The Plot Diagnostic is a practical self-editing tool for fiction writers who have completed a draft.

Use it to determine whether your story’s plot is actually working—before you start revising sentences.

• This diagnostic helps you identify:
• Unclear or passive protagonist goals
• Weak or insufficient stakes
• Flat or reactive conflict
• Missing cause-and-effect logic
• Plot points that fail to turn the story
• Character arcs that feel optional or unearned

This is not a grammar or style guide. It’s a structural evaluation tool designed to help you fix the right problems first.