Due to the popularity of our Original Seven Deadly Sins of Novel Writing, we thought we’d do a reboot, listing all seven (plus a bonus sin—woot, more sinning!) all in one place.

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The 7 Deadly Sins of Novel Writing

SIN #1: Low Stakes
SIN # 2: Counterfeit Characters
SIN # 3: Missing the Mark on Voice & POV
SIN #4: Plot Snafus
SIN #5: Flat Wordsmithing
SIN #6: Dialogue Disaster
SIN #7: Too Much Information
BONUS SIN: Disappointing The Reader

So…what’s your cardinal sin, or are you an equal-opportunity sinner?

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post The 7 DEADLY WRITING SINS appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Now my confession. While I broke down the Novel Writing Sins into 7, there’s really a single sin that trumps all. Can you guess what it is?

Disappointment. If we have one job as writers, it is to never, ever disappoint the reader.

Each of us draws from a unique perspective and set of experiences when writing. We learn all we can, make decisions and take risks. We can choose to follow, alter or break the rules and techniques of writing in order to tell the story the best way we can…as long as we achieve the most important thing.

To leave the reader feeling satisfied.

Readers give us time (and money!) in exchange for not just a great story but an EXPERIENCE. This is the highest form of entertainment. Having a reader close our book with a smile and a sigh…this is our goal and a reward beyond measure.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Final Thoughts on the Seven Deadly Sins appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

We’re all guilty of this sin at some point during the writing process. The trick is finding the correct balance by the time we reach the final draft. Nothing will turn off the reader faster than long passages of hand-fed information and back story. The reader chooses a book with the expectation that they will experience something new, something that only this author can give them. If they wanted giant clots of info, they’d sign up for a night class at the local college.

Showing, then Telling

Amanda bit her lip as she paced the creaky hall, holding her elbows tight against her sides. Every few steps, her gaze darted to the front door. She…

…was practically jumping out of her skin.
…was nervous.
…said to me, “I can’t stand it any longer!”

All of these are examples of Showing, then Telling. This happens when the writer doesn’t trust their ability to get information across, so they follow up their showing with some telling, just to make sure the reader ‘gets it’. The description here clearly shows Amanda’s raw nerves. In fact, even the showing could be trimmed a bit and still get her edginess across, especially if the writer wanted to use the dialogue. The key is showing just enough to paint the scene, without overdoing it. Trust that a few STRONG details will show what needs to be shown and move on. Be wary of passages portraying emotion, as these are hot spots for showing then telling.

Info Dumps

Info dumps belong in one place only: the first draft. Don’t get me wrong, information is necessary for the reader to understand the current or upcoming action and events. But the second that dip into narrative feels like a dump, something has to go. Always be aware of the pacing: find the most active and succinct way to get information across–get in and get out. With information, think bite-sized, not a full meal deal. Too much information steals the mystery away from the reader and halts the story’s forward flow.

Dialogue can be a way to exchange info while keeping the scene rolling, but can also be a prime spot for dumps (sin #6).

“So Mrs. Wilkins, your sister’s mother-in-law, saw the whole thing from across the street?” I asked.

Is this something that would be spoken in real life? No. That’s your tell–if the dialogue feels unnatural, it is. If you’re ever unsure, read it out loud.

Setting can be a backdrop to segue into a brief passing of knowledge, but again, be wary. With world building, sometimes some additional detail needs to be given, but choose carefully WHAT you elaborate on and WHY. Ask yourself, Is this for the reader’s benefit to help them understand my world better, or is it really for me?

The proper way to get across info is to use a trigger in your scene that allows the writer to give information in a way that compliments the current action rather than ripping the reader away from it. Brief bits of information will feel natural and enhance the scene, pulling the reader in deeper, rather than create a big neon sign pointing to an info dump.

Avoid rehashing what the reader already knows, or details that don’t have direct bearing on the current scene or character’s current state of mind.

Backstory

Sometimes backstory is needed, but pay close attention to the word, NEEDED. Actions and dialogue should tell us 95% of what we need to understand the character. Backstory comes into play when the motivation is not apparent through a set of actions or dialogue.

