Honing the craft of writing is more than grammar and punctuation. It’s creating a connection between the story and the reader. Whether it’s through similar experience, a beautiful new world, characters, but despite best efforts something always seems to occur. Authors overwhelming their readers. This of course happens based on the assumption: if I give you everything you need, you’ll enjoy the story. Wrong. By giving the reader everything, you ruin the experience of the story and you overwhelm your reader.

For this article, I’m going to explore six common ways writers overwhelm their readers and, more importantly. So, whether you’re a seasoned wordsmith or just starting your writing journey, join me as I unravel the mysteries of reader engagement and learn how to leave a lasting impression on your audience.

1. Too much information at once is definitely overwhelming your readers

Your reader does not need to be bombarded with decades of information within the first 20 pages of your story. This is a no, no. 

Your goal is to immerse them into the story waters quickly, and not drown them in a tsunami of background information. When a reader has to receive too much history too soon, it quickly takes them from excited to overwhelmed. The thought of a new adventure is now flushed out by the technicality and bored by a history lesson.

Instead of bombarding them, infiltrate tiny tidbits of history within the exposition. This way you will have slowly worked your way up to a place where the reader now has the mental space to fully receive the history. This doesn’t mean it will happen late in the story but it definitely won’t be immediately in the beginning.

2. Overly intruding in the character’s thought process

This is when narrative distance comes into play. If you find the closeness of the reader is constantly experiencing the narrators thoughts and feelings you are too close. This would be considered immediate and/or close narration; therefore, throwing every waking thought at your reader. Have you ever heard the phrase “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”? Well the same goes here. “If you don’t have anything substantial to the story, move along or else they’re going to DNF your book.” Okay that’s not a phrase in the literary world but it should be.

Immediate narrative distance plunges into the mind of the character, so everything they think of is in the forefront. This can be beneficial but take my guy Edward Cullen for example. In Midnight Sun, it’s in his perspective. Since he was trying his best to read Bella, but he couldn’t, it was as if he was trapped in his own mind. Honestly, I began to feel overwhelmed with his emotions. This made the book incredibly hard to read. For me at least. I’m sure the motive was for the reader to take on Edward’s thoughts since we already know the story; however, it felt more like being smothered than experiencing his side of the story.

Over intrusion in a character’s thoughts sometimes feel more like stepping into a disorganized storage closet rather than a narrator helping the audience to experience their perspective. So make sure there is a balance between what is given in exposition, dialogue, and narration. I go over balancing in my course Adjusting the Lens: Understanding and Utilizing Narrative Distance.

 

3. Extensive dialogue is overwhelming

I know I just said to add in dialogue but this comes with stipulation. If your dialogue is extensively long, for no reason at all. You have to let up. Now, I love dialogue as much as the next person. Dialogue allows the reader to see who the characters are and it displays their personality. But when someone has been talking for more than three paragraphs it is a bit too much.

Again, is it substantial? If yes, keep it but maybe pick up the pace. If not, eh. Scrap it. Sometimes information will not be substantial because the goal may be to throw off the reader. However, there is a difference between creating insubstantial information for distraction and dialogue that’s there for fluff.

4. Not Using Dynamic Experience

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it forty more times, stop using so many stage directions! The exhortation against stage directions is not merely a preference matter, it’s about the necessity to create an immersive experience for the reader. When writers rely too heavily on stage directions, they don’t give readers the opportunity to engage with the narrative through various lenses of the story.  During telling, what is going on is easy, but when you really exercise the lenses you have a dynamic experience I created. Too much use of stage directions causes readers to feel passive observers, rather than active participants. By forgoing stage directions and instead focusing on vivid descriptions, mindful language, and compelling storytelling, writers can invite readers into the heart of the action, ensuring a more memorable adventure.

5. Long Chapters

I mean honestly, need I say more? In an era characterized by shrinking attention spans, the length of chapters can make or break a reader’s engagement with a book. Long chapters, though enticing to the writer seeking to delve deep into a storyline, can overwhelm readers and lead to mental fatigue. It is not so much information overload at this point but what may feel like a draw out scene. Sometimes points are made quickly, and it’s important to move forward instead of drawing it out for the sake of length. I know, I know, you had a goal for 3,000 to 5,000 word chapters but it’s okay that you got it done in 2,500 words.

By breaking the narrative into shorter, more manageable chapters, writers provide readers with natural pauses which allows them to digest the material and maintain their interest. This strategic pacing not only keeps readers engrossed in the story but also encourages them to continue turning the pages.

6. Readers don’t like monotones

At the heart of every captivating story are its characters, each with their own unique voice and perspective. However, when writers fail to imbue their characters with distinct voices, the narrative can quickly become monotonous and lackluster. A character that can’t demonstrate anything such as humor, intelligence, sarcasm, just completely flat might as well be a powerpoint presentation. No shade to presenters but there really is a difference when telling stories and in all honesty even some presenters show up in a storytelling manner rather than an informative one.

The build of characters are not vessels for advancing the plot; they should be individuals with their own quirks, mannerisms, and ways of speaking, they are ideas that help us place them in a world familiar to our own. By infusing each character with a distinct voice, writers not only breathe life into their creations but also deepen the reader’s connection to the story. After all, it is through the voices of its characters that a story truly comes alive, resonating with readers long after the final page has been turned.

In the pursuit of captivating our readers, we must remain vigilant against the pitfalls that can inadvertently drive them away. By avoiding static experiences, breaking down barriers like long chapters, and infusing our characters with vibrant voices, we can create narratives that not only hold the reader’s attention but also linger in their minds long after they’ve turned the final page.

Keep this all in mind

Let us strive to craft stories that are not just read but experienced, where every word is a brushstroke on the canvas of imagination. As writers, we hold the power to transport our readers to worlds unknown, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the journey is nothing short of unforgettable. There’s so many ways to Become a Better Writer, for starters—don’t overwhelm your readers. So, as you embark on your next writing endeavor, remember these lessons and wield your words with purpose, for the bond between writer and reader is a sacred trust that must never be underestimated.