ditto to many of the suggestions

Also ... measurements for each element as it is completed .... and then, as they are joined up, measurements after each join.

If possible, printed on only one side of the paper.

With enough space left for my personal notes.

Any of Eleanor Burns' patterns work. her training was originally for children with learning disabilities and I believe she wrote curriculum. So that translated into clear, concise directions. If you have a pattern that she wrote, take a good look at how the directions are constructed and that should give you some good ideas. I've tried others, but always go back to hers.
Edited to add: Adkinson patterns are excellent as well.

I'm trying to figure out the "bones" too. I'm thinking it is a typo, but can't figure out what it might mean. Guess we'll have to private message Maniac quilter to find out.

I think good bones is just a term meaning it's got a good solid start. Think a house with good bones might have all the walls up but not have floors and finishes.

But to the main question... Have show all sizes cutting requirements, and pictures, pictures, pictures.

Maybe the most important part of any pattern, is not the pattern itself.
But that it has been tested and proofread to the nth degree, so as to ensure
there are NO MISTAKES! And I mean absolutely NONE! :)

I like a pattern that doesn't take a whole book to go through to figure it out. Front and back sheet of paper (or 2) max with instructions. A good cover of the finished project on an 8"x 10'' paper closeup. Font print where magnifying glass is not required.

Lots of good suggestions. I think that a professional photo of the quilt makes a pattern more appealing to the consumer as well

I fully agree with the confidence building patterns from E.B., love everything she has put in books. Need to get a few more so I have all her books. Timeless patterns.

I really do best when words and pictures go together. And I really like to know periodically in the process, what my measurements so far should be. The pattern I am working on right now calls for 14 fat quarters as one of the "ingredients", when in reality, I only needed 14 pieces that are 6" x 19". I could have used many of the scraps I already had instead of getting fat quarters.