10 things that make your writing look unprofessional
All right friends, if you’re hoping to improve your writing in 2024, here are the top ten things make your writing seem unprofessional. These are things that I saw frequently in the slush pile when I worked at a literary agency and have continued to see in my editorial work. This will be an ongoing series, both here and on TikTok, where I’ll break down what I mean and how to fix it. Remember, these are all tools, not rules. A lot of early writers default to these things unintentionally. When we use them, we want it to be intentional and for maximum impact.
Cliche character introductions
Filter and filler words
Lack sensory details
As constructions
Dialogue tags
Passivevoice
Excessive adverbs
Inconsistent POV
Inconsistent tense
Lack of emotional thruline.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be getting into each of these things with copious examples of good and bad, as well as some writing exercises for a fun little challenge. I’m happy to answer questions as we go along.
And stay tuned for some exciting publishing updates!