08/28/2026
**Avoid These Common Mistakes As A New Fiction Author**
Writing quality fiction is hard work. Not only do you need good writing skills, but you must also be imaginative and innovative if you want to stand out among all the other authors in your genre. If you're new to fictional writing, you may be tempted to just jump in and get started. However, there are some common mistakes you'll want to avoid as a new fiction author to help you find success.
• Working without a plan – A plan or outline doesn’t have to be structured to be helpful. Beginning with a loose plan of how you want your story to go can help you stay on track.
• Lacking a strong opening – You only have so much time to draw readers in before they become bored. A strong opening keeps readers interested and encourages them to keep going.
• Insufficient editing – Bad editing can make a great story unreadable. Going through several rounds of editing ensures that you give the best possible story to your readers.
• Adding too much backstory – Readers can get bogged down with excessive information. Provide as much backstory as is needed for your readers to understand your story, but avoid too much upfront.
• Pacing issues – Rushing your story along or prolonging important plot points will leave your readers frustrated. Pacing is often something you learn with experience. If you’re concerned about pacing, get some outside feedback during the writing process.
• Point of view problems – Some stories are made better with multiple points of view. But switching too frequently, or including too many different points of view, can be confusing.
Writing fiction is a process with many steps beyond just creating good content. Many new authors make easily avoidable mistakes that not only make the writing process harder but also lead to lower-quality work. If you're aware of common mistakes new fiction authors make, you can often avoid them.
By Brittney Dockery for Vertu Marketing LLC