Last time I imparted some advice I'd gleaned from literary agents and publishing editors from several writers' conferences I've attended over the last couple of years. Today we're going to go over some common writing mistakes that you will want to fix before submitting your book baby to an agent, a publisher, or before you upload your manuscript to Amazon or any other online book retailer.
- Filter words are excess words that put a barrier (filter) between the reader and what a character is experiencing. They do this by placing the character in the central spotlight, instead of the experience. Filter words work against the widely accepted writing technique of ‘show, don’t tell’, as they explain what’s happening, instead of letting the reader interpret meaning for themselves. (from AJC Publishing)
So avoid: feel/felt, decided, noted, realized, heard, saw, looked, listened, knew
- Dialogue tags. This is an issue widely debated in the industry. Some authors truly are willing to die on the hill of using "said" and "ask" for every bit of dialogue. The fiction publishing industry (agents and publishers) prefer action tags instead. Both instances are treated differently.
*When using dialogue tags, use a comma.
"I'm going to my friend's house," she said.
*When using action tags, the dialogue is followed or preceded by a period.
"I'm going to my friend's house." She slammed the door behind her.
- Know your Commas.
Oxford commas are used in publishing. This means use a comma before the "and" in a list.
- Comma versus Semi-colon and Colon
- Use colon when you're essentially saying, "Look! I'm about to give you more information."
- Use semi-colon when there's a new sentence related to the previous. Way to gauge this is to ask if the sentences could stand alone. If not, use a comma.
- Passive Voice (avoid it)
If the subject performs the action, you're good.
If the subject receives the action, it's passive. Reword.
- Weak Verbs
Crutch words - generally known as the "to be verbs" or words such as "was, were, started, began,..." Eliminate them to keep readers engaged and the voice active.
There are so many other common issues literary agents and publishers find in manuscripts that drive them batty (this is their own words, not mine). But I could write an entire book on the topic so I'll sprinkle some advice here and there.
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