A brief dip into backstory can help us see where the character is coming from–just make sure it’s not a summary of their life up to this point. If Jimmy doesn’t want to get something from the pantry because that’s where he was when his dad came into the kitchen and murdered his mother, we probably need to know that (provided going into the pantry in the current scene is important). Do we need to know that Jimmy was in the pantry snacking on Alpha Bits because his overweight sister always got to them first and by golly this time he was going to finish the whole box even if it made him sick, just so he could see the look on her chubby face, and maybe then she’d stop calling him names all the time, saying he was such a wimp…blah-de-blah. NO.

Flashbacks

Occasionally, small bite-sized bits of info won’t do. No, for the reader to fully understand the current action and relate to the crossroads the character is at, they need to see what happened to lead the character to this place (inside and out). Flashbacks are scenes, so in that sense, action does unfold. That does not mean they should be used frequently or lightly–while the reader relives this moment in time, they are pulled away from the current action.

The key is to be aware there is a timer on FB scenes. Vividly show what is needed so the reader will understand the character’s current state of mind/significance of their predicament, then transition back to the present quickly. Long, laborious flashbacks kill forward motion. Make sure all elements work in harmony (the setting, mood, the people involved and most importantly, the action that unfolds) to maximize the FB and create the maximum impact. Every word and bit of information must work hard to be included.

Like backstory, there needs to be a tie in the present scene to allow a successful transition to the flashback. FBs should never be used to fill novel dead time (walking down the street, looking up at the ceiling, etc etc).

Too Much Thinking

This is a sin I have to be very aware of especially when writing snarky characters. Often I will have an action or dialogue and then my character has an internal snide thought about it. Used a bit, this adds humor and voice to the scene. Too much though, and it throws the pacing out of whack and interrupts the flow of dialogue and action. Pacing. I can’t say it enough in regards to this sin. Be aware of those internal thoughts. Yes, we need to show internal development and internal conflict. But this does not translate into showing it all on the inside. Actions speak louder than thoughts!

Narrative Summary

Welcome to the world of telling, because yes, sometimes telling is A-ok. Events of the story do not need to be shown in full all the time. Think of a scene-only novel where the writer described every action in full from the time a character woke in bed to when they crawled back into it at the end of the day. That’s a Yawn-aster right there.

NS and SCENE should work together to give texture the writing–too much of either results in the feared TMI (too much information). The problem is knowing when and how to use Narrative Summary.

If the scene is important, it should be shown, but only enough to get across what is needed. If the main action is on the third floor office of the Happy Pet Cat Litter factory, we don’t need to be shown the character in the stock yard passing pallets of cat litter, then sprinting up the steps, then yanking the slip of paper with the five digit code on it, typing it on…etc etc. Narrative summary will give us a good idea of how he got to the third floor office and gets us to the main scene faster.

Areas where NS is often used:

Travel
Summarizing the passage of time
Summarizing events that need to happen or have happened which have bearing on the story, but are not important enough to be shown
To overview a state of mind over an extend period

Think of the balance of scene and narrative as a patchwork quilt. The showcase is on the patches of color, but without the stitching holding each square in place the quilt cannot be. Use Narrative Summary if needed as it is needed, and no more.

Final note: Information is imperative for readers to understand and enjoy a novel. Our job as writers is to decide what and how much is needed, and how to get this information across in a way that provides a rewarding experience for them, rather than come off as a factual download.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Seven Deadly Novel Writing Sins: Sharing Too Much Information appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Pick up any work of fiction and flip through it. In fact, flip through several. How much of the novel is dialogue?

With the exception of a few genres or older works, I’m betting your estimate comes in around 40-50 percent. It might even come in higher if the book is aimed at younger readers. The presence of dialogue means SCENE, which means ACTION, not narrative. Anyone pounding out a novel knows that scene/action should make up the bulk of the book to adequately move the story along.

So, back to that estimate: 40-50 percent. That’s a disaster in the making if your dialogue is weak. Let’s look at some common pitfalls.

Repetition in Structure and Dialogue Tags

Dialogue, followed by tag. Dialogue followed by tag. Watch for patterns like this during conversations and shake up the order if they go on ad-nauseum. Another common repeat is NOUN/PRONOUN + said (or vice-versa). Said tends to be invisible and should be used, but don’t rule out the occasional use of a BEAT (see below) or tagless dialogue (provided it’s clear who’s speaking).

