Let’s face it, preparing your novel to send to a professional developmental editor can be stressful. Creating the perfect story line, compelling characters, and perfect pacing takes time. But a wonky plot and flat characters aren't the only things that drive an editor crazy when they are editing a book.
But how do you know what to fix to save your editor a headache or keep your edited manuscript from looking like someone bled all over it when you get it back?
Well, that's where developmental editors like me come in.
I recently had the opportunity to ask six developmental editors about the most common things they find that they would love authors to be aware of and correct before sending them their manuscript.
And today, I am going to share them with you!
Without further ado, here are the 20 mistakes in no particular order…
Characters who do not have unique voices - they all sound the same.
Writing the inner dialogue correctly in italics, but then following it with he/she thought to themselves. You definitely don’t need that tag because the italics tell us that it’s inner dialogue.
Continuity issues!
Proper punctuation/spelling when doing dialogue tags i.e. "I don't know the answer." He said. (To me, this falls under copy editing, but it is still a good one to know.)
Homophones.
Talking Heads, the band = awesome! Talking heads in dialogue, not so much. It’s good to break up large sections of pure dialogue with some actions or internal thought so the reader gets a break from the conversation.
Internal dialogue instead of deeper POV.
Crazy amounts of dialogue tags, especially when not said, that could be strengthened by grounding and showing more. (I’m almost positive I am guilty of this one.)
Overstating things or repeating things in dialogue tags that the character said in dialogue. Example: "That books is too long," he said, annoyed at the length of the book.
The character’s goal, motivation, and conflict should drive the story. If that gets lost in scenes and etc, it loses tension and pacing.
Dialogue tags like "she sneered."
When the character is supposed to be an "expert" but the author did not do enough research into a field. Example: archaeologists do not dig up dinosaurs. That's Ross from Friends (a paleontologist).
Timelines - the person is a certain age in this section but what happened in the past does not correlate to how old they would have been back then - i.e. they are 22 now but 10 years back they would have been 12 but they are portrayed as 16.
Dialogue... unless your character is Data from TNG, characters should speak in contractions because people do, after all.
Spelling characters correctly - Delia here, Dalia there - which is it? (This one is for all you fantasy writers with crazy-spelled names. Raises my hand!)
In reference to dialogue: accents. I'm Southern and nothing makes my blood boil more than someone stereotyping the dialect. (That also goes for AAVE, Gaelic, etc.)
Dialogue...don’t do the Jack/Rose thing from Titanic...No one really says each other’s names as much as those two did when speaking to each other.
Head-hopping and lack of POV control are big issues for me. X can't know what Y is thinking/feeling unless Y shows/tells it. Keep POV to one per scene, at a minimum. I prefer one per chapter.
When it is written in first person, you are in their POV and their dialogue does not have tags like I said, etc.
I am sure if I asked more than 6 editors we could fill 100 pages with the little things that drive them crazy. But this list is a great start for anyone editing their book in preparation to send it to an agent or an editor. So, while you are editing, use this list to make sure you remove as many of these as possible. It will make your editor's life easier in the end! And we all want to make our editors happy, don't we?
But, as with all my posts, I love hearing from the community. Do you have any pet peeves that you’ve found in critique partners books or even published novels that you would like to share? Let's start our own list in the comments!
About Jenn
Jenn Windrow is an Award winning author, developmental editor, and illustrator.
She loves characters who have a pinch of spunk, a dash of attitude, and a large dollop of sex appeal. Top it all off with a huge heaping helping of snark, and you’ve got the ingredients for the kind of fast-paced stories she loves to read and write. Home is a suburb of it’s-so-hot-my-shoes-have-melted-to-the-pavement Phoenix. Where she lives with her husband, two teenagers, and a slew of animals that seem to keep following her home, at least that’s what she claims.
How many words make a compelling children's story? 100? 1,000? More? The answer might surprise you. Stories are as short or as long as they need to be, and with picture books, each word carefully chosen to advance the narrative and capture young imaginations best.
The Evolution of Word Counts
This principle of purposeful writing has deep roots in literary tradition. Kurt Vonnegut famously stated, "Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action." Similarly, E.B. White advocated in "The Elements of Style" to "omit needless words," emphasizing clarity over arbitrary length.
