Five Mistakes New Authors Make 2020
Writing is an artform that takes time to cultivate. Sometimes new authors jump in too quickly and make mistakes—I’ve done it, as well as many authors with multiple bestsellers under their belts. Making a mistake isn’t something to be ashamed of; but once you know better, you do better, right?
Let’s talk about five mistakes new authors make. This list is something I put together based on my experience working with new authors over the years. If you spot something you can relate to, don’t panic! The first step is acknowledging the problem, the next is fixing it.
This list is written in no particular order.
1. Writing old ideas/tropes
This is something many new authors stumble into. Most writers make this mistake because they typically don’t read very often. The books they have read are usually older, so they were trendy five, six, maybe even ten years ago—but they are far overdone by the time he/she sits down in front of a keyboard.
Think of the thousands of people who heard all the noise over the Twilight movies and decided to pick up the books for the first time. All of a sudden, the YA fantasy genre was flooded with teenage vampire romances as these fresh new authors jumped onto this speeding bandwagon.
Unfortunately, vampire romance isn’t the only trope in the YA market—or the literary industry. Below is a list of common tropes/old ideas. If you see one of your latest writings below, don’t worry, an old idea is not necessarily a bad thing. But you may have a harder time landing an agent. I’ve broken down the tropes into different genres, see if you can name a few books you’ve read from each category.
Fantasy: The Chosen One, the last dragon
Romance: The billionaire/poor girl match, good girl/bad guy match, forbidden love
Supernatural: Vampire/human romance
Dystopian: Teenager overthrowing corrupt government, battle royale, oppressive government
2. Telling vs Showing
I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read on this topic. My earliest writing suffered very heavily from a lack of detail and development. This was not a problem I caught until years later but I’m glad the Lord blessed, and I finally learned.
Telling vs Showing is a concept centered on details and descriptive writing. Think of the difference between saying Bella was so angry and Bella’s hands curled into fists. While there is technically and grammatically nothing wrong with either statement, it can plainly be said that one provides more imagery and offers a stronger expression of both Bella’s character and emotion.
I’ve recently written an article addressing this issue, it’s titled The Difference Between Details and Development in Fiction. If you are someone who struggles with the concept of telling vs showing, I highly recommend you read that post.
3. Misusing “big” words/using too many words
As an editor, I have come across more manuscripts than I can remember—but I always manage to recall the ones that standout for one reason or another. Typically, most new authors suffer from a simple lack of knowledge in terms of basic grammar and formatting, but there are also those who try to go the extra mile by inserting words into their story that are simply out of place. Using big words can be impressive; but always remember, using a word correctly does not mean it doesn’t disrupt the flow of your novel.
Look at these two sentences:
John clutched his exam paper; pinpricks of sweat wet the back of his neck but he exhaled a laugh. He’d passed with flying colors.
John clutched his exam paper; pinpricks of perspiration wet the rear of his neck, but he exhaled a chortle. He’d passed with flying chromaticity.
Neither of these sentences is necessarily wrong, but the wording feels awkward in some places, doesn’t it? The back of someone’s neck is also the rear of their neck—but we don’t normally say that, do we? Nor do we say flying chromaticity instead of flying colors. This is what happens when you click on words and replace them with whatever shows up in the list of synonyms. Sadly, too many authors get caught up in impressing readers instead of entertaining them.
4. Writing yourself/your views into your work
I’m going to be painfully blunt …
Readers don’t care what YOU think, we care about your characters and what they think. While their thinking may be an extension of your own thoughts and ideals, when that becomes obvious in your writing, it makes you seem like an amateur.
Lack of development often reveals the real thinker in the situation. Of course, reader’s know you are the real thinker in your work—you wrote the book! The problem occurs when your characters, your events, your entire novel devolves into one big attempt to push your views onto your readers.
I’ve written an article on this topic, if you’d like more insight on the discussion click here to read the post now.
5. Not writing with purpose
This is probably the broadest “mistake” on this list, but I wanted to include it because it is certainly something new and old authors struggle with. Think of it as pointless writing; that might sound harsh, but we all do it. Entire paragraphs describing scenery and imagery and character clothing and room decorations, but not much action—not much progression. Chapters dedicated to setting up a scene or event that could have been written in a page or perhaps even less. I’m sure everyone reading this can think of a book they’ve read that was probably a few hundred pages too long.
The Game of Thrones series is my all-time favorite read, but even I must admit the books are flooded with hundreds of pages of unnecessary verbiage. In fact, I think Martin could have told the same excellent story in half the words.
Here are a few tips to help avoid making this mistake:
Remember, each scene/chapter should guide characters to the next step in their journey.
You should never have a scene “just because”
Learn the difference between details and development
Be prudent in separating information reader’s need to know and information you want them to know
This last tip is a bonus, but I think it is probably more important than anything I’ve written in this entire article. The number one thing new authors suffer from is NOT READING. As a writer, it is vitally important to read. You MUST read. Just like with any profession, practice makes perfect. Writing is not the only way to practice and sharpen your mind, reading can also improve your skills. It teaches you what is trending in the literary industry, what agents, publishers, and even readers are looking for, and it demonstrates the quality of writing that is considered good or acceptable.
Beyond that, reading is important because it also introduces you to stories that may spark your imagination, inspire you, or even teach you something new. New words, new phrasing, new ways of describing imagery, etc. Reading is also important because it is the one definitive way to fix all the mistakes I’ve listed above. Please do not neglect this advice, as an editor and now the owner of an independent publishing company, I can tell you a lack of reading is certainly obvious in your writing.
Now, as a Christian I can’t end this article without offering my advice from the perspective of my faith. The Rebel Christian Publishing is an openly Christian-based company, everything we do here is meant to positively reflect our faith in Christ Jesus. So, even though reading is the most important part of an author’s life, I think specifically reading the Bible is what matters most as a Christian author. Do not neglect the Word of God, as it is the Greatest Word you will ever read. Your passion for writing comes from God, He will give you all the tools you need to turn your dreams into reality. Please, in your writing journey, remember to invite and include God. He is your biggest supporter.
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Thanks so much for reading! God bless!