Top 10 Mistakes New Authors Make (And How to Fix Them)

Top 10 Mistakes New Authors Make (And How to Fix Them)

Writing a book is one of the most rewarding — and overwhelming — creative challenges you'll ever take on. And if you're a new author, you're probably learning by doing — which means mistakes are part of the process. But some mistakes can slow your progress, dull your story, or even turn readers away.

The good news? Every one of them is fixable.

At Koratech WriterPro, we've worked with thousands of writers at every stage of the journey. Here are the 10 most common mistakes we see — and exactly how to correct them, so you can finish stronger, faster, and with a story that resonates.

1. Telling Instead of Showing

Many new writers rely on summarizing emotions or actions with phrases like "She was sad," "He was angry," or "The room was beautiful." While these lines may be technically correct, they rob readers of the emotional experience. You're telling the reader what to think instead of letting them feel it for themselves.

When you tell readers that a character is angry, you're essentially asking them to take your word for it. When you show anger through clenched fists, sharp words, or a slammed door, readers experience the emotion themselves. Instead of writing "She was nervous," try something like "She drummed her fingers against her thigh, the rhythm matching her racing heartbeat."

The key is engaging the senses and showing reactions rather than naming emotions. Rather than "The kitchen smelled good," write "Cinnamon and vanilla wafted from the oven, mixing with the sharp bite of fresh coffee." This approach pulls readers into the scene and makes them active participants in your story.

Look for emotion words like angry, sad, happy, or nervous in your writing, along with phrases that start with "was" or "felt." These are often opportunities to show instead of tell. Replace them with specific actions, sensory details, or dialogue that reveals the same information more powerfully.

2. Ignoring Tropes (or Misusing Them)

There's a misconception that tropes equal bad writing. But tropes aren't clichés — they're the familiar frameworks that give readers a sense of comfort and anticipation. A romance without sexual tension or a mystery without red herrings will leave genre fans disappointed.

Readers seek out specific genres because they enjoy certain patterns, not because they want something wildly unfamiliar. The enemies-to-lovers arc in romance, the mentor figure in fantasy, or the final confrontation in thrillers exist because they create emotional resonance. Your originality comes from how you execute these familiar elements, not from avoiding them entirely.

The trick is embracing tropes while adding your unique voice. Research books in your genre and identify common patterns. Choose a few that serve your story naturally, rather than forcing them in because you think you should. You can even subvert expectations by taking a familiar trope and giving it an unexpected twist, as long as the twist serves your story's themes.

Remember, tropes become clichés when they're used thoughtlessly or without purpose. A chosen one who genuinely struggles with their destiny feels fresh, while one who easily accepts their role feels stale.

3. Weak or Awkward Dialogue Tags

Beginners often think they need to spice up every line of dialogue with "he growled," "she exclaimed," or "they bellowed furiously." But in most cases, the best tag is "said" — or none at all.

Readers' brains are trained to skip over "said" because it's invisible. But "she hissed venomously" makes readers stop and process the tag instead of the dialogue, breaking their reading flow. Overusing fancy tags or adverbs draws attention to the writing rather than the characters, making your story feel melodramatic.

Focus on making your dialogue strong enough to convey emotion without explanation. Instead of "Get out," he said menacingly, try "Get out." His voice dropped to barely above a whisper. Replace tags with action beats that show who's speaking while revealing character: "I don't believe you." Sarah slammed her coffee mug on the counter.

When you do need a tag for clarity, "said" is usually your best choice. Trust your dialogue to carry the emotional weight, and use physical actions to show how characters are feeling rather than telling us through fancy speech verbs.

4. Perfect (a.k.a. Boring) Main Characters

Some new authors write characters who never make mistakes, are loved by everyone, and always know what to do. That's not aspirational — it's alienating. Readers need to see themselves in your protagonist, and we're all flawed, struggling, learning beings.

Flaws are what make characters real and relatable. A character who struggles, makes bad choices, and grows over time is far more compelling than someone who gets everything right on the first try. The best character flaws often stem from corrupted strengths — loyalty that becomes enabling, confidence that becomes arrogance, or caution that becomes paralysis.

Give your protagonist internal conflict that shapes their decisions. Maybe they're a people-pleaser who can't say no, leading to overcommitment and resentment. Perhaps they're a perfectionist whose need for control pushes people away. These flaws should create real consequences that the character must face and eventually overcome.

Character growth happens when flaws create problems that force change. A protagonist who starts the story believing "I can only rely on myself" might learn to trust others through the challenges they face. This internal journey often proves more compelling than external plot events.

5. Writing Every Step of the Day

Unless it's critical to the plot, we don't need to follow your character through every mundane moment — waking up, brushing teeth, making coffee, staring out the window, feeding the cat. New writers often confuse "realistic" with "interesting," but readers want emotional significance, not a documentary of daily life.

Start scenes in the middle of action or emotional intensity rather than from the beginning of an activity. Instead of following your character through their entire morning routine, begin with the moment something changes or matters. Rather than "Jenny woke up to her alarm at 6 AM. She rolled out of bed, shuffled to the bathroom," try "Three missed calls from her sister. Jenny's stomach dropped as she stared at her phone screen. Rachel never called before 9 AM unless something was wrong."

Every scene should advance your plot, develop character, or escalate stakes. If a scene exists purely for "realism" but doesn't serve your story, cut it or combine it with a more important moment. Readers will fill in the gaps between significant events — they don't need to see every transition.