Tag Less Dialogue

Tagless dialogue can create the effect of a fast exchange, sometimes necessary in a scene. This technique should be used with caution–the reader should always be aware of who is speaking. If you try tagless dialogue with more than two people, you run the risk of confusing the reader and it should also only be used in bite-sided interchanges. Using the actual name in the dialogue as a way of showing the speaker should only be done with good reason.

Changing Up ‘Said’ Because The Writer Thinks It’s Boring

Said is invisible to the reader and while it can seem repetitive, rotating through other said-isms (exclaimed, interjected, insisted, responded, retorted) is a bad idea. Sooner or later the reader picks up on these synonyms and it pulls them out of the story. NEVER LET THE READER NOTICE THE WRITING. If you must show the dialogue is being delivered in a specific way (yelled, pleaded, stuttered, whispered, etc) you can use a synonym occasionally. More below.

Modifying Said

Like drugs, just say no. If you feel the need to modify said with an adverb, chances are there’s a better way to show it. She said quietly = she whispered. He said loudly = he yelled. There are a few times when a modifier is justified, but challenge yourself to find a better way before using it, either through a specific said-ism or showing through a BEAT.

BEATS: Too Many, Too Few, Too Fluffy

Beats are tiny bits of action that work with the dialogue to show emotion, motivation, enhance the scene, or create rising tension. You can use them in place of a dialogue tag.

Mary slammed a plate onto the dirty counter. “What do you want for lunch?”

The use of ‘slammed’ tells us a bit about Mary–she’s either angry at the person she’s speaking to, or she’s feeling harried and impatient. But change it to:

Mary placed a plate onto the dirty counter. “What do you want for lunch?”

Now we don’t really know what she’s feeling. ‘Placed’ doesn’t provide any clues, so make sure your beats not only show the scene or the character but imply a state of mind/emotion. Beats should always work hard to be in the dialogue, and be used in moderation. No beats can create a dull exchange. Too many slow the exchange to a crawl. Make each one count.

Info Dumps Disguised as Dialogue

Some writers attempt to avoid back story or massive info dumps by dressing it up as dialogue. Dialogue should absolutely convey information, but only as it applies to the current action and only in small amounts.

Dialogue should always move the scene forward. Characters should always have a valid reason for speaking–chit chat over the weather or clothing or so-and-so’s new baby happen in real life and should not happen in books unless there is a strong motivating goal hidden behind it. Never dump a load of back story on the reader all at once–dialogue should be a natural exchange of ideas, not a speech. Never use dialogue to rehash what the readers and characters already know.

Weird Dialects, Broken English or Stiff Dialogue

Each character is different, and so their dialogue should have a different flow to it. This doesn’t mean that all your characters should have outlandish dialects or slang every word to ‘show’ their personalities–not only can this mark you as an amateur when overused, but it can also be hard to read. Be subtle and show light differences in speech patterns and beat actions. The character’s viewpoint and personality should come across by what they say. A person with a sarcastic outlook will say something completely different than one who generally sees the good in everything. Make sure your dialogue matches your character to avoid stiff or unrealistic-sounding dialogue.

Unlike the rest of the novel, dialogue should not always follow perfect sentence structure and grammar–it should sound very close to how we actually speak. In real life, we drop words, and speak in fragments. It’s okay to use these as long as the end product sounds accurate for the character and it doesn’t become distracting to read.

Dialogue requires practice to get right, but with such a large role in the average novel, it’s necessary that we put as much effort into it as possible.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post The Seven Deadly Novel Writing Sins: Dialogue Disasters appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘The writing is flat.’ The question is, what does that really mean?

Flat writing is where the prose lies dead on the page. Descriptions, characters and stakes are conveyed in such a bland manner that the reader ceases to care. Either the writer lacks the confidence in their writing style to get their ideas across in a way that holds shape, or they need to work on their ability to bring that texture and balance into their manuscript. Flat wordsmithing can disguise itself in many forms, so this is something we all need to be on the lookout for.

Descriptive Woes

Description is the writer’s most powerful tool in translating what they see in their head onto the page. Not only does it breathe life into settings, characters and emotions, it is one area where honing our skills IS A MUST. Flat description often happens when the writer doesn’t strive hard enough to utilize the five senses.

