A Principle To Help With Clear Dialogue

There are days we all feel like Maxine, but my answer to her is that I want more than that. I want Maxine and the rest of us to use the best tools we have to make our writing stand out from that of others. 

Today, I'm going to concentrate on one small, but important, part of writing dialogue. When I critique the subs at my online writing group, I point out one problem time and again. We know we want to show an action along with dialogue when possible. What I see writers do is to put the action after the dialogue. That's backward. Look at the example below:

A.  "Stop that!" Sally slapped his hand from her arm.

B.  Sally slapped his hand from her arm. "Stop that!" 

C. "Stop that!" Sally said. Sally slapped his hand from her arm.

Which is the best? The worst? I think B is best and C is the worst. In B, we see the action, then hear the words that go with it. In A, would Sally say the words, then slap his hand away? Your mind sees the action in B, then absorbs the words. And C? Adding the tag is unnecessary as the action tells you who is speaking. 

Another example but this time using feeling (or thought) prior to the action and dialogue. It's called the FAD Principle. FeelingActionDialogue

Susan knew Mary would take the biggest piece of cake. She stepped between her friend and the table full of cake slices. "I'll take this one."

It seems more logical that Susan would step in front of the table before she speaks. To me, action first, then dialogue seems the proper order and the way it happens. If I write this:  Sybil pushed the dog's head from her lap. "Just go away, Duke. I'm not in the mood for a walk now." Doesn't it seem normal that she is pushing the dog's head away, then telling him why first? You, naysayers, are going to tell me that the action and dialogue are happening at the same time. Quite possibly, they are, but you have to show one before the other, and I agree with The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing that the action should be shown first. Evan Marshall features the FAD principle in his book.

Even if you don't have the Feeling part in the dialogue, just the Action and Dialogue, put the action first, then the spoken words. Why? For clarity. Develop the habit of using the action prior to the dialogue. We aren't always going to have the Feeling included, but if you do, remember FAD.

Proofreading and Editing Your Writing

 

It's time to talk about editing once again. Editing is important not just today, but every day. Gone are the days when you were such a beginner that you thought the first draft and final draft were one and the same. Any successful writer would put a gold star next to editing in a list of what writers should do. I would also add proofreading.

What is the difference between proofreading and editing? When you proofread a piece, you're looking for mechanical errors like spelling and punctuation. In editing, you are looking for clarity and whole ideas that need revision. You're looking for awkward sentences. For me, proofreading is just a subheading under editing. 

Our poster photo today tells us we should edit because it is the right thing to do. I agree. It is the right thing to do if you want to have a chance at having your work accepted for publication. It is the right thing to do if you want to have a piece of writing that you can be proud of. It's the right thing to do because you should always strive to be the best you can be. 

What should you look for when proofreading and/or editing?

A. Spelling errors--most word programs have a spell check

B. Proper punctuation--if this is a problem for you, make an effort to learn the rules, then use them

C.  Repetition of words close to one another. So easy to do and just as easy to remedy.

D.  Awkward sentences--the writer understands, but you must make sure the sentences are clear to the reader.

E.  Overly long sentences and incomplete sentences. An occasional incomplete sentence used for effect is alright.

F.  Redundancy of points made or ideas.

G.  Looking for sensory details--add some or delete if overdone

H.  Get rid of the parts that are extraneous.

I.   Replace as many passive verbs with active ones as possible.

J.  Pare down the number of adjectives used for each noun. One is good, two is alright at times, but three is over the limit.

K.  Check dialogue for content--is it clear, is it necessary. Check for proper punctuation in dialogue

L.  Cut words if you are writing for a specific word count and you have run over.

Yes, there are a great many things to be checked after that first draft is written. If you take the time to do a good proofreading and editing, you'll have a stronger piece of writing that should be something you are ready to submit for publication. After the final proofreading, of course!

Points On Paragraphs

I found this great poster quote at The Writer's Circle. They credited it to  Amanda Patterson. 

Changing paragraphs is one small aspect of writing that I have seen few people feature on a blog or in a writing magazine or ezine. It may be that even writing instructors take it for granted that everyone knows when you should change to a new paragraph. Not necessarily so. Some of the above are pretty clear and something most writers would do automatically but others might not be so easy.

Note that the first three all contain the word new. It should be apparent that when introducing a new anything, you should start a brand new paragraph. Aha! There is that word new again. Hang on, as you'll see the word mentioned a few more times in this post. Much as I hate repetition, sometimes we have no way around it.

