5 Editing Mistakes That Scream 'Amateur' to Readers

Professional editing is invisible. When done well, readers focus on your story, your characters, and your ideas without noticing the craft behind the words. But when editing goes wrong—or doesn't happen at all—readers immediately sense something's off, even if they can't articulate exactly what bothers them.

These five editing mistakes are dead giveaways that scream "amateur" to anyone who reads regularly. The good news? They're all preventable with the right knowledge and attention. Let's explore what separates professional-quality manuscripts from obvious amateur work.

1. Overwriting and Unnecessary Words

Amateur writers often believe more words equal better writing. They pile on adjectives, extend sentences beyond their natural length, and explain things readers can figure out themselves. This overwriting creates prose that feels cluttered and exhausting.

What it looks like: "The incredibly beautiful, stunning sunset painted the vast, endless sky with brilliant, vibrant colors of deep crimson red and golden yellow as it slowly descended behind the distant, far-off mountains."

Professional version: "The sunset painted the sky crimson and gold as it sank behind distant mountains."

How to fix it:

• Cut unnecessary adjectives and adverbs

• Eliminate redundant phrases ("past history," "future plans")

• Remove explanatory dialogue tags when the dialogue is clear

• Trust your readers' intelligence—they don't need everything spelled out

The self-editing test: If you can remove a word without changing the meaning, remove it. Every word should earn its place in your manuscript.

2. Inconsistent Point of View

Point of view (POV) violations are among the most glaring amateur mistakes. Head-hopping—switching between characters' perspectives within a scene—confuses readers and breaks the intimate connection that consistent POV creates.

What it looks like: "Sarah felt nervous about the interview. She hoped her qualifications would be enough. Mr. Thompson looked at her resume and thought she seemed promising, though he worried about her lack of experience. Sarah noticed his frown and wondered if she'd already failed."

Professional version: "Sarah felt nervous about the interview. She hoped her qualifications would be enough. When Mr. Thompson frowned at her resume, she wondered if she'd already failed."

How to fix it:

• Choose one character's perspective per scene

• Only include information your POV character could reasonably know

• Show other characters' thoughts through dialogue, actions, and expressions

• If you must change POV, do it at clear break points (new chapters or sections)

The self-editing test: Read each scene and ask: "Whose head am I in?" If the answer changes within a scene, you have a POV problem.

3. Weak Dialogue and Attribution Issues

Amateur dialogue feels stiff, unnatural, or overly expository. Characters speak in ways real people never would, or they serve as mouthpieces for information dumps rather than sounding like authentic individuals.

Dialogue problems:

• Exposition dumping: "As you know, Sarah, we've been married for fifteen years since we met in college at Northwestern University."

• Overuse of names: "Hello, Mike." "Hi, Sarah. How are you, Sarah?" "I'm fine, Mike."

• Unnatural speech: "I am going to proceed to the store in order to purchase groceries."

• Excessive dialogue tags: "she said angrily" instead of showing anger through word choice

How to fix it:

• Read dialogue aloud—it should sound like actual speech

• Use subtext—characters don't always say exactly what they mean

• Vary sentence length and rhythm to match natural speech patterns

• Use action beats instead of constant dialogue tags

• Let characters have distinct voices and speech patterns

The self-editing test: Cover the character names and see if you can still tell who's speaking based on their voice alone.

4. Pacing Problems and Scene Structure Issues

Amateur writers often struggle with pacing—either rushing through important moments or dwelling too long on unimportant details. Scenes may lack clear purposes, starting too early or ending too late, without proper tension or resolution.

