14 Elements of Style

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14 Elements of Style
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1. Sentence Structure

• Are the sentences long or short?
• Are there any interruptions in the sentences?
• Is the word-order straight-forward or jumbled?

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2. Pace

• Is the writing heavily descriptive or does it
  focus on action and plot movement?

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3. Diction Word Choice

• Is the writing packed or elaborate and
  long-winded?

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4. Vocabulary

• Are the words simple or fancy?
• Are they technical or flowery?

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5. Figurative Language

• Are there any metaphors or similes?
• Are there any symbols?
• Personification?

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6. Use of Dialogue

• How often does dialogue tell the story?
• Do we see entire conversations with dialogue or
  just parts of a conversation?
• Does the conversation use slang or is it formal
  and fancy?
• Does the dialogue seem natural or fake?

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7. Point of View

• First person (I, me)
• Second person (you)
• Third person 2 kinds (He)
• Third person omniscient
• Third person limited

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8. Character Development

• How are characters introduced?
• How do we see them evolve and change?
• What is their motivation for their actions?

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9. tone

• What is the authors attitude?
• What is the mood of the story?
• Does the author/narrator seem sarcastic?
  Aggressive? Hopeful? Sad? etc.

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10. Sound

• How much does language call attention to sound?
• Alliteration?
• Rhyme?

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11. Paragraph Structure

• Are paragraphs very short or very long?

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12. Time Sequencing

• Did the author use chronological order or was
  time mixed up?

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13. Allusions

• How and how often does the author mention other
  writings, myths, symbols, famous people,
  historical events, quotations, and so often?

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14. Experiments with language

• Are there any unusual techniques such as breaking
  the rules of grammar?