When a setting changes, it makes perfect sense to initiate an entirely different paragraph. it gives the reader a breathing space between settings, or places.

The point about using a new paragraph when a new person is speaking is one that many writers stumble over when writing dialogue. If Susie and Mary are having a conversation, begin a new paragraph each time there is a change from one character's dialogue to the other. It looks strange sometimes when you see lots of short paragraphs in a lengthy dialogue but it's a good rule to adhere to. 

The last two are pretty self-explanatory. They might both be included under the fourth point. 

There is another time when moving to a new paragraph is helpful. When the writer is making a strong statement, it is beneficial to set it in a paragraph on its own. It would be the same with something that might be of a shocking nature or particularly poignant.  It is going to make the reader sit up and pay attention if it stands alone rather than being the end of the preceding paragraph. 

When you're editing and revising your work, check your paragraphs. Do they measure up to the poster above? Or have you included too many topics in one long and convoluted paragraph? 

Is Proofreading Important?

 

I cannot stress the importance of proofreading your edited and revised drafts. It's the final step before you submit to a publisher, whether a book or a short piece. I am going to be on the road today, so here is a repeat post with a bit of updated info regarding proofreading. 

Every writer knows that proofreading is important. Very few would dispute that. Just as important is the way in which you proofread. A quick glance over the piece is not going to give you the type of end product that you want--or that editors will deem acceptable. 

Editing and proofreading are companions. Do one, then the other. 

There are many parts to proofreading, lots of Do This or Don't Do This. I have listed some of those you should do below:

DO set your draft aside for a while before you begin. How long? I'd say a minimum of overnight, maybe even a few days. Don't wait 15 minutes after you write the final words of the draft and then start proofreading. Your mind is still into what you wrote in the draft; it's not ready to look for ways to improve it yet.

DO read aloud at least once in your proofreading process. Trouble spots you might pass over while reading silently will become easier to spot. Things like sentences that are too long, an overabundance of adjectives or adverbs, poor subject/verb tense, and more.

DO check punctuation. Some writers go through the entire piece checking only commas or quote marks. You'd be surprised how often writers miss putting in commas where needed or quote marks on only one end of the quote. 

DO look for repetition of words and ideas. It's all too easy to repeat as we write. It's one thing you'll catch if you read aloud.

DO look at verbs. Are there too many passive verbs? See how many you can change to be active. Active verbs always make for more interesting reading.

DO check to see that your pronouns are clear as to who or what they are referring to. I often mark this problem in the work of others that I critique. The writer knows who or what, but the reader needs to have clarity. 

DO Check each paragraph to make sure it shows a single point. Mixing more than one thought for a paragraph is confusing. Make sure that each person speaking in a dialogue begins a new paragraph, even if all they say is "Sure." 

DO a spell check and check for words that are used too often, like 'was' or 'it' or 'that' with the tools given with your word processing program.

Do check for overly-long sentences. If a sentence goes on and on, the reader will easily lose the important thought in it. 

DO check for sentence fragments. Complete sentences are what we strive for, even though an occasional fragment works in what we're writing. Only occasionally, however.

DO check verb tenses. Don't bounce them around. Be consistent.

DO show more than tell. Your piece will be far more interesting if you do this.

DO check the dialogue sections carefully. Eliminate adverbs in the tags. Check the punctuation and quote marks carefully in dialogue.

DO be consistent with capitalizations with names and specific places. I often see a story I'm critiquing that uses caps in some places and not in others for the same word.

DO look for varying lengths of sentences. Mix up the long ones with the shorter. 

The list above is not complete, but it can help in checking what you want to proofread and how. 

Should you proofread more than once? I think it would be beneficial to do it at least twice or three times with time left between proofreading sessions. If you do two sessions back to back, you're very likely to miss the same mistakes. After you edit, do a final proofread session. It's your last chance to make your submission as good as it can be.

A List of Proofreading Suggestions

 

Every writer knows that proofreading is important. Very few would dispute that. Just as important is the way in which you proofread. A quick glance over the piece is not going to give you the type of end product that you want--or that editors will deem acceptable. 