The publishing landscape has evolved significantly over the past decades. While picture books of the 1940s-1970s often contained 1,000+ words, today's market favors more concise storytelling. This shift reflects both changing attention spans and the increasing sophistication of visual storytelling in modern picture books.
Current Industry Standards
Picture books follow clear word count guidelines based on their target age group:
Board books (ages 0-3): 0-100 words, often using single words per page, perfect for developing vocabulary and object recognition
Picture books for toddlers (ages 2-5): 100-500 words, ideal for short attention spans while building narrative comprehension
Picture books for older children (ages 4-8): 500-800 words, allowing for more complex storytelling and character development
The current publishing "sweet spot" typically falls between 400-500 words—a significant shift from the traditional 500-600 word range of previous decades.
Finding Your Sweet Spot
The rise of different publishing channels has created new opportunities for varied word counts. Traditional bookstores often favor books that align with industry standards, while digital platforms and direct-to-consumer channels may offer more flexibility. However, success in any format depends on maintaining reader engagement.
Minimalist Masterpieces
Some of the most beloved picture books demonstrate the power of sparse text:
"Pat the Bunny" (Dorothy Kunhardt): Uses single-word instructions like "pat" and "wave"
"Tuesday" (David Wiesner): Contains only time markers, letting images drive the narrative
Recent successful examples include:
"Journey" (Aaron Becker, 2013): A wordless adventure that sparked a trilogy
"They All Saw a Cat" (Brendan Wenzel, 2016): ~100 words exploring perception
"Du Iz Tak?" (Carson Ellis, 2016): Uses invented language to tell a garden story
Breaking the Rules Successfully
While today's market favors brevity, both classic and contemporary works demonstrate how expanded word counts can serve ambitious storytelling:
Classic Example:
"Just a Dream" (Chris Van Allsburg): ~1,500 words
"The Polar Express" (Chris Van Allsburg): ~1,000 words
"Curious George" (H.A. Rey): ~1,200 words
Modern Success Stories:
"Last Stop on Market Street" (Matt de la Peña, 2015): ~800 words
"The Day You Begin" (Jacqueline Woodson, 2018): ~750 words
"After the Fall" (Dan Santat, 2017): ~850 words
Practical Tips for Word Count Success
Read your manuscript aloud:
Time your reading (aim for 3-5 minutes for ages 4-8)
Note where you naturally pause—these are potential page turns
Listen for areas where the pacing drags
Analyze each sentence:
Does it advance the plot AND reveal character?
Could the illustration convey this information instead?
Is every word essential to understanding?
Consider your audience and format:
Physical books: Factor in page turns for dramatic effect
Digital formats: Consider screen-by-screen pacing
Reading level: Match vocabulary and sentence length to age group
The Picture Book Balance
The essence of picture book creation lies in the delicate interplay between text and illustrations. This partnership allows for minimal text while maintaining rich storytelling through visual elements. Whether working with traditional publishers or pursuing independent paths, successful picture books achieve their goals through purposeful word choice rather than arbitrary word counts.
Remember: The perfect word count is the one that serves your story best. Focus first on crafting a compelling narrative, then refine your word count to match your chosen format and audience.
Have you noticed any changes in word count recommendations over the years?
About J.W.:
J.W. Zarek is a Wall Street Journal bestselling co-author of "Writer's Success Secrets" and "The Happiness Code." His latest works include the Golden Book Award Finalist "Bella Brown's Messier Than Messy Room" and the 41-award-winning novel "The Devil Pulls the Strings." Connect with him at his website, jwzarek.com.
I've gotten several requests for a Deep POV checklist, and I searched my archives and found that I'd written about this on WITS back in 2018 -- so it felt like time for an update!
Now, let's be clear. Deep Point of View is a collection of stylistic tools that work together to create a specific effect for readers. If you search the bestseller lists, you'll find those authors don't write Deep Point of View exclusively, but they do use many of the tools of Deep POV. So, use the tools that fit your voice and genre, to create specific effects for readers as you need/want them.
What is this Deep POV List?
