# 7 Mistakes That Scream "Amateur Writer" ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer.webp]] **Creator:** Alyssa Matesic · **Published:** 2025-03-24 · **Length:** 15:16 · [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg) > Caption source: YouTube **English captions** (`en`, auto-generated), downloaded with **yt-dlp**; they cover the whole video (0:00-15:16). No TubeAlfred or youtube-transcript-api credits were used. Section headings use the **creator's chapter timestamps** from the description (the captions run roughly 5-15 s earlier than the chapter marks, so a few bullets carry a time slightly before their heading). Screenshots are from the downloaded video stream, one about every 33 s; it is a single talking head, with book-cover graphics only near the start. Names, links and the self-description in the Biographies section come from the video description and the channel, not the spoken audio. ## Outline ### 0:00 Intro - [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=0s) **Alyssa Matesic** says she has edited hundreds of books as a **developmental editor**, including *New York Times* bestsellers, and will cover the seven biggest mistakes she sees amateur authors make in novel manuscripts: why each ruins a story, how to spot it in your own draft, and how to fix it fast. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0003.webp]] ### 0:30 Mistake 1: Not exploring the protagonist's mind enough - [0:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=30s) A fast way to lose a reader is to keep the protagonist's inner world locked away. Novels uniquely give direct access to a character's mind, while film, TV and theatre make us infer it from what we see. - [1:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=66s) Readers want to *feel* what it is like to be inside the character's head as events happen. When a manuscript is light on **interiority**, she watches the character move through scenes without caring, because she cannot tell why they act or how they feel. - [1:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=99s) How interiority is shown depends on point of view, but in first or third person we need access to the mind. Three elements to illuminate: - [1:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=118s) **Objective**: what the protagonist wants, what they are working toward, and why. It is the key to the conflict that starts their journey. - [2:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=133s) **Emotional responses**: when a twist, betrayal or setback happens, show the reaction (shock, shame, resentment, even numbness), not just what happens next. - [2:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=145s) **Decision-making process**: decisions should ladder up to the overarching objective, at scene level (why go to the library, why call a friend) and at plot level (why take the job, why break up). - [2:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=166s) All plot and no interiority means "you're missing half of the story" and readers will not invest emotionally. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0036.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0069.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0102.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0135.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0168.webp]] ### 3:12 Mistake 2: Having an inconsistent point of view - [3:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=182s) She is "incredibly passionate" about this one and raises it with nearly all her editing clients, because it can disrupt the whole reading experience. It applies to third-person writers in particular. - [3:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=199s) Writers confuse **close third person** with **omniscient narration**. They believe they are writing omniscient and switch perspectives whenever they like, but they are really writing close third and **head hopping**. - [3:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=225s) Her example: three chapters in Sarah's POV, a couple of lines from Mike, back to Sarah for a chapter, then a brief dip into Jack for a few paragraphs. That is not intentional omniscience but "halfhazard head hopping" that disorients readers and feels like whiplash. - [3:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=238s) Omniscient narration can work, and several classic and canonical novels use it, but then it must be clear that a **narrator mediates the whole story** and the distance it creates must be warranted. More often the book should be reorganized into **rotating close third** with a consistent cadence. - [4:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=274s) With multiple POVs, each must be justified. If a character gets one scene and no arc, deliver it from a more prominent character's perspective. Balance the POVs so no storyline is neglected for too long. - [5:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=302s) Self-check: am I writing omniscient, close third or first person, and am I consistent? Is every POV I include necessary? Is the story balanced between them? Fix POV first, before the other issues, because it makes the biggest difference to the next draft. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0201.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0234.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0267.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0300.