Sensory feedback also comes to us in every breath, movement, sound, and taste. Why should writing be any less dimensional? Tastes, textures, sounds, smells…well anyone who uses this blog regularly knows my descriptive thesaurus collections are all about utilizing these senses in addition to sight. When describing, take advantage of the range of senses. The reward is a much more vivid experience for the reader.

Poor Word Choice

Repeat after me: THE THESAURUS IS YOUR FRIEND. Strong verbs. Accurate modifiers. Stay away from walking fast if you’re really sprinting or lurching, don’t drop a cup of juice when you can have it smash against the floor and spray yellow ropes of liquid across the cupboard.

Always strive to find the strongest, most apt words to describe…while remaining firmly seated in the narrator’s range of knowledge and speech and true to your voice. In other words, if the POV character/narrator is a 10 year old girl living on a farm, she’s not going to sound like a Harvard graduate when describing the world around her.

And while using that thesaurus, remember it needs to be used in moderation. One or two strong descriptors are better than a paragraph of purple prose.

Over Baked Ideas

Cliches. Well-worn descriptions. White as a bone? A rosebud smile? Breaking up with your BF under an umbrella in a rainstorm? Two words: RUN AWAY.

Often the first thing that comes to mind is a well-worn description or something that could border on the cliche. Don’t feel bad about this! I doubt there’s a writer out there who hasn’t penned a cliche during the heat of the first draft. But anything worth doing is worth doing well, and that’s what revision is all about. If you spot something that feels a little too familiar, stretch yourself into brainstorming a new way to get this description across to the reader.

Grammar, Punctuation, Style

I’d say probably 90% of writers have a passionate dislike for these three words. I think of them as a necessary evil, like taxes and politicians. A working knowledge of sentence structure, punctuation and grammar is important. Nothing stops a reader faster than poor wording, run on sentences or bad grammar. And spelling? We’re all guilty of a missed typo now and again, but no manuscript should go without an affectionate rub down via Spell Check.

Some writers use the excuse that rules are ‘made to be broken’ to get out of the tedium of learning P & G. The concept of rule breaking is filled with debate–can we? Should we? Certainly. Done right, the writer can achieve great things. Done wrong, they look like a hack. Bottom line: know grammar and punctuation inside and out before attempting to break a rule and have a good reason for doing so.

To avoid flat writing, be aware of sentence structure. Sentences with little or no variation (all long and unwieldy, or too choppy) can ruin the experience for the reader. The good news on this one is, the more you practice, the more that variation becomes second nature.

Under-developed Ideas, Characters and General Vagueness

Know the manuscript. If the writer doesn’t know their characters very well or is a little hazy on what they are doing or feeling, it shows. If the writer tunes out during a passage of writing, you can bet the reader will too. Look for flat places during re-reads and spiff them up through development and better description.

Can you think of other ways the writing can appear flat?

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Seven Deadly Novel Writing Sins: Flat Wordsmithing appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Your plot is the meat and direction of the novel. Even the most compelling characters lie flat on the page without something to do. For some, plotting comes as natural as breathing, and for others it seems like a mountainous task. Either way, plotting correctly is easier said than done. Here are some of the potential landmines waiting in the plotting department:

Plot Holes

Logic, logic, logic. If there is one rule we must understand as writers, it is the art of following logic. Noticeable inconsistencies in the plot are gaping holes of doom to the novel.

Plot holes happen in different ways. A character can act illogically. A storyline can proceed in an unnatural way with no foreshadowing or set up. Key information or critical factors to the success or failure of the storyline are ignored. A plot hole is a missing piece of the puzzle that the reader can and does notice, and they will not love you for it.

Before you pronounce a book complete and send it out into the big bad world of publishing, read the book specifically for places where the logic doesn’t add up, characters’ choices and actions don’t ring true or the obstacles and goals aren’t realistic. This is where a critique group can really be a help, providing the critical eye and distance from the work that an author cannot always achieve on their own.

Too Many Subplots

Poignant subplots add layers to the story and characters, but too many can ruin a plot. If readers have to work hard at keeping the characters and their story lines straight, there’s too much going on. Maybe characters are vying for importance (sin # 3) or maybe the writer has so many great ideas they can’t decide which subplots to include. The answer is not to include them all, but rather to be ruthless and judge each on its ability to enhance or contrast the MC’s plight in the main plot. Never let the subplots cannibalize the plot or over-complicate the novel. If you suspect you have too much going on, narrow the focus and cut, cut, cut.

