There's Only One Way to Avoid These Mistakes
The only way to avoid the following mistakes is to continue honing your
skills.
That’s why you need to continue attending writers conferences, even apart from Illumify’s annual conference. Oftentimes, we get so attached to our message or story that we overlook certain fundamentals.
Here are ten mistakes most fiction authors make and how to overcome them.
1. Weak or Unbelievable Characters
Imagine creating a protagonist who is shy, introverted, and
lacks confidence. But at climax of the story, without any prior development or motivation, the person suddenly takes charge and courageously leads a group into battle. This abrupt change in behavior feels forced and inconsistent, making the character unbelievable to readers.
At the heart of any great story are strong,
believable characters. Yet, many authors fall into the trap of creating flat or one-dimensional characters that lack depth or transformation. A character who exists solely to move the plot forward or whose actions don’t align with their established traits can pull readers out of the narrative.
Solution: Develop your characters’ backstories, motivations, and internal conflicts. Make sure they have strengths, flaws, and goals that make them feel real. Use dialogue, action, and internal monologue to show who your characters truly are, beyond just what they do.
2. Telling Instead of Showing
Probably the most common piece of advice to writers in the publishing industry is to “show, don’t tell.” Nevertheless, it creeps into even the most seasoned writers’ work.
When you “tell” the reader what’s happening, you’re simply summarizing events or feelings, which leads to a distant, less engaging narrative.
Solution: Use descriptive language, actions, and sensory details to let readers experience the
story firsthand. Instead of writing, “She was angry,” show the clenched fists, the quickened heartbeat, or the sharp words that indicate her anger. Let the reader draw conclusions from what the characters say and do.
And most importantly, make dialogue your friend.
3. Poor Pacing
Pacing refers to how quickly or slowly a story unfolds, and getting it wrong can leave readers either bored or overwhelmed. A story with long stretches of exposition or dialogue without action can drag, while nonstop action can leave readers feeling
exhausted.
Solution: Remember that your reader suffers from ADHD, so you need to vary your pacing to keep them engaged. Use short, punchy sentences for action scenes and longer, more reflective prose for slower, emotional moments. Everywhere else, intersperse your writing with
shorter and longer sentences. Scene breaks and chapter endings are excellent tools for controlling pacing as well.
Just don’t lull them to sleep.
4.
Starting with Too Much Backstory
If you’re writing with yourself in mind, you’ll be tempted to give too much background information. A hundred years ago, authors loved creating extensive backstories to their novels, but nowadays, it will drive your readers to bed.
Want an example? Read James Michener’s classic Centennial. It’s a historical fiction novel about Colorado’s beginnings. The 1974 classic begins with the history of prehistoric times.
Zzzzzzzz.
I so wanted to finish reading the book, but he took way-y-y-y-y too long to get to the good stuff.
Front-loading your story with too much backstory will overwhelm readers and slow the narrative. Readers want to be immersed in the action and intrigue
from the very first page, not bogged down with too many details.
Solution: Start your book in the middle of the action or conflict. Introduce backstory sparingly and only when
it’s relevant to the current plot. Gradually reveal important details about your world or characters through dialogue, subtle clues, or flashbacks woven into the story.
5. Lack of Conflict or Stakes
You're probably
a conflict avoider in real life but your audience LOVES reading about conflict.
A story without conflict is a story without tension. Conflict—whether internal or external—drives a narrative forward, and without it, readers lose interest. Your characters must face obstacles, challenges, or dangers that make readers care about
the outcome.
Solution: Ensure your characters have clear goals, and introduce meaningful obstacles that stand in their way. The stakes should feel significant—whether they’re emotional, physical, or existential. Ask yourself, “What does the character stand to lose?” and make sure
the answer is compelling.
6. Overcomplicating the Plot
It’s easy to get carried away with subplots, twists, and turns, but overcomplicating the plot can confuse readers and lead to a disjointed story. Too many
characters, timelines, or unnecessary twists can dilute the main narrative and make it difficult for readers to follow along.
Solution: Focus on your central conflict and ensure all subplots serve that main narrative. Keep your twists meaningful and avoid adding complexity for the
sake of surprise. Simplifying your story often makes it more powerful.
7. Ignoring Theme or Message
While not every story needs to have an overt message, a theme adds depth and resonance to your
story.
It’s the difference between an entertaining book and a transcendent book.
When your story lacks a unifying theme or message, it comes across as shallow or
directionless, leaving readers wondering what the story was really about.
Solution: Identify the core theme or message you want to convey through your story. It could be as simple as exploring human resilience or as complex as examining issues in our society. Once you’ve pinpointed
it, weave that theme into your characters’ arcs, the setting, and the plot without making it too preachy.
8. Unrealistic Dialogue
Dialogue is one of the most powerful tools in fiction (nonfiction, too!), but it’s
also an area where many writers stumble. Stilted, unnatural dialogue can make characters feel wooden or can result in awkward exposition dumps. On the flip side, too much realistic dialogue (like ums and pauses) can be tedious to read.
Solution: Read your dialogue out loud to check
its flow. Make sure it sounds like something real people would say, but also ensure it has a purpose in advancing the plot or revealing character. Cut filler words unless they serve to characterize someone specifically.
And it’s okay to intersperse your dialogue with contractions!
9. Inconsistent Tone or Voice
A sudden shift in tone or voice can throw readers off, disconnecting them from the story. Consistency in tone is especially important in genre fiction, where readers have certain expectations for
mood, style, and narrative voice.
Solution: Be mindful of the tone you’re setting from the first page. Ensure that your narrative voice aligns with your genre and audience, and keep it consistent throughout the story. Any tonal shifts should be purposeful and gradual.
10. Neglecting Outside Help
Nobody comes out of the womb already gifted at storytelling. Making the aforementioned mistakes is easy. You just write whatever comes to mind and ignore your audience to your own peril.
If F. Scott Fitzgerald can make mistakes, so can you and me.
Solution: Attend the Illumify writers conference. Jayme H. Mansfield,
the gifted author of four award-winning novels, will show you how to avoid these mistakes and more.