There are many parts to proofreading, lots of Do This or Don't Do This. I have listed some of those you should do below:

1. DO set your draft aside for a while before you begin. How long? I'd say a minimum of overnight, maybe even a few days. Don't wait 15 minutes after you write the final words of the draft and then start proofreading. Your mind is still into what you wrote in the draft; it's not ready to look for ways to improve it yet.
2. DO read aloud at least once in your proofreading process. Trouble spots you might pass over while reading silently will become easier to spot. Things like sentences that are too long, an overabundance of adjectives or adverbs, poor subject/verb tense, and more.
3. DO check punctuation. Some writers go through the entire piece checking only commas or only quote marks. You'd be surprised how often writers miss putting in commas where needed or quote marks on only one end of the quote. 
4. DO look for repetition of words and ideas. It's all too easy to repeat as we write. It's one thing you'll catch if you read aloud.
5. DO look at verbs. Are there too many passive verbs? See how many you can change to be active. Active verbs always make for more interesting reading.
6. DO check to see that your pronouns are clear as to who or what they are referring to. I often mark this problem in the work of others that I critique. The writer knows who or what, but the reader needs to have clarity. 
7. DO Check each paragraph to make sure it shows a single point. Mixing more than one thought for a paragraph is confusing. Make sure that each person speaking in a dialogue begins a new paragraph, even if all they say is "Sure." 
8. DO a spell check and check for words that are used too often, like 'was' or 'it' or 'that' with the tools given with your word processing program.
9. Do check for overly-long sentences. If a sentence goes on and on, the reader will easily lose the important thought in it. 
10. DO check for sentence fragments. Complete sentences are what we strive for, even though an occasional fragment works in what we're writing. Only occasionally, however.
11. DO check verb tenses. Don't bounce them around. Be consistent.
12. DO show more than tell. Your piece will be far more interesting if you do this.
13. DO check the dialogue sections carefully. Eliminate adverbs in the tags. Check the punctuation and quote marks carefully in dialogue.
14. DO be consistent with capitalizations with names and specific places. I often see a story I'm critiquing that uses caps in some places and not in others for the same word.
15. DO look for varying lengths of sentences. Mix up the long ones and the shorter. 

The list above is not complete, but it can help in checking what you want to proofread and how. 

Should you proofread more than once? I think it would be beneficial to do it at least twice or three times with time left between proofreading sessions. If you do two sessions back to back, you're very likely to miss the same mistakes. 

Writing With Clarity

One of the big problems writers have is to write with clarity so that their reader is not confused.  

As writers, we know in our mind what is happening in a scene, whether it is fiction or memoir or personal essay. Or even poetry.  Because we see it so clearly, it's all too easy for us to skip over details that help the reader also 'see' what we are writing about. 

If I'm writing a short memoir piece about my childhood years, I have a mental picture of the big apartment buidling where we lived. I know there is a brick street that runs in front with the tires of cars bumping along. I know that across that brick street, two sets of railroad tracks allow both commuter trains and freight trains to rumble by. If I don't add those pertinent pieces of information, the reader can't tell what kind of neighborhood I lived in. 

When I write about my grandmother, I know that she wore her hair in a braid wrapped in a crown atop her head. I know that she wore rimless glasses, orthopedic shoes and an apron when she cooked or baked. I know that her expression was often stern and her words sometimes cut straight to the heart but that she had a soft spot, too. My reader doesn't know it unless I include all that in my story. I don't mean writing a paragrpah 'telling' it either. 'Showing' is going to bring a clearer picture of her. 

Use too many pronouns in your writing and the reader can become confused over who you're referring to. When you edit, watch for that. The same goes for dialogue tags. We don't need to use them in every piece of dialogue but if the conversation goes on too long, the reader can become befuddled so use them enough to make sure the reader is aware of who is speaking. 

The poster at the top left makes an important point in a few words. Many writers have marvelous ideas but transferring from mind to the printed word is not always easy, just like the poster on the top right tells us. 

When you edit a first draft, go through the entire piece with one question in your mind--Is this clear to the reader? Don't consider anything but that question for the first time through. Then check it again to catch other problems like redundancy, poor grammar, typos--the mechanical errors. 

Whenever you write, be conscious about making sure you have written clearly enough so the reader is not scratching his/her head wondering about this or that. 

Is It Your Best Writing?

 

Snoopy is thinking what many writers think when they finish a story, essay, or poem and have a satisfying feeling. 

Writers put a great deal of time and effort into their work. Sometimes, when finished, we have that good feeling, but there are times when we come to the end and have kind of a blah feeling. Somehow we know what we've written was not our best effort. Or we are aware that they great idea we had in the beginning didn't blossom like we'd hoped. 

When you are satisfied with your final draft, the best thing to do is start finding a publication to submit to. But, when you're not feeling good about the finished product, it's time to do some more editing and revision. 

