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Right, so let’s get something straight: writing a story is hard. Like, really hard. And most writers, even the ones who think they’ve got “talent”, make the same mistakes over and over. Mistakes that slowly, quietly, kill a story without you even realising.
I’ve been there. I’ve stared at pages filled with ideas that seemed amazing in my head, only for my beta readers to blink at me and say, “Yeah… it’s… fine.” Fine?! Fine is code for “I’ll never finish this.” Oh help me!
So I decided to put together the ultimate guide: 13 storytelling mistakes almost everyone makes, why they’re terrible, and how to fix them. I’ll be brutally honest, a bit sarcastic, and sometimes borderline obsessive. But if you stick with me, by the end you’ll have a checklist that could save your story from being a tragic mess.
1. Your Story Lacks a Clear Plot (aka “Stop Making Stuff Up”)
This is the cardinal sin. It’s the “I have no idea what I’m doing” trap.
You know the type:
“Alice walked to the park. Then she bought ice cream. Later she met a talking cat. Then she had dinner.”
On paper, it sounds fun, but in reality, it’s a string of events with zero connection. No tension, no purpose, no “why the hell should I care?”
Why it’s bad: Stories thrive on problems and solutions. Without a central question, your narrative feels like a diary entry for a bored imaginary friend.
Fix: Outline. Yes, it’s boring, but it works. Ask yourself: What is the core problem my character needs to solve? Alice’s story could pivot to: Will she discover the secret behind the talking cat? Every scene should feed into that. Even Harry Potter is meticulously plotted. Each book builds on the last. Random adventures? Fun in the head, but readers crave coherence.
2. There’s No Conflict (aka “Your Story is Just Nice”)
Nothing kills a story faster than a protagonist who floats through life like a Disney background character.
Example:
“Tom wanted to win the race, and he did easily. Then he went home and lived happily ever after.”
Yawn. That’s like eating plain bread without butter. Sure, it exists, but do we want it?
Why it’s bad: Conflict is literally the engine of your story. Internal struggles, external obstacles, interpersonal drama… all of it keeps readers invested.
Fix: Introduce problems that matter. Make them personal. Make them external. Layer them. Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games is constantly in conflict. Physically, emotionally, morally. If your characters just breeze through life, readers will yawn and scroll.
3. No Stakes (aka “Why Should I Care?”)
Conflict alone isn’t enough. There must be stakes.
Example:
“Maria wanted to find her lost cat, but it didn’t matter if she succeeded or failed.”
If there’s no consequence, no one cares. Stakes are what make tension meaningful.
Fix: Ask yourself: What happens if the protagonist fails? Make it matter personally and externally. Maria’s cat disappearing could devastate her younger sibling. Suddenly, her mission is urgent. Stakes = tension + empathy.
4. Nothing Changes (aka “Your Characters are Static Rocks”)
A story is transformation, not repetition.
Example:
“Jake complained about his job every day but never tried anything new. Same story, every chapter.”
Yawn. This is basically watching paint dry.
Fix: Character arcs. Give characters opportunities to grow, change, or fail spectacularly. Jake could start a side project, stumble, learn, and emerge wiser. Even Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice evolves through her misunderstandings, showing the power of internal change. Readers love witnessing growth!
5. Starting with a Character Waking Up (aka “The Worst Opening Ever”)
Alarm clocks, brushing teeth, coffee… nope!! Unless your story is about dental hygiene, start elsewhere.
Example:
“Sarah woke up, brushed her teeth, made coffee.”
Why it’s bad: It bores readers instantly.
Fix: Open with tension, action, or weirdness.
“Sarah jolted awake to the sound of shattering glass in the hallway.”
Boom. Conflict. Curiosity. Engagement. Start with the “what happens next?” hook.
6. Dumping Backstory (aka “Info-Dump Hell”)
Nothing says “I’m a rookie” like a 500-word paragraph on your character’s life before the story begins.
Example:
“John was born in a small town, his parents were teachers, he had three siblings…”
Why it’s bad: Backstory is irrelevant unless it informs the current story.
Fix: Sprinkle it in. Drip-feed details that matter.
“John paused at the empty schoolyard, remembering how his parents used to teach here.”
Readers digest backstory organically this way. Less headache, more immersion.
7. Characters Who Are Too Ordinary or Too Perfect (aka “Bland or Mary Sue”)
Perfect people are boring. Ordinary people can be dull. Characters need flaws and depth.
Example:
“Lucy was beautiful, smart, kind, and everyone loved her. She never made mistakes.”
Fix: Add complexity. Lucy could be brilliant but impatient, perfectionistic, and prone to ruining relationships unintentionally. Complexity makes readers invest emotionally. Even Hermione Granger, for all her brilliance, has flaws. She’s bossy, socially awkward, and sometimes stubborn.
8. Overusing Adverbs (aka “Stop Telling, Start Showing”)
“He was very angry.”
Zzz… That’s telling, not showing.
Fix: Demonstrate through actions and reactions:
“His fists clenched, face flushed, as he slammed the door.”
Showing lets readers feel, not just read.
9. Weak Dialogue (aka “Robot Talk”)
Dialogue is character, conflict, and exposition all rolled into one. If everyone talks the same, your story dies.
Example:
“Hi, how are you? I’m fine, thanks. How’s the weather? Yes, the weather is fine.”
Fix: Unique voices. Let speech patterns, word choices, and reactions define characters.
“’Did you really eat my sandwich?’ Jenna’s eyes narrowed. ‘No… it was… uh… the dog,’ Mark stammered.”
Instant personality, instant tension.
10. Scenes “Just Because” (aka “Filler Hell”)
Every scene should serve your story. If it doesn’t… cut it.
Example:
“The characters went to the mall and bought snacks. Nothing else happened.”
Fix: Make every scene meaningful.
“While shopping, Jenna overhears a suspicious conversation about a robbery, setting up the story’s main conflict.”
Purposeful scenes = tighter narrative and more engaged readers.
11. Inconsistent POV (aka “Head-Hopping Chaos”)
Switching POV mid-scene is disorienting. Don’t do it.
Example:
“Tom thought he might fail the exam. Meanwhile, Sarah was also anxious about Tom’s performance.”
Fix: Stick to one POV per scene.
“Tom glanced at Sarah and wondered if she was worried too. He hoped she wouldn’t notice his trembling hands.”
Simple, clean, and readable.
12. Poor Pacing (aka “Too Fast or Too Slow”)
Rushing or dragging kills immersion.
Example:
“She ran a marathon in one sentence, then instantly got a promotion.”
Fix: Balance tension, exposition, and character growth. Build suspense, then release. Show training, setbacks, and triumph. Katniss’s preparation for the Hunger Games isn’t just fluff, it sets up stakes, skill, and tension.
13. Clichés and Predictable Plots (aka “We’ve Seen This Before”)
Tropes are fine. Lazy ones are death.
Example:
“The princess is in a tower; the prince saves her.”
Fix: Twist expectations. Give your story originality.
“The princess rescues herself with the prince’s help, discovering a hidden magical power along the way.”
Even classics like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games remix familiar ideas into something fresh. You can too.
TL;DR
Give characters depth. Give stakes. Let them grow. Keep the plot coherent. Show, don’t tell. Start with conflict, not coffee. Avoid filler, clichés, and predictable beats.
Follow these 13 rules, and your story will hook, entertain, and stick with readers long after the last word.