Creative Writing Workshop: Peer Editing

Editor’s Name______Period______

Writer’s Name______

While reading, check mechanics: spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation (especially check for the correct use of quotation marks). Make changes directly on the paper. If you are not sure of a spelling or grammar point, check a dictionary or A Pocket Style Manual.

After reading, answer the following questions by checking the appropriate answer, then provide constructivecriticism or praise. Give examples that will help the author know what aspects of the story are effective and what areas need improvement.

1. Is the story fresh and original? Yes______No______

2. Does the story immediately grab your attention and hold onto it throughout the story?

Yes______No______

3. Are the characters convincing and realistic? Yes ______No______

4. Is the situation plausible within the context of the story? Yes ______No______

5.1 Is the point of view (1st person or 3rd person) consistent through the story?
Yes ______No______

5.2 Is the tense consistent throughout the story (all present tense or all past tense)?
Yes ______No______

6. Carefully re-read the parts of the story that contain dialogue.

  1. Is it realistic? Yes ______No______
  2. Does it show, rather than tell about characters? Yes ______No______
  3. Does it move the story forward? Yes ______No______
  4. Does it reflect the different personalities of the characters? Yes ______No______
  5. Is it punctuated and capitalized correctly? Yes ______No______

Give suggestions to improve the dialogue and/or explain what the writer did well.

7. Does the story maintain focus on a single character, idea or situation? Yes _____ No_____

8. What is the conflict of the story and how is it resolved?

9. Consider the story’s ending. Does the ending of the story work?

  1. Is the ending unpredictable but still logical? Yes ______No______
  2. Is there subtle foreshadowing that hints at the ending? Yes ______No______
  3. Does the ending of the story make sense? Yes ______No______
  4. Does the ending tie up all the loose ends? Yes ______No______

Give suggestions to improve the ending and/or explain what the writer did well.

  1. Provide some overall comments or suggestions that will be helpful to the author.

Check yourself! This is how your short story will be evaluated:

Creative Writing Rubric
Originality/Creativity: Dazzles reader from beginning to end through original and interesting use of ideas, language, plot, character development, dialogue, imagery, etc. Contains no clichés or stereotypes. / 20
Conflict/Tension: Possesses a dramatic tension that keeps reader interested--possibly, grounded in a significant problem, dilemma, or paradox that needs to be addressed and gets the reader involved. / 20
Clarity/Focus:Hasone main character, a unified narrative, and a clear point of view. Work has a clarity that leaves no surface questions (i.e. "What happened in this part?") in reader's mind. The plot makes sense within the context of the story. / 20
Dialogue: Uses dialogue effectively to advance the story. Characters have varying speech patterns and speak realistically. There is a new paragraph every time a different person speaks. It is clear who is speaking. Dialogue is punctuated and capitalized correctly. / 20
Conventions: Contains few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization). Has a consistent tense (not switching inexplicably between past and present tense). Typed, double spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman Font. 2-20 pages. Has a title. / 20
TOTAL / 100

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