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COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REPORT: ENGLISH FICTION CRAFT RULES FOR QUALITY AUDITING
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report documents professional English creative writing craft rules used by editors, writing teachers, and experienced authors to evaluate fiction quality. The research covers genre fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, web serials) and is intended to inform quality audit dimensions for an automated novel-writing system. Sources include industry-standard craft books, professional writing resources, podcasts, and editorial guidance from platforms like Mythcreants, Writing Excuses, and major authors.
1. PROSE CRAFT RULES
1.1 Show Don't Tell
Core Principle: Use sensory details and action rather than direct statements to allow readers to experience the story themselves.
Specific Implementation:
- Build understanding through concrete details and character behavior, not through explanatory text
- Include sensory information: what characters see, hear, smell, taste, feel
- Demonstrate emotion through physical reactions and dialogue
- Use specific actions that reveal character, motivation, and emotional state
Example from Stephen King's Method: Instead of "Brady is really pissed off about the detective's message," show Brady saying something between a whisper and a growl, striding in an unsteady circle, yanking his hair so hard his eyes water, kicking his chair, hunching over like a vulture.
When Telling Is Acceptable: Exposition at the story's beginning, after major reveals where certain details simply need clear statement, or when time constraints require narrative shortcuts. Must be used sparingly and deliberately.
Audit Implication: Detect excessive exposition dumps and emotional declarations that tell rather than show. Flag scenes where emotion or character state is stated directly without supporting action or dialogue.
1.2 Active vs. Passive Voice
Target Ratio: Aim for approximately 80% active voice, 20% passive voice (though this should be flexible).
When to Use Active Voice:
- Creates directness and clarity
- Builds reader connection to POV character
- Demonstrates character agency and forward momentum
- Generally preferred in genre fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers)
When Passive Voice Works:
- Mystery/Suspense: Conceals information the author wants to withhold
- Creating Emphasis: When the action or recipient matters more than the actor
- Mood and Tone: Can create desired atmospheric effects
- Dialogue: Characters may naturally use passive constructions based on voice
Audit Implication: Detect overuse of passive voice (>25% of sentences). Flag passive voice in action sequences or dialogue-heavy scenes unless intentional for mystery effect.
1.3 Adverb Usage: The Stephen King Rule and Exceptions
Stephen King's Principle: "I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops."
Core Rule: Minimize adverbs (words ending in -ly) because they tell rather than show—they express doubt in your ability to write strong verbs.
Specific Applications:
Dialogue Tags: CRITICAL—Never use adverbs in dialogue tags.
- Wrong: "said angrily," "whispered softly," "laughed happily"
- Right: Use stronger verbs instead ("snapped," "whispered," "chuckled")
- Better: Show emotion through dialogue content itself and action beats
Narrative Prose: Minimize but don't eliminate. Choose strong verbs instead.
- Wrong: "He walked slowly across the room."
- Right: "He shuffled across the room."
King's Philosophy: Adverbs suggest the writer lacks trust in readers' ability to understand action without explanation, or hasn't built sufficient context for readers to infer meaning.
Exceptions: Use adverbs only rarely and strategically—when a specific modifier truly adds irreplaceable meaning and can't be expressed through verb choice.
Audit Implication: Flag excessive adverbs (>3 per 500 words in narrative, any in dialogue tags). Detect adverbs in dialogue tags as automatic red flags.
1.4 Said-Bookism and Dialogue Tags
The Invisibility of "Said": The word "said" is practically invisible to readers. The brain glosses over it instantly, allowing readers to stay immersed in dialogue.
Why Fancy Dialogue Tags Fail:
- Alternative verbs (exclaimed, declared, announced, insisted, asked) subtly jar readers out of the dialogue
- They draw attention to the narrator's word choice rather than the character's voice
- They interrupt story immersion
Professional Standards:
- Use "said" and "asked" as defaults
- Replace some tags entirely with action beats (physical actions showing how something is said)
- If emotion/tone isn't clear from dialogue content and context, the dialogue itself needs rewriting, not a fancy tag
Example Fix:
- Wrong: "I hate this," she said angrily.
- Right: "I hate this." She slammed the door.
Audit Implication: Flag dialogue tags other than "said" and "asked" as violations. Detect adverbs in dialogue tags as automatic failures. Encourage action beats over dialogue tags.
1.5 Purple Prose Detection
Definition: Overly elaborate, self-indulgent writing that prioritizes the sound of words and ornate descriptions over clarity and pacing.
Red Flag Characteristics:
- Excessive adjectives modifying nouns
- Multisyllabic, flowery language that calls attention to itself
- Exaggerated metaphors and similes
- Long, winding sentences that obscure meaning
- Overwrought emotional descriptions
- Language feels melodramatic or divorced from the story's needs
Examples of Purple Prose:
- "Her laughter was a symphony of spring rain, golden sunlight, and wind in the trees." (Better: "Her laughter was like a rain shower—quick and unexpected.")
- "The tall, brooding, mysterious stranger walked solemnly and silently across the desolate, fog-laced, moonlit street." (Better: "The stranger drifted down the fog-laced street, quiet and unreadable.")
- "He was consumed by a soul-crushing, bone-deep anguish that shattered him into a million irreparable fragments." (Better: "His gut dropped—and kept dropping. He sank to his knees, tried to speak, but what could he say?")
Root Causes:
- Weak verb choices compensated for with adjectives
- Unclear story logic compensated for with lyrical language
- Attempting to sound literary rather than telling the story effectively
Audit Implication: Detect clusters of 3+ adjectives modifying single nouns, elaborate metaphors that overshadow action, ornate language that obscures meaning. Flag inconsistency between prose style and genre expectations (flowery prose in action-heavy sci-fi).
1.6 Filter Words
Definition: Unnecessary words that separate reader from character experience, creating distance between the reader's experience and the character's POV.
Common Filter Words: assumed, believed, considered, decided, felt, heard, knew, looked, noticed, observed, perceived, realized, revealed, saw, seemed, sounded, thought, understood, watched, wondered.
Why They Weaken Writing: Filter words add an extra layer of narration between reader and character consciousness, reducing immediacy and deep POV.
Examples and Fixes:
- "She noticed two snakes fighting in the rocks." → "In the rocks, two snakes were fighting."
- "He heard footsteps in the hall." → "Footsteps echoed down the hall."
- "She felt light-headed and gripped the door frame." → "Light-headed, she gripped the door frame."
- "He saw the gun in her hand." → "The gun was in her hand."
When They're Acceptable: Rarely. Sometimes a filter phrase's simplicity is the right choice if removing it creates awkwardness, but this should be exceptional.
