| When creative writers think of parenting, they | | | | dropping it into a special file. One of these days you |
| normally think of someone biologically bearing a child, | | | | will find the perfect place for that phrase. |
| but there is more than one kind of parent. There is | | | | The best time to murder your babies is when you |
| the unmarried parent, the divorced parent, the parent | | | | edit for verbiage (wordiness). Say the same thing in |
| to be, and the adoptive parent, to name a few. But | | | | fewer words. Trim away the fat and leave only the |
| still there is another kind of parent we haven't | | | | lean. That means edit scenes, edit dialog, and edit the |
| named, and that is parenting the created word. | | | | plot in general. Brevity is the key ingredient that must |
| Although it may not conjure up the same status as | | | | stay. Say it with less. Say it better. Jazz your verbs. |
| that of physical parenting, the labor is just as real. | | | | Especially look for prepositional phrases. You should |
| Every writer knows their words are their babies, and | | | | never have more than three prepositional phrases to |
| heaven help the critic who says we should strike or | | | | a sentence, whether you are writing fiction or |
| change a few words here for there. Not only is it | | | | non-fiction. Let's be honest - all writers use padding. It |
| unforgivable, it cuts to the core of our being. This is | | | | is a little-thought-of procedure whereby we writers |
| one place that writer's groups provide an invaluable | | | | drag on a scene or dialog. |
| service. There is no better place to grow a thick skin | | | | Have you ever seen a jokester who has the floor |
| than in a writer's group. After all, would you rather | | | | drag the joke out... and out... and out... until you just |
| hear stinging criticism from another newb, or would | | | | wish it was over with? That is a sure sign of |
| you rather hear it from an editor who cares nothing | | | | someone enjoying their 15 minutes of fame and not |
| about your pain? | | | | wanting it to end. It's the same thing with we writers. |
| There is a simple trick to avoiding this kind of literary | | | | We have the audience in the palm of our hands and |
| suffering, and that is to murder your own babies. | | | | we hate to let them go. But let them go we must, |
| You will recognize them when a part of you cries | | | | because the readers need time to rest their minds so |
| out, "That doesn't really fit," and another part cries | | | | they can better absorb the chunks of meat we have |
| out, "But I like it!" You know in your heart it is time | | | | just fed them. |
| to pull out your scalpel and begin cutting. Although | | | | So the next time you are editing, get the scalpel and |
| the wound will bleed, you will know you are maturing | | | | bandages out and brace yourself. Although the |
| as a writer. | | | | parent will barely survive, the baby will be perfect. |
| But far better than discarding the phrase altogether is | | | | See more writing tips below. |