Writing is tough. But there are a few rules you should live by when writing fiction, whether short fiction or longer prose works like novels. Now, if you know the rules and have been writing for some time, you'll understand the fact that you can "break" the rules. But here are some good guidelines to follow, especially when you're starting out.
Cut adjectives where possible; leave them when they make sense
Cut adverbs
Careful with red herrings – readers don’t like to be tricked
Create believable characters – flat characters are boring
Write short, succinct sentences
Don’t start your novel with the weather, a dream, or anything mundane
Show Don’t Tell
Start in medias res – in the middle of the action
Less is more (description/setting/etc.) – don’t bore the reader with overwriting
No sermons or diatribes – they will turn your reader off
Avoid prologues – get right into the story if you possibly can
Avoid dialogue tags other than “she/he said.”
Ease up on exclamation points—we don’t want people always screaming
Use dialect sparingly – don’t overwhelm your readers—makes for difficult reading
Get a first draft done first, as fast as you can – you’ll revise later; going fast provides consistency in voice and style, and a unified flow to the novel
If you break a rule and it works, it works
The more you write, the more you revise and rewrite, and the more you read like a writer, the better you will get at writing, and the easier (hopefully) the process will become for you. It won’t get easy, it’ll just get easier, because you’ll know what you’re doing, and you’ll know the things to look out for that’ll make your writing more compelling to readers.
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