Too Few Subplots

On the other side of the page is a book with little or no subplots to tug the reader in deeper. Subplots are a great way to add depth to the storyline and the characters, add complication to the main plot and also provide other needs/goals for the readers to root for as the book angles toward the climax and resolution.

Think of a book as a journey by boat down river. If the main plot line is working alone, the journey downstream will be swift and somewhat linear. The scope of experience is the rocking motion of the boat, the sky overhead and sightings of local flora and fauna from the railing. But if the boat pulls into the eddies once in a while to allow travelers to get off, pull off their socks to stroll along the banks and along pebbled beaches, the experience becomes textured and so much richer.

Saggy Middles

Middles are the bane of many writers. This is the time where the hero is tested, and then tested again. They struggle, they may fail, but they must rise again and ultimately emerge with the tools and confidence they need to take on the climax. Often middles sag because the writer is so busy showing the inner journey of the MC they forget that the outer journey must always SHOW STRONG FORWARD MOVEMENT.

Pacing can also suffer because the writer is repetitive in their tests and obstacles. A sharp eye is needed to keep the pacing on track. Conflict is they key to successful middles, and each test must add to the character’s knowledge, experience and dedication to the task ahead. With middles, less is more. Make every scene earn the right to be part of your plot. If one doesn’t work hard enough, pull out the chainsaw.

Coincidences

Every writer should be very wary of this flaw, because it is directly tied to the reader’s Suspension of Disbelief. SoD is the reader’s decision to put aside disbelief and accept the novel’s premise as being REAL until the book ends. The danger lies in the fact that the reader’s SoD can only be pushed so far, and once they are carried over the line into disbelief, THERE IS NO RECOVERY. Worse, they may be so upset that they will not pick up another book by the author. Understanding SoD can not only save your book…it can save an author’s career.

Coincidences should be avoided whenever possible. Rarely do they need to be included in order for the writer to gather all the right elements to bring on the solution or resolution. Pay close attention to that word: RARELY. Strive to avoid coincidences, but if you must include one, make it small and seemingly insignificant. That’s the only way to fly under the radar.

Sometimes writers use coincidences as a method of letting their hero catch a break. Again, make it small. If the hero goes to some one’s place of business because they need something imperative from them and actually find them at work–that’s catching a break. But when the Hero is vacationing half way across the world from his small town in Kansas and in walks his neighbor who just happens to be vacationing at the same time, at the same place, and happens to choose the same dive bar to have a drink at? Never in a million years will the reader believe this was ‘happenstance.’

Dropped Plot Lines

Loose ends are never good in a novel. If you feel a sub plot is important enough to earn a place in your book, see it through to the end. Dropped subplots leave your reader in limbo, wondering whatever happened to so and so, and did he ever find out about x? It is possible for a subplot to reach a milestone but not be fully resolved, but only if the book is being billed as one out of a series, and only if it still fulfills its role correctly in the current book.

Plotting snafus take time and energy to solve, but a compelling plot line is pure gold and worth striving for. Can you think of other snafus to be wary of?

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Seven Deadly Novel Writing Sins: Plot Problems appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Voice is one of the most elusive aspects of writing. If you struggle with it, you are not alone. Just understanding what it is can be a challenge. When a writer speaks of voice, do they mean the way a character talks, the way the MC comes across to the reader or something deeper, something that infuses the story from beginning to end?

To me Voice can be summed up in a single word: authenticity. Voice is when the writer blends their unique writing style with their intimate character knowledge and viewpoint to elevate story telling into an actual, moving experience for the reader. Voice is the song of the story, the heartbeat of the main character. It is nothing short of magic.

A strong voice is the writer’s devotion coming through. Their portrayal of the POV character entrances the reader–every word, every description, every thought and action of the MC rings true. Real. Authentic.

The focal point of Voice centers on the POV character. This authenticity and realism transforms the main character into someone the reader believes in, cares about and roots for. A connection is forged that cannot be broken because to the reader, the character and his plight feels real.

Missing the mark with Voice creates a ‘watered down’ effect where the MC’s essence isn’t captured as completely. A weak voice is dangerous, because the reader will not be emotionally invested as they read…if they even choose to read on. Several things can contribute to a weak voice.

