Writing a novel requires a lot of effort - time, creativity - and it's not going to be a bestseller. It's not about the goal it's about the journey.
Telling is a narrative summary, while showing is an immediate scene. Engage readers' emotions early on, the first chapter should be all about showing.
Introduce a character with enough description to picture him. Don't stop the story to tell everything right away. What do your readers really need to know?
Know your type: 1st person, Omniscient, 3rd person. Which point of view should you use? Is the language of your character's inner thoughts adequate?
Don't fill all the details, let your readers' imagination fill the gaps. Your character's viewpoint should control the level of detail.
Ideally each character's dialogue is different, using different vocabularies and emotions. Read your dialogue out loud. Does it sound real? Too polished?
Telling your character's emotions is wrong. If it's clear, resist the urge to explain. Use just enough speaker attributions for the reader to follow.
Beats are descriptions or actions between dialogue. Readers aren't fools, they can picture what you're saying, don't limit their imagination.
Dense paragraphs frighten and confuse your readers; By paragraphing more offen (adding white space) your writing becomes more engaging.
I just finished my attempt. I'll explain why you may not win and what you can do to increase your chances of winning. Remember that winning is not the goal.
