How to Assess a Story When Things Aren't Working

"I know that the characters need to fail and I write it so that it's interesting," he says. "When I feel like the story isn't working or when I'm stuck, then I will go to the checklist and see if, oh, am I one fail short? Am I, you know, did you not try hard enough?" He adds: "Every outliner needs to practice their pantsing...and learn from the pantsing"