Forum Moderators: not2easy
All of your copy should be interesting, but not everything that is interesting should be included in your copy.
What he is talking about is what I call vowel movements. As writers, we like to write. Unfortunately, sometimes we don't know when to stop. When we fall in love with our words we sometimes end up overloading the reader with useless tidbits of info. The important message gets lost in a clutter of words.
It's then that we need to reach for the red pen and start drawing lines through our carefully crafted sentences. In other words, Murder Your Darlings [sfwa.org].
After reviewing some copy I'd written yesterday, I ended up with more red ink on the page than black ink.
Murder Your Darlings has been referenced here before, but I can't recall who quoted J.P. Kelly.
Anyone else forget to reach for that red pen even though you know you should be slashing your words?
After reviewing some copy I'd written yesterday, I ended up with more red ink on the page than black ink.
You, sir, may no longer consider yourself a writer. You, sir, are an editor. ;-)
It is why for web copy I start with bulleted lists, rearrange the list items into sensible order, fill in logic gaps as necessary, and finally expand each list item as one paragraph of one to five sentences. It is much easier to build up than to cut down.
I hate putting on my evil editor persona and mutilating my beautiful rambling purple prose. :-)
-- Steve Krug. Don't Make Me Think.
It's a great feeling, though, when you arrive at the final, tightly-crafted piece and realize that you have conveyed everything you needed to with a fraction of the copy.
i agree with iamlost. by cutting down your words you are doing nothing but editing. but surely this editing is needed when you are writing for webs and if you are doing the same for prose and poetry than i stand on a different platform.
as Rabindranath Tagore used to do: let your thoughts wander free and let the hand and mind work in unison.give the reader opportunity of sensing your emotions. let him understand the viewpoints you are inclined to draw his/her attention upon. for that will not hinder the writer inside you that has nothing to do but to write,write and write.