Audit Implication: Detect filter words, especially in first-person or deep third-person POV. Flag filter word usage >1 per 500 words. In deep POV sections, filter words are particularly problematic.
1.7 Sentence-Level Rhythm and Structure Variation
Core Principle: Monotonous sentence structure creates monotonous reading. Vary sentence length and structure to create rhythm that engages readers.
Fundamental Technique: Mix short and long sentences.
- Short sentences: Create pace, urgency, emphasis, impact
- Long sentences: Slow pace, allow complexity, build atmosphere
- Medium sentences: Balance and flow
Application to Genre Fiction:
- Action scenes: Predominately short-to-medium sentences create speed and tension
- Dialogue scenes: Varied lengths reflect natural conversation rhythm
- Introspection: Longer sentences can show character processing, but vary throughout
- Quiet moments: Short sentences can paradoxically create tension through restraint
Rhythm Techniques:
- Vary sentence length systematically, not randomly
- Use parallel structure for emphasis or connection
- Employ repetition strategically for rhythm and memorability
- Use punctuation to guide pacing and emphasis
Effect on Reader: Rhythm paces the reader, emphasizes ideas, creates mood, and maintains engagement.
Audit Implication: Detect paragraphs where all sentences are roughly the same length. Flag action scenes dominated by long sentences. Detect monotonous rhythm in dialogue. Check that pacing (sentence length) matches scene intensity.
1.8 Paragraph Structure for Genre Fiction
Principle: Paragraph breaks are tools for controlling pacing.
Short Paragraphs:
- Create faster visual pace
- Make eyes move down page quickly
- Best for: action scenes, dialogue with tension, rising stakes
- Effect: reader perceives speed and momentum
Long Paragraphs:
- Slow visual pace
- Allow detailed exploration
- Best for: introspection, world-building, description, emotional depth
- Effect: contemplative mood, thoughtfulness
Dialogue Heavy Scenes:
- Break up long dialogue exchanges with physical action or internal thought
- Use the Rule of Three: after three lines of dialogue, insert a beat of action/emotion/narration or switch speaker
Genre Expectations:
- Action/Thriller: Frequent paragraph breaks, mostly short paragraphs
- Fantasy: Balanced, varied—short for action, longer for world detail
- Web Serial: Very short paragraphs (cliffhangers every 1,500–2,000 words), frequent breaks for pacing
Audit Implication: Flag excessive paragraph length in action scenes. Detect long stretches of dialogue without breaks or action beats. Check paragraph structure matches scene intensity and genre conventions.
2. SCENE CRAFT
2.1 Scene Structure: Goal-Conflict-Disaster / Reaction-Dilemma-Decision
Framework Origin: Developed by Dwight V. Swain in "Techniques of the Selling Writer."
THE SCENE (Action):
Goal:
- Characters have scene-level objectives distinct from the overall plot goal
- The goal drives action forward
- Creates clarity about what's at stake in this moment
Conflict:
- Series of obstacles preventing the character from reaching the goal
- Tests the character's determination
- Shows how badly the character wants the goal
- Builds momentum and reader engagement
Disaster:
- Failure to achieve the goal
- Not necessarily catastrophic, but significant enough to change future outcomes
- Has stakes and consequences
- Creates the "page-turner" effect
THE SEQUEL (Reaction):
Reaction:
- Character absorbs and processes the disaster's emotional impact
- Shows how the disaster affects the character
- Gives emotional weight to story events
- Creates space for character humanity
Dilemma:
- Presents the question: "What do I do now?"
- Shows the character's options and their costs
- Builds tension through uncertainty
- Raises stakes for next action
Decision:
- Character makes a choice among options
- Becomes proactive again (not passive)
- Leads directly to the next scene's goal
- Creates momentum
Momentum Building: These elements chain together—disaster leads to reaction, reaction to dilemma, dilemma to decision, decision to new goal, creating an engine that drives readers through the story.
Audit Implication: Check scenes have clear goals. Detect scenes with no conflict or stakes. Flag scenes ending in success without consequences (no disaster). Verify reaction sequences exist after major events. Check decision/choice drives next scene.
2.2 Scene Transitions and White Space
Transition Types:
- No transition: Scene continues naturally in same location/time
- White space: Blank line break indicating time/location shift
- Narrative bridge: Brief transitional prose explaining time/location shift
- Chapter break: Major structural transition
White Space Function:
- Signals passage of time or change of location
- Gives readers breathing room
- Prevents "white room syndrome" (feeling of floating in undefined space)
- Creates pacing through visual breaks
Best Practices:
- Use white space for obvious transitions (time/location changes)
- Vary transition methods to avoid monotony
- Ensure reader always knows where/when scene is set
- Use transitions to control pacing (frequent transitions = faster feel; fewer = slower)
Audit Implication: Check scenes have clear setting/time establishment. Flag scenes that seem to exist in undefined space. Verify transitions match story pacing needs.
2.3 Action Scene Pacing and Clarity
Key Elements: Goals, Pacing, Clarity, Character
Clarity First:
- Readers must understand what's happening
- Avoid confusing or over-complicated choreography
- Visualize the scene completely before writing
- Use clear cause-and-effect
- Simpler action sequences are often more gripping than complex ones
Sentence Structure for Action:
- Short and medium sentences: Build pace and excitement
- Avoid hundred-word sentences: Kills momentum
- Fragment usage: Sparingly, for impact
- Adjective/adverb usage: Ruthlessly eliminate; find strong verbs and nouns instead
Visual Layout:
- Blank space on page creates impression of fast pace
- Smaller paragraphs make eyes move down page faster
- Dense paragraphs slow reading
Character and Stakes:
- Show internal reaction of active character
- Readers care about characters; action without emotional investment feels hollow
- High stakes make action meaningful
- Character emotion creates tension readers feel
Pacing Rhythm:
- Vary pace: scene after scene of breakneck action becomes tedious
- Predictable patterns (slow/fast/slow/fast) also weaken
- Mix in moments of reflection between action peaks
- Physical and emotional arcs should complement each other
Audit Implication: Flag overly complex action descriptions. Check action scenes don't average >15 words per sentence. Verify character perspective and emotion present in action. Detect action scenes with no stakes or character investment.
2.4 Dialogue Scene Construction and Beats
Understanding Beats:
- Beats are the smallest units of structure that push narrative forward
- Can include actions, events, emotional shifts, or conversations
- Represent micro-level action/reaction between characters
- Prevent "floating head syndrome" (dialogue with no grounding)
Action Beats:
- Insert physical action, gesture, or environmental interaction between dialogue lines
- Break monotony of dialogue-only exchanges
- Show character reaction non-verbally
- Add setting detail and grounding
- Example: "I can't do this anymore." She buried her head in her hands.
