The First 50 Pages

• How strong is your first line? Make sure you lead off with something that will catch your reader’s from the very beginning. 
• Do you start with a dream scenario? Because that's a quick path to rejection from an agent/publisher 
• Does your story have an engaging hook? 
• Are you telling instead of showing? Remember the old writing adage "show don't tell." 
• Double check your point-of-view. Make sure you don't have any errors or shifts in POV. 
• Make sure your characters have depths 
• Is there a lack of beats for pacing and description? 
• Check for stilted dialogue. 
• Are there inadequate descriptions of characters and settings (or details that are introduced to the reader too late?) 
• Are you starting the main action too soon? 
• Are you going into flashbacks too early in the story? 
• Do you jump to a new viewpoint character too early? 
• Is there enough conflict?
• Is there something at stake for your hero?