A hasty, tentative list:
Characterization
- Appearance, thought, action, dialogue, direct statements, other characters’ reactions
- Decisions
- Stories characters tell characterize them
- What physical objects do they surround themselves with?
Plot
- Character’s desires made manifest; objections encountered and wrestled with: Desire + Danger = Drama (3D)
- Surprises and reversals of expectations
- Increasing danger/tension/risk for the character until a realization/epiphany/climax
- Conflicts
- Connections
- Power shifts
- ABDCE
Setting
- Particular Sensory Details: nothing happens nowhere
- Too much risks boredom unless setting is also characterizing or helping with plot or etc.
Theme
- Repeated words, images
Language
- Stain window verses plate glass
- Don’t distract readers from the deep and continuous dream
Also:
First sentences
- Implied question, something at risk
Scenes and summaries
- Scenes: character’s real time, readers participate/witness, PSD
- Summaries: compress time, gloss over and use abstractions
Endings
- Sum up
- Sum up and imply more
- Echo the beginning
Others that you can think of?