The Seven Deadly Sins of Fiction Writing: A Guide to Making Your Readers Suffer

Welcome, dear independent fiction authors, to a guide on how to make your readers suffer! 👿

​If you are looking to push your audience away, then you've come to the right place. Here are the seven deadly sins of fiction writing, guaranteed to drive your readers crazy

Number 1: Clichés, clichés, clichés

Nothing says "I'm a lazy writer" like filling your pages with clichés.

​You know, those overused phrases that make readers roll their eyes and lose interest in your story. Why come up with your own original ideas when you can just recycle tired old expressions like "time heals all wounds" or "love conquers all"?

​Keep doing that, and your readers will start to wonder if you've ever had an original thought in your life.

Number 2: Info-dumping

Who needs to show rather than tell when you can just dump all your information on your readers in one big, boring block of text?

​Forget about creating a compelling narrative that gradually reveals important details. Just tell your readers everything they need to know right away, in excruciating detail. Your readers will love wading through pages and pages of exposition, won't they?

Number 3: One-dimensional characters

Why bother creating complex, multi-faceted characters when you can just stick with bland, one-dimensional stereotypes? Your readers will never get bored with yet another stock character like the "tough but tender" detective, the "quirky but lovable" best friend, or the "evil for the sake of being evil" villain.

​Who needs character development when you can just use a cookie-cutter approach?

Number 4: Purple Prose

Why use simple, clear language when you can instead indulge in a whole bunch of flowery, overwritten language that no one will understand?

​Just keep stringing together endless metaphors, similes, and adjectives until your prose becomes a dense, impenetrable mess. Your readers will love struggling to understand what you're trying to say!

Number 5: Plot Holes

Who needs a coherent plot when you can just toss in a bunch of random events that don't make sense? Forget about establishing cause and effect, or creating a story that logically follows from beginning to end.

​Just throw in a bunch of plot twists that come out of nowhere, and watch as your readers scratch their heads and wonder what the hell is going on.

Number 6:  Inconsistency

​Why bother with consistency when you can just change your story whenever you feel like it?

Forget about sticking to the rules you've established, or making sure your characters act in ways that are consistent with their personalities.

​Just change the rules whenever it's convenient, and watch as your readers get more and more frustrated with your lack of attention to detail.

Number 7 : Rush the Ending

Who needs a satisfying conclusion when you can just wrap up your story in the most haphazard, unsatisfying way possible?

​Forget about tying up loose ends, or giving your readers a sense of closure. Just rush through the ending as quickly as possible, leaving your readers feeling cheated and unsatisfied.

In Conclusion...

Well, there you have it, folks: the seven deadly sins of fiction writing.

If you want to make your readers suffer, just follow these simple guidelines, and watch as your audience dwindles to nothing.

​Or, you could do the exact opposite, and strive to create stories that are engaging, well-written, and memorable. The choice is yours!

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