- Missing words: to, the.
- Missing grammar marks: commas, periods, quotes, question marks.
- Extra grammar marks.
- Misused words: homophones (their, there, they're).
- Word choice: using an active verb instead of a more sedate sounding one (use yanking instead of pulling).
- Sentence and paragraph structure.
- Ways to enhance or clarify the scene: add action, dialog or description.
- Continuity with preceding references or description of people, places or things. Does Dunn always have brown eyes?
- Dialog: does it sound real? Does it match the speaker's country of origin? Dunn would never say "bloody hell."
- Are characters true to their backgrounds and previous appearances in the book(s).
- Chapter headers' location, date and time info (especially time and date since there are several time zones involved in most of my books).
- Double check
- math calculations.
- map references and distances.
- weapon information
- Ensure action sequences are as clear as possible. Who's where and doing what?
Here are the things I do before starting the first edit:
- delete adverbs like really and very unless they are in dialogue.
- when I am writing the first draft, I often use a placeholder (*) for things or names I don't want to stop and look up right then. For this book, there were 102. I find the right name or item and put it in.
- Spell check and grammar check (at the same time). I always check the percentage of passive sentences. My writing is very consistent at 3%.
