This blog is probably going to seem like the polar opposite of the last blog I wrote on writing. You know the one where I talked about not being so quick to compromise on your submissions when an editor says they don’t like certain elements in your story just to make a sale. Sometimes though, you have to trim the fat from your stories so they become sleek and readable.
As writers, many of us are secretly convinced of our eloquent brilliance. Don’t roll your eyes at me. We all have those moments when we’re writing where we sit back, admire the beauty of our own words, and grin. Of course this is a completely different side of us that the rest of the world rarely sees, since many of us tend to have performance anxiety and are often self-conscious about our work even long after we release it into the wild for mass consumption.
This is one reasons going through at least three drafts of your story is a good idea before you submit it. Some writers actually need to put their story away for a week or two before they can even look at it again with a fresh perspective. Time puts distance between us and our work, and allows us to make better judgment calls on parts of the story that may not work the way we want them to. Heck, some writers find themselves editing stories even after they’ve been published for years because some part of the writer is always striving for perfection. Life imitating art imitating life yet again…
Lo, though I digress…
Let’s face it, even in our most brilliant state, we still need to trim away the fat from our stories. Sometimes we operate under word count pressure, or we fatten up scenes with unnecessary descriptions that will eventually bog down the story, rather than enhance the flow.
Usually you can spot these sections after you’ve given yourself some objective reflection time. They are the words, phrases and scenes that don’t help further your plot, but simply exist with no purpose. At the time you wrote the scene, you may have thought it was the most brilliant part of the story, but upon reflection maybe it doesn’t really further the story at all.
Don’t be afraid to cut things out that don’t serve your story. Letting go is never easy, and as you find yourself highlighting passages to delete them, you may even feel as though you’re cutting away body parts. If it makes you feel any better, think of these parts more like warts. Sure, they’re a part of you for the time being, but like parasites, they’re just latched onto your skin and sucking away precious blood the rest of your body can use. They’re also ugly… just ask all those Halloween witches with warty noses.
Workshopping your stories with other writers is a great way to get feedback on scenes and passages in your story that might not work. Workshop with other writers, rather than relying on friends and family, as other writers are more likely to give you valid, honest feedback. Be willing to listen to what they have to say, as you can learn a lot from a good workshopping experience.
In the end, only you really know what works for your story, so listen to your gut instinct about every scene and don’t be afraid to trim off the fat.
