
2.)Omit unnecessary words
3.)Cut where you're doing the reader's thinking for them.
4.)Cut stage direction, meaning if character is walking to a room, do not walk the reader through every step he took to get there, just get the reader to the room.
5.)Insure consistent character motivation. If a character acts differently, it should only be because they have evolved through the story, not because their author forgot what they act like.
6.)Insure that a concrete action HAS HAPPENED in first paragraph.
7.)Are my details coherent? Are my details both physical/emotional/consistent throughout my story?
8.)Are there scenes, and are they clear and complete?
9.)Do I start each scene with an action?
10.)Am I writing in passive voice? Am I using the same words over/over again? If I am using, "there are," "There is," "Made his way," then I probably am. (Not good.)
11.)Is setting working? Does my setting contribute to the understanding of the story?
12.)Are my characters acting believably? Do they each want something? Do each of my characters have believable flaws?
13.)Are the transitions between my paragraphs and sections clear? Sloppy transitions kick the reader out of the story because they remind them what the seams of the story are.
14.)Does my story fit together the right way? Does it follow the five-act structure? (Action, Background, Development, Climax, and Ending)
15.)Did I explain the risks for each of my characters? Characters that don't risk anything stay at home on the couch.
16.)Did I explain to the readers the consequences of these risks?
17.)Does every sentence deepen our understanding of the character, or advance the plot?
18.)Is my 2nd draft about 10% shorter than my last draft?
19.)Am I ready to discard pages or entire drafts that just aren't working? Just because you've worked on something for many years, or just a very long time, doesn't mean it's good. If you have to work on a section on and off for a very long time trying to make it work, you should just toss it.
20.)Is what I meant in my head as clear as it can be on the page? This should take from several weeks to several moths to complete.