10 Common Errors of the Novice Writer

Writing is a creative process. When you create, you use the right side of your brain. Editing is an analytical process. When you edit, you use the left side of your brain. As these two activities have totally different focuses, they need to be handled as separate activities. During the creative process, forget grammar. Forget spelling and all those other things drilled into your by every English teacher you have ever had. Write. Let the words flow forth naturally, unimpeded by the mechanics. Once the words stop flowing. The story is done, then it is time to edit.

Proofreading Challenged

Nothing is ever done until all the t’s are crossed and the i’s dotted. Or, in this computer age, until we have gone back and checked the mechanics of our writing. Are the commas in the right place? Did we use ‘right’ where we meant ‘write’? Do our verbs agree with our nouns? Make a checklist and go through it with each story written. Give it a Break

I remember learning that a paragraph was a thought. When we had finished the thought, it was time for a new paragraph. To a certain degree, this is true, but in a world of instant rice, microwave ovens, and instant internet access, shorter is better. Look for ways to break your paragraphs down into small doses of no more than five or six sentences.

Break It Up

Description is great. The reader wants to know what the characters look like, what the room smells like, how the thunder made the characters feel. But, break it up. The reader doesn’t need a full description of the whole house before the next bit of action. While the reader is digesting description, in effect, the characters and the action are put on hold. Find a way to work the description into the story without stopping the action.

Dialogue is the same way. Tune in to the conversations around you. How often is there conversation without your senses picking up other things? If you are at diner and listening to the people at the next table, it is likely you can also smell the smoke from their cigarettes, hear the clanking for silverware against plates and hundreds of other things. The people holding the conversation are probably not sitting perfectly still either. One is picking food out of his teeth while the other is holding a cigarette to her lips.

Listen To It

This is particularly important when writing dialogue. Read your work aloud. Listen to what you have written. Does it sound real? Does it flow naturally? Do you need to add extra inflection to your writing to cue the reader in to the tone of the conversation?

Let It Rest

I have said it before, and I will say it again, once you think your story is perfect, let it rest. Ten days, if possible, ten hours, if time is short. You need to distance yourself from your work to truly see it. If you do not, you will see what you meant to say instead of what you really said.

Submission Guidelines

No one source can provide you with the guidelines for every publisher. A single source can provide you with industry standard, or what has worked for the source, but the only real means you have of properly submitting your work is to read the guidelines. And, I would recommend you take it a step farther and read several issues of the periodical, several articles from the website, or in the case of a book publisher, several books published by them.

Make sure you submit your work according to the guidelines. Do not assume if the first three chapters are requested, five chapters would be even better. Do not assume because you found a fax number for the publisher that they will accept a faxed submission even though the guidelines specifically instruct you to mail it. It doesn’t help you. In fact, it will in all likelihood get your submission rejected without one word being read.

Rejection Doesn’t Mean Bad

You will receive rejection letters. It is part of writing. If you want your work to be read, you have to be prepared to hear, “I’m sorry, but this is not right for us.” This does not necessarily mean what it says, nor does it say that your work is of poor quality, which is how it often feels.

“I’m sorry, but this isn’t right for us” can mean a similar story was recently published; the tone of the story does not agree with the tone of the publication; they have six more stories exactly like yours sitting in front of them, and the other six authors are better known to the readers; they have already filled their quota of stories for this quarter. Whatever the reason, accept the rejection as one step closer to publication rather than a personal attack on your ability to write. And, by all means, do not give up.

Publication Doesn’t Mean Perfect

As with all hobbies and professions, to stay at the top of your game is to continue to learn. Even if you are one of the lucky few who never gets writer’s block and who writes perfect grammar naturally, there is something new to learn. You still need to know what is happening in the marketplace, what people are reading, and what publishers are accepting new materials. This takes a concerted effort to continue your training as a writer.

Once Published

You have sold your story. You are ecstatic. You have an audience for your work. Now what? Do you file away your clipping and move on to the next project? You shouldn’t. Unless you have sold all your rights, you still have a marketable asset. Look for a market that accepts reprints. This is especially true with shorter works where you also have the option of creating a collection of your work to publish in book form.

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