Writing a compelling story is an art, and like all creative processes, it’s easy to stumble into common pitfalls along the way. Here are five common story writing mistakes and actionable advice to help you avoid them.
1. You Avoid Conflict
Conflict is the beating heart of any story. Without it, there’s no tension, no stakes, and ultimately, no reason for your characters—or your readers—to care. Surprisingly, many writers who shy away from conflict in real life bring the same hesitance to their storytelling. But conflict is crucial to any story, because it drives change, and change is what moves your story forward.
One piece of timeless writing advice is: When you’re unsure what happens next, throw an obstacle in your character’s path. This forces your characters to make choices, and those choices shape the narrative.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Embrace conflict in your story. Ask yourself: What does my character want? What stands in their way? The answers often reveal the core conflict that propels your story forward.
2. You Neglect the Structure of Your Story
Great storytelling requires more than beautiful prose or intriguing details—it needs structure. A story without structure feels aimless, leaving readers confused or disengaged. Every story, no matter the genre, needs an arc: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Characters start somewhere, face challenges, and grow or change by the conclusion.
Structure doesn’t stifle creativity; it provides a roadmap. For example, if your story involves a breakup, readers anticipate a resolution. The journey to that resolution—through soul-searching, revelations, or reconciliation—is what creates emotional resonance.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Before writing, map out your story’s structure. Even if you don’t know all the details, outline your characters’ starting point, key turning points, and how the story will end. This framework will help you stay on course while you write.
3. You Hold onto Things That Should Be Cut
As writers, we often fall in love with certain scenes, lines, or backstories. But if they don’t serve the plot or develop the characters, they can weigh the story down. Every part of your story should move the narrative forward or deepen the reader’s understanding of your characters and the story itself.
Cutting unnecessary elements can be painful, but it’s essential. As one mentor wisely put it, “Be like a butcher.” Removing fluff and distractions strengthens your story and keeps readers engaged.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
After finishing a draft, review every scene, line, and subplot. Ask yourself: Does this contribute to the story’s forward momentum? If the answer is no, be ruthless and cut it.
4. You Describe Events Instead of Creating Scenes
Many writers fall into the trap of summarizing events instead of showing them. This is the essence of the classic advice, “Show, don’t tell.” Instead of describing what’s happening, immerse readers in the moment by using dialogue, body language, and sensory details.
For instance, don’t tell readers that two characters are angry. Show the tension through their clipped dialogue, stiff postures, or slamming doors. Actions and interactions reveal far more about your characters than ever exposition could.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
When writing a scene, focus on what your characters say and do. Use sensory details and specific actions to bring the scene to life, letting readers experience the story firsthand.
5. You Include Massive Blocks of Backstory
The backstory is vital for understanding your characters, but dumping too much information at once bogs down your narrative. Readers are primarily interested in what happens next. Long detours into backstory risk pulling them out of the story and diluting the tension.
Instead, weave backstory organically into the plot. Reveal details slowly, in small, meaningful moments. This approach creates a sense of discovery and keeps readers engaged.
How to Avoid This Mistake:
Ask yourself: What does the reader need to know at this moment? Introduce backstory sparingly, and only when it enhances the current scene or deepens the emotional stakes. Let the rest unfold naturally as the story progresses.
Final Thoughts
Every writer makes mistakes—it’s part of the process. What matters is how you approach those mistakes and learn from them. By embracing conflict, focusing on structure, cutting what doesn’t serve the story, creating immersive scenes, and handling backstories with care, you’ll craft stories that captivate and resonate with your readers.
Remember: Writing is as much about revision as creation. So, take your time, refine your work, and let your stories shine.
