Tag: Evaluating Your First Draft

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Using the M.I.C.E. Quotient to evaluate your novel draft

Mandy Webster

The M.I.C.E. Quotient is a method of categorizing stories based on the four core narrative elements of Milieu, Idea, Character, and Event. This method was developed by science fiction writer Orson Scott Card and is used by many writers and editors to help identify and refine the central focus of a story.

Image generated using artificial intelligence (which, for some reason, left out “idea” and gave me “emausle.” Playing with A.I. is so much fun!

The M.I.C.E. Quotient is an excellent place to start when evaluating the focal point of a novel manuscript. It helps the writer determine whether the first draft concentrates on the appropriate element or elements that will most effectively achieve their creative vision. The following is a breakdown of each element:

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

The importance of letting your novel draft rest

Mandy Webster

Once you’ve completed an initial evaluation of your manuscript, it’s time to set it on a back burner for a while and let it simmer. Taking a break after writing and completing an initial review of your novel draft is crucial for several reasons. First, it gives you the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on your work. When you’ve been working on a manuscript for a long time, it can be challenging to see it objectively.

Like a complex and hearty soup, your novel draft may get better the longer you let it simmer on a back burner!

Taking a break allows you to come back to the manuscript with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot areas that need improvement. This can also increase your objectivity when evaluating your own work. During the drafting process, you’re likely to become attached to certain ideas or phrases. Taking a break can help you become more objective about your work, allowing you to make changes that improve the story without getting bogged down by your initial attachment to certain ideas.

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The third step in the novel writing process: Evaluation

Mandy Webster

Now that you have written your novel draft, the next step in the novel writing process is to evaluate what you have written. What did you do well, and what needs improvement? It’s important to note that while writing quickly can be beneficial during the first draft, the subsequent revision and editing stages are equally crucial for refining and polishing your novel. Once you have allowed your first draft a few days (sometimes even weeks or months) to cool, it’s time to come back to it and evaluate what you’ve written.

In this series, we’ve reviewed the planning and writing steps of the novel writing process. Now it’s time to evaluate that first draft you wrote!

I recommend that you begin by reading straight through the draft, taking notes as you go. There’s no need to fix anything right now. Just make a quick note and then keep reading. Don’t even worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation yet. There’s no point proofreading when there is still writing to do. When it comes to evaluating your first draft, here are some things to look for on the first read-through:

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