What Did I Just Read?! Writing Mistakes That Make Editors Cry

Submitting your short story to a contest or publication is an exciting, nerve-wracking experience. You've no doubt put some hours into your work --- now, what are other people going to think? And what, exactly, will get you published?

It's not magic, that's for sure. And no matter how unique a story is, if it has more plot holes than Swiss cheese and enough grammar mistakes to make your English teacher sigh, it's not going to make the cut.

When we read the submissions for our short story contests, too often we notice writers fall into the same traps that make our editors quit reading a story before it's even finished. And if we've learned anything from 200+ entries each year, even experienced writers have their blind spots.

Here are the most frequent writing mistakes we see in short fiction... and how to avoid them.

Cottonbro, Pexels

Never-Ending (and Boring) Openings

Editors, agents, and publishers all do the same thing: judge a book by the first page. On the micro-level, it's no different. When our Dreambridge editors comb through hundreds of short story submissions on a tight deadline (typically two to three weeks), our first impression is often the last.

More often than not, the stories we don't accept start with slow, meandering beginnings. Too much focus on worldbuilding before we even see a character, or lengthy descriptions about what the protagonist ate for breakfast, will put the story directly in the "no" pile. Why?

The hard truth is, the attention span is a fickle creature (especially in this day and age). If you're not immediately hooking the reader from the first sentence or paragraph, they will lose interest. The art of the "hook" in any piece of fiction is a masterclass in itself (one we'll no doubt end up writing one day) so before you submit, perfect your first sentence, paragraph, and page until it makes your reader do a double--take (another hint: run it by a few readers before submitting to see if it actually captures their attention and refine it further).

To write snappy stories that stick, plunge directly into the action. This immediate engagement makes readers eager to dive deeper into the story.

2-Dimensional Characters

Readers want to connect with dynamic personalities. Our editors expect complexity, even in short formats. And, at the end of the day, if you're on the hunt for an agent or publisher, they're looking for characters that grab them by the collar and never let go --- because that's what gets you published. A character who simply functions as a plot device will leave as little impact as a breath on the wind.

Enhance your characters by giving them distinct voices and clear motivations. Instead of describing a character as “bitter,” provide context. Perhaps they are a teacher frustrated by their students’ lack of effort, which opens the door to more resonant, relatable themes (see the short story "Robot Ghostwriter" in our anthology Trouble in Paradise for a perfect example). We go into more detail on how to write interesting characters here.

Where's the Beef?

Conflict is the engine of any good story. Without it, a story is dull, meandering, and uninspired. Many short story submissions we turn away --- and the most common critique we give --- have a lack substantial tension, or lean on tired clichés to move the story along. Sure, clichés can be useful in your first draft, when the core of your story is still being developed. And in a world inundated with every story imaginable, there's bound to be some repetition.

So what exactly is it about your story, your words, that makes readers coming back for more? What about the stakes you've created elevates your reader's heart rate and keeps them reading till 3 A.M.? Take a trope and spin it on it's head. We've all heard the story of how the prince slays the dragon and saves the princess; but what if that prince was a misanthropic ogre (see what I did there)?

Once you have your character fleshed out, intentionally place them in a situation where they may stumble, get frightened, or straight-up fail. Watching characters struggle (and sometimes persevere) is why we root for them; we don't want to read about a character sitting on the beach all day unless there's a giant crab eating people in the ocean beside them. What are they going to do about it?

Inconsistent Tone

Unless you're an expert at the craft of writing (which, if you're reading this blog, you probably aren't yet), you likely can't change the tone of your story on a whim without confusing and putting off the reader. It is possible to blend tones and genres on occasion, and when done properly, the story beats are tight enough to withstand the whiplash of moving from one to another (horror--comedies come to mind). But especially in short fiction when every word matters, stick to one tone for each character and the story as a whole.

Set the mood early in your drafting process and maintain it throughout the story. Sure, your character should be deep and flawed and blah, blah, blah. But having your haunted, Noir--inspired P.I. suddenly make a fart joke at the crime scene (where they wouldn't before) is off--putting and takes the reader out of the moment...and out of your story.

Your First Draft Shouldn't Be Your Last

Many writers submit their first draft of a story to contests or publications; which, in my humble opinion, means they don't care about the spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and plot/character inconsistencies enough to fix them (ex. the waitress had blue eyes in the first paragraph, but brown eyes by the last). I'm warning you now, these errors distract readers and undermine the story you are trying to tell --- no matter how interesting and unique it is.

Invest time in polishing your story. Aim for clarity and professionalism by taking a hard look at your grammar and punctuation. Share your draft with trusted peers for feedback before submitting to a publication. Personally, for our 2025 anthology In My Element, I wrote and re-wrote my story submission four times in full before submitting it to our panel of editors for judgment. The final product --- which is a result of, yes, more editing --- is now something I can be proud to publish alongside the nineteen other hardworking authors in our book.

Final Thoughts

These pitfalls may seem scary when you're staring directly into them. But now that you know what they look like, you're a few inches closer to side-stepping them completely and continuing on your publishing journey unscathed. And the more you write, the easier this process gets. So keep writing!

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