The 5 Biggest Writing Mistakes

As a writing coach for students from kindergarten through graduate school, I’ve seen it all. I’ve read “deep” middle school poetry, AI-generated atrocities, and essays completely lacking punctuation.

Still, there are five mistakes I see so often that they haunt me at night. Do any of them sound familiar? Are you guilty of these writing crimes?

1. Writing With No Clear Point

Just like anything else you do in life, writing should have a purpose. There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of an essay or article only to realize there was no point at all. To fix this: Decide what you want readers to take away before putting pen to paper. You should be able to sum up your main idea in one or two sentences.

2. Long, Winding Journeys

Once you know your point, please make it. No one wants to read about the time you stubbed your toe in fifth grade when the paper is supposed to be on photosynthesis. To fix this: Always create an outline, even if it’s just in your head. Know exactly how you’ll get your reader from point A to point B, and avoid unnecessary detours.

3. Fluff

In the same vein as being clear and straightforward, please don't add extra words to make your writing longer or more "academic" sounding. It never works. To fix this: Watch for empty adjectives like really, extremely, and very. Use more precise verbs instead. If you have nothing meaningful to add, stop writing.

4. Not Citing Sources

If you state something as a fact, make sure you can back it up with the original source. If you can't, you risk either taking credit for someone else’s idea or spreading misinformation. To fix this: Cite anything that isn’t common knowledge, and make sure your facts are correct.

5. Skipping the Grammar Check

While I'd like to say I have perfect grammar, even I make mistakes just like everyone else. Be kind to yourself and use the tools available. Think of a grammar checker like having a friend read over your work. To fix this: Run your work through a grammar checker. As long as you’re only correcting commas and small errors, it won’t change your meaning. It will only polish it.

Want more help with your writing? Email allison@limitlesspaths.com today for a free consultation!