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0333.webp]] ### 5:37 Mistake 3: Info-dumping - [5:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=330s) A "dead giveaway for an amateur writer." Nothing kills narrative momentum faster, and info dumps usually sit at the start of a novel, the most fragile time to hold a reader. - [5:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=358s) Example: a fantasy novel with a 20-page prologue of historical context. She says to cut it: "readers don't want to read a textbook, they want to read a story," and stories should be anchored in scenes. - [6:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=383s) Instead, weave information into the scene action as characters move through their world and interact. Instead of saying a kingdom has been at war for a decade, show the character stepping over rubble or hearing gunfire, or a shop owner mentioning they opened ten years ago when the war began. - [7:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=428s) If you hook readers with intriguing action and conflict, they will be curious enough to keep reading. If a piece of exposition is not relevant to what a character is doing now, save it for when it becomes relevant. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0366.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0399.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0432.webp]] ### 7:39 Mistake 4: Refusing to kill your darlings - [7:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=441s) A mindset change: the funny side character who goes on their own quest for a chapter, the flashback that shows how a relationship began. If these feel like tangents rather than critical contributions to the plot, they have to go. - [8:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=480s) Ruthless self-editing is one of the toughest skills for new authors and what sets professionals apart. It is not just trimming fat: removing what does not belong lets you find the true heart of the story. - [8:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=495s) Signs you need cuts: the story does not really begin until page 50, the ending drags long after the climax, or subplots and secondary characters add nothing. You may have needed to write these to discover the story, but at the editing stage you cut everything that does not serve what the story is about. - [8:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=519s) **Sculpting metaphor**: the first draft is a raw block of marble that gives the general shape; killing your darlings is chiseling away everything that is not the core story. - [8:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=536s) **Tip**: keep a **"cutting room floor" document** for removed scenes, so nothing is truly lost and a scene may find a home in a later draft or a new story. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0465.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0498.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0531.webp]] ### 9:18 Mistake 5: Writing weak scenes - [9:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=555s) If parts of the novel feel slow, boring or emotionally flat, this is likely the cause. - [9:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=560s) Every scene should combine three elements: **action** (the choreography of what literally happens), **narrative** (exposition and reflection from the POV character, giving context and how they perceive events) and **dialogue** (the dynamics and relationships between characters). - [9:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=581s) Every scene should include at least two, if not all three. Amateurs lean too heavily on one, making the scene static and one-note. - [9:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=599s) Too much action: readers crave narrative to understand the implications. Too much narrative: readers crave action and dialogue to see what is physically happening and how the plot progresses. All dialogue and nothing else: tiring, and readers want to see what happens beyond what characters say aloud. - [10:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=628s) She points to another video (linked in the description) on balancing action, narrative and dialogue with real examples. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0564.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0597.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0630.webp]] ### 10:55 Mistake 6: Not thinking about your reader - [10:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=633s) Recap: five craft-level issues done; the last two "separate amateur writers from best-selling authors." Mistake six is rarely talked about in writing circles but critical if you plan to publish. - [10:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=657s) Traditional or independent, at some point you are not just creating art for its own sake but "creating a product to sell to someone." Amateurs focus inward (what do I want to say?), which is valid and you should write for yourself first, but when you think about publishing, flip to: what do my readers want to feel, and what will keep them turning pages? - [11:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=698s) The most successful authors she has worked with constantly prioritize the reader experience, because publishing is a **business transaction**. That does not mean writing commercially, but writing intentionally and understanding the market you are entering. Defining your genre is a key step. - [12:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=720s) Genre expectations: thriller readers want fast pace, constant tension and a satisfying payoff; romance readers want swoon-worthy chemistry; literary fiction readers want thought-provoking themes and emotional resonance. Professionals deliver that without sacrificing the story they want to tell. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0663.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0696.