The writer doesn’t know the character well enough

This is the difference between asking, “What would someone do in this situation?” and “What would my main character do in this situation?” The MC is not just anyone–they are unique. Their footprint alone must be placed in every action and decision. If the writer doesn’t know the character well enough, the reader will not believe in the character’s choices and actions, or be bored by the MC’s ‘generic’ feel and predictability. KNOW YOUR CHARACTER AS WELL AS YOU KNOW YOURSELF.

The writer has doubts about their ability to tell the story

As writers, doubt can be difficult to banish. We tend to analyze our skills and abilities constantly. After all, this is a business where being told, ‘Sorry, this isn’t what we want’ happens all to frequently. Rejection often leads to self doubt and reevaluation. It’s the nature of what we do.

However, doubt must never enter the picture when writing a novel. Pushing away negatives may be hard, but it must be done to achieve the authority needed to bring that compelling voice into play. The core belief that this story is ours because we know the characters inside and out is imperative for a successful voice. We then prove it by writing a story that comes alive for the reader. If the writer doesn’t believe, the voice will suffer as a result.

The writer is not ‘all in’

Writing is all about pushing the envelope. How far can we push our characters, how far can we push the reader? There is a fine line between completely captivating the reader and forcing disbelief by going too far. We cannot be afraid to walk this line. If the writer holds back, the voice is dulled by hesitation.

Making choices based on how a novel might be received, pulling punches to soften a scene or ‘save’ the character, pushing the writer’s agenda to preach (yes, sin #2)–all of these sabotage the story and weaken the voice. Don’t be too risk-adverse. Commit and give it everything you’ve got.

Poorly chosen POV

POV is closely tied to the Writer’s Authenticity. After all, the POV chosen will have a huge impact on how the story is received by readers. Done right, it proves that the writer has nailed the story telling. The wrong POV changes the focus and delivery, and not for the better. POV hurdles often come in three forms:

-The POV chosen does not do the story justice

Sometimes the choice of POV for the story doesn’t paint the picture as well as it should. Each POV will change the perspective being offered, so choosing the right one for the story is important. First Person puts the reader right into the character’s head, but they are limited to personal knowledge only. Omniscient POV tells us everything, but requires a deft hand to wield or character transitions end up as drunken head-hopping. Third Person can sometimes create a good in-between, but is that enough? Bottom line–consider all aspects of the story and decide which POV (and which character) can deliver the most gripping account.

–POV is shared between characters because the writer can’t decide who’s story it is

Sometimes the writer falls in love with their characters to the point where they cannot bear to leave anyone’s story untold. The result is often muddled plot lines and the reader feeling unsure about who to care about most. *Note, this is different from intentional POV sharing in order to provide a cohesive tale of multiple characters.*

If the writer doesn’t know who’s story it is, how will the reader? Frustration will ensue and the writer will be lucky to retain the reader’s interest. TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW THE STORY. If the story line is nailed down, deciding who’s POV to concentrate on is easy, because one character and one plot line naturally stands out as the strongest. Be ruthless to the other characters. Not everyone can sit in the driver’s seat.

–The writer is inexperienced in the chosen POV

Some POVs are harder to master than others. Omni or First person are often viewed as the most difficult to get right and unfortunately inexperience shows. Sometime a writer is better of sticking to what they know. But what if they feel the story’s power will be diluted if told through any other POV?

In that case, Practice, practice, practice. Read widely in the POV, and find good critique partners. Other writers who can offer honesty and mentorship will help the writer learn the POV inside and out! Time and energy put into developing our craft always pays off.

What are your thoughts on the importance of POV & Voice? Can you think of other ways where improper handling causes power to be leeched from the story and lead character?

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Seven Deadly Novel Writing Sins: Voice and Point of View appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

The most brilliant plot is nothing without the right characters. The writer’s job is to create unique, emotionally charged characters that are strong enough to drive the story. The characters we choose can make or break a novel, and a single misstep can turn a credible hero into a counterfeit that the reader has no patience for.

Common missteps in characterization:

–Pushing ‘Natural Character Quirks’ Too Far

An example of this would be Stephanie Meyer’s Bella Swan. Not to pick on SM or Twilight, but I don’t know anyone who’s read this book and doesn’t feel that Bella comes across as too clumsy. There’s clumsy, then falling/bumping/dropping something on every page clumsy. If you overdo it, the reader notices, and it unfortunately interferes with their connection to the character.