The Rule of Three:
- Whenever a character speaks three lines of dialogue, switch speaker, insert an action beat, show emotion, or use brief narration
- Prevents long unbroken dialogue blocks
- Maintains reader's sense of visual/physical reality
Talking Heads Problem:
- Dialogue with no action, setting, or non-verbal reaction
- Readers can't visualize scene or characters
- Lacks grounding in physical reality
- Feels like screenplay rather than novel prose
Dialogue Construction Requirements:
- Each exchange must turn the beats of the scene
- Must sound like natural talk
- Should reveal character, advance plot, or both
- Must include sensory grounding and physical presence
Audit Implication: Flag long dialogue exchanges without action beats or setting details. Detect scenes that could be "talking heads." Verify action beats use varied verbs and create character understanding.
2.5 Fight Scene Writing
Core Tension: Mechanics of fights are often boring; the experience is vivid and terrifying. Good writing transforms mechanical action into gripping experience.
Clarity Over Choreography:
- Readers must understand what's happening (priority #1)
- Over-detailed choreography confuses and slows pace
- Detailed step-by-step feels mechanical, not gripping
- Focus on key movements and character reactions
Visceral, Sensory Language:
- Sounds: impacts, grunts, gasps, silence
- Smells: blood, sweat, fear
- Tactile: impact on body, pain, exhaustion
- Emotional: fear, adrenaline, desperation
- Make reader feel the fight, not just see it
Pacing Structure:
- Short to medium-length sentences work best
- Complement swift nature of battle
- Build pace and tension
- Avoid long, complex sentences that slow reading
Character and Stakes:
- Fight scenes without character work feel hollow
- Readers must know what losing means
- High stakes make tension matter
- Show protagonist's limitations and vulnerabilities
Rhythm and Variation:
- Don't sustain maximum intensity throughout
- Mix moments of intensity with brief pauses
- Show character fatigue and recovery
- Create emotional climax, not just physical action
Audit Implication: Check fight scenes are visually clear. Detect over-complicated choreography. Verify sensory language present. Check stakes are established. Flag fight scenes without character perspective.
2.6 Emotional and Quiet Scenes
Principle: Stillness can be loaded with emotion, meaning, and tension—but only if you charge it properly.
Building Emotional Weight in Stillness:
- Know what's at stake beneath the calm
- Emotion must show through nonverbal communication
- Body language, micro-reactions, tiny movements are gold
- Show what character won't or can't say
Techniques:
Controlled Emotion:
- Express strong feeling through implication rather than declaration
- Show how emotion alters behavior, environment, pacing, dialogue
- Pressure building is more powerful than emotion venting immediately
- Restraint often feels heavier than explosion
Prose Structure:
- Keep prose lean; let each line land
- Avoid over-explaining
- Use white space as friend
- Short paragraphs and intentional line breaks
- Silence and stillness are active, not passive
Nonverbal Elements:
- Dialogue with room to breathe
- Fractured sentences showing disrupted thinking
- Sensory detail: temperature, texture, light
- Physical positioning and distance between characters
Transformation Requirement:
- Even if scene is physically still, something must shift
- Realization, decision, loss, intimacy, understanding
- Best quiet moments are transformational
- Show change in character's emotional or psychological state
Audit Implication: Check quiet scenes aren't emotionally flat. Verify nonverbal communication shows emotion without stating it. Detect over-explaining. Flag scenes without transformation or emotional arc.
3. CHARACTER CRAFT
3.1 Deep POV and Character Voice
Definition of Deep POV: Most intimate, closest writing style where reader experiences story as if inside the character—feeling what they feel, experiencing what they experience, hearing their thoughts, without distance.
Creating Deep POV:
- Character's immediate sensory perceptions and reactions
- Character's internal thoughts and emotional responses
- Character's interpretation of events (not omniscient narrator's)
- Filter out authorial distance
- Immerse reader in character's moment-to-moment experience
Character Voice Components:
- Sentence structure: Reflects how character thinks and speaks
- Vocabulary: Reveals education, background, region
- Rhythm and accent: Distinctive speech patterns
- What character notices: Emphasizes their priorities and concerns
- What character omits or avoids thinking about: Shows internal conflict
- Personal opinions and biases: Reveals character worldview
First-Person Voice:
- Narrator voice carries throughout
- Every word reflects character's perspective
- Personality shines through word choice and rhythm
- Readers know character intimately through voice
Third-Person Deep POV:
- Narrative uses third person but filtered through character's perception
- Narrator adopts character's vocabulary and syntax
- Character's internal voice becomes the prose voice
- Maintains emotional intimacy despite third person
Establishing Voice Quickly:
- Characters should be distinguishable by voice alone
- Readers should know POV character from random page opening
- Voice consistency across scene/chapter
- Assessment words reveal character desire/fear ("probably," "fortunately," "weirdly," "disastrously")
Audit Implication: Check voice is consistent within character's POV. Detect authorial intrusion (narrator voice differs from character voice). Verify character voice is distinct if multiple POV characters. Flag filter words as distance-creating.
3.2 Head-Hopping and POV Breaks
Definition: Jumping from one character's head to another's within the same passage—typically mid-scene or mid-chapter, not at scene/chapter breaks.
Why It's Problematic:
- Breaks immersion—hauls readers out of narrative
- Reader loses sense of whose story it is
- Creates confusion about perspective
- Reminds readers they're "being told" a story
- Breaks reader trust in author's authority
How It Happens:
- POV switches within scene without clear break
- Revealing one character's thoughts immediately followed by another's
- Shifting to external description that narrator couldn't access
- Revealing information no POV character could know
Professional Standards:
- Multiple POV characters are acceptable
- Switch only at scene breaks or chapter breaks
- Scene has one POV character throughout
- If switching POV characters, use clear structural signals (chapter break, section break)
Detection and Fixing:
- Color-code scenes by POV during revision
- Use writing software (Scrivener, Dabble) to tag POV
- Keep POV log during drafting
- Check each paragraph for POV consistency
- Verify all thoughts/internal reactions belong to current POV character
Audit Implication: Flag POV shifts within scenes without breaks. Detect thoughts/knowledge that don't belong to current POV character. Verify clear structure when switching POV characters.
3.3 Character Motivation and Agency
Character Agency Definition: Character's ability to make decisions and affect the story; has own motivations; is active more than reactive; pushes plot more than plot pushes them.
