Mistakes writers make and how to fix them

What do newbie, unseasoned writers do that give away their inexperience?

1. They overwrite. They use too many adjectives and adverbs.
2. Their writing is inconsistent. They don't put the time they need into characterization and plotting. Things feel confusing.
3. They depend too much on editors. While an editor can polish and weed out grammatical errors, they can't write the book for someone else.
4. They think one draft is done. Never submit a first draft!
5. They ramble and take too long to get to the point. We should know right away who the main character is, what they want, what or who's in their way of getting that, and what the stakes are if they don't get it.
6. They use a passive voice. It's boring and puts readers to sleep.

Books editors love and use, and you can too. These will help you perfect your craft.

* The Story Equation

* Six Stage Story Structure

* Bird by Bird

* The Copyeditor's Handbook

* The Editor's Eye

* Copyediting: A Practical Guide

* Chicago Guide to Grammar Usage and Punctuation

* The Emotional Thesaurus

*The Emotional Craft of Fiction

* Fight Write

* Writing the Breakout Novel

* Story

* Romancing the Beat

* Dynamic Story Creation

* Writing Tools

Wanting to read a compelling novel with a great character arc? Check out my EVOLUTION OF UMA. A rotten childhood, a haunted house, a crappy job, a narcissistic boyfriend…and things are about to get worse for Uma Bettencourt.