–Unmotivated Characters

If the character is more passive than active, why should the reader care about them? Chances are, Sin # 1 has been committed and the stakes are too low. Create a stronger emotional investment to the events taking place.

–They Don’t Come Across as Real People (cliched, too perfect, too flawed)

I’ve posted a series on common character cliches, so I won’t reinvent the wheel here. Yes, it can be tough to spin a character in a new way, but it’s something every writer MUST do. If we don’t, the character ceases to be an individual and instead becomes a stereotype. The Jock. The Good Girl. The Hard Ass. 9.9 times out of 10, a character cliche crutch means the writer needs to delve deeper to really understand who their character is.

Sometimes a character is noticeably too perfect or too flawed. Either way, the reader will not embrace them as they should because they don’t feel ‘authentic.’ Real people have both flaws and strengths, and so should characters.

Even if there is an unbalanced set of circumstances to contend with, NEVER make the sole focus on what a character has or doesn’t have. Instead emphasize what they DO with what they have. A boy can live a perfect, privileged life and still make bad choices. Or a girl can have the odds stacked against her and still succeed through perseverance and the support of those around her. Humanize the character by showing them overcoming weakness and honing strengths to get what they desire.

–Emotions Runneth Over

One word: melodrama. Absolutely a character should show his or her emotions, but not to the point where the reader gags at the levels being displayed. The portrayal of emotion must be equal to the circumstance and too much can create an instant dislike of the character. High drama all the time does not allow the reader a break to absorb and enjoy other aspects of the novel.

–The Character is Above the Law

Conflict is all about choices and consequences. Is there a better way to alienate a reader than to write a character who never has to face the music for his or her decisions? If character is never held accountable and everything always works out nice and neat for them, the reader feels cheated and angry at not just the character, but the writer.

–Logic Faux Pas/Forcing Agendas

This happens when the writer characterizes a main or secondary character one way but their actions do not line up with who they are. The reader is pulled out of the scene because the character is not acting logically. Their behavior rings false or worse, reeks of the writer’s agenda. NEVER, EVER BREAK THE SPELL.

What are some other ways a character can come across as a counterfeit? What books can you think of where this sin has been committed and it affected your connection to the character?

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Seven Deadly Sins of Novel Writing: Counterfeit Characters appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Sin#1: Low Stakes

Stakes are paramount in a novel–they force your character to act. High personal stakes create strong conflict because each choice or action will carry a hefty price. Low stakes lead to mediocre conflict and a risk that the reader will not care about the outcome.

Often low stakes can be attributed to two things:

–the storyline lacks adequate conflict

Conflict is the key to holding the reader’s attention and the driving force behind forward story movement and character investment. Pushing your character to clash with the forces against him or her is what gets the blood pumping–this is conflict! By infusing your story with scenes where characters experience heightened emotion and face powerful obstacles you not only create high stakes in your novel, you also raise them for the reader. Pages turn because your audience is drawn into the action, compelled to find out what happens next.

–The writer doesn’t push the characters hard enough

Sometimes the stakes are high, the consequences dire, the action bursting off the page…and the character does not rise to the challenge. While indecision is often a large part of any thought process when facing difficult choices, it cannot overrun the character’s actions. At some point, the character MUST COMMIT to a chosen course and put their all into it.

Other times, the writer sabotages the story because they care too much about a character to shove them in harm’s way or force them to do the dirty work. If circumstances or another character always swoop in and save the day, the stakes flatline. CHARACTERS ARE NOT OUR CHILDREN. Never hesitate to throw them into the path of a bus. Only then can we really see what they are made of.

Can you think of other ways low stakes ruin a novel? Have you ever cared about a character so much you struggled to force them to face their fears?

Sin # 2 Counterfeit Characters
Sin # 3 Missing the Mark on Voice & POV
Sin # 4 Plot Snafus
Sin # 5 Flat Wordsmithing
Sin # 6 Dialogue Disaster
Sin # 7 TMI (Too Much Information)
BONUS SIN  Disappointing the Reader

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post The Seven Deadly Sins of Novel Writing: Low Stakes appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.