Think of your story as a highlight reel of the most important moments in your character's life during this particular time period. Skip the routine unless it reveals character or advances the plot.

6. Info Dumps Instead of Integration

It's tempting to open your story with three pages of world history or a full backstory monologue — especially in fantasy, sci-fi, or memoirs. But readers aren't here for a lecture. They want to discover information naturally, as the characters do.

An info dump pulls readers out of the story because it feels like exposition rather than natural storytelling. Instead of explaining your world's history in a prologue, weave details throughout the story when they become relevant to the plot or character decisions.

Show your world through character interactions and conflicts rather than explanation. If your fantasy world has a rigid caste system, don't explain it — show a character getting in trouble for crossing social boundaries. Let dialogue reveal information naturally: "You think because you beat one warrior, you understand us? There's a reason we've held three star systems for a hundred years."

Reveal information on a need-to-know basis. Ask yourself whether the reader needs specific details right now to understand what's happening. Often, mystery and gradual revelation create more engagement than complete understanding from the start.

7. Scenes With No Conflict, Dialogue, or Purpose

Scenes that lack conflict or direction — especially ones full of inner monologue or description — can kill a reader's momentum. If nothing is changing in your story, it's stalling. Every scene needs tension, even if it's subtle or emotional.

Conflict doesn't always mean arguments or action sequences. It can be as simple as a character wanting something they can't have, feeling uncomfortable in a social situation, or being pressed for time. Internal conflict works too — moral dilemmas, competing desires, or emotional struggles all create the tension that keeps readers engaged.

Each scene should accomplish at least one important function: advancing the plot, developing character, escalating stakes, building relationships, or revealing crucial information. If you can't identify what a scene achieves, consider cutting it or combining it with a more purposeful moment.

Even quiet scenes need underlying tension. A coffee shop conversation becomes compelling when characters want different things from each other, when past history creates awkwardness, or when the discussion reveals conflicting values or goals.

8. Repetitive Sentence Structure

When every sentence follows the same rhythm, the writing starts to feel robotic. "He did this. She did that. Then he walked. Then she said..." Good writing has rhythm, just like music, and variety is essential to maintaining reader interest.

Short sentences create urgency and emphasis. Long, flowing sentences work well for description or reflection. The key is mixing different structures to create a natural rhythm that matches your story's mood. An action scene might use short, punchy sentences to build tension, while a romantic moment might flow with longer, more lyrical prose.

Read your work aloud — your ear will catch monotony that your eyes miss. If every sentence sounds the same length or starts the same way, look for opportunities to vary your structure. Try starting some sentences with different parts of speech, use occasional fragments for impact, or combine short sentences into longer, more complex ones.

Pay attention to how your sentences begin. If you notice you're starting every sentence with your character's name or "The," experiment with other openings. Variety in sentence structure keeps your prose engaging and prevents readers from falling into a predictable rhythm.

9. No Clear Stakes or Motivation

If your protagonist doesn't want something specific and isn't risking anything meaningful, it's hard for readers to care about the outcome. Stakes and motivation drive story forward and create the urgency that keeps pages turning.

Your character needs a clear goal — something they actively pursue throughout the story. But equally important are the stakes: what they'll lose if they fail. These consequences should feel significant to the character and escalate as the story progresses. What starts as personal embarrassment might grow into professional ruin or relationship destruction.

The most compelling stakes often combine external and internal elements. Your character might need to save their job (external) to prove they're worthy of respect (internal). The external plot gives structure, while the internal stakes provide emotional resonance that readers connect with on a personal level.

Make sure your character's motivation springs from their personality and background rather than plot convenience. A protagonist who wants something because the story requires it feels artificial. But a character whose goals emerge from their deepest fears or desires feels authentic and compelling.

10. No Editing Strategy

Many new authors finish a draft and immediately try to fix typos — or worse, submit without revising at all. But effective editing happens in layers, tackling different issues at different stages. Without a clear process, it's easy to get overwhelmed or waste time polishing scenes that might later be cut.

Start with big picture issues before focusing on details. Your first editing pass should address plot holes, character development, and pacing problems. Does your story start in the right place? Are character motivations clear? Does the climax feel earned? These structural issues need fixing before you worry about word choice or grammar.

After addressing major story problems, move to scene-level editing. Does each scene serve a purpose? Is there enough conflict and tension? Are character reactions believable? Only after these elements work should you focus on sentence-level issues like dialogue tags, repetitive structure, or showing versus telling.

Take breaks between drafts to gain perspective. Put your manuscript away for a few weeks and work on something else. When you return, you'll see problems more clearly because you're reading like a reader rather than a writer who's too close to the work.

Save grammar and typo correction for last. There's no point in perfecting the punctuation of a scene you might later cut. Copy editing and proofreading are the final steps in a much larger revision process.

Final Thoughts

Every writer starts with mistakes — that's part of the process. What matters is how you learn from them. The good news? With the right mindset and the right tools, every one of these pitfalls can become a stepping stone to better storytelling.

Remember, writing is rewriting. The magic happens not in the first draft, but in the revision process where you transform your raw ideas into polished prose that resonates with readers. Be patient with yourself as you develop these skills, and celebrate small improvements along the way.

Ready to take your writing to the next level? Transform your creative vision into reality with WriterPro in Koratech. From crafting compelling characters to perfecting your prose, our comprehensive tools help you create stories that captivate readers. Join countless other authors who've discovered the joy of confident, skilled writing. Visit Koratech today and start building your masterpiece with WriterPro!