It’s time for my March contribution to the #AuthorToolBoxBlogHop where dozens of authors post their thoughts on subjects of writing. This month I discuss Grading Your Chapters. 
I tend to write short chapters that shift by venue, time or maybe point of view. My 325-page novels may have 40 or more chapters. I find shorter chapters help the story progress rapidly and give readers a sense of achievement as they move through the novel.
After finishing a first draft and before I turn the manuscript over to Claudia (my editor), I read the book end to end to get a feel for continuity and flow, grading each chapter (1-poor to 5-excellent). I’ll then return to focus on those chapters rated the lowest, but will eventually work to improve each of them.
The questions I ask as I grade the chapters include:
- Does the first paragraph(s) grab you, pulling you forward?
- Is anything new presented to the reader? If so, is it described or told as backdrop?
- If new characters are introduced, are they compelling and needed for the plot?
- Are there elements of intrigue, danger, excitement, or mystery? If not, what purpose does the chapter serve?
- Does the end of the chapter leave the reader wanting more or does it just fall off?
One additional editing step that can be done at this time is running each chapter through a writing editor like ProWritingAid, Grammarly, or AutoCrit. There are many other editors, and I’m not suggesting which one is the best, although I’m most familiar with ProWritingAid. The output of these tools is voluminous, and it’s eventually the author’s decision on which recommendations to use.
I will typically read and edit my manuscript several times before having Claudia mark it up, but this chapter focus is a bite-sized way for me to tackle the first major revisions.
Not all chapters can be spinetinglers, but having a multi-chapter lull in a book is difficult to overcome. It might lead to the reader placing the book or e-reader on the nightstand, never to return. Grading your chapters can find these lulls before your readers discover them.
To enjoy other great blogs in the monthly #AuthorToolboxBlogHop or to join, click HERE. Happy blogging!
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I’m currently working on revisions in my WIP, and your post will definitely help!
I like the question of whether or not new characters and such have been properly introduced.
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Thanks for your comments and for following my blog. Look forward to your future posts.
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I like the idea of grading chapters. What I learned from my editor is to make sure each chapter has a driving force that might offer new information or show something different about the main character. Thank you 🙂
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Good advice. Sounds like you have a good editor. I find it hard to keep track of character development as I focus too much on the main plot.
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This is good advice! I never thought of grading my chapters individually, but maybe I’ll start. It sounds like a good way to make sure nothing in the story is dragging it down. Thanks!
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The approach is simple and forces me to be more critical. Thanks for your comments and stopping by.
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So interesting! I never really thought of grading chapters in that way. I’ll have to try this out next time. Thank you so much for sharing!
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Enjoyed your post on the limits to writers being introverted. So true. Thanks for your comments.
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I use all these same questions. They totally work for improving a scene. The purpose of a scene is the most important to me. If there is not purpose I think about cutting the scene. Great Article!
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Thanks for your comments and for following my blog. I enjoy and learn from getting your posts.
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I like this system. I might try it out on my CP
Thanks for sharing your process
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Thanks for your comments and for following my blog. I look forward to your well thought and informative posts.
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Thx
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Sounds like a very good way to think about each chapter as a part of the whole. Sometimes, especially when editing, I lose that view because I’m looking at the whole. Sort of a “not seeing the forest for the trees” problem. I like your nice, succinct list of questions to focus on.
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Thanks for your comments and stopping by. I really liked the list of resources you provided this month.
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I love the idea of grading chapters, and that’s a useful checklist. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Louise, thanks for stopping by my blog and for your comments. I look forward to your future posts.
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I’ve never graded my chapters before, but I do read through my books from end to end to check for flow, and if there are problems I make notes. Usually, it’s just problems with a scene and not the whole chapters.
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Great idea to grade our chapters, D.R. This way we can be sure each chapter pulls its weight and moves the story forward. Thanks for sharing this.
http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com
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Victoria, thanks for stopping by and also for following my blog. I look forward to your future posts.
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Grading chapters sounds like a great idea. It never occurred to me, but my next revision will be marked to see if its doing its job. 😉
Anna from elements of emaginette
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I like this system a lot. Also, “multi-chapter” lull, I think you’ve really hit on something there in terms of what to watch out for. Great post!
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Thanks for your comments and for managing this BlogHop. My grey beard belies my writing experience, and I find the posts from the much younger and more learned authors very informative. Great job!
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What a great way to start revising your manuscript! I’ll be trying this with my next editing project. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for stopping by and following my blog. This is my 2nd AuthorToolBoxBlogHop and I look forward to coming months.
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So appreciate your rational and disciplined approach to reviewing your work, making sure that each chapter contributes as it must. I’m definitely going to add this to my own process! Thanks for a great piece.
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Thanks for stopping by, Louise. My suggestions tend to be more simplistic than most I read on the AuthorToolBox. Even though I’ve been at this nearly 10 years, writing is a new trade for me, and I have a lot to learn.
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Simple works. I used to go on to my clients that if you couldn’t summarize your big idea in one sentence, you didn’t know what you were talking about. Takes deep intelligence, hard work to make it simple!
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Very good questions. I go through a similar process when reviewing a book.
I find it helpful to create outlines that represent a 10% and 1% (roughly) word count when compared to the actual chapters.
I also think your strategy of grading each chapter is a strong one. Granted, not all chapters can be amazing in the same way, but then again that’s exactly what makes for a good story, the variety of ups and downs.
Granted, I have seen dialogue scenes written with the same intensity and fast paced “action” as a fight scene, but overall, it’s definitely about creating some nice alternating beats.
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I create an outline of each chapter as well. It helps me locate characters, events without needing to scan the entire manuscript. Thanks for your comments and stopping by. I enjoy your posts.
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I love this idea. It is simple to implement and gives you a course of actions for which chapters to focus on in editing. Thanks so much for sharing. I will definitely use this in the future.
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It is a simple approach, which is what I like about it. Thanks for stopping by.
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I did a Margie Lawson immersion a couple of years ago, and she asked us to grade each page out of 10 … and not stop editing until we’d hit 9.5. I’d actually forgotten that until reading your post, so thanks for the reminder!
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I’m not sure I ever get to 9.5, but I have a very detailed editor who does. Thanks for stopping by.
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I use ProWritingAid. It helps, but sometimes its suggestions are crazy.
I like the idea of grading your chapters and zeroing in on the ones with the weakest grades. I tend to write very fast first drafts, so cleanup and editing shine are more difficult. Grading chapters or scenes will shine a light on what needs more attention.
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I agree about ProWritingAid. It does get a little carried away, but helps me give a cleaner manuscript to my editor. Thanks for your comments and stopping by.
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Like most everyone else, I’ve never graded my chapters per se, but I do tend to look for the characteristics you listed in your questions, particularly the area of mystery and to determine if the chapter adds anything new. In writing mystery stories, often my chapters follow the path the sleuth takes to uncover the crime. Each chapter must add a bit more information (either to lead the protagonist to the killer or to distract her with a red herring.)
Grading sounds like an interesting plan. I wish some of the authors I’ve read did that!
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