Plan a Story from Beginning to End: Simple Guide for Beginners
February 11, 2026
Stay Consistent While Writing: Simple Guide That Works
February 13, 2026Plan a Story from Beginning to End: Simple Guide for Beginners
February 11, 2026Stay Consistent While Writing: Simple Guide That Works
February 13, 2026Beginner Writing Mistakes to Avoid (Simple Guide + Examples)
Every writer starts somewhere.
When I first began to write fiction, I assumed that the most difficult part of writing fiction would be coming up with ideas. But the truth is, ideas are the easy part. The real challenge is learning how to develop those ideas into a story that people actually want to read. That usually means learning what makes a story weak before those habits become hard to break. And like most new writers, I made plenty of mistakes and learned over time.
The good news? Most of the mistakes that beginner writers make are perfectly normal and they are fixable. Once you have an idea of what to look for, you can improve your writing much faster than you think. If you are an aspiring author, here are some mistakes to look out for and simple ways to avoid them.
If you are still trying to figure out the basics of writing, you can also read our guide, How to Start Writing a Book, before continuing.
Trying to Sound “Too Literary”
Many beginning writers believe good writing has to sound complicated. So they stuff their sentences with long words, loads of descriptions and complicated phrases. Making your sentence sound powerful often just makes it more difficult to read. Great storytelling is generally simple and clear. Simple writing doesn’t mean flat writing, it means every word is doing useful work.
What Works Better
Focus on being clear, not on making your writing complicated. Instead of writing, “An overwhelming aura of melancholy saturated the environment,” try something simpler, “There was a quiet sadness in the room.”
Simple writing helps the reader keep their attention on the story rather than having to struggle through the sentences and look for a dictionary.
Remember, good writing doesn’t feel forced. It feels natural and flows smoothly. Passive voice can weaken your writing, although it has its place in fiction. Learn when to use Passive Voice in Fiction.
Telling Instead of Showing
One of the most common writing mistakes made by beginners is telling what happened, instead of showing the reader what happened through action, behaviour or emotion.
For example:
- Telling: “Meera was very nervous about the meeting.”
- Showing: “Meera tapped her pen on the desk and looked at the clock every few seconds.”
The second version works better because it lets the reader experience the moment through Meera's actions instead of simply being told how she feels.
How to Improve
Ask yourself,
- Can I try to express this emotion through action?
- Can I show what the character sees, does, or notices?
If you want to explore this further, read What Is Show vs Tell in Writing? You can also learn about metaphors and analogies to make your writing more vivid. Overusing adverbs often leans toward telling instead of showing. Learn why in Why Overusing Adverbs Weakens Your Writing.
Weak or Passive Characters
Readers connect with stories through strong characters. Many beginning writers usually create characters that only react to events instead of ‘actively’ driving the story forward. Simply, a good character has some wants in their life which lead them to make decisions and experience consequences. To create active characters, give them,
- Clear goals
- Personal motivations
- Difficult choices
- Challenges they have to overcome
It also helps readers understand what your character stands to lose if they fail. When characters are seeking something or have a want in a story, the story naturally becomes interesting. It’s also important that your characters must express themselves through dialogue.
Characters are at the heart of every story and without them, the story becomes flat. A character should sound strong and be memorable.
To learn more, read our articles on creating memorable characters and writing realistic dialogue.
Too Much Backstory
It’s tempting to explain everything about your characters right away — their childhood, their struggles in the past, their entire life story. But huge chunks of backstory can slow down a story. The reader will generally be more interested in what is happening in the present.
A better approach is to reveal information step by step as the story progresses. Instead of explaining all at once, sprinkle the details throughout the story.
For example,
- A memory while having a conversation
- A minute detail in a description
- A brief flashback if it is important
- This keeps readers curious and invested in the story.
Too much backstory can turn into info dumping. Learn how to avoid it in How to Avoid Info Dumping in Stories.
Editing While You Write
Many new writers stop every few sentences to edit what they have written. The result? Progress becomes agonisingly slow. Writing and editing are two different processes. Trying to do both at once often leads to frustration, and your story may never get finished.
A Simple Writing Rule, Write first. Edit later.
If you get stuck on a scene, a description, or even a character's name, leave yourself a quick note and keep writing.
If you need more help at this stage, read How to Write a First Draft of a Book. Your first draft does not need to be perfect and it just needs to be written. Once your story is complete, you can edit, modify, improve and polish it later. Even experienced published authors work this way.
Fear of Imperfection
Many new writers make the mistake of waiting till their writing is perfect before continuing or proceeding to the next step. But the goal of a first draft is not perfection. It is making progress toward completing your story. The truth is that every writer, no matter how successful, starts with an imperfect draft. A rough draft only seems bad when you compare it to a finished book instead of a blank page.
Stories become great through rewriting, editing, and persistence. That is what really makes you a better writer.
Learn about the common grammar mistakes fiction writers make so you can avoid them.
Three Simple Habits Make A Biggest Difference
- Writing regularly
- Reading widely
- Finishing what you start
If you're finding it difficult to stay consistent, read Daily Writing Habit That Actually Sticks.
Three Simple Habits Make A Biggest Difference
- Writing regularly
- Reading widely
- Finishing what you start
Your writing will become more confident and stronger as you write more stories. If consistency is difficult at this moment in building, read Daily Writing Habit That Actually Sticks.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a Better Writer Takes Time.
Writing fiction is a journey. Every author you admire struggled with many of the same beginner mistakes that you may be facing today. The difference is simple,
- They kept writing.
- They learnt from their mistakes.
- They finished their stories.
- And they kept improving.
That growth happens little by little, not all at once. If you really want to become an author, remember that every page you write brings you closer to the writer you want to become.
So keep going.
If you are interested in storytelling, fiction writing and the creative process, you can explore more articles on the site, and you can also explore my books and stories. Your writing journey is just beginning — and in many ways, that is the most exciting part.
Writing can feel lonely sometimes. Why not join me on Patreon? I share a mix of both free and premium writing content there and I’d love to have you there!
