Write Now Editing

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Editing Services
  • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Copywriting
  • Contact Me

5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing by C.S. Lakin (book review)

January 19, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Fiction writers often struggle to improve their craft, and the biggest challenge comes from the inability to see what isn’t working. The prose feels off. The scene isn’t gelling. The dialogue sounds stilted or clunky. But they don’t know why or how to fix it. This book lays it all out.

5 Editors Tackle the Twelve Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing demonstrates the deadly dozen pitfalls on the road to a strong story, along with revisions that show writers exactly how to avoid novel failure.

No other writing craft book offers such detailed instruction in how to spot and remedy the major flaws of fiction writing. What makes this book an important addition to a writer’s bookshelf?

This in-depth guide to self-editing is an invaluable resource for any writer of any genre. It shows, not just tells, how to write better fiction. Using it, you’ll be armed with the tools and skills you need to conquer the twelve fatal flaws of fiction writing.


As an editor, I work with a lot of new novelists, and most of them make the same mistakes. I’m always looking for good books to recommend to help them learn how to identify and correct those mistakes — this book is going at the top of my list.

I’ll be honest — it’s not a great cover and the title is a bit tedious. I know three of the contributing editors, though, so I picked up a copy. Still, it took me a couple of years before I decided to read this.

If you’re a new writer struggling to understand and master the basics of fiction writing, you need a copy of this book. It approaches each “fatal flaw” from five different angles, increasing the odds that the reader will connect with and understand one of the explanations. On top of that, the book is full of before and after sections, so even if the reader doesn’t completely understand what the author is saying, all you need to do is compare the before and after examples to see how something was edited.

I’ll be adding this to my list of must-haves for new authors, next to Jeff Gerke’s The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction, Brown and Kings Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and Kathy Tyers Writing in Deep Viewpoint.

G rated. Get your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, C.S. Lakin, Christy Distler, Linda S. Clare, Rachel Starr Thomson, Robin Patchen, writing books, writing fiction, writing resources, writing tips

Book Review: 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing

December 1, 2015 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

12 fatal flawsWhen working on a manuscript, editors mark up and revise sections to show writing clients what’s not working, why, and how these passages might be rewritten. We believe this is the best way to help writers identify their specific weaknesses, as well as learn how to get mastery over them.

Not every writer can afford to hire an editor to point out a manuscript’s flaws. And wouldn’t it be better for writers to arm themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to avoid succumbing to these writing flaws in the first place? We think so.

That’s why we five editors put together a year-long course online–on the Live Write Thrive blog–specifically aimed at tackling the most problematic issues we see day in and day out as we edit and critique manuscripts. While there are undoubtedly more than twelve “fatal flaws” of fiction writing, we set out to examine in depth the most troublesome and ubiquitous of these.

We refer to these issues as fatal flaws because of their potential to cause “novel failure.” Any one of these twelve flaws, if prevalent in a novel or other work of fiction, can be a writer’s undoing. And because there is no one way to fix each flaw, we’ve created multiple examples to expose each one, using passages written in a variety of genres, points of view, and writing styles. We feel this wide assortment of more than sixty examples provides just the help writers need.

In addition to being editors, we are all novelists–who struggle with these fiction flaws like any other author. We hope that by sharing our decades of experience as writers as well as book editors, we might help you seek and destroy the fatal flaws in your writing.

—

As a novelist at heart, I couldn’t wait to read this book compiled by several well-known book editors. Though I’m aware of the flaws that they discussed, I wanted to see if this book is one that I should add to my shelf or simply pass by. My conclusion?

I wish I’d had this book when I wrote my first manuscript.

We all learn differently. I didn’t care for a novel-writing book that everyone recommended; instead, I absorbed every word of a more obscure writing guide. That meant a lot of time and money buying and reading two books. In 12 Fatal Flaws, however, three editors address each flaw, so if you don’t connect well with one editor’s description there’s a good chance one of the other’s will find your trigger. In addition to three commentaries, each editor provides before and after segments to help you see what good and bad writing look like.

But that’s not all!

For each flaw there’s a checklist to help you edit your own work. Then there’s another sample where you can apply the techniques you’ve just learned (followed by a revised sample to help you see if you’ve figured it out yet).

This book works because it doesn’t just tell you what to do, then hope that you understood it. These editors take you through the process of learning then practicing proper writing. It’s definitely a book I would recommend to any novelist (and even to my fiction coaching clients). With so many examples, tips, and opportunities to practice, it would be hard to finish this book without walking away with a better understanding of good fiction writing.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Filed Under: editing, writing Tagged With: C.S. Lakin, Christy Distler, Linda S., Rachel Starr Thomson, Robin

10 Times You Should Be Sending a Press Release

Download this 2-page, easy-to-read PDF that will show you how often you can get your name out there - don't miss another opportunity to promote yourself!

Enter your email address to sign up and receive your FREE copy today!

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.

Contact Me

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copywriting

Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

Editing

Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

Author Page

Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

Resources

Press Release Tool Kit Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to … [more]

© Copyright 2015 Write Now Editing · All Rights Reserved · Design by Pink Haired Pixels/Carol Jones Media

· All Logos & Trademark Belongs To Their Respective Owners·