The Story of Place: Fake it 'til you Make it: Avoiding Novice Pitfalls

How do you break into the write-o-sphere without being spotted as a novice?

Portrush, Northern Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

When you're new to something, you often make glaring mistakes, simply because you don't know they're mistakes.

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, 2104, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Everyone has to start somewhere. You're ready to get your feet wet--but I suggest before you dive right in, you take a step back and simply watch for a moment. It's okay to test the waters, but if you don't know how to swim, you should sit around the pool deck and watch for a while. Try the kiddie pool before you take the plunge into deep waters.

Portrush, Northern Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

I was just Twitter-chatting with one of my earliest Twitter writing friends, and we both agreed how far we'd come in just one year--how much wiser we are, how much better writers we are, and how much better prepared we are to push forward.

It's the bonus of experience.

Of course we learn from our mistakes, but it doesn't have to be that way. Sometimes you can learn from other people's mistakes.

So how do you do that?

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Research

Before you start shooting off queries, entering contests, and tweeting easily-found questions to industry professionals, do your homework. There are plenty of resources out there, and many of them are free. Take advantage of the collective knowledge of the write-o-sphere (and collective mistakes made by others) so that you'll be better prepared to join the party.

Make connections with others who share your goals

Critique partners are a great way to learn how to improve your writing, and about writing opportunities. I learned so much from early critique partners--I feel honored that they had the patience to point out things I was doing wrong. I never would have joined Twitter if it weren't for a critique partner who suggested I enter a pitch contest.

Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, Northern Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Sign up for a conference or workshop

If you can't afford to travel, do one online. You'll learn valuable tips, tricks for honing your craft, and you'll make peer and professional connections. Writer's Digest offers online workshops. Manuscript Academy is another great resource.

Use your common sense

Even though Twitter can be a fun, often relaxed, and casual social media, remember that what you post is public. For writers, it's a work-place just as much as it is an outlet, so keep your comments professional. When participating in games and contests, always thank the hosts, never complain about the outcomes, and remember that this is a subjective industry. So many of the resources available are offered freely by volunteers. Remember, even agents don't get paid until they sell your book. They are reading your query for free.

Avoid these novice pitfalls

Finally, I wanted to point out a handful of tell-tale signs that will give you away as a novice. Avoid these mistakes in your interactions and in your writing and you won't soon be in over your head.

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Not following directions

Always follow directions. If a Twitter hashtag game asks that you not post promotional buy links on the hashtag, don't do it. If a contest asks for a 35-word pitch. Send a 35-word pitch. Do not send 36. Your entry could be disqualified for something as small as one word. If a pitch contest says only pitch once every four hours, don't exceed that.

This is even more important when querying. Always double check submission guidelines. Get your guidelines straight off the agency website. Don't rely on what may be out-of-date information on someone's blog. There is no second chance to make a first impression.

Pitching at inappropriate times

There's a reason agents have a process set up for querying. Unless you've been invited to query an agent (at a conference, during a pitch party, or other appropriate forum) the only appropriate way to query an agent is through the prescribed method outlined on their website. Thinking you are an exception to the rule will out you as a novice.

Querying before a manuscript is ready

Agents can tell if you just finished your manuscript. Running a spell-check is not enough. Make sure your manuscript has been fully vetted before you even think about putting it in front of an agent. Even if they like the concept, they won't accept work that's not there yet.

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Submitting a manuscript that has excessive novice mistakes

Just being grammatically correct does not a good novel make. Here are a few technical things you'll want to avoid in your writing (and links to articles on why or how to correct them):

excessive use of adverbs (Jeff Chapman gives great reasons why not to use them)
excessive use of passive voice (is/was) (Daily Writing Tips shares how to fix)
excessive use of filter words (i.e., I saw, she heard, it felt, it seemed) (Suzanna Windsor Freeman explains)
overused words (that, like, could) (Daily Writing Tips shares five you can cut)
no variation in sentence structure or length (Aerogramme Writers' Studio shares Gary Provost's lesson)
improper or excessive use of dialogue tags (Michelle Hauk's great article here)

A great tool I have used in the past to hunt for these problems is ProWritingAid. (They offer a free search for issues on their website or you can purchase software.) It's well worth the small investment to tighten up and polish your writing.

Have the patience to follow these steps and you'll no longer be a novice!