Pacing problems:

• Info-dumping: Stopping the story to explain backstory or world-building

• Rushed climaxes: Major events happening too quickly without proper buildup

• Saggy middles: Scenes that don't advance plot or develop character

• Starting too early: Beginning scenes with unnecessary setup

• Ending too late: Continuing scenes past their natural conclusion

How to fix it:

• Start scenes as late as possible, end as early as possible

• Ensure every scene has a clear purpose and outcome

• Vary sentence and paragraph length to control rhythm

• Use short sentences for action, longer ones for reflection

• Cut transitional material that doesn't serve the story

The self-editing test: For each scene, identify the conflict and resolution. If you can't find both, the scene may need revision or deletion.

5. Inconsistent Tone and Style

Amateur writers often shift between different writing styles within the same work, creating a jarring reading experience. They might alternate between formal and casual language, switch between past and present tense, or change their narrative voice without purpose.

Consistency problems:

• Tense shifts: Mixing past and present tense randomly

• Voice changes: Switching between formal and casual tone

• Style mixing: Combining literary prose with commercial pacing inappropriately

• Character voice bleeding: The narrator starting to sound like different characters

• Register mismatches: Using overly complex words in simple scenes or vice versa

How to fix it:

• Establish your narrative voice early and maintain it

• Choose appropriate language level for your target audience

• Ensure your style matches your genre expectations

• Read your work aloud to catch inconsistencies

• Create a style guide for your manuscript if necessary

The self-editing test: Does your writing voice remain consistent throughout? Would readers recognize your style across different scenes?

The Professional Editing Process

Multiple Passes: Professional editing requires several focused passes through your manuscript:

• Structural edit: Plot, character development, pacing

• Line edit: Sentence structure, word choice, clarity

• Copy edit: Grammar, punctuation, consistency

• Proofreading: Final typos and formatting

Distance and Objectivity: Set your manuscript aside for several weeks before editing. This distance helps you see problems you might miss immediately after writing.

Read Aloud: Your ear catches problems your eye misses. Reading aloud reveals awkward phrasing, pacing issues, and dialogue problems.

Professional Help: Consider hiring professional editors, especially for your first few books. Professional editors teach you to recognize problems in your own work.

Tools and Techniques

Editing Software: Tools like ProWritingAid, Grammarly, or Hemingway Editor can catch basic issues, but they can't replace human judgment about style and storytelling.

Track Changes: Use your word processor's track changes feature to see your revision process and maintain versions of your work.

Beta Readers: Fresh eyes from your target audience can identify problems you've become blind to through familiarity.

Professional Development: Study craft books, take courses, and analyze well-edited books in your genre to develop your editing skills.

The Investment in Quality

Professional-quality editing takes time and often money, but it's essential for serious authors. Readers can immediately sense the difference between amateur and professional work, and that perception affects their willingness to recommend your book, leave positive reviews, or buy your future works.

Poor editing doesn't just hurt individual books—it damages your author brand and credibility. In today's competitive market, readers have too many well-edited options to tolerate obviously amateur work.

Building Your Editing Skills

Study Good Examples: Read widely in your genre and pay attention to how professional authors handle dialogue, pacing, and consistency.

Practice Regularly: Edit other people's work (with permission) to develop your eye for common problems.

Learn the Rules: Study grammar, punctuation, and style guides appropriate for your genre and target market.

Get Feedback: Join critique groups or work with beta readers who can identify problems you miss.

The Bottom Line

Professional editing is what separates published authors from aspiring writers. These five common mistakes—overwriting, POV inconsistency, weak dialogue, pacing problems, and inconsistent tone—are entirely preventable with knowledge, practice, and attention to detail.

Don't let amateur editing mistakes undermine your storytelling. Your ideas, characters, and plot deserve professional presentation. Whether you develop these editing skills yourself or hire professional help, investing in quality editing is investing in your success as an author.

Remember: readers may not consciously notice good editing, but they definitely notice bad editing. Make sure your work passes the professional test so readers can focus on what matters most—your story.

Your manuscript represents months or years of creative work. Don't let preventable editing mistakes keep it from reaching its potential. Master these fundamentals, and your writing will immediately feel more professional, polished, and ready for publication.