Issue 4: Unclear Goals of the Character: One of the largest issues with writing is a lack of clear goals on the part of the character. When the story begins to develop it needs to be clear right out of the box to the reader what the mission is that the character is trying to achieve. Without this piece of information it is like leading the reader down a winding path with no point of conclusion.
Issue 5: No Episodic Writing: Every scene in a book should move the plot forward. The scene should not just tell you something about the character, but must in fact be written with purpose and with significance. For this reason as you are planning out your scenes make certain that you think about all of the elements of the plot whether the manuscript is fiction or nonfiction.
Each detail must move the plot forward and carry the reader down the path towards full unveiling and the plot twists. Again here think like a suspense writer and carry the reader down the path of the story.
Issue 6: Grammar and Punctuation Issues: Believe it or not there are many manuscripts which make their way all the way to the printing presses still riddled with issues in grammar and punctuation. This means that the editing process has not been completed, and the most astute readers will notice this right out of the box as they are thumbing through the pages. Again as the book is a finely crafted piece of art it must be treated as such. A manuscript full of issues looks unprepared, unrefined, and also leaves a ding in the credibility of the author.
Issue 7: Long Narrative Rants by Characters: Ok we get it, your main character does not like fill in the blank, pollution, terrorism, abortion, or the color of the walls. However, the place for characters to express long diatribes and soap boxes of information is not inside the text of the book. The reader really does not care about the political views of the character if they are not relevant to the story. Unless the book is politically based or it is important to the story these elements have no place here.
Issue 8: Lack of Tension: Many authors largest mistake is not giving an adequate level of tension between characters and leaving a lot of development off the table. This means that the reader has no way to buy into the plot line that the writer is executing without the proper level of conflict. Without the reader buy in, most likely the book will be folded, closed, and set to the side.
Issue 9: Lackluster Writing: So people come to books to have an experience and to escape the everyday and mundane existence which plagues us. For this reason the quality of writing, style, verse, prose, and every line should be high above the content which is being read in the daily paper. The content must transport, lift and inspire. Many writers forget this in their style and instead continue with the same writing they might utilize while writing a memo or something of that sort. Readers do not buy content for lackluster content so as writers we must remember our fundamental role as guides on a journey which we are leading.
Issue 10: Riddled with Clichés: What is a cliché exactly? It is a tired notion that has become a part of a piece of literature. It can be a person; it can be an example, a theme, or a setting. Clichés are not isolated only to people. It could be the image of the damsel in distress who is unable to do anything on her own or it could be the 50s greaser.
Readers are looking for new people, new places, and new devices to take them there. Considering so many ideas are merely repeated over and over the way to keep things fresh and interesting as a writer is to make certain that you are using new ways to express ideas and new ways to express people.
Issue 11: Impatience with a Critic: Remember when people are reading your work before it is submitted for publishing that they may be critical of certain elements. A friend who reads your work may not give you an honest opinion of your work and may offer you an inflated idea of the quality. Make certain that before your manuscript is submitted for publishing that it is completely edited, not just for content but for style, clichés and any other lurking issues.
Issue 12: Egos: Writers out there, this kind of fits into the previous issue that I’ve just discussed but let’s be honest, as writers we all have a bit of an ego, and would like to believe that excellent content can be produced on the first version without revision and editing. However, we must remember that we are perfectly able to improve our work. And sometimes it takes an outside perspective to know how and where to improve.
Little details are sometimes glossed over in a manuscript review when we are looking at it ourselves. Again it is best to have a manuscript undergo at least 3 revisions before it is uploaded to kindle as final content. When unfinished or flawed copy is presented to readers the brand of the writer is ultimately what is cheapened.
Issue 13: Curse of Knowing: This is a disease which writer’s suffer from which means that they have a hard time expressing what it is they are trying to say. Considering the writer knows the entire plot, all of the characters and everything that he wants to transfer to the paper it is easy to see how some of the transfer of knowledge could be missing. Essentially as writers it is very important for us to remember that people cannot read our minds and will not know what it is we are trying to say, that is unless we write it.
Issue 14: Talking Down to Readers: For a writer it is very important for him to remember that his readers are his flock. Therefore, a writer should write like a teacher to impart information and to share knowledge. The worst thing possible that a writer can do to isolate the audience is to decide that he needs to speak from a pulpit and talk down to the readers.
Issue 15: Just Like Everyone Else: Make certain that your manuscript is not the same as everyone else’s, make it unique. Find out what books and other works are already on the market that are similar to yours. Research to make sure that you are not copying intentionally the same plot line, setting or the same character models over and over again, this way your work will be unique and more likely to sell.
In summation make certain that you avoid these pitfalls and know what works and what doesn’t work. Your manuscript should undergo at least 2–3 revisions before it is uploaded and the more critical the eye looking at your work the better. This will help you avoid mistakes that will leave you dead in the water and wondering what happened.
Chapter VIII: A Perfect Beginning and Perfect End
In a book what makes a great beginning? How do you grab your reader and keep them there?
Great Character Development: The first thing that a reader will start to connect with in the book will be the character. Is he real? Is he able to connect with the reader? Does the reader have an invested stake in the first few pages with the character? This all depends on the development skills of the author.
Conflict: There needs to be a conflict or at least the start of one. This is the way that a struggle is started whether it is a psychological struggle or a personal one. Or it might be a conflict between two opposing parties; here we must understand the intricacies of building conflict and tension. There needs to be something lurking in the beginning which is troubling the main character.
Specific Details: There needs to be the use of specific details in the beginning of the book so that it is possible for the reader to connect with the setting, the location, the dialect, and all other attributes. The reader will easily be able to connect to the location which is being used and will also be able to feel as if they are in the shoes of the character.