This list is a not a checklist in the sense that you're guaranteed anything if you follow them all. I also don't have the space for many examples here. This Deep POV checklist WILL serve as a starting place if you're trying to learn the technique, or need the language to do more research or learning.
I like to think of Deep POV like renovating a house. Plot, characterization, pacing -- these are all demolition issues (what we're removing). Then we move to the rebuilding stage, and finally the finishing touches with decorating.
The Demo Stage of Deep POV Checklist
These are the basic tenets of deep point of view you'll find in any succinct 800-word blog post on the interwebs. Don't fall into the trap of believing this is all there is to Deep POV.
No one buys a house and after finishing the demo stage considers the house an adequate place to live. Sure, we've got walls and a roof, but there's no door on the bathroom and the kitchen countertops are on backorder. It's not functional.
Author Voice
I use this term to cover any place where the author inserts themselves into a story (either as an outside storyteller voice or a narrator of any stripe) to summarize, explain or justify. This includes thinking words (wanted, thought, decided, etc), emotion words (naming emotions: loved, anxious, hated); and filter words that create distance (made, heard, saw). This all has to go.
The author voice is usually the one giving backstory, describing a setting, giving context to new characters or situations, covering leaps in time, and answering WHY.
Why is the character making this decision? Why does the character have this priority? Why Why Why. The character needs a reason to think of things they already know.
Deep POV wants every word on the page to come from within the character. Now, is that realistic? No. Not really. You have to cheat this rule simply to keep the story moving, avoid unnecessary navel gazing, and on-the-nose pace-killing. But know why you're cheating Deep POV in every instance and know how Deep POV wants you to write. Then decide if Deep POV or the author voice best serves your voice and the story in each instance.
Immediacy
The power of Deep Point of View is creating a sense for readers that they’re IN the story AS IT’S HAPPENING with your characters. This isn’t a question of using past or present tense, instead write as though the action is happening in real time for readers.
If you have backstory, ask how much of that information the reader needs right now, to understand what's going on in the story. Understand that immediacy dictates what's going through the character's mind at any given moment.
Incorporating Senses
If every word on the page comes from within the character, the reader is then privy to whatever raw information is used to decide what to do next. This has to include sensory information. A character needs a reason to turn around in their chair, look in any direction, or react (hair raising, startle, tensing) and often sensory details provide that information. Deep POV doesn't want the unnamed "something" to force them to turn around.
Specificity and particularity are two of the driving forces behind Deep POV.
The Rebuilding Stage of Deep POV Checklist
This is where we look at everything we took out and removed in the previous stage, and now we're building back up again. The Deep POV checklist gives us an idea of what we add instead.
This is where we want to focus on characterization, character voice, emotions and emotional arcs, answering the WHY, setting and description. We're not hanging wallpaper yet, but we're choosing new windows, framing in new walls, and rerouting plumbing. Many authors trying to learn Deep POV understand (or think they understand) the demo stage, but then they skip ahead to hanging wallpaper and curtains.
Characterization
This is all about what's important to your character. What is their priority in any given scene? What are their prejudices, morals and ethics, pain points, limited thinking, past trauma, etc. How do you capture that without using the author voice to explain, summarize, or justify? You lean on internal sensations (how things FEEL), internal dialogue, spoken dialogue, and actions. What do they avoid? What are they afraid of? This is all part of the rebuilding phase of deep POV.
When a child is upset and throwing things, if we know that child we often know WHY they're behaving that way, and a good parent helps them find the words for their feelings. Maybe they're frustrated, or tired, or feel unheard, sick, or scared. It's your job to make sure the reader knows your POV character. What makes them tick.
Character Voice
Voice is focused on how the character expresses themselves. This of course includes spoken dialogue, but also mannerisms, expressions, gestures, cadence, tone, turns of phrases, and thought patterns.
Emotions And Emotional Arcs
THESE are the glue of deep POV. In the demo phase, you removed all the ways you expressed your character's emotions to readers, and now you're stuck. How do you show anger? How do you show frustration? How do you show they're torn between two or three emotions?
You have to turn to what psychology calls the orchestra of communication referenced above, under Character Voice.
An example...
