All writers want to look like experienced,
sophisticated writers. We all rush to get that first draft down on paper, but
then comes the time to self-edit and rewrite our manuscripts. There lies your
opportunity to slow down, have another cup of coffee, and spruce up that first
draft.
The
following points are things you might want to avoid because they make you
appear like an amateur or a weak writer:
1. Avoid the use of -ing and as constructions. They can sometimes make two
actions seem simultaneous when they are
physically impossible.
Example: Rushing into the house, I
put on a fresh blouse and skirt.
Should be written: I rushed into
the house and put on a fresh blouse
and skirt.
Example: As I put the kettle on
the stove, I turned to face him.
Should be written: I put the kettle on the stove and turned to
face him.
If you just have to use that -ing phrase, try putting it in the middle
of the sentence.
Then it is less conspicuous.
.
2.
Avoid the use of clichés. I do not even have to explain this one. There
is nothing,
in my opinion, that will make
you look more like a weak or amateur writer
than this.
3.
And then there is the adverb, the -ly
word. This, I have to admit, is one of my
biggest downfalls. I love them, so I
struggle with myself to get rid of them.
Now do not get me wrong. An occasional one can be forgiven. When you use
a weak verb and an adverb, you are using two weak words in place of one
strong
one.
Example: Angrily she shut the
door behind her.
Should be written: She slammed
the door behind her.
Now there can be an exception to the rule for the sake of affect.
Example: She kissed him--slowly,
longingly.
4.
Avoid a lot of short sentences. Try stringing some of them together with
a
comma. Just do not overdo it.
Example: “Don’t worry. I’ll take
care of it.”
Should be written: “Don’t worry,
I’ll take care of it.”
5.
Using a lot of italics and exclamation marks should be used only to
convey
your character is shouting. Otherwise, the writer appears very insecure.
Just
let the dialogue and description convey all the emotion needed.
6.
Another stylistic device that can make a writer come across as an
amateur is
flowery, poetic figures of speech or metaphors.
7.
Are your sex scenes too explicit? You may want to leave a certain amount
of details left to your readers’ imagination. They do quite well with
this, you
know. No heavy breathing, please.
8.
Profanity has been so over used that it no longer has any shock value
and
can turn your reader off. Now if it is a
characteristic of your character, then
by all means use it. Otherwise, it is simply a sign of a small
vocabulary.
Faye
M. Tollison
Author
of: To
Tell the Truth
Upcoming
books: The Bible Murders
Sarah’s Secret
Member of: Sisters in Crime
Writers on the Move
