What do you consider are your ‘Top Five Mistakes Writers Make in Their Stories’. I think I do all of the below to be quite honest.
Writing a story is a challenging task, but it can be even more difficult to avoid making common mistakes. Here are five of the most common mistakes that writers make, and how to avoid them. If you have more you would like to add and discuss in the next blog post use my CONTACT US page.
1. Not giving enough big-picture context to the reader.
When you start writing your story, it’s important to give the reader enough context to understand what’s going on. This doesn’t mean you need to give away the whole plot, but you should provide enough information so that the reader can follow along. For example, if you’re writing a mystery, you’ll need to introduce the characters and the setting, and give the reader some clues about what’s going on.
2. Introducing the protagonist too late in the story.
The protagonist is the main character of your story, and they should be introduced early on. If you wait too long to introduce the protagonist, it can be difficult for the reader to connect with them.
3. Not having a clear conflict.
Every story needs a conflict. This is the problem that the protagonist must overcome in order to achieve their goal. If there’s no conflict, your story will be boring.
4. Not showing, telling.
One of the biggest mistakes that writers make is telling instead of showing. Telling is when you simply tell the reader what’s happening. Showing is when you use vivid language and description to bring the story to life. For example, instead of saying “The man was angry,” you could say “The man’s face turned red and his veins bulged in his neck.”
5. Not having a satisfying ending.
The ending of your story is just as important as the beginning and the middle. Make sure your ending is satisfying and ties up all the loose ends.
Avoiding these common mistakes will help you write better stories. So next time you’re sitting down to write, keep these tips in mind.
Here are some additional tips for avoiding common writing mistakes:
- Read your work aloud. This will help you catch any errors in grammar or spelling.
- Get feedback from other writers. They can help you identify areas where your story can be improved.
- Join a writing group or workshop. This is a great way to learn from other writers and get feedback on your work.
- Read widely. The more you read, the better your writing will become.
- Don’t give up! Writing is a skill that takes practice. The more you write, the better you’ll get.
My impressions on the Tips is that I always have the computer read aloud my stories prior to publication. It truly does help and you can have fun with the different accents and switch between women and men. After reading your story for the tenth time it is just nice to hear another voice. I currently cannot really do the ‘read widely’ tip as I am constantly writing and working on other projects. But it is my favorite past time to do when I have a quiet afternoon.
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