Blog Post: The Seven Deadly (Writers’) Sins…

[From Our Blog]

New blog post by AgentPete – discussions in this thread, please
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Come over here for a moment, would you?

But be careful of the edge of the table, it’s rather sharp.

Good. Now you can see things from my side of the desk.

That towering pile you see in front of you? It’s what some unkind publishing folk call “the slush pile”. Yes, most of it’s digital these days – but it makes no difference. Whether etched by electrons or penned on paper, it’s still the good old slush pile. Every hopeful manuscript in it exhibits one – frequently more – of the following terminal mistakes.

All of them are easily avoidable. Shall we take a look?

1. Don’t Be Boring!​

As a writer, it is your primary responsibility to interest the reader. The majority of submissions we see fail at this: they are simply not interesting enough to hold the reader’s attention.

This is usually a consequence of the writer’s inability to produce compelling prose: writing that excites a deep emotional response.

Today’s attention-challenged reader needs constant encouragement to keep turning the page. It’s your duty and obligation as a writer to keep the reader doing exactly that. (How do you know if you’re succeeding? Simple. That’s what Litopia’s Lab is for!)

2. Failure to Understand “Point of View”​

Understanding “Point of View” really isn’t rocket science. It’s actually a fundamental writing skill, without which you have no claim to be taken seriously as an author. So learn it… use it… and move on.

3. Don’t Be Derivative​

Too many manuscripts we see are insipid, lifeless imitations of some other writer’s work. Give an agent something that twinkles with the fresh dew of originality, and you may just find that those sparkles turn into diamonds.

4. Don’t Be Afraid Of “The Big Idea”​

Most commercially-successful books have, at their core, a “Big Idea” – a powerful, original, enticing concept capable of seizing the reader’s attention and engaging their mind – and emotions.

Aspiring writers are often intimidated by Big Ideas.

Too often, they feel pressured to deliver something that nicely fits within an agent’s shopping list. But in reality, that’s not how bestsellers actually happen.

Big Ideas are sexy! They get the publishing business wildly excited. They open doors for newcomers. And they earn big money, too.

5. Don’t Neglect Your Craft​

A great concert pianist will typically practice for about four hours a day. How much time do you spend honing your craft?

Too many writers assume that, after a certain point, they have no further need to improve themselves or their writing skills. Yet what sets a good writer apart from the rest is their virtuoso use of the craft.

The price you pay to achieve writing mastery is your willingness to commit to regular, joyful practice.

6. Don’t Hide Your Talent​

It’s amazing how often I’ve seen opening chapters that don’t adequately showcase the best of that particular writer’s talent.

If you have a flair for dialogue, show it! If you can bring tears to the reader’s eyes, do it! If you’re a demon at plotting, start plotting from page one!

If you spend the first three chapters writing yourself into the narrative, and only hit your peak by page fifty, don’t expect anyone in a busy agent’s office to notice your submission. It is vital to front-load your talent. Understand where your writing strengths lie, and make sure you put them on full display, from the very first page.

7. Don’t Give Up!​

“Nobody knows anything,” wrote William Goldman in his wonderful book Adventures In The Screen Trade. “Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work.”

This is as true of publishing as it is of movies. If publishers or agents are unsure about a submission, their natural tendency is to play safe, and pass. Rejection is the default position for publishers: it’s safe. No-one was ever sacked for not spotting JK Rowling.

So don’t become discouraged when you encounter rejection. Which you will – a lot. It’s just how my business operates.

Sadly, persistent rejection can freeze the creative soul of a writer. A successful writer is one who has developed a resilient approach to weathering rejection (as in writing, so in life: resilience is such an under-rated personal attribute).

How to do this? Speak to your compatriots. Confide, let off steam, rage, reconfigure – and plot your next move. We have plenty of spaces for this inside the Colony.

Written with love – and with deep respect for what you do!
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By @AgentPete
Get the discussion going – post your thoughts & comments in the thread below…

 

[RK Wallis]

All such vital advice and it's important not to get in your own way (yes, I'm guilty of that). This is my favourite list to remember:

Where do scripts go wrong, language-wise, beyond the points already covered? Here I have no comprehensive answers, let alone data that can be classed as definitive. But awkwardness does develop in certain special areas often enough to be worth mentioning.

