The anti-boasting thread

[StillStunned]

If everyone here is anything like me, we all have a pretty high opinion of our own writing skills. After all, readers seem to enjoy them, so we must be pretty good, right?

But what are our weaknesses? What are the aspects of writing where we admit privately that we've been bluffing our way through, and readers have been kind to overlook our shortcomings? What are the bits where we know we should make more of an effort but instead think, "It will be alright on the night"?

For me, it's plotting. I suppose after half a lifetime editing other people's texts I've become used to them doing the heavy lifting for me. All my attention goes into writing the best possible words, sentences and paragraphs. In most of my stories, the plot tends to be little more than a single scene. With longer works, I just lurch from scene to scene until it looks something like a story - or I get tired of writing.

So come on, this is a safe space. Share your shortcomings, and we'll all have a group hug and tell each other it will be alright.

 

[Bamagan]

 

[AwkwardlySet]

A hundred bucks say that half of the people will write their "shortcomings" in a way that actually glorifies their writing.
"I don't do this and that well, BUT..." and then they write two paragraphs about what they are doing well, along with linking two of their stories at least

Okay, rant off. I had a problem with grammar at the start BUT readers' input and Grammarly helped, so I'd say that that problem is history now. Other than that, writing natural dialogue is challenging as English isn't my native. It can probably sound somewhat stiff to native speakers.

 

[Sappho_CGN]

I tend to over-read mistakes, I need the right mood to write and often have long pause as the right mood is missing. I have good general ideas but I lack the ideas for detailled work in plotting. So I often stop and I am bored by my text.

BTW.: My English story was translated with the help of AI and my humble English and was then greatly polished by a member here.

 

[AlinaX]

I think that, despite my efforts to get into character's heads, ultimately they're all a bit the same. Without wanting to start an argument over definitions, I suspect I do write a lot of Mary Sues...

 

[TheLobster]

Too many words.

...oh wait, that didn't come off right.

Upon careful investigation of the assorted choice of my various works, I come to a conclusion that I seem to be prone to a certain kind of verbose loquaciousness.

 

[mildlyaroused]

Probably I tend to overuse certain words and turns of phrase:

• For a while
• For a time
• Then
• Only
• Just
• Suppose
• Seem
• Appear

And many more. Those are right off the tippity-top of my head.

 

[THBGato]

I overuse colons and I can't spell Ok.

I also massively worry about my characters sounding the same, but my efforts to distinguish them through lexis, accent, syntax, etc sometimes end up alienating/pissing off readers. So I clearly haven't got that balance right.

 

[mildlyaroused]

That's another of my issues, come to think about it: most of my characters talk in essentially the same way. That is, with proper, meandering, slightly whimsical English. Though in this case (and maybe I'm fulfilling AwkwardlySet's prophecy here), I like my dialogue the way I have it. It's great fun to write.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

The flaw that irks me the most is my atrocious editing skills. My attention to detail is lacking.

 

[lovecraft68]

My grammar still leaves something to be desired.

I'm a wordy self-indulgent bastard. I enjoy writing dialogue and get carried away sometimes.

I tend to circle sex scenes. I do a slow burn, finally get to where the sex will happen, but then oops, there's another objection or stalling tactic before I finally get going. I can imagine my readers being like "Oh, yeah, here we go," then "Oh, for fucks sake!"

I'd say any story I've written could probably have at least a page shaved off it and still be the same story.

Biggest deficiency? Apathy, because I don't care about anything I just acknowledged.

 

[Sappho_CGN]

I think that, despite my efforts to get into character's heads, ultimately they're all a bit the same. Without wanting to start an argument over definitions, I suspect I do write a lot of Mary Sues...

LOL ... in my ideas the same, very often almost perfect heroines without faults

 

[orangecurious]

i, pretty much, hate everything i do... this includes writing, photos, anything. At the time (the words hitting the page, the shutter being pressed) i imagine it's great, then i look back and loathe every single bit.

 

[lovecraft68]

I think that, despite my efforts to get into character's heads, ultimately they're all a bit the same. Without wanting to start an argument over definitions, I suspect I do write a lot of Mary Sues...

I tend to write many of my milf characters as being bitter about men their age.
I can't keep my personal disdain for certain types out of my stories.

 

[Infernalcock]

Honestly all my female characters are effectively the same person, and the males just inconsequential stooges who only exist so the girl can do her thing.

I still enjoy writing her again and again though

 

[KeithD]

Germanic writing. Sentences that go on forever.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I overuse colons and I can't spell Ok.

I also massively worry about my characters sounding the same, but my efforts to distinguish them through lexis, accent, syntax, etc sometimes end up alienating/pissing off readers. So I clearly haven't got that balance right.

I'm can't spell very well either, which is why I'm dependent on various spell-checking software. Sometimes the spelling is so bad that even the software is baffled.

 

[Lifestyle66]

Beside the amatuer writer mistakes of run-on sentences and too often used "But", "And", or "that" in writing somewhat the same as I speak, ... I lack the ability to write with emotions for the MC. They tend to be dispassionate observers of the world, even though I write in first person.

 

[lovecraft68]

Germanic writing. Sentences that go on forever.

But they are grammatically correct, right? There's no official limit to a sentence length is there?

 

[Bamagan]

Beside the amatuer writer mistakes of run-on sentences and too often used "But", "And", or "that" in writing somewhat the same as I speak, ... I lack the ability to write with emotions for the MC. They tend to be dispassionate observers of the world, even though I write in first person.

There are some who would describe a dispassionate protagonist as having Camus-flage.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Probably I tend to overuse certain words and turns of phrase:

• For a while
• For a time
• Then
• Only
• Just
• Suppose
• Seem
• Appear

And many more. Those are right off the tippity-top of my head.

That's one thing that Grammarly, with all it's faults, does help with. Do I really need to write "actually" at the beginning of a sentence? Probably not. Actually, I didn't need to write "really" in that second sentence either.

If I may ask, who is that person in your avatar?

 

[intim8]

I have serious weaknesses in just about every area of writing from storytelling to overuse of commas and everything in between. I'm working on it.

But probably my biggest one is that I want my characters to all be good people who do and say the right things and everything goes right for them. I can get away with it here, so long as "everything goes right" means they get their genitals vigorously rubbed, but I'm trying to get over it. The few times I have, it has really paid off.

 

[Erozetta]

All of it. I don't know story components, I don't know how to write a story with a beat, I don't know what I'm doing. I just write out the movies playing in my head. Dunno anything about writing beyond words go on the page and sometimes they work.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I'm finally getting away from the Northeast as a setting. I've had so many stories (including the ones on other sites) that are within five miles of my namesake station that many take place around the corner from each other. However, there is other connection among them. I finally went to Reno, NV, but I didn't describe the place. Only Route U.S. 50 in the desert was important.

Hull Avenue 1973

 

[intim8]

Do I really need to write "actually" at the beginning of a sentence? Probably not. Actually, I didn't need to write "really" in that second sentence either.

I call those "hesitation words", or "hedging words". It's the author not wanting to simply say something flat out, to assert it confidently. He wants to soften it, to leave wriggle room, to hedge his bets on it by leaving an out. My worst version of it is "just" or "a bit".