Writing Tips: Big
Mistakes Aspiring Authors Make

1) Not critical enough. I’m going to get blunt here. All too often new authors think their work is far better than it really is. With rare exceptions, I don’t read other writers’ manuscripts anymore for a number of reasons that I won’t go into here. But before I got wise, I would sometimes agree to read a new writer’s work if he or she asked me nicely enough. The writer would excitedly fill me with tales about how wonderful the work was and how it was the next Great American Novel. I would read it with eagerness only to end up hugely disappointed within a few pages. People assume this job is easier than it is. That’s because it’s harder to write well than it looks.

Be your own toughest critic. Read the kind of novel you want to write–again and again. Pick up books on how to plot and create characters. Take a course. When you proof your novel, pretend that it was written by someone else. Is it really just as good as the novels in the bookstore?

2) Not enough deep thinking. Can you summarize the theme or topic of your novel in one paragraph? Better yet, can you sum it up in a sentence? If not, you’ve got some deep thinking to do about where you’re going with this, or your novel is likely to go all over the place. And don’t tell me it’s about “life.” Every novel ever written is about life in one way or another. How’s yours different?

3) Writing about unfamiliar subjects or locales. This should be obvious but it isn’t always. There’s a rule that every new author should follow: write about what you know best. This is especially good advice for a first novel, because you’ve got enough to worry about without having to do a lot of extra research. Focus on creating better characters or fleshing out your plot instead. Hone in on your theme. It’s not only that you’re less likely to make errors if you know your subject and location well; you’re also going to be able to provide richer details that will make your work come alive.

4) Grammatical errors. No one is expecting you to be as knowledgeable as an English Ph.D. But your manuscript is expected to follow the basic rules of grammar. If you’re lacking in this area, get a book, take an evening class. A good place to start is The Elements of Style. This is something you can definitely improve if you work at it.

5) Not proofing the work enough. Typos are like cockroaches. They hide and then creep up when and where least expected. Just when you think you’ve squished them all, another one pops up. Still you gotta try your best to exterminate these pests. Proof your manuscript until you can find no more errors and then proof it again.

6) Relying on the judgment of family and friends. Proceed with caution for all sorts of reasons. One, your mom may praise your work because she doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. Or two, your girlfriend may be overly critical out of jealousy or for other hidden reasons. People have all kinds of agendas. Three, the person may not know what the heck he or she is talking about or maybe her taste in literature is just different. The list goes on and on. Let others read it if you want, but unless they’re professionals in the business be careful how seriously you take the criticism or praise.

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