Passive vs. Active Protagonists:
- Passive: Go with flow, make no decisions, don't affect story, always one step behind
- Active: Make story what it is, drive narrative forward, make meaningful choices
Agency Components:
Motivation (Motive):
- What character wants
- Why they want it
- Must be something they'll take risks to get
- Should connect to main story goals
Capacity:
- Character must have ability to pursue the goal
- Doesn't mean guaranteed success, but means they can try meaningfully
- Includes skills, resources, willingness, determination
Goals and Choices:
- Scene-level goals drive immediate action
- Story-level goals drive overall arc
- Character must make consequential choices
- Choices drive story forward
Overcoming Passivity:
- Give character strong goal connected to main story
- Ensure character has motivation to chase it
- Character must take action and make decisions in pursuit of goal
- Create situations where character's agency matters
Nuance: Reactive characters aren't automatically passive. Character can react to circumstances while remaining active (making choices, pursuing goals). Difference is whether character's choices and agency matter to plot.
Audit Implication: Check protagonist has clear goal. Detect protagonists who never initiate action or make meaningful choices. Flag "plot happens to them" structure. Verify character decisions have consequences. Check motivation is credible.
3.4 Character Consistency and Voice Checks
Voice as Distinguishing Feature:
- Readers should identify POV character from voice alone
- Agents and publishers expect this in professional fiction
- Even in third person, voice must be character-specific
Consistency Elements to Track:
- Vocabulary: Word choice consistent with character education/background
- Sentence structure: Reflects character's thinking patterns
- Speech patterns: Dialogue distinctive to character
- What character notices: Consistent with personality and priorities
- Internal reactions: Consistent with character values
- Assessment words: Words like "luckily," "fortunately," "weirdly" show POV character's judgment
Avoiding Inconsistency:
- Establish voice early and maintain throughout
- Don't shift into authorial voice
- Keep character's biases and perspectives consistent
- Don't have character know things they couldn't know
- Maintain internal logic of character's worldview
Dialogue Consistency:
- Each character's speech should be distinctive
- Vocabulary, slang, formality level varies by character
- Speech patterns reveal education, age, region, personality
- Avoid all characters sounding like author
Audit Implication: Flag inconsistent voice within character's POV sections. Detect authorial intrusion. Verify multiple POV characters have distinct voices. Check dialogue is character-differentiated.
4. PLOT AND STRUCTURE
4.1 Three-Act Structure and Serial Fiction
Basic Three-Act Model:
Act 1 (Setup): ~25% of story
- Introduce characters, setting, central conflict
- Establish stakes and protagonist's status quo
- Inciting incident: pivotal event that disrupts normal world and sets story in motion
- Plot Point 1: locks character into story (no turning back)
Act 2 (Confrontation): ~50% of story
- Character reacts to conflicts and obstacles
- Rising action: complications escalate, stakes raise
- Character pushed to limits
- Try-fail cycles multiply challenges
- Midpoint: major revelation or turning point
Act 3 (Resolution): ~25% of story
- Repercussions of Act 2 choices revealed
- Climax: final confrontation with stakes at maximum
- Resolution: consequence of climactic action
- Denouement: return to new normal
Adaptation for Serial Fiction:
- Three-act structure still applies to overall story arc
- Episodic structures overlay three-act with flexible segments
- Works particularly well for web serials
- Each episode can have mini-arc while contributing to larger narrative
Cliffhangers in Serial Format:
- Top web serials place cliffhangers every 1,500–2,000 words
- Episodic structure requires cliffhangers to drive reader return
- Can be dramatic or emotional
- Effective cliffhangers include unresolved questions, plot twists, peril, emotional stakes
Pacing for Serial:
- Word counts become strategically important
- Readers expect consistency (similar episode lengths)
- J.K. Rowling model: episodic arc threaded through three-act design
- End chapters with question that begs next click
- Provide mini-resolution within episode while leaving larger questions open
Audit Implication: Check three-act structure is recognizable. Verify Act 1 sets up stakes and locks in protagonist. Check Act 2 shows escalation through try-fail cycles. Verify Act 3 climax reflects prior choices. For serial: check cliffhangers appropriately placed.
4.2 Promise, Progress, and Payoff
Framework: Brandon Sanderson's fundamental storytelling structure.
Promise (Beginning):
- Story makes promises to audience about what it will deliver
- Establishes expectation and contract with reader
- Sets up genre, tone, character, conflict
- Reader expects satisfaction of these promises
Progress (Middle):
- Maintains audience investment through visible forward movement
- Readers sense plot moving toward promises
- Without progress, story feels stalled
- Progress shows working toward payoff, not just spinning wheels
Payoff (End):
- Fulfills the promises made at beginning
- Rewards audience for sticking around
- Creates satisfaction if done properly
- Ideally delivers more than promised ("and then some")
Application to Structural Units:
- Applies to whole story, acts, scenes, even moments
- Each scene needs promise and payoff
- Larger story need not resolve all promises (can leave threads for sequels)
- Consistency between promise and payoff is essential
Example: Luke doesn't just adventure into stars—he becomes hero of entire galaxy (promise exceeded).
Audit Implication: Check opening establishes clear promises. Verify middle shows progress toward those promises. Check ending fulfills promises made at beginning. Flag stories that make promises but don't deliver.
4.3 Foreshadowing Techniques
Purpose: Give indication or hint of what's coming, creating suspense, unease, curiosity, or sense that things aren't as they seem.
When Readers Notice Foreshadowing: Usually they don't initially—understanding comes on reread or when "aha moment" arrives.
Key Craft Rules:
- Foreshadow only major events; overuse creates unintentional comedy
- Payoff must match tone/mood of foreshadowing
- Don't blow out proportion of trivial events (avoid soap opera melodrama)
- Foreshadowed event must actually occur; unfulfilled foreshadowing damages trust
Foreshadowing Techniques:
Direct Foreshadowing:
- Most obvious, least subtle
- Prologue, narrator statement, dialogue, prophecy
- Explicitly prepares reader
- Useful for thematic weight
Indirect Foreshadowing:
- Hides clues in background details
- Only makes sense in retrospect
- More sophisticated
- Clues seem innocuous until payoff
Symbolic Foreshadowing:
- Objects, settings, motifs carry deeper meaning
- Works on thematic/emotional level
- Filters through reader's subconscious
- Reader may not consciously recognize pattern
Through Dialogue: Characters joke, mention offhand, discuss concerns Through Setting: Atmospheric choices hint at events Through Character Details: Appearance, attire, mannerisms foreshadow truth or actions Through Title: Novel or chapter titles can foreshadow major events (e.g., "The Fall of the House of Usher" foreshadows both house and family destruction)
Examples:
- Dickens's storm descriptions in Great Expectations foreshadow dark turn of plot
- Rowling's Professor Quirrell's turban is noted, revealing its significance later
- Chekhov's Gun: if gun appears in Act 1, it must be fired by Act 3 (principle of economy—don't introduce unless it matters)
Audit Implication: Verify significant plot events are foreshadowed. Check foreshadowing payoff matches setup. Flag unfulfilled foreshadowing. Detect excessive foreshadowing of minor events.