The first step is to put that draft away for days or even a couple weeks. It's not wise to try to work on it right away. You're already frustrated, and it might only increase that feeling if you tackle the rewrite too soon. 

When some time has passed, and you decide to work on that project again, ask yourself a few questions. As an example, let's say it is a short story.

A.  Did this story turn out the way I had envisioned it in my mind?

B.  Does it move too slowly?

C.  Are the sentences too choppy, or perhaps too long?

D.  Is there a sense of place?

E.  Is the dialogue stilted?

F.  Have I made the reader want to keep reading?

G.  Is it clear to the reader, or did I assume too much?

What you want to do is analyze the story using as much of an objective view as you can. It's not easy when it's your precious words you've written. 

Another approach is to let a writing group, or a writer friend, to look at it and give an unbiased opinion and some suggestions. 

Should you submit a story that doesn't make you happy or makes you feel good? You can, of course, but the odds are good that it will be rejected. We should only submit writing that makes us feel satisfied that we've done the best job we can. 

Snoopy is quite right when he tells us that it's exciting when we write something we know is good. That's when we're more than ready to submit for publication.

Writers--Consider A Sense of Place

When we write fiction or memoir, a sense of place holds a significant spot. Many How-To books on writing offer special exercises on this important part of a story or a memoir, or even an essay. I have posted two photos today that are totally different places. Anyone writing about either one would have plenty to work with.

At one of my online conferences, one of the workshop presenters spoke for nearly an hour on a sense of place and then she had us do a ten-minute exercise highlighting same. She was the editor of a travel website and who would put a priority on a sense of place more than someone in her position? Her presentation and exercise left an impression on me. 

I recently subbed a memory piece to my online writing group. When the critiques came back, I noticed one glaring thing. A sense of place was there but not strong enough. Part of that error was that I knew the place so well that I transported myself there as I wrote but I didn't bring my reader into the place with me. They are not mind-readers so it's up to me, the writer, to give them a clear picture of where the story happened.

Some points about a sense of place:

• It draws the reader into the story, takes them to another world than the one they are in.
• It helps let readers know how characters feel about where they are. It's not only a description of where the story happens.
• The writer should use specifics to give a sense of place. Don't just say there were animals. Name them. Let the reader see the elephants, the zebras and giraffes in the game reserve. 
• Dialogue specific to the place helps give that sense of place. Consider the Scottish brogue or the idioms used by the mountain folk in Virginia. 

My husband and I visited Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia several years ago. The place is so picturesque and has a sad history, as well. I was so taken with it that I wrote a personal essay about our visit. The good part about writing the essay is that it gave me something to also use in a fiction piece. If I had a character who visited Peggy's Cove, I know that I could give my readers a real sense of place. You can read the essay here.

When you write a short story or a novel, what happens and to who is important but where it takes place ranks high on the must-include list. Give some thought to a sense of place when you write. 

Create a Sense of Place When You Write

 

When we write fiction or memoir, a sense of place should hold a significant spot. Many How-To books on writing offer special exercises on this important part of a story or a memoir, or even an essay. I have posted two photos today that are totally different places. Anyone writing about either one would have plenty to work with.

At one of my online conferences, one of the workshop presenters spoke for nearly an hour on a sense of place, and then she had us do a ten-minute exercise highlighting same. She was the editor of a travel website, so who would put a priority on a sense of place more than someone in her position? Her presentation and exercise left an impression on me. 

I recently subbed a memory piece to my online writing group. When the critiques came back, I noticed one glaring thing. A sense of place was there but not strong enough. Part of that error was that I knew the place so well that I transported myself there as I wrote but I didn't bring my reader into the place with me. They are not mind-readers so it's up to me, the writer, to give them a clear picture of where the story happened. This is probably the most important point in today's post.

Some Points About a Sense of Place:

A. It draws the reader into the story, takes them to another world than the one they are in.

B. It helps let readers know how characters feel about where they are. It's not only a description of where the story happens.

C. The writer should use specifics to give a sense of place. Don't just say there were animals. Name them. Let the reader see the elephants, the zebras and giraffes in the game reserve. 

D. Dialogue specific to the place helps give that sense of place. Consider the Scottish brogue or the idioms used by the mountain folk in Virginia. 

My husband and I visited Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia several years ago. The place is so picturesque and has a sad history, as well. I was so taken with it that I wrote a personal essay about our visit. The good part about writing the essay is that it gave me something to also use in a fiction piece. If I had a character who visited Peggy's Cove, I know that I could give my readers a real sense of place. 

