Common Writing Errors
Even the best writers occasionally make errors, whether in spelling, punctuation or diction, or simply in the way they structure their manuscripts. Here are some of the most common mistakes writers make.
Frequent Mistakes Writers Make
1. Beginner Writers May Cause Adjective Overload
Not everything you write needs to be described in intricate detail. Sometimes your reader prefers to create their own mental picture of a scene or character. In fact, sometimes omitting all adjectives can make for stronger writing and leave your reader guessing.
Avoid Putting Adjectives Before Every Noun
As a general rule, try to avoid putting an adjective before every noun. For instance, don't write: Rob ran his large, calloused hands through his, stringy, shoulder-length hair and dramatically opened his big, grey eyes wide when he saw the svelte, beautiful blonde in the sleek red porsche crash into the gleaming motorbike. Good writers use adjectives sparingly and only when needed. Ask yourself, does the reader need to know how long Rob's hair is or that the motorbike is gleaming or that the blonde is beautiful? Are any of these things a given? As a general rule any more than two adjectives in a row is overload. Often adjectives are entirely unnecessary because the object they are describing is already associated with that adjective, e.g. The soft, blue, fluffy pillow ... pillows are generally soft, so soft is unnecessary.
2. Unnecessary Adverbs are a Common Problem for New Writers
Often adverbs can also be left out entirely, particularly when describing speech, to make for stronger writing and grammar. Adverbs modify verbs, so they should be used when it is necessary for the reader to know something specific about how the subject is doing the action. For example, "Sally was hanging up the washing reluctantly" is very different from "Sally was hanging up the washing dutifully." However, sometimes, rather than using an adverb, a better way of enhancing your writing is to use a more appropriate verb. For example, "He ran quickly" would become "He sprinted" and "She spoke haltingly," might become "She stammered." In some cases adverbs are entirely tautological, e.g. "She whispered quietly" (Have you ever heard anyone whisper loudly?)
3. Novice Writers May Use a Character's Name Persistently in Dialogue.
When you speak to your friends or colleagues, you very rarely address them by name, but for some reason first-time authors love to have their characters constantly using each others names in dialogue. For example, "Pete, how could you that do me?" "I'm sorry, Dan. I didn't know she was your wife." "She's not just my wife, Pete, she's my soul mate." "Dan, I said I was sorry, what more do you want". "I want you out of my life, Pete". First-time novelists do this because they are worried that if they don't identify who is speaking the reader will forget. This is not the case. In most cases, if you write interesting dialogue in a conversational style, your reader will be able to follow it with only the occasional reminder of who is speaking. Having strong characters who each have a unique voice or mannerisms will help your readers follow the flow of your dialogue.
4. Some Writers Make the Mistake of Not Including Any Dialogue at All.
Now, don't get me wrong, sometimes this can be a very good strategy as it filters all of the characters and action through a single narrator. In this case, the reader only gets the point of view of the narrator and it is often a good way to show bias or to later reveal that the scenarios the author "sat in on" may have played out very differently. However, it takes a talented writer to make a book work entirely in first person narration without any direct dialogue.
Edit Out Unrealistic Dialogue
Many authors, particularly those writing memoirs, fret that they can't accurately recreate dialogue or that their dialogue will appear unrealistic. The best way to write realistic dialogue is to suspend, for the purposes of dialogue only, some of the more formal rules of grammar. When people speak, they commonly use slang, um and ah, say "well" or "oh" or other expressions, finish sentences with prepositions, interrupt each other, finish other people's sentences for them and trail off, etc. When writing dialogue it is important that you write in a conversational tone using language that fits the character. For instance, if you are writing the voice of an eighty year old woman she may well say things like "My goodness me" when talking to a younger woman, but a male character is unlikely to say such things.
Stay tuned, there are more grammar tips to come...