4.4 Tension Management and Escalation
Tension Definition: Emotional pressure keeping readers engaged and invested in story outcome, created through conflict, uncertainty, and emotional stakes.
Components of Tension:
Pacing:
- Controls how fast information arrives
- Too fast: readers can't feel emotional impact
- Too slow: readers lose interest
- Short sentences and words accelerate; long sentences slow
Escalation:
- Each conflict/obstacle more significant than last
- Raises stakes progressively
- Small threats escalate to major ones
- Creates building pressure
Information Control:
- Withholding Information: Show effect without cause; creates desperation to understand
- Dramatic Irony: Reader knows what character doesn't; creates different tension
- Cliffhangers: Unresolved questions create need for answers
Structure:
- Three-act structure designed to escalate tension
- Act II accelerates through rising action
- Complications introduced, stakes raised, protagonist pushed to limits
- Climax reaches maximum tension
Balancing Pace:
- Fast-paced action followed by slower moments of introspection
- Balance deepens emotional weight
- Action peaks more impactful when contrasted with calm
- Moments of calm more unsettling when surrounded by tension
Advanced Techniques:
- Foreshadowing: Builds background hum of tension without slowing pace
- Subtext: Characters and readers understand different meanings
- Uncertainty: Readers unsure of outcome increases investment
- Personal Stakes: Making threat personal to protagonist increases tension
Common Mistake: Sustaining maximum intensity constantly creates exhaustion, not engagement. Readers need variation and breathing room.
Audit Implication: Check escalation through story (stakes grow higher). Verify pacing varies (not all fast or all slow). Detect moments of relief between peaks. Check tension techniques (withholding, irony, cliffhangers) employed appropriately.
4.5 Try-Fail Cycles
Definition: When character attempts to achieve goal and fails (or partially succeeds). Good plots full of these cycles create sense of escalation and character exploration.
Structure and Progression (typical):
First Try-Fail Cycle:
- Often involves negotiation
- Fails because real conflict requires more than simple conversation
Second Try-Fail Cycle:
- Bigger effort
- Doesn't work as well as expected
- Often makes situation worse
- Raises stakes
Third Try-Fail Cycle (and beyond):
- Character realizes they must change to resolve problem
- B-line conflict (emotional/psychological growth) becomes solution to A-line conflict (external plot)
- Reveals character through failure
Partial Success/Failure:
- "Yes, but..." (partial success): Character gets something or moves closer without full achievement
- "No, and..." (partial failure): Setback that can still be overcome or introduces new opportunity
- These prevent story from feeling completely stuck
Character Development Through Failure:
- Shows character's makeup and values
- Explores how character reacts to setback
- More realistic than constant success
- Creates empathy when readers see character struggle
Placement in Structure:
- Most occur in Act II
- Escalate through story
- Lead to climactic final attempt (Act III)
- Number varies (minimum 3 for complexity)
Audit Implication: Check protagonist faces obstacles and failures (not constant success). Verify try-fail cycles show escalation. Detect at least 3 cycles in Act II. Check failures have consequences and change character understanding.
5. COMMON WRITING MISTAKES TO DETECT
5.1 Head-Hopping (See Section 3.2)
5.2 Telling Emotions Instead of Showing
Problem: Stating emotion directly ("he was angry," "she felt sad") rather than showing through action, thought, and physical reaction.
Why It Fails:
- Tells reader what to think instead of letting them experience
- Creates distance between reader and character
- Less emotionally impactful
- Often devolves to cliché descriptions
Showing Techniques:
- Physical reactions: Tense shoulders, clenched jaw, tears, trembling, shallow breathing
- Actions: Slamming doors, pacing, abandoning tasks
- Thoughts: Character's internal dialogue revealing emotional state
- Word choice: Specific vocabulary revealing emotion
- Dialogue: What character says (or doesn't say) and how they say it
- Non-verbal: Body language, positioning, micro-expressions
Specific by Emotion:
- Anger: Clenched fists, tight jaw, sharp breathing, cutting words, aggressive movement
- Fear: Racing heartbeat, dry mouth, hunched posture, hesitation, avoiding eye contact
- Sadness: Heaviness, stillness, quiet voice, hollow feeling, listless movement
- Joy: Quickened pace, brightened voice, expansive movement, relaxed posture
Avoiding Cliché:
- Be specific: not just "tears" but "one tear tracked down her cheek"
- Find unique expressions of emotion for character
- Show emotion through what character does, not how they feel
When Telling Is Acceptable: Rarely. Sometimes after major emotional climax, a moment of direct statement can work for emphasis. Must be exception, not rule.
Audit Implication: Flag direct emotion statements ("he was angry," "she felt betrayed"). Verify emotional scenes show through action and reaction. Detect over-reliance on emotion description rather than cause.
5.3 Info Dumps and "As You Know, Bob" Dialogue
Definition: Large amounts of exposition delivered at once, often through dialogue where characters discuss things they already know.
"As You Know, Bob" Pattern:
- Two characters discuss information both already know
- Unrealistic conversation created for exposition
- Feels artificially constructed
- Pulls reader out of story
Why It Fails:
- Unnatural dialogue patterns
- Reader recognizes information is for them, not character-to-character
- Breaks immersion
- Characters wouldn't have this conversation in reality
How It Manifests:
- Dialogue starting with "As you know..."
- Lengthy explanations of world, history, or backstory in character conversation
- Questions asking for information character already knows answer to
- Conversations about things protagonist already understands
Solutions:
Weave Into Narration:
- Sprinkle exposition throughout narrative
- Reveal information when relevant to immediate story
- Integrate with character action and reaction
Drip Information Gradually:
- Don't dump all backstory at once
- Reveal only what reader needs to know at that moment
- Trust reader to accept mysteries until explanations arrive
Motivation for Dialogue:
- Characters discuss things when there's real reason to—conflict, disagreement, new information
- Dialogue should reveal character, not just information
- Information should be secondary purpose
Use Conflict:
- Characters discuss things when stakes exist
- Disagreement about information creates tension
- Dialogue serves plot, not just exposition
Audit Implication: Flag long exposition blocks in dialogue. Detect "As you know, Bob" patterns. Verify dialogue reveals character conflict/stakes, not just information. Check information distributed throughout narrative rather than front-loaded.