When you write a short story or a novel, what happens and to whom is important, but where it takes place ranks high on the must-include list. Give some thought to a sense of place when you write. 

As an exercise, write a paragraph or two using each of the photos included here. Use sensory details to help bring your reader into what you have written.

 

The Benefit of Proofreading

I've spent the last half hour proofreading and editing a synopsis for a novella for one of the members of my online writing group. This was version #4 and she said she needed some other eyes on it. 

By the time we write something that many times, we are not very good at proofreading our own work.

She was wise to ask for fresh eyes. Someone else sees little errors that the person who is so involved in the piece of writing does not. 

This is not the first time I've addressed this topic, and it probably won't be the last. My reason is simple. It's important!

What are we looking for when we proofread? 

• typos
• punctuation 
• clarity
• repetition of words (or phrase)
• passive verbs
• unnecessary words
• cliches
• too many adjectives
• adverbs
• telling instead of showing
• tense
• spelling

Typos are easy to fix.

We make simple errors in punctuation. Are you going to use the Oxford comma or not? Choose one method and be consistent. That's where many mistakes are made. Write a sentence like Mary hit the ball, ran the bases, and collapsed at home plate. This illustrates the Oxford, or serial, comma. It's a style choice. You can eliminate the comma if you prefer. The BIG thing is to be consistent. Don't mix up the methods you use.

Clarity is a bugger. What seems perfectly clear to the writer is not always so for the reader. So, do check to make sure the reader will know what is happening.

It is so easy to repeat words, especially everyday kinds. Things like was, is, want are so easy to use again and again. Even phrases like my younger brother can unknowingly be repeated in a story. Find something to replace the phrase or the words that are repeated in a couple of back to back sentences or even in one sentence.

Passive verbs creep into our writing very easily. It's fine in the first draft, but you'd better look for active verbs to replace a lot of them. Using a passel of passives ends up being boring for the reader.

Those unnecessary words like really, very, just come naturally to us when we converse with others. In our writing, we should not use them except in special cases. For emphasis, perhaps.

Again, we use a lot of cliches in our everyday conversation. Replace them when you write with something else. Don't be a lazy writer and pluck a cliche out of the air. Think of something new.

Too many adjectives leaves you with flowery, overdone writing. Use adjectives to help with description but choose wisely and sparely.

The same goes for adverbs. Adverbs after a dialogue tag tells the reader how the person spoke or is feeling. Far better to drop the adverb and show with an action.

We have been told myriad times that it is better to show than tell. Still, we often fall into the trap of wanting to do nothing but 'tell' a story. Showing as much as possible brings the reader into the story and is more interesting.

Be careful of tense when you write. Choose past, present, or future and be consistent. Switching tenses within a paragraph is confusing to the reader, even switching here and there within the story, unless it is for a purpose--such as a flashback. 

Last in the list, but far from being unimportant, is spelling. Some people are notoriously poor spellers, but there is help when we write on the computer. Use spellcheck. It's a wonderful tool for all writers. 

When we all started to write, the story, essay, article or whatever was our primary focus. Nobody told us we had to have all our ducks in a row (to use a cliche) with the mechanics of what we wrote. The longer you write, the more you realize how necessary it is to be able to write well grammatically and with clarity.

Learn to be a good proofreader and your writing will be stronger and possibly more publishable.

Is Their A Magic Formula For Editing?

Yesterday, I wrote the first draft of a story aimed for a forthcoming Chicken Soup for the Soul book. It has the right amount of words to satisfy the CS editors. There is dialogue sprinkled throughout, another one of the traits the CS editors like. I wrote to the theme of the book. I wrote in first person.

So far, so good, but the story lacked something crucial. It had no life, had no heart in it. Disgusted, I saved the draft in a file and moved on to something else. I knew that I had to let it simmer awhile before reading it again. Usually, I see the story from a different perspective when I do that. What seemed completely baffling the day I wrote the draft will most likely become more clear a day or two, or three later. 

I've learned that it doesn't pay to beat myself over the head on the day I write that first draft. It will most likely end up with me being frustrated and angry with myself and a story that is no better than on the first writing. 

It pays to edit at a later time. How much later doesn't matter. The important thing is to let the story sit before you attempt your revisions and editing. As the poster tells us, editing is the right thing to do. Not only right--it's crucial! 

