Questions

to ask while writing

Does the story begin in the right place?
What does the reader need to know to understand the ending of this story? Are all of those elements introduced before the dramatic climax? Which parts are likely to need careful development?
What's the "payoff" of this story for the reader? Does the introduction / rising action prepare the reader for that kind of payoff? (Does the beginning teach you how to read the ending? Does the ending teach you how to read the beginning?)
Where is the suspense? What's at stake for the characters? for the readers? Does each scene add to or at least maintain the suspense?

Does each character have a goal, adequate motivation for it, and an obstacle to overcome? Are the obstacles internal, social/political, or natural?
Who is the main character (the character whose choices drive the plot)? Who is the protagonist (the character that we want to see succeed)? Who is the viewpoint character? Why?
Are complex characters presented complexly, and simple ones simply?
What story is a character telling himself that allows him to do and/or that makes him do what he's doing? Is there an inconsistency between his story and his real motive?
Does the dialogue sound like the canonical character? (Sentence structure, vocabulary, grammar, defensiveness, playfulness, aggression, sophistication, motivation, etc.) Ditto for the narration, if close 3rd person or 1st person is used?
How do you extrapolate from canon to this version of the character? Are there elements of the character in this story that might not be as commonly considered canonical, that will need more justification within the story's context?

What techniques have I used to fill the readers in on the relevent information? Do they interrupt the story? Is there any irrelevent information?
How are the setting/action described? Are all five senses used? Have I left room for audience interpretation (i.e. avoided overdescribing as well as telling-instead-of-showing)? Do I know what the most important detail is and why?
(If an A/U) How do I extrapolate from canon to this universe? How has this universe resulted in the canonical characters developing into their A/U selves? Have I conveyed that in the story?

Do sentence structures vary? Paragraph sizes? Is the grammar clean and simple as possible, without degenerating into junior composition self-consciousness? Are parallel structures used? Does it sound good when read aloud, without falling into the reader's theater trap? [Er, that's what I call it when a story sounds good only when read in certain tones of voice.]
Are different strategies used to open and close the scenes?
(Of longer stories) Have I occasionally broken the mood, direction, center of attention, and/or style?
Have I failed to take any risks in the rough draft? (If yes) Does this story suffer for it? (If no) What risks am I taking? (E.g. rejecting the traditional Western linear narrative structure, or, as in "Exegesis of Christopher", rejecting linear chronology.) Why did I do it? Can I restructure the story to make it more accessible, without sacrificing whatever it was I gained by using this risky technique?
Does this story have a "point"? Have I taken care not to pound it in too hard?

Is the story inconsistent in any way that should not be accounted for as the narrator's unreliability? Does the antagonist's evil plan have a flaw that a five year-old could spot?
Can I spot any blatant fannish wish-fulfillment? Why does it stand out to me as such, and how can I fix it? How about fannish cliches? Have I played to the audience in ways that enhance or detract from the story?
Do the doctors talk & act like doctors, medically trained and conscious of professional ethics? (Repeat for each profession represented in the story.)
Did I remember to spellcheck?