Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Trimmed

One advice I often hear given to writers is not to waste words, to make each word count.

That doesn't mean one should only write short, choppy, undeveloped prose - although short and choppy has its place.

But it means every word should do at least one of these things: develop characters, hint at clues, push the plot foward, and/or immerse the reader into the scene through use of one's senses. How rich when words do all of these at once!

No scenes for "just because" that have no relationship to the story.

No info dumps.

No meaningless conversations (too much of that in "real" life anyway).

Can you imagine a chair cushion with hanging threads that add nothing decorative or functional to the cushion? Or a room with a pile of random bric a brac in the center?

Snip off those loose threads. Dump anything that doesn't contribute to the story.

You'll wind up with a lean satisfying read.

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