Fatal Writing Errors
If your stories keep coming back with polite rejection letters or consistently get low marks from your peers look for these fatal errors.
It’s Dull
Dull characters leading dull lives make dull stories. Imagination and creativity should permeate your work. Clichés are the most common culprits of dull. Lawyers in league with the devil and abusive drunks from trailer parks have been written about enough. Put the lawyer in league with the angels of heaven and make the beer drinking guy from the trailer park the most kind and compassionate man alive. Mix it up and make it different.
Poor Editing
The best writing is not written, it is rewritten. Your first draft should form the lump of clay you need to sculpt your writing into a master piece by rewriting it several times. Once you are “done” with your story, put it away for at least a week then rewrite it one more time. Don’t spend a lot of time looking for spelling errors and typos until your last edit.
Just Do It
Keep adverbs and quantifiers on a short leash. Calling something small or large lacks originality and is undescriptive. Don’t waste your time writing about things the almost happen. Instead write about what actually happens. “She almost cried” doesn’t tell anyone what she actually did. Did she choke back the tears, burry her face in a pillow, or slap the two-timing jerk?
Make more with less
Quality counts. Quantity distracts.
Irrelevant Details
Details should always help develop the plot, setting, or characters. Subtly provide background information throughout the story. Don’t bother giving minor characters need names and rich full lives. Instead let them perform their job and bow out.
Shape and Structure
Fiction tends to works best when it concentrates on one character in one situation. The moment of change in the story should happen early, the rest of the story should be a carefully planned journey that helps the reader and character learn, grow, and develop because of the moment of change. Let the journey create tension and slowly reveal important information about the protagonist. Writing is an art. It should take on the shape and structure it needs to stand on its own.
Dialogue
Dialogue needs to sound real even though it’s not. Concise dialog keep readers engaged. Dialog should reveal new facets about the characters and plot.
Jacob
Stumble it!
Tags: writing tips