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Repetition: Your Novel’s Nemesis

November 11, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

There’s something comforting about eating turkey and stuffing every Thanksgiving. Knowing what to expect brings a sense of peace to our often-hectic lives, but that’s not always the case.


Repetition and consistency will kill your novel.

A common problem for many new writers is repetition. It comes in several forms. Today we’ll look at three of the most common repetitive issues and strategies for fixing and avoiding them.

Chapter Openings. Each chapter should open in a way that fits the characters and content of that scene. Far too frequently, however, each chapter starts the same way. The most common issue I see is the info dump—each chapter starts with 1-2 (or four!) paragraphs of information. Here are the two big issues with that type of opening:

  1. It’s often a description of action that took place between chapters. Instead of telling the reader what happened between chapters, back it up and show the reader what happened.
  2. It’s unnecessary/irrelevant. Each chapter doesn’t need to start in the same place (for example, with the main character waking up). If the details aren’t necessary to character development or they don’t support the plot, they can probably be cut.

Dialogue. There are two main ways in which authors repeat in dialogue.

A. They repeat what the other person just said. Not only does the dialogue sound unnatural, but it doesn’t flow well either. Example:

“How are you, Bill?”
“I’m fine, Kathy. And how are you?”
“I’m fine too. Did you make it to the tractor pull last night?”
“I did make it to the tractor pull!”

A better option…
“How are you, Bill?”
“I’m fine, Kathy. You?”
“I’m fine. Did you make it to the tractor pull last night?”
“I did!”

B. Characters have the same conversations over and over again. Bill and Kathy talk about the tractor pull, then Bill goes and tells John the same thing, then Bill calls his dad and tells him about it. You only need to explain what happened once. Then say something like, “Bill explained everything to John before calling and telling his dad.” There’s no reason to repeat the conversation. Your reader will understand.

Review your dialogue. If characters fall into category #1, cut those unnecessary words to tighten the conversation. If they fall into category #2, only show the conversation once. Summarize it after that.

Situations. Bill and Kathy talk on the phone, then go to the school, then meet up for coffee. John and Sandy talk on the phone, then go to the park, then meet up for dinner. In this instance, all of the characters do the same things: talk, meet, eat.

Another variation on repeated situations is when one character always does the same thing. No matter who Bill is with, they end up at the hardware store. Regardless of who Kathy is meeting, they always go to the bookstore.

While it’s true that most of us live pretty uneventful lives (and we probably go to the same three places repeatedly), that doesn’t make for interesting fiction.

Go through your story scene by scene and make a list of what your characters do. Do you see any patterns? If so, change something. You might have to introduce a new character or a new plot point, but it will be worth it to prevent your readers from getting bored and tuning out.

There you have it—the three most commonly repeated issues that tank an author’s manuscript.

There you have it—the three most commonly repeated issues that tank an author’s manuscript.

Don’t let it happen to you. Take some extra time to clean up these issues so you can present a stronger, cleaner story.

For more writing tips and author interviews, sign up for my newsletter—as a ‘thanks for joining’ you’ll get “Simple Tips for Finding the Right Editor for Your Project”! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, or at my website!

Filed Under: writing Tagged With: best practices, fiction writing, self-editing, writing a book, writing tips

Can Your Work Become an Idol? by Barbara Britton

November 18, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Recently my church was doing a study on Tim Keller’s book Every Good Endeavor. The book is about work and how a Christian should view their profession. I was asked to speak in the adult education class about being an author and how I handled the idols in my work.

Idols? Does a writer have idols? After I thought about the publishing industry and how it has changed in the past twelve years since I began writing, I did discover some idols. When I began my publishing journey, there was no internet sales or social media. The rise of Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and a whole host of new inventions have brought some “watch outs” into the writing life.

I am a Christian and a child of God. What is a child of God? John 1:12 puts it this way:

“Yet to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (NIV)

Since I believe in Jesus, I write my stories from a Christian worldview. I hope people like my stories, feel better after reading my stories, and in the case of my Biblical fiction, learn something new about God and the Bible. When people praise my novels or think I am somehow on a higher plane since I write novels, I have to set my idol warning to high.

I believe God has given me the talent to write stories. It’s a gift. Just like some people have gifts of singing and painting and business and athletics. The list is endless. One gift is not better than the other in God’s eyes. When readers say nice things about me, I thank them, enjoy the moment, but see their praise in the bigger picture of God’s gifts. God wouldn’t be please with diva moments.

I Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in various forms.”

I pray that I am administering well, but people have different ideas about what “well” means. I have heard from readers who weren’t impressed with my stories. Sometimes the review of my work overflows onto my being. My relationship with God is attacked and less than nice things are said. Ouch! When that happens (and it can be in a book review or through e-mail), I have to remember who I am in Christ. I remember the John 1:12 verse above and realize that I am a child of God. No two Christians are the same and not every piece of art is for every reader or for every patron of the arts.

The idols of doubt and discouragement can sink into my core if I let them. Social media allows words to soar through the internet without the typist realizing there is a beating heart on the other side of the screen. If I’m okay with my story, and I believe God is okay with my story, then I have to let a bad review sink into oblivion.

So, are there idols in writing? Are there incidents that can take our eyes off of God? Definitely.

Enjoy the good times of your profession but keep walking in humility. Ask God to help you when a discouraging remark zaps your enthusiasm. The Holy Spirit is the best comforter when we are hurting. And remember, the giver of good gifts does not make mistakes.

Do you see any idols creeping into your work?


Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. Barb brings little-known Bible stories to light in her Tribes of Israel series. Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. She is published by Harbourlight Books an imprint of Pelican Book Group. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb and her books at www.barbarambritton.com.

Follow Barb on Twitter, Facebook or BookBub.

Filed Under: Professionalism, Uncategorized Tagged With: Barbara Britton, best practices, integrity

Newsletter Ninja: How to Become An Author Mailing List Expert by Tammi Labrecque (book review)

May 6, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Are you struggling with email? Newsletter numbers getting you down? Fewer people opening your messages? No real reaction when you launch a book? 

There’s another way–a better way. 

Imagine having a large list of happy readers who devoured every email you sent. Or launching a book and activating an army of fans who did the selling for you. You could be that person, with the help of Newsletter Ninja. 

Newsletter Ninja is a comprehensive resource designed to teach you how to build and maintain a strongly engaged email list–one full of actual fans willing to pay for the books you write, rather than free-seekers who will forget your name and never open your emails. 

* Learn new ways to think about your email list 
* Re-energize your existing subscribers 
* Embrace not just the basics, but next level methods 
* Improve engagement and watch those open/click rates soar 
* Build a happy list of passionate readers 
* Launch your books into the charts 

You’ll get a handle on open rates, click rates, and engagement–while also learning about yourself, your readers, and what you’re really selling when you send an email. (Spoiler: it’s not your books.) 

Whether you’re building a mailing list, want to grow an existing one, or simply want to raise your email game, Newsletter Ninja has solutions that will work for you.


For years I’ve been hearing/learning about the importance of newsletters. I’ve taken some classes and read some books about the topic, but none of them focus specifically on best practices for fiction writers. This is the first book I’ve read that actually includes practical tips for novelists, as well as a link to even more tips on the author’s website. 

Just because it’s a short book and an easy read, however, doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to walk away from — Labrecque lays everything out for you, but there’s quite a bit of work to do when your done (but all of the links and tips should help). I will absolutely recommend this book to every author I know.

Pick up your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: best practices, book review, marketing, Newsletter Ninja, newsletters, Tammi Labrecque

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ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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