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skills/cw-story-critique/references/critique-areas.md

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+# Critique Areas Reference
+
+This is a reference guide for common areas to examine when critiquing fiction. **This is not a mandatory checklist** - use your judgment about what matters for each story.
+
+## Plot & Structure
+
+**What to examine:**
+- Story structure (three-act, episodic, etc.)
+- Cause and effect chains
+- Pacing (too slow, too fast, uneven)
+- Scene purposes (what changes in each scene?)
+- Setup and payoff
+- Plot holes and logic gaps
+- Stakes and tension
+- Beginning hook, middle momentum, ending resolution
+
+**Common issues:**
+- Saggy middle (lack of momentum)
+- Rushed ending
+- Scenes without purpose
+- Deus ex machina
+- Convenient coincidences
+- Stakes not clear
+- Characters know things they shouldn't
+- Timeline inconsistencies
+
+## Character Development
+
+**What to examine:**
+- Character motivations (why they do things)
+- Consistency of personality and voice
+- Character agency (do they drive the plot?)
+- Complexity (flaws, contradictions, depth)
+- Character arcs (growth, change, resistance to change)
+- Relationships (believable dynamics)
+- Distinct voices (can you tell characters apart?)
+
+**Common issues:**
+- Reactive protagonist (things happen TO them, not driven BY them)
+- Flat arc (no change or growth when one is expected)
+- Inconsistent characterization
+- Characters acting for plot convenience
+- All characters sound the same
+- Unmotivated actions
+- Sudden personality changes without explanation
+
+## Pacing & Flow
+
+**What to examine:**
+- Scene momentum (does story move forward?)
+- Chapter pacing (fast/slow appropriate to content?)
+- Transitions (smooth between scenes/time?)
+- Balance (summary vs scene, action vs reflection)
+- Dead space (sections that drag)
+- Chapter hooks (end on tension/question?)
+- Information reveal timing
+
+**Common issues:**
+- Slow opening
+- Info dumps
+- Repetitive scenes
+- Lack of scene variety
+- Uneven pacing
+- Flat momentum
+- Scenes that neither advance plot nor develop character
+
+## Dialogue
+
+**What to examine:**
+- Naturalism (sounds like real speech)
+- Subtext (characters don't always say what they mean)
+- Character voice (distinct per character)
+- Purpose (moves plot/reveals character/builds relationships)
+- Info-dumping (exposition disguised as dialogue)
+- Tags and beats (attribution clear?)
+
+**Common issues:**
+- On-the-nose dialogue (too explicit)
+- Info dumps in conversation
+- All characters sound the same
+- Unnatural speech patterns
+- Too much exposition
+- Unclear who's speaking
+- "As you know, Bob" syndrome
+
+## Prose & Technical
+
+**What to examine:**
+- Sentence clarity and variety
+- Show vs tell balance
+- Filter words ("saw", "heard", "felt")
+- Passive voice (excessive use)
+- Word choice (precise, appropriate)
+- Purple prose (over-description)
+- Repetition (word choice, sentence structure)
+- Grammar and technical errors
+
+**Common issues:**
+- Telling instead of showing
+- Filter words distancing reader
+- Monotonous sentence rhythm
+- Unclear action/description
+- Excessive adjectives/adverbs
+- Weak verb choices
+- Confusing pronoun references
+- Repetitive sentence structures
+
+## Audience & Genre Fit
+
+**Genre-Specific Considerations:**
+
+**Fanfiction:**
+- Canon adherence vs divergence (as intended)
+- Character voice matching source material
+- Reader expectations for ships, battles, favorite characters
+- Update frequency and chapter hooks (if web serial)
+
+**YA:**
+- Protagonist age-appropriate
+- Pacing fast enough
+- Romance/relationships age-appropriate
+- Coming-of-age themes
+
+**Literary Fiction:**
+- Prose quality high
+- Thematic depth
+- Character complexity
+- Subtlety over explicit
+
+**Web Serial:**
+- Chapter hooks and cliffhangers
+- Consistent posting structure
+- Reader engagement hooks
+- Pacing for serial format
+
+**Traditional Publishing:**
+- Opening hook strong
+- Pacing professional
+- Meets genre expectations
+- Marketability
+
+**Fantasy/Sci-Fi:**
+- Worldbuilding clear but not info-dumpy
+- Magic/tech systems consistent
+- Lore revealed naturally
+- Balancing exposition with story
+
+**Thriller/Mystery:**
+- Pacing maintains tension
+- Clues planted fairly
+- Red herrings work
+- Satisfying resolution
+
+**Romance:**
+- Relationship development central
+- Chemistry between leads
+- Satisfying romantic arc
+- Genre-appropriate heat level
+
+## Universal Craft Principles
+
+These apply regardless of genre:
+
+**Emotional Resonance:**
+- Reader can connect with characters
+- Emotional beats land
+- Stakes feel meaningful
+- Tension exists
+
+**Clarity:**
+- Reader can follow what's happening
+- Scene goals are clear
+- Action is comprehensible
+- Transitions work
+
+**Consistency:**
+- World rules stay stable
+- Character abilities don't fluctuate randomly
+- Timeline makes sense
+- Tone remains appropriate
+
+**Purpose:**
+- Scenes have reason to exist
+- Details serve the story
+- Nothing feels arbitrary
+- Reader trusts the author
+
+---
+
+**Remember:** This is a reference, not a prescription. Some stories will have issues not listed here. Some listed issues won't apply to certain stories. Trust your judgment.