Here are five “don’ts” that you should avoid when writing. Most of these are common even for experienced writers so it has become commonplace for amateurs to imitate these mistakes. There are some exceptions of when some of these “don’ts” actually have worked but they are rare, and it’s better to avoid them if necessary.
Do not make yourself the main character
This one might be obvious to some but I have encountered both amateurs and even experienced writers that keep making the character just like themselves. It’s not as astoundingly unnoticeable as the writers seem to think either. When the main character is not that pretty, loves writing books, has a hobby, like history or gaming, and has some very specific opinions such as thinking higher education is useless or that religion is just using you then it becomes obvious. The only thing different is that the author ALWAYS adds a sad backstory, often coming from an abusive backstory that often is far more shallow than the characters’ interest in random things that clearly are the author’s hobby.
Now, are there authors who can pull it off? Yes, but you have to divert fairly much from your own personality and hobbies. Especially hobbies since they tend to be the most obvious ones. It’s often no need to know that a character loves writing if you have no intention of making the character being pulled into a book where they can change reality by writing or something like it.
Do not shift the point of view if not absolutely necessary
This one might not be as obvious as it has become quite a trend to shift to different characters’ points of view, often in romances. The problem is that not every view of point has anything to give the reader and doing it just because it is a trend never gives a good result. Take a step back and consider, what point of view is important to convey the story and try and keep it to one or two people.
There are some genres that break this rule. Fantasy, for example, tend to have a bunch of characters’ points of view but remember that each character here often gives pieces of the story. They aren’t just there to be flashy.
Do not rush forward without explaining certain things
Now, I do want to clarify that I don’t mean that you have to infodump, which is the other side of the coin in this problem. What I mean is those instances when the author tend to hurry a story along so they can get to the “good stuff” without properly allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the world and into the characters.
Normally, this tends to be done in one way. In the first and second chapters, the author tells us a bunch of stuff. Often telling us the backstory, hobby, and opinions of the main character, then an action is told to us, such as the character getting kidnapped and saved. Then we are told about the world by the savior, and then the main character is suddenly perfectly integrated into the world and whatever new stuff they have encountered. A normal person with no further experience is suddenly the best spy/witch/hunter (insert whatever the book is about) who needs to learn things but seems to have no problem doing so.
You now have the first chapter of a book where the reader has no impression of the main character because knowing they are normal, likes (insert hobby), and was bullied when they were kids, don’t tell us anything worth knowing. We don’t care about the world we are introduced to because it only has been told instead of shown to us. It becomes transparent that the author rushed forward, almost liked they skipped writing the first book and went straight to the second one, because they wanted to go straight to the cream. Unfortunately, the cream is nothing without a good foundation.
Do not forget to have a message when writing
A message becomes the core of the story. It’s around this message or goal you will build the plot which is why writing just because it is fun to write is never a good idea. Consider what you want to say? What is the purpose of the story?
A good way to determine a goal is to consider what the ending is as that’s when the goal of the story is supposed to be revealed. If you don’t have an ending to your story then there is a risk that the goal of the book becomes unclear and the reader will feel unsatisfied.
Of course, you don’t have to be specific, but at least consider having something in mind. For example, Tolkien’s Lord of the rings goal is often considered to be “even the smallest person can make a difference” and “even the kindest person can be corrupted”. Neither are specific but if you have does, then you will have a clear-thinking process in how your character should behave and what they need to face in the book to make this message come across to your reader.
Today, a lot of books (especially romances and action stories) tend to forget a message and just become a lackluster mess of tropes. Looking at famous romances such as Pride and Prejudice, you can clearly see a message and the message help your reader understand and be invested in the plot. I’m sure there are some exceptions. I remember studying literature history at the university and we went into a movement back into the day where the whole purpose was for the author to write without a clear goal or ending in mind when starting. I also think there was a reason why no one has ever heard of any of the stories made by these authors so have that in mind.
Do not write in educational facts or opinions if they don’t suit the story
This one happens far more often than many authors want to admit. Imagine starting to read a love story of a girl being transported into a magical world, with fairies and wizards, starting to learn magic in a magical school only for the plot to come to a halt because the main character suddenly decides to rant about animal rights, women’s movement or historical facts that just don’t have anything to do with what is going on. You will have encountered it if you have read any books. These bits are the author’s personal experience or own political opinions that sneaks onto the pages to educate you.
Some are fine if it gives insight into the world or characters but most of the time they stick out like sore thumbs. It becomes obvious that it’s the author’s opinion and not the character. An example would be recently when I read Schooled in Magic by Christopher G. Nuttall when the sixteen-year-old main character suddenly starts to talk about how she will enter the university only to get a degree and don’t get a job, wasting her time in a dead-end job. It became so clear that was the author’s experience not that of a teenage girl.
If you want to make something educational, make it subtle and consider if it actually fits the story. If it doesn’t then you should consider removing it from the story.
There are many pitfalls when writing but these are becoming more and more commonplace so I would like to mention them for you who wants to learn more about writing. I do hope that some of these advices were of help to you!
With Kind Regards
Senefer.
Read with Senefer 