Characterization is the elements an author uses to make a character seem like a real person. An author shows characterization in two ways, through what the character thinks and through what the character does. When critiquing a writing, ask if the character seems real. Is the character well developed and dynamic? Does the character's personality come across in the writing?
Look to see if the story comes to a final conclusion with all loose ends resolved. Also, check for inconsistent facts within the story. All motivations and actions for the characters should agree with each other.
Keep an eye out for technical errors in the writing. Technical errors include punctuation and grammatical errors, run-on sentences and sentences that are difficult to understand. Also watch out for words that are overused in the narrative. Sometimes writers fall into the trap of using too many adverbs instead of finding a stronger verb to use.
The writer should use a mix of sentence and paragraph lengths to create a natural-sounding narrative. Just as there are run-on sentences, there can be run-on paragraphs as well. Yet sentences and paragraphs can also be too short, making the text choppy to read. Ask if the story is easy to read or difficult to follow. Also, be aware for any sudden shifts in point of view that are confusing.
The author should use dialogue to move the story forward. Dialogue should not fill in large parts of the backstory. Another thing to consider is whether the dialogue of the characters match their personality and age.
The plot of the story should be clear, easy to follow and believable. In a longer work, there may be subplots. The plot or plots should come to a natural conclusion within the story.
Pacing is the speed at which the story moves forward. The story should move fast enough to keep the reader's attention but so too fast as to feel sudden. This is achieved thorough the author's balance between action and dialogue. Additionally, if the plot and subplots within the story skip around too much this can affect the pace.
Conflict in a story creates suspense. The challenges characters have to overcome invite the reader to continue through the story to find out what happens. The author should build and resolve the conflict by the end of the story. The resolution of the conflict should be appropriate for the plot the author presented.