First drafts are shit.
—E. Hemingway—

The following is based on Sol Stein's recommendations in his superb book on novel writing entitled Stein On Writing.  A better book on craft simply cannot be found.

If you set a limit on how much rewriting you will do, you are merely devising an artificial barrier between your work and success.

Have a hard copy of the manuscript in front of you.

I. PROTAGONIST

Do you find yourself thinking about your main characters in situations not in the book?

If yes, good!

If no, he needs work.

What do you like most about your protagonist?

Is that trait a trait of your own?

If so, you could be slipping into an autobiography trap.

If you took a vacation with your character, how would you feel if he came along?

Would you look forward to eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with him?

If not, you need to add some sparkle.

How well do you understand your character?

Imagine you have just won the lottery jackpot of 10 million dollars. How would your character respond?

Would it be better for your character to hear from you or someone else?

Does the protagonist change in the course of your novel? (This is essential!!)

II. ANTAGONIST (one is best, more than that diffuses the emotions)

Is he morally bad, or just badly behaved?

Does the antagonist enjoy being bad?

Is he not just mischievous, but downright malicious?  (Generally truly evil people are more effective

antagonists.)

Does he have some charm or enticing trait? (This is important.)

Try seeing him through the eyes of someone who loves or admires him?

Why do they feel that way about him?

III. MINOR CHARACTERS

Find means to "characterize at a stroke". The lifelikeness of minor characters can make or break a scene.

IV. CONFLICT BETWEEN ANTAGONIST AND PROTAGONIST

Is it credible?

Is their conflict inevitable?

Look for ways that the conflict may be avoided. If there are many or obvious ones, you need to plug the holes. It is essential that a crucible be formed in which the two do battle.

V. EVALUATE THE SCENES

What is the most memorable scene of the book?

What does that suggest about the least memorable scene?

(At this point, avoid line for line reading. Just skim.)

What in the scene you selected as the most memorable made it so?

What does that suggest about the least memorable scene?

Ask yourself if you can cut that least memorable scene.

Do the same to the next least memorable scene, and so on until you would be removing essential elements from the story by cutting further.

VI. TEST MOTIVATIONS

From memory jot down the three most important scenes from the novel. Is each scene motivated in a way that you would accept this story from someone else?

(Remember motivation must either be provoked by circumstance or planted ahead of time. Do not rely on coincidence.)

Is there any action not in keeping with the character?

Is there any action that sounds far fetched?

VII. WAIT THREE MONTHS

VIII. READ THE FIRST PAGE

Does it make you want to keep reading?

If not, what opening hook can you present to catch the reader?

IX. LINE EDITING

Read as an editor, not a writer

If in doubt about a change, don’t make it. Mark it for later consideration. Don’t look at it again for at least a week. (Dating it is good.)

Watch out for between the scenes material, offstage recounting of actions not seen. Eliminate these or make them active and interesting.

Work on tightening everything. Most writers need to cut, words, sentences, paragraphs.

Vary the length of sentences. Long sentences are generally best followed by short, even abrupt sentences.

Unless you are purposely trying to slow something down, be relentless in moving the story forward.

Cut out spots where the author is talking and telling, not showing.

Watch out for mixes of POV.

Are your characters often put under stress, in conflict?

Does the stress increase?

Cut every unessential adverb and adjective. Cut: very, poor (if not pertaining to wealth), which (replace with that), nice, got (except in dialogue), very.

Watch out for overuse of a single word. Use a thesaurus.

Kill every cliché.

Transpose sentences to achieve greater impact, to lay the stress on what’s powerful, to attain greater clarity.

Beware purple, flowery, bleeding heart, sappy, cheesy, corny, sentimental prose.

Look for any imprecision in the use of words and phrases. Be precise.

Be concrete, concrete, concrete. Put something visual (or some other sense) on every page.

Don’t let your characters moan, scream, gurgle, wail etc. "Said" is good enough.

X. LET THE MANUSCRIPT SIT FOR A MONTH

XI. READ IT AGAIN, LOOKING AT YOUR CORRECTIONS

Do step IX again.

Integrate changes

XII. LET IT SIT A MONTH

Read it through again on fresh paper with your changes integrated.

Step IX again

Look for any spot where attention flags or words take over the experience.

Shoot for total immersion.

XIV. SEND THE MANUSCRIPT TO YOUR AGENT.

XV. GET DRUNK. GO TO THE GYM. GET LAID. SOAK IN A HOT TUB.

(Not necessarily in that order.)

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