5.4 Deus Ex Machina
Definition: Convenient, unlikely solution appearing from nowhere to save protagonist from apparently hopeless situation. Originally from theater tradition of literal god brought on stage via crane.
Why It Fails:
- Protagonist didn't earn solution through their skill, wit, sacrifice, or growth
- Feels like lazy writing—author wrote themselves into corner
- Undermines all preceding tension
- Feels cheap and unsatisfying to reader
- Breaks reader trust in narrative logic
Examples of Deus Ex Machina:
- Unexpected rescue with no foreshadowing
- Sudden plot device solving all problems
- Character revelation that conveniently solves situation
- External force intervening without setup
Avoiding It:
- Plant clues early (Chekhov's Gun principle): if gun goes off in Act 3, introduce in Act 1
- Let characters earn survival through skill, wit, sacrifice, or growth
- Build in foreshadowing and setup for solutions
- If you find yourself conjuring deus ex machina: write to end, then go back to find where story went off course
Distinction from Plot Twist:
- Plot twist is foreshadowed, even if reader doesn't see it coming
- Deus ex machina feels unearned and arbitrary
- Good twist makes reader think "I didn't see that coming, but it makes sense"
- Deus ex machina makes reader think "that came from nowhere"
Audit Implication: Flag unearned solutions to problems. Detect major plot problems solved without character action. Verify setup and foreshadowing for major revelations.
5.5 Mary Sue / Gary Stu Characters
Definition: Unrealistically flawless character who is center of attention, excels at everything with little training, is adored by everyone, and either lacks flaws or has superficial ones ("too kind," "too beautiful").
Red Flags:
- Excels at everything without training or struggle
- Adored by nearly all characters
- Never faces real consequences for mistakes
- Can get past conflict easily due to intelligence or power
- Purpose unclear or changes frequently
- Other characters exist only to admire them
- Reader doesn't understand why they matter to story
- No genuine vulnerability or struggle
Why They Weaken Stories:
- Low stakes (they can't lose meaningfully)
- No growth (already perfect)
- Overshadow other characters
- Reader doesn't connect (no struggle to empathize with)
- Defies logic (breaks story believability)
Avoiding Mary Sue:
- Personal conflict: Character's goal conflicts with primary objective at some point, forcing sacrifice
- Real obstacles: Character faces obstacles requiring effort to overcome
- Failure: Character should stumble and fail multiple times
- Growth: Character must change and grow (proves they weren't perfect)
- Genuine flaws: Flaws that create real conflict and cost
- Vulnerability: Show genuine moments of weakness or fear
- Complex relationships: Not all characters adore protagonist; some dislike them
Nuance: Competent, capable protagonists aren't automatically Mary Sues. Difference is whether character faces struggle, has genuine flaws, experiences failure, and grows.
Audit Implication: Check protagonist has genuine vulnerabilities and flaws. Detect excessive competence without struggle. Flag characters who never fail or face consequences. Verify protagonist changes through story.
5.6 Plot Armor (Related to 5.4 Deus Ex Machina)
Definition: Character cannot die, be seriously injured, or face serious consequences because of importance to story. Shield protecting from narrative logic.
Why It's Problematic:
- Stakes feel low (readers know character can't be harmed)
- Tension deflates
- Other characters' sacrifices feel meaningless
- Breaks story logic and believability
How It Manifests:
- Character in mortal danger but consistently escapes unscathed
- Injuries that should be serious are quickly resolved
- Character faces consequences others face for same actions
- Death of major character seems unlikely despite genuine peril
Distinction from Survivorship:
- Skilled character surviving through competence: not plot armor
- Character taking injuries and suffering consequences: not plot armor
- Character facing death and losing: not plot armor
- Character protected from logic of story: plot armor
Fixing It:
- Let character be harmed (physically or emotionally)
- Show consequences of character's choices
- Allow failure to affect character
- Make stakes feel real by showing real risk
Audit Implication: Check protagonist faces genuine consequences. Detect unexplained survival of serious injuries. Verify stakes feel real (character could lose). Flag protection from story logic.
5.7 Talking Heads (See Section 2.4)
5.8 White Room Syndrome (See Section 2.2)
5.9 Protagonist Lacking Agency (See Section 3.3)
6. DIALOGUE CRAFT
6.1 Natural and Realistic Dialogue
Core Principle: Dialogue is heartbeat of fiction, breathing life into characters and driving narrative forward.
Observational Techniques:
- Listen to real conversations
- Note quirks, filler words, rhythms
- Observe how people talk in different contexts
- Notice ebb and flow, interjections, interruptions, unfinished sentences
- Pay attention to regional differences, age-based speech, education markers
Building Character Voice:
- Understand character's personality, education, background, age
- Vocabulary reveals education level ("gonna" vs. "going to"; "ain't" vs. "isn't")
- Word choice reflects region
- Slang and dialect reveal group membership
- Speech patterns reflect mental state
Testing Dialogue:
- Read aloud to check natural flow
- Hearing words helps identify awkward phrasing, unnatural rhythm
- Reveals inconsistencies in character voice
- Easier to spot overused phrases when heard
Purpose and Function:
- Dialogue must do work: reveal character, convey information, show plot happening
- Each conversation should reveal something about characters or advance plot
- Dialogue shouldn't exist just to move exposition
Avoiding Common Errors:
- Don't have all characters sound like author
- Don't give every character complex speech patterns (some characters speak simply)
- Don't use dialogue for information that's better in narration
- Don't write how people actually talk (ums, ahs, false starts) constantly—suggest it, don't replicate it
Audit Implication: Check dialogue sounds natural when read aloud. Verify character voices are distinct. Detect all characters sounding similar. Check dialogue serves plot/character purpose.
6.2 Subtext in Dialogue
Definition: The conflict between what's said aloud versus what character is thinking, feeling, wanting, or hiding.
Importance: Strong dialogue is supported by subtext; surface meaning differs from underlying truth.
Creating Subtext:
- Evasion: Character says one thing while implying another
- Contradiction: Actions/thoughts contradict dialogue
- Hesitation: Pauses, fragments, avoiding direct answer
- Coded language: Saying something innocuous while meaning something else
- Disagreement between words and emotion: Saying positive things with angry tone
Mismatch Between Dialogue and Action/Thought:
- Character says "I'm fine" while shaking
- Character claims happiness while hunched and quiet
- Character agrees while jaw clenches
- Character swears they don't care while eyes betray them
Achieving Subtext:
- Don't state hidden emotion directly
- Show through nonverbal cues
- Use action beats to reveal what words hide
- Let readers infer underlying truth
- Create gap between surface and depth
Example:
- Surface dialogue: "That's wonderful. I'm happy for you."
