Pet Peeves!! I have quite a few pet peeves. I can’t stand overly poetic descriptions of weather, scene settings and characters. When I’m read a novel and come to an entire page of description I find it excruciating to read and will in all likelihood put that book down. I find it annoying when a writer has to describe every little thing in great detail so nothing stands out. Another pet peeve one is writing in the passive voice. It makes the writing boring and removed. For example: The Bloody Mary is being drunk. This is dead space. Much better to write, “Gina drinks the Bloody Mary in one gulp.” The active voice makes the words more exciting and clarifies who is doing the action. Too often writers fall into the passive voice and soon the story comes to a screeching halt. I also get peeved when a writer has to mention what the character is thinking about and what's about to happen and how this pertains to his/her past. This dumping of the stream of consciousness detracts from the story. It’s much better to show than to tell. Here are a few other pet peeves: Too many metaphors. Repetition with words. Too many curse/swear words so they have no impact I saved the worst one for last: coincidences. I can’t stand contrived coincidences. I hate it when Uncle Guido shows up near the end of the novel to take care of the ‘situation’ or when the newspaper falls into the characters hand with a photo that provides a key piece of information to solve the mystery. Maybe you think it’s just luck. I don’t think so. It’s just lazy storytelling. Coincidences do happen in real life, but in a novel if it isn’t organic then it simply doesn’t work. These contrived coincidences are highly improbably and the events are simply disguised as happenstance. Destiny doesn’t happen this way. When coincidences in a story don’t ring true the reader will feel duped especially when they are used as major plot point. It breaks the unwritten contract with the reader. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my journey with you. I hope you enjoy reading The Bloody Mary Club and come away with an appreciation of all things financial!

http://storyfinds.com/author/1913/debbie-dyke