Critique
and Analysis
A
lot of books are submitted to Llumina, and we look over
each one to make sure it meets (or can meet after editing) our high
standards. Although we’d
like to give each author a thorough analysis of what works and what
doesn’t work in their writing, we just don’t have the time to do that
on every book. That’s why
we decided to offer a Critique and Analysis for those authors who want
more input from us. As
writers ourselves we know how important an expert critical reading is to
the success of a book. While
our friends and family may praise us to the skies, what writers really
want is constructive criticism. That’s
what our Critique and Analysis provides.
Here
is some of what we’ll look at when we analyze your book:
Overall
Structure: Where
are the ups? Where are the
downs? Does the action rise
toward a climax or peter out without quite making it?
Should you lengthen your introduction or cut it out altogether and
get right into the action? Is
the middle too long? Is the payoff too quick?
Flow
and Momentum: Does the reader get bored at any
particular place? Are you
keeping him or her mildly curious or have you, through the questions you
leave unanswered, made the reader deeply committed to finding out what
happens next? Do you need to
raise the stakes at any particular place to avoid losing the momentum of
the story?
Plot
and consistency: Does the plot “work?”
Are all the loose ends tied up or are there dangling threads of the
story that need to be closed? Is
there a beginning, a middle and an end?
Does one follow logically from the other?
Is there at least one subplot that works well with the main plot?
Did the author lose track at any point (for example: use a blue
object in one scene that mistakenly turns red during the next)?
Characterizations:
Are the main characters fully developed?
Does the reader care what happens to them?
Do we know who they are, how they think, how they will act in any
given situation? Are they true to themselves and their own motivation?
Do they think their own thoughts?
Do we know what they want and care if they get it?
Are there any two characters who think so much alike they might as
well be one person?
Grammar/Mechanics/
Clarity (word usage, sentence structure): Is the writing
grammatically correct? Do
sentences flow smoothly? Are
there too many sentences in passive voice?
Are sentences convoluted instead of straightforward?
Are there too many words? Are
words used correctly? Is the
meaning clear?
Point
of View: Does the author maintain a consistent point of
view? Or does the author jump
from head to head thereby confusing the reader?
Does the point of view work in this story or might a different
point of view work better?
Market
Potential: Is this a story that would appeal to a large
mass market or is it one that would appeal to a smaller more targeted
market? Who would want to
read this book? Does the
author consider his audience when writing?
Summary:
What do we think overall? Does
the book work or does it need work? If it needs editing, how much does it need?
Editing Rates I want a critique
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