Increase your vocabulary on a regular basis. Subscribe to services that provide a word of the day or even read the dictionary. You’d be surprised the cool words you’ll find! This is not to say that you should be using $5 words galore, but stimulating a reader with a new word occasionally, preferably when its meaning can be derived from the context, is part of being a professional author.
Some descriptions need to be repeated as reader reminders, such as what a character looks like, while others don’t. If you do a good job the first time, you can minimize them later, especially for specific people or places. Some genres typically have more detail than others. For example, those heavy on action tend to have a different level of detail than a regency romance. A detective spending the night in a cheap motel doesn’t care what color the sheets are, only if they’re clean, and maybe not even that.
Avoiding Deus ex machina endings should go without saying. If you write sci-fi or fantasy, set up the possibility for a dramatic ending so you don’t spring it on the reader out of the blue. Miracles are fine, as long as you develop the possibility beforehand. If one of your characters is going to die or get killed, be sure the threat of such an outcome is well-defined or at least hinted at.
Don’t shock your readers with something that hasn’t been alluded to in some way. It actually builds more suspense to hint at it, making them wonder what’s going to happen. Providing threats, whether real or imagined, gives the reader more to worry about and anticipate trouble for your hero or heroine, which keeps them turning the pages.
When using a foreign language that you do not speak, be cautious when using translation software because it often doesn’t reflect the correct syntax. If possible, find a native speaker to confirm whether or not it’s correct. Google does a fairly good job, but there are certain idioms that don’t translate literally and can tip off a knowledgeable reader to your ignorance.
Writing a crime novel? If you want to gain and maintain reader credibility, be sure to keep police and forensics protocol and procedures authentic. Research as much as required, including talking to experts, to make your scenes and conversations sound real. Accurate details bring a story to life.
Every occupation has its own jargon. Use enough in character dialog to sound authentic, but don’t boggle the reader’s mind with too much technical terminology or acronyms, which should always be defined the first time they’re used. If several pages or chapters separate their next use, remind the reader. This can be easily done via dialog. For example:
“The ARU went out again,” John said.
“That’s the second time this month the auxiliary refrigeration unit has gone on the fritz,” Bill grumbled in reply.
Know the difference between formatting for fiction vs. nonfiction. Fiction typically has indented paragraphs, nonfiction has block paragraphs. Follow industry standards if you want to be viewed as a professional.
Reading your story aloud is an excellent editing device. If nothing else, read the dialog out loud to make sure it’s authentic. Remember to use contractions. More often than not, a person will say “I’m going to the store” as opposed to “I am going to the store.”
Watch for proper subject-verb agreement. “Writing skill IS important” vs. “Writing skill and grammar ARE important.” As a writer or author, knowing proper grammar is part of your job; even more so if you’re an editor.
Marcha's Two-Cents Worth 