You’re in the middle of writing your first draft, or you’ve just finished. You want to get feedback, BUT it’s not ready to share with others. You can use AI to get feedback. You simply need to ask the right question. What do you want to know? Here is a prompt you can use, or change to get feedback from your favorite AI. 

This prompt is intended to give you a reverse outline analysis of your manuscript. You are free to add, remove, or change any of the items.

If your manuscript is in Microsoft Word, you use Copilot inside Microsoft Word. Simply open the manuscript in Word, go to the Copilot sidebar, and give Copilot this prompt.

To receive a response from Google Gemini, you need to have the file in Google Docs, then upload it to Gemini, and then give it this prompt.

This is my version of the prompt. Since the AI is reviewing the entire file, I would like to inquire about the chapters and the overall file. Does the AI provide a summary that confirms what I was trying to convey in the manuscript? Did I get the key points across?

More interesting to me is the AI pointing out where the story isn’t providing the ideas, emotions, or character development I want at that point in the story. Are there issues in plot and pacing I can improve?

The prompt:

Create a reverse outline of the document. For each chapter, provide the following:

  1. Who are the main characters in each chapter?
  2. Provide a summary of the chapter.
  3. List the key points of plot progressions.
  4. List any new subplots started.
  5. List any issues or errors in the timeline, key information, pacing, and flow.
  6. List any plot twists or surprises.
  7. What tension elements are started and completed in the chapter
  8. Check the consistency in character voice
  9. Summarize the emotions each character is expressing
  10. Provide suggestions for improving the chapter

When the chapter summaries are complete, provide an overall summary with:

  1. Provide a summary of the overall story
  2. List the main characters and provide a character sheet summary for each that includes key traits.
  3. Analysis of the hook and the inciting incident.
  4. Summarize the protagonist’s character arc, their fears, inner conflict, and if it is resolved.
  5. List any errors in the timeline, key information, pacing, or flow.
  6. Provide suggestions for improving the character arcs, settings, and central themes.
  7. The themes from the story,
  8. The best genre fits,  with keywords to use on Amazon KDP
  9. The best target audience.
  10. Provide a book blurb conforming to best practices for the genre
  11. Provide a one-sentence ad copy line for the story.