But what happens when you stare at the first draft for an exceedingly long period of time and you're still in the dark as to what to do to  make the story better? Go ahead and stare for as long as you like, be like the person in the poster below.  There are times when 70% of your ediitng process is staring at your work. The hope is that you'll suddenly see the way out of the dark tunnel and your fingers will fly over the keyboard making the needed changes. Does it always happen? No, but it will work a good deal of the time.

My next job today is to stare at that draft I wrote yesterday. I hope that I'll see the places where I can add or change to make my story better. I want to make it one that I can send to my critique group to get some objective eyes on it. Then, I'll make further revisions and send the story to the Chicken Soup editors for the final judgement. 

How about you? What's your editing process? Have you found a magic formula for editing that turns your stories into publishable pieces? If so, let us know your method. 

First Drafts Are Only the Beginning

 

I once knew a newbie writer who dashed off a short story and was thrilled to think she'd finished it. She knew that she'd better look it over for errors before she sent it flying into cyberspace to an editor. She was giddy over how easy the writing had been. When the story was returned with a rejection note, she was devastated. What in the world was wrong? It was a good story, she told herself.

Maybe if Nellie Newbie had studied a few books about the craft of writing, she'd have learned that the first writing is the first draft, and it holds a key word. That's FIRST, which indicates that there should be more to follow. 

Our quote today puts it in pretty plain language. "I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shovelling sand into a box so that later I can build castles." 

An architect doesn't draw a house plan, then start building. No, he/she starts with one plan, then adds things, takes away other things, then redraws the plan. Maybe several times before the final one is ready. 

Writers do the same. When we write the first draft, we're getting the main ideas down, kind of telling ourselves the story. It's like the base for a tower of building blocks. Each draft thereafter can be considered one more block in the tower you're building. 

You might be thinking--Whoa! Did she just say 'each' draft? Good grief! How many must there be? That depends. You can write 2, 3, or more. You write until you feel satisfied that you've covered all bases and are ready to show your work to an editor. 

Things to consider when writing drafts:

A. Write the first draft, then put it away for a couple days, even longer. It will look different to you when you read it after letting it sit. You'll see things you didn't when you read it over immediately after writing it. 

B.  Give thought to structure. Are you happy with it, or do you perhaps see some places you'd like to change in the next draft?

C.  What about the mechanics? Are there spelling errors, punctuation changes needed? Active verbs needed to replace those nasty little passive ones? Is the dialogue clear? Are you showing every place you can rather than telling? Have you added enough sensory details to bring your readers into your story?

D.  What about emotion? Is there enough to speak to your readers? 

E.  What can be cut to make the story stronger? Or what might you add to do the same?

F.  Finally, read it aloud. You'll catch many small things that you don't see when you read silently. 

Good writers create more than one draft. How many is up to the writer. After each one, be sure to put it away for a few days; bring it back and see if it meets all your requirements, and if it pleases you? If it does, then you're ready to submit.

The Editing Process

Writing can be fun, satisfying, exhilarating. Editing? Maybe not so much. But, as the poster quote tells us, it is the right thing to do. Why?

After you write the first draft, then let it simmer alone for a while, it's time to start the editing process. Start at the very beginning and read through the entire piece. Oh my! You've probably found all kinds of little things that need your attention.  

1. Go back sentence by sentence or paragraph by paragraph.and correct spelling errors.
2.  Replace words that have been repeated too many times. 
3. Look for overly long sentences and either shorten them or divide them into two separate ones. 
4. Make sure you stayed with the same tense throughout. 
5. Clarify where a portion seems confusing.
6. Check to make sure subjects and verbs are both singular or both plural
7. Are there too many adjectives or adverbs sprinkled throughout?
8. Is the opening one that will hook a reader?
9. Is there a satisfying conclusion? 
10. Can there be a few more sensory details added?
11. If pertinent, did you show more than tell?
12. Does emotion come through?
13. If there is dialogue, is it punctuated correctly, tags clear and not overdone?

That's a pretty long checklist, but if you make sure you're good with all of them, your story or essay or article is going to be much better. It will also have a greater chance of being published.

If you use a program like Grammarly or something similar, you'll be a step ahead on the spelling, punctuation and more. 

Just this week, an editor sent back a submission for me to edit. She had requested one of my blog posts for a new anthology she is producing. She returned it to me with some thoughts and questions, and some suggestions to make it better. I worked on it yesterday afternoon, and using both her suggestions and changes I made on my own, I feel like it is a much finer submission. 

Editing is the right thing to do and helps you be a better writer. We write because our heart tells us we must, but the ordinariness of a good editing job clears the path on our writing journey.