- Subtext shown through: Flat tone, looking away, fingers clenching, hesitation before response
Audit Implication: Check dialogue has underlying meaning beyond surface words. Verify subtext shown through action beats and tone, not stated. Detect flat dialogue without hidden layers.
6.3 Dialogue as Conflict
Principle: Dialogue can be most vigorous interaction of which characters are capable.
Creating Conflict in Dialogue:
- Characters disagree about goals, values, understanding
- Conversation itself is battleground
- Characters try to persuade, convince, defend, attack
- Stakes exist in the conversation itself
Types of Dialogue Conflict:
- Direct conflict: Characters disagree openly
- Passive resistance: Character refuses to engage or cooperates minimally
- Misunderstanding: Characters talk past each other
- Hidden agenda: Character has unstated goal in conversation
- Power struggle: Characters compete for control of interaction
- Emotional conflict: Unresolved feelings create tension in surface conversation
Avoiding Flat Dialogue:
- Characters must want something from the conversation
- Opposition creates tension
- Stakes must exist (social, emotional, plot-based)
- Dialogue shouldn't be simple exchange of information
- Characters should push back against each other
Balancing Information and Conflict:
- Provide necessary exposition through conflict, not simple explanation
- Characters reveal information while pursuing goals
- Information comes out through disagreement or evasion
Audit Implication: Check dialogue scenes have conflict (not just information exchange). Verify characters want something from conversation. Detect flat exchanges lacking tension. Flag scenes where characters cooperate too easily.
6.4 Action Beats vs. Dialogue Tags
Understanding the Difference:
Dialogue Tags:
- "he said," "she asked," "they replied"
- Identify speaker
- Most effective when invisible
Action Beats:
- Character performs action while speaking
- Shows how something is said through action
- Reveals character, emotion, physicality
- Breaks up dialogue blocks visually
Why Action Beats Work Better Than Fancy Tags:
- Fancy tags draw attention ("she exclaimed," "he declared")
- Action beats show rather than tell emotion
- Create visual variety
- Ground dialogue in physical reality
- Show character behavior revealing inner state
Examples:
- Tag: "I hate this," she said angrily.
Action beat: "I hate this." She slammed the door.
Tag: "Where are you going?" he asked nervously.
Action beat: "Where are you going?" He fumbled for his keys, missing twice before getting them right.
Rules for Action Beats:
- Use varied verbs (not just "she did X")
- Action should reflect emotional state and character
- Action can show setting detail
- Don't use action beats artificially
- Use enough to break up dialogue; not so much it bogs down pacing
Audit Implication: Check dialogue uses "said/asked" rather than fancy tags. Detect long stretches of dialogue without action beats. Verify action beats use varied verbs and reveal character.
7. SPECIALIZED TOPICS
7.1 Serial Fiction (Web Novels, Web Serials) - Additional Considerations
Episodic Structure:
- Thrive in serialized markets
- Cliffhangers every 1,500–2,000 words standard
- Word count consistency important (readers expect similar episode lengths)
- Each installment has mini-arc while contributing to larger narrative
Reader Retention Principles:
- Episode-level resolution crucial (readers return when feeling rewarded, not stalled)
- Cliffhangers effective but not always dramatic
- Can be emotional cliffhangers (investing in character struggle)
- Unresolved questions keep readers curious
- Physical peril, plot twists, personal decisions all work as cliffhangers
Planning and Structure:
- Some form of outline necessary for multi-episode stories
- Working with multiple storylines stretched over episodes requires game plan
- Each installment should resolve something while opening new questions
- Pacing differs from completed novel (slower burn acceptable in serial)
Reader Experience:
- Readers develop habit of checking for new chapters
- Consistent publication schedule matters
- They remember details across gaps between episodes
- Emotional investment builds over time
Audit Implication: For serial fiction, verify episodic structure provides mini-arcs. Check cliffhangers appear at natural breaking points. Verify word counts consistent. Detect reader retention mechanisms (unresolved questions, stakes).
7.2 Stephen King's "On Writing" - Core Principles Summary
Writing is Telepathy: Good writing allows reader to see what writer sees.
Story-First Approach: Begin with story, progress to theme. Never begin with theme and progress to story.
Show Don't Tell: Cardinal rule—never tell if you can show.
Character Development:
- Best stories are character-driven (about people, not events)
- Comes from: paying attention to real people's behavior and telling truth about what you see
Dialogue Craft:
- Dialogue tells if character is smart/dumb, honest/dishonest, funny/serious
- Best learned by listening to people (accents, rhythms, dialect, slang)
Word Choice and Weight:
- Words have weight
- Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs
- Sometimes paragraphs quicken and breathe
Essential Practice:
- Write a lot
- Read a lot (reading is creative center of writer's life)
- Set daily goal: 1,000 words minimum until goal met, door stays shut
- Take one day off per week maximum
Write What You Know and Like:
- Bring unique truths into story
- Make your writing unique through authentic perspective
Audit Implication: Verify stories character-driven. Check word choice is strong (not padded with adverbs). Detect show-tell violations. Verify dialogue reveals character effectively.
7.3 Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lectures - Key Principles
Writing Philosophy:
- "The product of your writing time is YOU" (not the novel—the person you become through writing, empathy you develop, voice you discover)
Chef vs. Cook Mentality:
- Cook follows recipe
- Chef understands art, tools, ingredients, how they interact; experiments and learns
Key Learning:
- You'll learn more from writing your first book than from any class
- Explore, try, revise to figure out what works
- Distinguish good writing advice from bad through practice
Content Areas: Plot, setting, character, worldbuilding, viewpoint, magic systems, climax satisfaction
Magic Systems: Directly proportional to satisfying climax (more defined magic = easier to provide satisfying climax)
Promise, Progress, Payoff Structure: (See Section 4.2)
Audit Implication: Check story structure follows promise-progress-payoff. Verify magic systems (if fantasy) defined clearly. Check climax satisfies setup.
7.4 Writing Excuses Podcast - Key Lessons
Podcast Format: Fast-paced, educational, addressing common writing obstacles.
Hosts: Rotating panel including Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, Brandon Sanderson (early seasons), DongWon Song, Erin Roberts.
