Revision Pass Checklist

Who this is for

Revise in passes, not all at once. Six separate reads, each for one kind of problem, so structure is fixed before any sentence is polished.

Novelists and short story writers facing a finished draft and not sure where to start, and writers who find that trying to fix everything in one read fixes very little.

What this helps you track

• Structure and pacing checked before anything smaller
• Character motivation and consistency looked at on their own
• Dialogue, setting and continuity each given a separate read
• Line-level prose and proofreading left until last
• Which passes are done for this draft, with dates

How to use it

1. Write the title, the draft number and the date you start at the top.
2. Work through one pass at a time, reading the whole manuscript for that pass only.
3. Tick each item when you have checked it across the manuscript; add your own under each pass in the browser, which saves in your own browser.
4. Jot down chapters that need more work as you go rather than stopping to fix them mid-pass.
5. Write the end date when the last pass is done and start a new sheet for the next draft.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Do I have to do the passes in this order?

No, but the order runs from large to small for a reason: there is little point polishing a paragraph in a chapter that the structure pass may cut. Change the order if your draft needs it.

How many drafts should a book go through?

There is no set number, and the sheet does not suggest one. Use a fresh copy for each draft and write the draft number at the top, so you can see which passes each round covered.

Can I skip a pass?

Yes. A short story may not need a separate setting pass, and some writers merge dialogue into the character pass. Leave the items unticked or remove them online so the sheet matches what you actually did.

Is the proofreading pass enough before publishing?

It catches what one careful read can. Many writers also ask someone else to proofread, or use a professional, because it is hard to see errors in your own text. That choice is yours.