Writing is powerful. It’s a means of communication that allows us to convey thoughts, ideas, stories, and emotions. However, no matter how long you’ve been writing; there will be the occasional error. Even the most seasoned writers can fall prey to common and not-so-common mistakes, that can hinder the clarity and impact of their work. Realizing you can make mistakes and recognize them is the first step towards becoming a more effective and polished writer. So, what steps can you take to identify and correct errors in your work? There are 11 issues below and one helpful tip. 1. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ISSUES Recognition: Regularly proofread your work or use spell-check tools to catch spelling mistakes. Pay attention to common grammatical pitfalls, such as subject-verb agreement and sentence structure. When writers read their work, their brains expect to see what they wrote, even if there’s a mistake. Because of this, it can become tricky to catch all errors during proofreading. Correction: Brush up on grammar rules, use grammar-checking tools, and consider seeking feedback from peers or editors. 2. PUNCTUATION PITFALLS Recognition: Pay special attention to misplaced commas, inconsistent punctuation, and overused exclamation points or ellipses. I’m working with a client who loves em dashes. Correction: Familiarize yourself with proper punctuation rules, use style guides, and read your work aloud to identify awkward pauses or missing punctuation. As with number one, try writing tools to help with this problem. 3. WORDINESS AND REDUNDANCY Recognition: Watch for unnecessarily long sentences, repetitive phrases, and redundant information. You should also keep be aware of how you begin your sentences. Correction: Trim down sentences, eliminate redundant words, and focus on conveying your message concisely. Consider using a tool like Hemingway Editor to identify and simplify complex sentences. The writing tools can also handle this chore. These tools have come a long way and will give you alternatives to what you’ve written. But again, be careful with them. 4. LACK OF CLARITY Recognition: Identify passages that may confuse readers because of unclear or ambiguous language. This is especially important if you’re a children’s writer. Children's stories must be written with clarity. They must be easy to read and understandable. You never want to make a young reader pause because of a lack of clarity. The problem with clarity, though, is we know our intent but may not see that it won’t effectively translate to the reader. Correction: Rewrite sentences or paragraphs to enhance clarity. Ask yourself if each sentence contributes directly to your main point and whether your ideas flow logically. This is another area in which writing tools can be helpful. They spot and notify you of content ‘they think’ lacks clarity. 5. INCONSISTENT TONE AND VOICE Recognition: Review your writing for inconsistencies in tone or voice that may disrupt the overall flow. Correction: Maintain a consistent tone throughout your piece. Ensure your writing style aligns with your audience and purpose. If you write in one genre, creating a consistent tone and voice may be easier to do. 6. WEAK TRANSITIONS Recognition: Notice abrupt shifts between paragraphs or ideas that can cause choppy or abrupt transitions. Correction: Use transitional words and phrases to guide readers through your thoughts. Check if each paragraph smoothly connects to the previous one, creating a seamless flow. 7. OVERLOOKING TYPOS Recognition: Typos can easily slip through the cracks, especially after multiple revisions. Correction: Take breaks between writing and proofreading sessions to maintain a fresh perspective. Enlist the help of others or use text-to-speech tools to catch errors that may be overlooked. 8. IGNORING CONSISTENT FORMATTING Recognition: Inconsistent formatting can distract readers and diminish the professionalism of your writing. This includes variations in font, spacing, and indentation. Correction: Establish a consistent formatting style throughout your document. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and bullet points to create an easy to read and organized read. 9 LACK OF VARIETY IN SENTENCE STRUCTURE Recognition: Repetitive sentence structures can make your writing monotonous and less engaging. Correction: Vary sentence lengths and structures to create an engaging read. Experiment with short, punchy sentences alongside longer, more complex ones to maintain reader interest. 10. FAILING TO REVISE AND REWRITE Recognition: A common mistake is assuming the first draft is the final product. Failure to revise can result in missed opportunities to enhance clarity and strengthen the storyline and character arcs. Correction: Schedule dedicated time for revising and rewriting. Step back from your work for a while before returning to it with a fresh perspective. Look for areas where you can improve sentence structure, replace weak words with stronger ones, and refine your story’s overall clarity and flow. 11. A PROFESSIONAL PROOFREADER If you’ve already revised and edited your story, and you feel it’s ready to go, the next step would be to hire a professional proofreader. This of course is if your budget allows. 12. WRITING TOOLS You might also use a writing tool like Grammarly or ProWritingAid. I use both of these tools. ProWritingAid includes a score for grammar/spelling, style, sentence length, readability grade, sentence variety, glue index, passive voice, complex paragraphs, pacing, conjunctions, dialogue tags, and more. But a warning: Even these tools can make mistakes. They can guess your intent, but only you know what you want to convey. And it’s not uncommon for them to miss ending dialogue punctuations. An example is this article and ProWritingAid. I have unclear in Number Four above, and somehow, the tool wanted to change it for nuclear. So, while writing tools are helpful, don’t bet the farm on them. SUMMING IT UP It’s essential to recognize and rectify common mistakes in your writing. To do this, regularly review and refine your story, using a critical eye. Doing so will create a quality story. I didn’t mention it above, but remember your target audience when writing. And if you hire an editor, which is a good idea if it’s within your budget, listen to feedback, keeping in mind that no one is infallible.
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, rewriter,editor, and coach. I can help turn your story into a book you’ll be proud to be the author of, one that’s publishable and marketable.
OTHER HELP I OFFER:
HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.
PICTURE BOOK AND CHAPTER BOOK COACHING
Four to ten-week coaching programs.
WRITERS ON THE MOVE PRESS.
Self-publishing help for children’s authors.
You can contact me at: kcioffiventrice@gmail.com. Or give me a call at 347—834—6700. (Please leave a message- I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.)