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0729.webp]] ### 12:30 Mistake 7: Neglecting the revision process - [12:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=740s) "Probably the last thing you want to hear but you need to": writing "the end" is really the beginning. No one, not even your favorite author, produces a perfect first draft; they revise draft after draft. - [12:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=776s) Common error: starting with **line editing** (tinkering with sentences, swapping adjectives, moving commas). If the structure is broken, polishing sentences wastes time. Fix big-picture issues first. - [13:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=805s) **Reverse outlining**: after finishing a draft, open a new document and write what happens in every scene, giving a long detailed summary. With multiple POVs, color-code to see which scenes follow which storylines. - [13:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=824s) Then evaluate the big picture: are the POVs balanced, are there outlier scenes that do not belong, where does conflict die and momentum slow? Go back and edit fearlessly; start a new document if needed, which helps you see what is not on the page yet. - [14:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=852s) "Revision is hard work," but it is where you discover what the story really is, and it can become fun if you embrace it. - [14:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=870s) Wrap-up: if you are making these mistakes, it means you are doing the work of writing, and all are fixable. "The difference between amateur writers and pros is not talent, it's awareness and a willingness to improve." - [14:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawqLWzC_Fg&t=881s) She says she has a deeper-dive video with real examples for each issue (links in the description), and offers a free **Story Self-Assessment** worksheet listing the elements she evaluates in manuscripts. ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0762.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0795.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0828.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0861.webp]] ![[images/Seven-Mistakes-That-Scream-Amateur-Writer-t0894.webp]] ## Key takeaways - Readers invest in a protagonist when they see the **objective**, the **emotional reactions** and the **reasons for decisions**; plot alone is "half of the story." - Decide whether the book is **omniscient** or **rotating close third** and stay consistent; most "omniscient" drafts are head hopping. Settle POV before anything else. - Replace info dumps with exposition **anchored in scene action**, delivered only when relevant. - Cut scenes, characters and subplots that do not serve the core story; keep a **cutting room floor** file so cuts are not final. - Give every scene at least two of **action, narrative, dialogue**. - Write for a **reader and a genre**, not only for yourself, if you intend to publish. - Revise **structure first** (use a **reverse outline**), and line edit last. ## Things mentioned ### People - **Alyssa Matesic**: the speaker (see Biographies) ### Books shown on screen near the start (low-resolution graphics, 0:00-0:12) - **Lost Roses** by Martha Hall Kelly (author of *Lilac Girls*) is legible. A **#1 *New York Times* bestseller with a Reese's Book Club badge** and an ocean-wave cover is also shown (it looks like Catherine Steadman's *Something in the Water*, but the title is not legible enough to confirm), along with two others I could not read. These illustrate the "bestsellers I've edited" claim; the captions do not name them. ### Craft concepts - Protagonist **interiority**; objective, emotional response, decision-making; **close third person** vs **omniscient narration**; **head hopping**; **info dump**; **kill your darlings**; **cutting room floor** document; scenes as **action + narrative + dialogue**; genre expectations; **developmental editing** vs **line editing**; **reverse outlining**; color-coded POV outline. ### Links from the description - Free Story Self-Assessment worksheet: https://www.alyssamatesic.com/#freebie-form - Work with her on your story: https://www.alyssamatesic.com/inquire#inquire-2 - Query letter review: https://www.queryacademy.com - Newsletter featuring writing/publishing experts, **Chapter Break**: https://www.chapter-break.com/ - Socials: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/alyssabookeditor/) · [Twitter](https://twitter.com/AlyssaMatesic) · [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssamatesic) - Music credit: *Charlie Brown* by Smith The Mister (https://smiththemister.bandcamp.com) ### Deep-dive videos named in the description - [Character Interiority 101](https://youtu.be/eV0LvssGJWE) - [Common Mistakes When Writing Close Third Person](https://youtu.be/NjGwXvXjsg0) - [Why Info-Dumping KILLS Your Story](https://youtu.be/o0vCmAz-O2s) - [5 Scenes to Cut from Your Novel NOW](https://youtu.be/oD-tYgBHKbw) - [The Secret to Writing Perfect Scenes](https://youtu.be/i_4-f_KLOwo) - [5 Major Differences Between Pro and Amateur Writers](https://youtu.be/4UHtlR5Ibfw) - [How to Use Reverse Outlining to Fix Every Problem in Your Book](https://youtu.be/O9RFPR38SYs) ## Added context - "Kill your darlings" is usually traced to **Arthur Quiller-Couch** (lecture "On Style", given 1913-14 and published in *On the Art of Writing*, 1916, where the wording is "murder your darlings"), though it is often misattributed to Faulkner or Stephen King. She does not attribute it in the video. - The claim that amateurs and professionals differ in "awareness, not talent" and the specific bestseller credit are the creator's own and are not independently checked here. ## Biographies ### Alyssa Matesic Professional **book editor** and YouTube creator (channel **Alyssa Matesic**, about 197K subscribers when this note was made). Her description says she has "nearly a decade of book publishing and editorial experience" across both sides of the industry, **Big Five publishing houses and literary agencies**, and in this video she says she works as a **developmental editor** whose clients have included *New York Times* bestsellers. She runs one-on-one story editing (alyssamatesic.com), a free story self-assessment, a query-letter review service (Query Academy) and a newsletter, **Chapter Break**. The channel is aimed at writers through the drafting and publishing process. (Sources: this video's description and her website links; not further cross-checked.)