There is a difference between the novel (or script) that the readers find joy in reading every word, and a story that is an English composition.  Is it written "too proper"?  Do you describe the character or scenery in too much detail?  Let me ask you, do you remember what it was like when you read a book and decided to skip over "that part"? 

OK, that's a lot of questions, ...and the answer boils down to you becoming invisible.  In general, you are writing a story from the point of view of the main character, not from your own. 

Whose Point of View:

if you find yourself giving long explanations as to why a character has acted the way they did, then you are putting too much of the wrong detail in the story.  When the characters discuss or react to questions or problems, like "Are all mothers good deep inside?" then the story will respond from the characters' life perspective (and not yours).  It won't be a lecture or a moral example.  It will be the unraveling of life stories that brings the novel to life. 

Exposition on Location:

It's a rare writer who can create atmosphere and move the story forward, both in a room and outside in nature, through entralling writing.  Most people, and especially new writers, do not have that unique skill. They often think the more words, the better.  Instead, they need to stop pretending that the 1,000 word description of the outside of the cabin is anything but a weak choice on how to describe the Hero's need for refuge. The reader will quickly forget a writer who spent time describing a location in minute detail if the true story is neglected. The atmosphere may be exciting or compliment the story, but it should not be more fascinating.

Research and Resources

Another thing that will drag down the flow of a story is to put too many resources, details, tips, references etc. in the story. Remember, even if it is a historical romance, you do not need to put in the novel every bit of material that you dug up at the library. This is not a school paper on the different types of fish mongers in the Middle Ages.

<This was the key-article in the quarterly free newsletter of "tips and reviews" published by Spring Time Writers.com 9/09>