Thread by @AlyssaMatesic

Even w/ the best story idea, compelling characters & a solid plot, your story won’t resonate if the writing falls flat.

In editing hundreds of novels, I’ve compiled 5 common examples of weak writing I often see, so you can identify & correct them in your own WIP (#amwriting 🧵):

1. Vague character descriptions. Listing adjectives is not the strongest way to convey a character’s persona. We want to see those adjectives in action. SHOW us how your characters think, feel & act. This will make them come alive & feel like layered, authentic human beings.

2. Excessive imagery. Be mindful of lingering too long on descriptions. While many writers do this aiming for more poetic prose, piling too many images can be clunky & obscure your message.

Opt for a single powerful image, metaphor or analogy to convey your point effectively.

3. Distracting choreography. Avoid over-describing what characters are physically doing when it isn’t crucial (e.g., we don’t need choreography after EVERY line of dialogue).

Give us just enough to know what’s going on w/out distracting from the important parts of the scene.

4. Overdone sentiments. Conveying characters’ emotions is critical to get readers invested, but don’t veer into melodrama. It can feel inauthentic & turn readers off.

Cut excessive exclamation points, all caps & ellipses. When conveying extreme emotions, less is often more.

5. Meaningless details. Ensure you’re only drawing the reader’s attention to the elements that matter in each scene. If you spend time dwelling on irrelevant details, it affects the story’s overall flow. Ask yourself if each detail is important to what happens. If not, cut it.

5 types of weak writing to fix in your WIP:
1. Vague character descriptions
2. Excessive imagery
3. Distracting choreography
4. Overdone sentiments
5. Meaningless details

Edit your draft w/ these in mind. You’ll be amazed @ how much stronger your story will be! #writingcommunity