Double Check Your Work:

Here are some of the things we look for as we read your submissions to our Flash Contests. If you have something that deviates from this, it might still knock our socks off, but these are some general guidelines. If we love or hate your main character, you’ll stand a better chance than if we feel neutral about her/him. 

1. Does the author’s point come across clearly or are you a little confused?
2. Did the characters change? Should they have?
3. Did the action fit the story? Was there too much or too little action?
4. Were the description, sentence structure, pace, tone, and mood appropriate?
5. Is there additional information that would have made this clearer? 
6. Did the voice keep you reading? 
7. Did you stop paying attention at any point? 
8. Was the writing insightful?
9. Do you want to read more work by this author? 
10. Did you find something exceptional that is not mentioned above?

If you can’t be objective about your own writing, you’re not alone. Ask a trusted writing partner to read your work and see what she thinks. 

Want to enter Writer Advice’s Flash Fiction Contest? Details, deadline, prizes, tiered fees, and publication information are at https://writeradvice.com/latest-contest-information/. We’d love to read your work.