What goes through the mind of a person who's scared? Do they tell themselves they're scared? No, probably not. They're going to make threat assessments, they're going to look for exits. Their thinking will be impaired by past experiences, priorities, etc.
How do you show someone who's insecure? Maybe they actively avoid looking at themselves in the mirror below the neckline. Maybe they fastidiously pick all the imagined lint off their sweater. Be creative. You have to know your character really really well, but also just be a good observer of people.
Make a chart if it helps.
Charting the emotional arc of any given scene can help ensure you're building in surprise for readers. What emotion does your scene begin with? What is the emotion at the peak of the tension or conflict in that scene? What emotion does the scene end with? I try not to have the scene begin and end with the same emotion, or at least ensure the WHY behind that emotion is different.
Answering The Why
This is about exploring and becoming curious about why your character does or says anything. And instead of using the author voice to explain or summarize, show what why instead. This includes building in emotional reactions, using emotional layering, using compelling backstory that doesn't slow the pace, and tracking shifting goals and priorities. Being specific and particular is crucial here. The character isn't just angry, there's a specific reason for the anger coloured by the inherent stakes or risks they perceive for expressing or suppressing or ignoring or acknowledging that anger. Go deeper!
Setting And Description
These keep the reader rooted in time and place. They want to be IN the scene with the character. They don't want to just be in the backseat of the story car watching everything happen, they don't want to ride shotgun -- they want to be in the character's head and privy to every emotion and sensation and thought that's led to every decision. Setting and description can set the mood, and reflect back attitudes and expectations as well.
The Decorating Stage Of Deep POV
This is where we really take our writing to the next level. Most people, all things being equal, would choose high-end finishes for their home.
Go big!
The biggest caution I have for students is not to fear melodrama. We undercut the emotions in a scene because we're afraid of being melodramatic. Most of the time, I'm encouraging people to write the emotions bigger. You can scale it back if you feel it's necessary, but when you're in the moment -- when you're immersed in your character's perspective -- don't pull back.
It's like the guy who initially chooses to chase a purse snatcher, but then gets scared and pretends to pull a hamstring. He was within reach, but then didn't know what to do with the thief or was scared of what *might* happen once he caught him.
So, go for the gold faucet, the vintage solid brass drawer pulls, import King Henry VIII's throne, choose the vintage wallpaper that's $5000 a roll -- whatever it is. This is where the magic happens!
Subtext
This is what K.M. Weiland called "the blackbelt of writing". So much of our experience of the world is nonverbal. This is the unspoken exchange behind the dialogue between two characters, the juxtaposition between a character’s thoughts and their outward actions.
This is the husband glaring at his wife across the room and tapping his watch at the party. This is the wife raising her brows and folding her arms over her chest. This is the husband straightening his spine and raising his brows, his right hand wrapping around his closed left fist. This is the wife's shoulders drooping and a curt nod, before she turns to the host and says they need to go.
Subtext is the mob boss asking an underling if he's taken out the trash. Yeah, took it out last night.
Subtext is about who has authority or power in a scene, and the consequences of defying that dynamic. It's using touch, or the absence of touch, to show the WHY. The boss who leans in too close when making a request. The secretary who offers to stay, doesn't matter how late. These are cliche, but this is all subtext.
Beats
Beats are about more than attributing dialogue via stage directions. Complex beats not only attribute dialogue, but also show character emotion, priorities, or stakes. Make each beat move the story ahead in some way rather than just attribute speech.
Literary Devices
Use these to give readers information through connotation, repetition, personification, metaphor, and simile. The reader can articulate how a character feels, but may not know where they got that idea from. Look into devices like foreshadowing, pathetic fallacy, metonymy, etc.
What's your biggest pain point when it comes to learning deep POV?
I'll be running my 4 week Deep POV Masterclass again in May 2025, watch my blog for registration to open in April and/or join the Deep POV Facebook group (see bio below for links) for updates and free tips.
About Lisa
Lisa Hall-Wilson is a writing teacher and award-winning writer and author. She’s the author of Method Acting For Writers: Learn Deep Point Of View Using Emotional Layers. Her blog, Beyond Basics For Writers, explores all facets of the popular writing style deep point of view and offers practical tips for writers.