Major Topics:
- Plot-driven vs. character-driven fiction
- Both require conflict, tension
- Best result when internal moments (character) and external moments (plot) align
Character Development Tools:
- Kowal Relationship Axes: building believable, messy character dynamics
- Practical tools for realistic relationships with momentum
Short Story Craft:
- Start with concept and character
- Give them desire
- Systematically deny it to them
- Creates satisfying short arc
Comprehensive Coverage: Worldbuilding, voice, plot twists, pacing, editing, queries, brainstorming, publishing (traditional vs. self), killing darlings, much more.
Audit Implication: Check character relationships have complexity and conflict. Verify character desires clearly established. Detect systematic obstacles preventing easy satisfaction of goals.
7.5 Mythcreants Writing Craft Guides
Overview: Comprehensive, accessible craft advice for fantasy and sci-fi storytelling.
Philosophy:
- Storytelling has learnable basic principles built on human psychology
- Story construction is learnable and teachable
- Most advice applies beyond speculative fiction
- Emphasis on practical principles
Building Writing Skills:
- Write short stories for rapid iteration
- Build craft through various exercises
- Direct instruction valuable but self-guided learning also effective
Coverage: Worldbuilding, plot structure, avoiding oppressive tropes, character development, dialogue, pacing, tension.
Audit Implication: Apply practical principles from community-vetted craft sources. Check story avoids problematic tropes. Verify worldbuilding serves story needs.
7.6 Robert McKee's "Story" - Narrative Principles
Scope: Intended for screenwriters but applies to any storytelling (novel writing included).
Core Principles:
- Story about archetypes (universal experiences), not stereotypes
- Thoroughness over shortcuts
- Precision in expression
Plot Approach: Dynamic plotting with conflict and resolution driving story forward. Weave plots with character arcs for rich narrative.
Plot Types: Archplot (classical three-act), miniplot, antiplot.
Character Requirements:
- Protagonist has conscious desire (and often contradictory unconscious desire)
- Must have capacity to pursue desire
- Must have at least one chance to attain desire
- Must be empathetic (and may or may not be sympathetic)
Theme:
- Central theme underlying narrative
- Controlling Idea: answer to "What value is brought into protagonist's world through climactic action?" and "What is chief cause/force by which this value is brought?"
- Every scene and character arc should echo theme
Audit Implication: Verify protagonist has clear desire (conscious at minimum). Check character capacity to pursue goal. Verify theme resonates throughout. Detect Controlling Idea driving climactic action.
7.7 Emotional Craft and Showing vs. Telling Emotion
Advanced Principle: Best writing triggers emotion in reader, not just describes character emotion.
Two Modes:
- Outer mode: Character's physical/behavioral response (protagonist tenses, eyes widen)
- Reader mode: What these descriptions provoke in reader (reader feels tension/fear)
Goals of Emotional Writing:
- Not just to describe what character feels
- But to incite that emotion in reader
- Reader experiences what character experiences
Avoiding Emotional Clichés:
- Common ways of showing emotion become meaningless through overuse
- Be specific in word choice and body language
- Find character-specific expressions of emotion
- Show emotion through unique personal reactions
Advanced Techniques:
- Show emotion through thought patterns (not just bodily sensation)
- Use physical sensation accurately (fear doesn't always cause trembling; sometimes freezes)
- Show emotion through what character does/doesn't do
- Context and environment shape emotional expression
Controlled vs. Explosive:
- Both can be effective
- Controlled emotion through restraint often feels heavier
- Explosive emotion needs foundation to land
Audit Implication: Check emotional scenes trigger reader emotion, not just describe character feeling. Detect clichéd emotional descriptions. Verify specificity in physical/behavioral response. Flag over-explanation of emotion.
SUMMARY OF KEY AUDIT DIMENSIONS
Based on this research, the following dimensions should be prioritized for quality auditing of English fiction:
CRITICAL DIMENSIONS (Foundation):
- Show vs. Tell effectiveness
- POV consistency and head-hopping detection
- Character agency and motivation clarity
- Plot structure (three-act, try-fail cycles, escalation)
- Dialogue purpose and character voice distinctiveness
- Tension and pacing management
HIGH-PRIORITY DIMENSIONS:
- Prose clarity (avoiding purple prose, filter words)
- Sentence-level rhythm and variation
- Scene structure (goal-conflict-disaster-reaction)
- Dialogue tags vs. action beats
- Emotional scene effectiveness
- Foreshadowing setup and payoff
IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS:
- Adverb usage patterns
- Action scene clarity
- White room syndrome and setting grounding
- Common mistakes (deus ex machina, plot armor, Mary Sue, talking heads)
- Subtext in dialogue
- Character consistency in voice
SPECIALIZED DIMENSIONS (For Serial Fiction):
- Episodic structure and cliffhangers
- Promise-progress-payoff at episode level
- Reader retention mechanics
SOURCES
The following sources were referenced in this research:
Show Don't Tell
Active/Passive Voice
- Active vs Passive Voice in Fiction
- Passive Voice in Fiction Writing
- Passive Voice Examples
- When to Use Passive Voice in Fiction
Adverbs and Dialogue Tags
- Stephen King on Adverbs
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
- Dialogue Tags
- Stephen King's No Adverbs Rule
Filter Words
Purple Prose
Sentence Rhythm
Scene Structure
Action Scene Pacing
Dialogue Scene Construction
Fight Scenes
Quiet Emotional Scenes
Deep POV and Character Voice
- Deep POV Character Voice
- First Person Deep POV
- Mastering Deep POV
- The Intersection of Voice and Deep POV
Head-Hopping
- What is Head-Hopping
- Head-Hopping: Avoiding This Mistake
- Head-Hopping Detection and Fixes
- Official Rules on Head-Hopping
Character Motivation and Agency
Three-Act Structure
Foreshadowing
Try-Fail Cycles
Info Dumps and "As You Know Bob"
Mary Sue/Gary Stu
Deus Ex Machina
White Room Syndrome and Talking Heads
Dialogue Craft
Dialogue Subtext and Conflict
Said-Bookism
Climax Writing
Tension and Pacing
Paragraph Structure and Pacing
Promise, Progress, Payoff
- Promise, Progress, Payoff Explained
- Promise and Payoff in Stories
- Brandon Sanderson's Promise, Progress, Payoff
Emotional Beats
Web Serial Fiction
Brandon Sanderson Lectures
Writing Excuses Podcast
Stephen King's On Writing
Robert McKee's Story
Mythcreants
Showing vs. Telling Emotion
END OF REPORT
This comprehensive research identifies the core professional craft rules used to evaluate English fiction quality, with specific, auditable definitions and examples. The findings can directly inform development of quality audit dimensions for automated novel-writing systems targeting genre fiction markets.