How to Write Fiction That Doesn't Suck: A Practical Guide

Every beginning writer makes mistakes. Conveniently, however, they all tend to make the same mistakes. Enter this book. In three sections, I offer an overview of the most common beginners’ blunders I’ve seen, along with practical tips about how to correct them.

The first section, Errors of Style, covers pitfalls of prose, everything from the misunderstood passive voice to the treachery of adverbs. The second section, Errors of Content, deals with problems inherent to all types of storytelling, such as plausibility issues and pacing. The final section, Best Practices, goes over a few habits that will make you a better writer, from doing your research to planning a story arc.

Illustrations from my own mistakes and the mistakes of others appear throughout, along with real-world examples encompassing everything from Toy Story to Twin Peaks. This won’t make you a great writer, but it will go a long way toward helping you not suck.