20 Common Writing Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Them)
Avoid the 20 most common writing mistakes beginners make in fiction, from slow openings and info-dumps to filter words and flat characters, with clear fixes.
In this article
The most common writing mistakes beginners make include starting the story too slowly, info-dumping background, telling emotions instead of showing them, creating passive protagonists, writing dialogue that sounds stiff, overusing adverbs and filter words, head-hopping between viewpoints, and editing too much before finishing a draft. The good news: every one of these can be fixed in revision once you know what to look for.
Here are twenty mistakes, grouped by type, with fixes.
Story and Structure Mistakes
1. Starting too slowly
Opening with weather, waking up, or pages of background delays the story. Fix: Start close to the inciting incident. Introduce a character who wants something in a situation with tension.
2. Info-dumping
Long paragraphs of backstory or world explanation stop the story. Fix: Reveal information gradually through action and dialogue. See our worldbuilding guide.
3. A saggy middle
The story loses momentum after the opening. Fix: Add a midpoint reversal and escalating obstacles. Our guide to the three-act structure explains how.
4. Low stakes
Readers don't know what the character could lose. Fix: Make the consequences of failure clear and personal.
5. Convenient coincidences
The hero is saved by luck. Fix: Coincidences can cause trouble, but resolutions should come from characters' choices.
6. An unearned ending
The climax resolves too easily, or the hero doesn't use what they've learned. Fix: Connect the climax to the hero's growth and the story's central question.
Character Mistakes
7. A passive protagonist
Things happen to the hero instead of the hero making choices. Fix: Give your protagonist goals, decisions and actions that drive the plot.
8. Perfect characters
Characters without flaws are boring and hard to relate to. Fix: Give your hero a meaningful flaw that the story challenges.
9. Cardboard villains
Villains are evil without reasons. Fix: Give them goals, beliefs and humanity. See how to write a villain.
10. Too many characters too soon
Readers can't keep track of names. Fix: Introduce characters gradually and make each distinct.
Point of View Mistakes
11. Head-hopping
Switching between characters' thoughts in the same scene confuses readers. Fix: Stay in one viewpoint per scene in limited POV. See point of view in fiction.
12. Filter words
Words like saw, heard, felt, noticed, realized create distance. Before: She heard the door creak open. After: The door creaked open. Fix: Remove filters when the viewpoint is already clear.
Prose Mistakes
13. Telling instead of showing
"She was angry" tells; "She slammed the cup down so hard tea splashed the letter" shows. Fix: Use action, sensory detail and dialogue. See show, don't tell examples.
14. Overusing adverbs
"He ran quickly." "She whispered quietly." Fix: Use stronger verbs ("He sprinted") and cut redundant adverbs.
15. Purple prose
Overly ornate writing draws attention to itself. Fix: Choose precise, vivid words over decorative ones.
16. Repetition
The same word, phrase or sentence structure appears again and again. Fix: Read aloud and vary your language and rhythm.
17. Weak verbs and passive voice
"The letter was written by her" is weaker than "She wrote the letter." Fix: Prefer active voice unless the passive serves a purpose.
Dialogue Mistakes
18. Stiff, unnatural dialogue
Characters speak in full, formal sentences or explain things they both know. Fix: Use contractions, interruptions and subtext. See how to write dialogue.
19. Fancy dialogue tags
"He exclaimed," "she retorted," "he chortled" distract the reader. Fix: Use "said" most of the time, or action beats.
Process Mistakes
20. Editing before finishing
Endlessly polishing chapter one means never reaching the end. Fix: Write the whole first draft, then revise. If you're stuck, read how to overcome writer's block.
A Quick Revision Checklist
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Opening | Does it start close to the conflict? |
| Stakes | Do readers know what could be lost? |
| Protagonist | Does the hero make key choices? |
| Middle | Is there a midpoint shift and rising tension? |
| Ending | Is the climax earned by the hero's growth? |
| POV | Is each scene in a consistent viewpoint? |
| Prose | Have I cut filter words, extra adverbs and repetition? |
| Dialogue | Does each line serve a purpose? |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common writing mistake?
Many editors point to slow openings, info-dumping and telling instead of showing as the most common issues in beginners' fiction.
How do I know if I'm info-dumping?
If you stop the story for more than a paragraph or two to explain background that characters already know, you're probably info-dumping.
What are filter words?
Words like saw, heard, felt, noticed and realized that place a filter between the reader and the experience.
Is passive voice always wrong?
No. It's useful when the action matters more than who did it, or to create a specific effect. Use it deliberately.
Should I fix mistakes while drafting?
Generally no. Finish your draft first, then revise. Editing too early can stop you from ever finishing.
