Writing Don'ts

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Re: Writing Don'ts

Post by bluemel4 »

As a reader I am often annoyed when writers stray too far from the main story. Asides can be useful but if they muddle the story they are frustrating.
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Post by readinglove15 »

Hmm, interesting question!

Authors should use a wide range of words. That said, don't over-do and use big words as this will make the reader feel 'dumb'.

In romance books, one of the worst things an author can do, is have their characters fall in love too quickly. If it happens too quickly, the reader loses interest in the book. Angst and/or slow build-up is the way to go.

In most books, don't reveal everything that's in your head - the reader doesn't gain from knowing all the information you do as an author, frankly it makes it boring.

If writing erotica please ensure the positions are humanly possible because if not, its a huge turn-off.
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Post by Cee-Jay Aurinko »

* sound readerrev

Did you know Stephen King didn't like his main character in Carrie at all? Yeah, he absolutely hated her. But Carrie was his first novel. First one to be published, that is.
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Post by moderntimes »

bluemel4 wrote:As a reader I am often annoyed when writers stray too far from the main story. Asides can be useful but if they muddle the story they are frustrating.
Much of the straying is often due to excessive backstory. It's essential that you tell the reader something about the background of the principal characters, their education, family, personal traits, but it can be overdone and this drags a book to a screeching halt. I just reviewed a mystery book that had an excellent premise, fine and interesting characters, but maybe 1/3 of the book was backstory. You'd be reading an interesting plot sequence and then the author would interject yet another episode in the character's past, at least 2 pages of it. By the time the plot took up again, I'd lost interest.

So, yeah, another "don't" is to ensure that you don't have excessive backstory. Fill the readers in on your characters' histories a little at a time, and do so with reserve.

-- 23 Jun 2015, 12:13 --
readinglove15 wrote:Hmm, interesting question!

Authors should use a wide range of words. That said, don't over-do and use big words as this will make the reader feel 'dumb'.

In romance books, one of the worst things an author can do, is have their characters fall in love too quickly. If it happens too quickly, the reader loses interest in the book. Angst and/or slow build-up is the way to go.

In most books, don't reveal everything that's in your head - the reader doesn't gain from knowing all the information you do as an author, frankly it makes it boring.

If writing erotica please ensure the positions are humanly possible because if not, its a huge turn-off.
Very good points!

Per vocabulary, I may disagree. If you are writing an "upscale" novel, you can use complex words IF they fit the story and characters. Don't interject them just to show off. But if a character is highly educated and smart, that character will necessarily have a much more advanced vocabulary. Just ensure that it matches the character and isn't pompous (unless of course you've got a pompous character). Even if you do, don't push the issue or the character will overrun the story line and make it drag.

Naturally, if you're writing fiction for juveniles, you want to challenge them and not talk down to them but also use a vocabulary that's suitable for their age group. Myself, I only write fiction for adults so that's not an issue. I do however write for a fairly educated readership, and my novels contain literary references to Joyce, Shakespeare, Faulkner, and other sources, as well as having characters who are highly literate and educated and therefore speak in that fashion.

I don't read romances but your point is general: Don't shove the characters into a situation (love, anger, fight, etc) without preparation. Otherwise it's gonna be a Michael Bay movie. Boooring.

You're also correct about not revealing too much -- part of this is done via backstory which I already mentioned. But too much mental narrative can also drag down the rhythm of a book.

Erotica isn't my genre but my private detective did have a very explicit romance in my newest novel, and I, er, "replayed" from my own experiences to ensure that the lovemaking was believable. Contortionists need not apply.
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Post by Eyre-thee-well »

moderntimes wrote:
Seriously... Do not, as zelda says, let the beginning drag with too much backstory. Start chapter one in medias res if possible and then go back and fill in as necessary.
I used to think in media res was the best way to start. But recently I have read a lot of trade pubs advising against it, that editors aren't really keen on it too much anymore. That really drove the novel I'm working on to a crashing halt because I had what I thought to be a good hook to pull the reader in and then some flashbacks. I've been floundering as to where I start my story :?:
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Post by moderntimes »

Eyre, in medias res is just fine. What is overdone is spending too much time on that section. If your book is first rate and publishable, editors won't reject it just because of an IMR chapter. If they don't like that they will ask you to change it. When my books were acquired, the editors were pretty helpful with constructive suggestions on my book, and I made quite a few changes that improved the story and pacing.

In my opinion, there is far too much chaff spinning around here in this forum about how professional publishing is horrible and that your only recourse is self publishing. Don't believe it.

But also, don't resort on too many flashbacks -- flashbacks are essentially the same as backstory, and these need to be minimized. Too much backstory can sink a book's pacing and drag it to a screeching halt. Minimize them and salt your book with a few, but don't make them too long or you'll lose the reader's attention to the current story line.
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Post by Eyre-thee-well »

Thanks! That is very good advice. And I would much rather professionally publish rather than self publish. I don't think I could self-promote that well, for one thing.
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Post by moderntimes »

One thing about self publishing: You are the one who pays. One thing about pro publishing: They pay you. Case closed.

More about writing don'ts --

Don't believe a lot of things you read on the net. Let's face it -- the internet is full of chaff, and separating that from the wheat is essential. There are lots of current commentaries about how evil professional publishing is, and how the newbie writer has zero chance, and if they "get their hooks in you" it's why you should self publish.

I have been professionally published for most of my adult life -- major newspapers, the AP, slick national magazines or local monthlies, weekly newsmags in various cities, and so on. And both of my private detective novels were professionally acquired, edited, and professionally published in both trade paperback and e-book. And I paid ZERO money -- I was paid for my work instead, as it should be.

Is it difficult to get professionally published? You betcha. Is it worth the effort? I think so.

The trend I've seen in pro publishing is this, and I don't like it -- as few as 20 years ago, there was a sliding scale for payment of advances. New and unproved writers were low pay, and the amount of advance was a generally slide up to the big time writers. Now, there's a huge gap instead of a gentle sliding scale -- top writers get huge advances, or celebs the same, aka Hillary getting millions for her flop of a book. And so the money is overspent on large advances for those few at the top, and the drop is substantial for new writers. This is cold truth about modern business. So a big advance is possible but not likely for a newbie writer -- more likely $1,000 to $10,000 max.

But remember -- even if the book flops, you do NOT have to return an advance. And the money flow is into your wallet instead of out, regardless of the advance or royalties. Whereas, self publishing is money going out of your wallet (or purse). They don't call it "vanity publishing" for nothing.

So... writing don'ts? Don't pass on conventional publishing first time through. Try to get published professionally if at all possible. It happens all the time --- I read plenty of new writer mysteries and review them, and they are quite good usually. And these are published by mid-level or major presses. Hey, if I can get published and paid real money, so can you, so try it first, okay? Nuff said.
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