Lately I've been editing parts of Keepers I haven't seen in a while. I keep coming across wonderfully lush lines full of rich verbiage ... and while it sounded wonderful in my head when I wrote it, now it just sounds ridiculous. Often I'll read aloud the passages in question, and then send them to my content editor for a quick visit. She constantly reminds me of my purpose. "What are you trying to say here? How is this driving the story? The characters?"
As a writer, each word is a labor of love. Cutting them is painful. I know it's difficult, but honestly taking out flowery and redundant language, boiling away the inconsequential strengthens the story.
So, for all my writer friends. Here's my mantra song. I hope you make it yours! :-D
No truer words, Chi, in all aspects. We feel good about our writing when something sounds all beautiful and eloquent...then we read it out loud and it takes multiple breaths :p Most of the time, saying what you need to say is the only way to go!
ReplyDelete