I once began reading a sci-fi novel by a famous writer and in the first few pages he introduced so many characters with so many extremely hard-to-remember, convoluted alien names that I was baffled. Then he proceeded to have these "characters" interact as if they had been properly introduced. I attempted to read that novel several times and could never get past a few pages. I finally tossed it in the trash-can out of frustration. I also once read a novel where the author kept interrupting the story's dramatic flow by having characters converse for entire chapters. The protagonist would arrive on an alien world, meet someone there, and the extended conversation was on. It was very hard to stay interested. There is also what is called suspension of disbelief that must be maintained or else we distract the reader. It involves the reader cutting the writer some slack by accepting things without demanding meticulous explanations for everything. But that cooperation can be weakened. For example, if we have our characters behave in totally nonsensical ways, then we insult the reader's intelligence and cause distraction. It happens in films as well. For example, during the film Alien, we have the science officer, Nash, in charge of an infected patient. He can see inside the patient and knows that the face-hugger has deposited a creature in the victim. The face-hugger falls off the patient’s face and Nash declares him to be in good health. Suddenly at dinner, all hell breaks loose when the creature that had been inside of his abdomen gnaws his way out. Nash tells them not to harm it. During the ensuing scenes nobody asks Nash why he had not been aware of that creature in the patient's chest and why he had told them not to harm it. That is unbelievable since asking Nash for an explanation would have been the first thing that any normal person would have done. Then we have scientists visiting other worlds without taking precautions to avoid contamination. One scientist treats a cobra-like alien like a friendly pet only to have it jump down his throat. Common sense would dictated he show cautious apprehension. If we write in that careless way, then we will break the suspension of disbelief and annoy our readers.
Most common mistakes? 1. Not reading enough. 2. Not writing enough. 3. Not thinking enough. 4. Not feeling enough. 5. Not living enough. 6. Not self reflecting honest enough. 7. Living life of identities instead of life of inner essence.
1)trying to sound like xyz author instead of sounding like yourself 2)listening too intently to experts and slavishly following rules like no passive voice or show don't tell 3) setting out to write 'the novel' 4) not doing any/sufficient research 5) related to 4 trying to write by committee
"And he looked out the window" "And he looked out of the window" I touch type quite fast and I always miss the 'of'. That and getting myself confused with where my characters are currently and realising I forgot to storyboard!
1. Assuming that because you know what you meant when you wrote it, the reader will, too. (This is true of any writing.) 2. Long, long paragraphs. Give us a break, guys.
As for the window business, you can do either. Your call. In the Midwest US, where I'm from, it's always the former.
Thinking because you're writing fiction, you can overlook facts that are basic to your world, especially early in the story. For instance, in a bad book I recently read, the POV character is sitting in a midtown Manhattan, NY, coffee shop with the official who is getting her started in the Federal Witness Protection Program. The official says he has to run, as his airplane flight out leaves in a half hour. I'm supposed to swallow that? And then, so many errors regarding the FWPP, ones the author could easily have caught if she'd just Googled the subject. That's not asking me to suspend my disbelief, that's telling me I gotta build a whole bridge.
I think the worst mistake you can make, when writing a first novel, is being afraid of making mistakes. Fear does not make a good writer. The thought of making a wrong move can scare new writers into being reluctant to write their own story, the way they see it, and, instead, drives them to 'writing by committee' or asking for approval at every step. You will make mistakes. We all do. Mistakes can be corrected, once the story is done. Remember this: you will struggle to inject enthusiasm and confidence into a timid or self-consciously written story. So just WRITE what you want to write. Anything. Any way at all. Don't show it to anybody until it's done. (This is Stephen King's advice as well as mine.) And don't show it to anybody AFTER it's done either. Not until you have shaped it as well as you can, without help. THEN ask for help, and be willing to listen to what people say about it. Listen doesn't mean you have to do what these readers say. Nor do you have to believe they are right about what they say. But it's always a good idea to listen. They're telling you how the story hits them, and that's always valuable information. My motto is: Write without fear. Then edit without mercy.
Seconding Jannert up above there! Internalizing that thought helped me greatly with being able to just do my novel. Go do what you need to do, figure out what works for you. And remember that every writer has different strengths and weaknesses. I've been told I'm good at character voice, but I'm bad at anything location-related. It's just how I work. I can still try to improve both skills, but I know how I am and I will do best not getting hung up on making my location descriptions 'perfect'.