Thus,
a. Sentence structure grows monotonous.
b. Subject and verb are separated.
c. Adverbs are placed improperly.
d. Words and phrases are repeated inadvertently.
e. Correct grammar becomes a fetish.
f. Meaning isn’t made clear instantly.

There are more, of course; too many more. But these will do for a start.

Swain, Dwight V.. Techniques of the Selling Writer (p. 32). University of Oklahoma Press. Kindle Edition.

That last one requires so much concentration and a need to step out of the writer's shoes and into the reader's. Quite often, word/sentence placement needs reordering. I found contributing as a part of our Craft Chat helped drum some craft into my head, but there's so much possibility, so much to wrap your head around. It's exciting!

 

[Aethalope]

All such vital advice and it's important not to get in your own way (yes, I'm guilty of that). This is my favourite list to remember:

Where do scripts go wrong, language-wise, beyond the points already covered? Here I have no comprehensive answers, let alone data that can be classed as definitive. But awkwardness does develop in certain special areas often enough to be worth mentioning.

Thus,
a. Sentence structure grows monotonous.
b. Subject and verb are separated.
c. Adverbs are placed improperly.
d. Words and phrases are repeated inadvertently.
e. Correct grammar becomes a fetish.
f. Meaning isn’t made clear instantly.

There are more, of course; too many more. But these will do for a start.

Swain, Dwight V.. Techniques of the Selling Writer (p. 32). University of Oklahoma Press. Kindle Edition.

That last one requires so much concentration and a need to step out of the writer's shoes and into the reader's. Quite often, word/sentence placement needs reordering. I found contributing as a part of our Craft Chat helped drum some craft into my head, but there's so much possibility, so much to wrap your head around. It's exciting!

Hard agree on making the meaning clear. It has taken me a lot of practice, as in feedback/revision on repeat.

 

[Pamela Jo]

All such vital advice and it's important not to get in your own way (yes, I'm guilty of that). This is my favourite list to remember:

Where do scripts go wrong, language-wise, beyond the points already covered? Here I have no comprehensive answers, let alone data that can be classed as definitive. But awkwardness does develop in certain special areas often enough to be worth mentioning.

Thus,
a. Sentence structure grows monotonous.
b. Subject and verb are separated.
c. Adverbs are placed improperly.
d. Words and phrases are repeated inadvertently.
e. Correct grammar becomes a fetish.
f. Meaning isn’t made clear instantly.

There are more, of course; too many more. But these will do for a start.

Swain, Dwight V.. Techniques of the Selling Writer (p. 32). University of Oklahoma Press. Kindle Edition.

That last one requires so much concentration and a need to step out of the writer's shoes and into the reader's. Quite often, word/sentence placement needs reordering. I found contributing as a part of our Craft Chat helped drum some craft into my head, but there's so much possibility, so much to wrap your head around. It's exciting!

So with you on the last one. How to wipe the slate clean and read with new eyes. Pity the poor reader.

 

[E G Logan]

It is vital to front-load your talent. Understand where your writing strengths lie, and make sure you put them on full display, from the very first page.

I've never heard that said before. So many people (agents, publishers) ask to see the first three chapters – maybe they think this is obvious, but it's not. Thank you, AP. I am pathetically grateful.

'Make sure there are no plot/continuity/location, etc mistakes, run the spellchecker!' Yes, seen all that. But actually, 'See 1-3 as a showcase for your skills'? No, never. I'm going to print it out and put it on my pinboard.

 

[Roz Morris]

My favourite is right at the top - don't be boring! There's probably a finite number of book subjects and story types, but what makes a book good is how it's presented. If the writer's mind is interesting, the book will be a unique journey.

I've just been judging a non-fiction competition and am more aware of this than ever!

 

[Ed Simnett]

It (?)used to be common to ask in interviews "what's your greatest weakness" which I eventually hacked (#smartalek) by asking back– "what are we trying to get done?" which usually diverted the question into a discussion of management styles in different situations etc.

The point about showing off what you are good at in the first chapters very much gives the lie to all the stateless (writerless?) advice about what thou must put on your first page etc, which is given without any consideration as to what the writer is trying to do, is good at etc.