The Slow Start: You generally have approximately ten pages to hook your reader (and often more like three), whether that reader is an agent or editor or your audience. If you do not get into the conflict and the tension of the plot within those first ten pages, your reader will likely move on. If background information is needed, that should be worked into the story as you move along, not stacked at the beginning of the story like an obstacle that the reader needs to overcome before he or she can begin the real meat of the plot. Jump right into your story, grab your reader, and let everything else flow from there.
Overly Complicated Plot: As you planned out your novel, you likely had many different ideas about ways that the plot could go. However, not every one of those ideas needs to be included in the final product. Too many overlapping story lines muddle the plot and confuse and exhaust the reader. Once you have outlined your story, you need to go back and evaluate each individual story line. Include only those that are necessary to drive the plot forward. See More . . .
