How to Tighten and Improve Your Writing

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By PABechko
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print by Linda Hunsaker: www.lindahunsaker.com

Much as it hurts all of us to admit it, we writers are a wordy lot. We have an overabundance of 'em. Sometimes we also get so wrapped up in the story we are creating that we risk boring our readers. Here are a few suggestions to help you escape the traps of overwriting, boring your reader, and more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

patience
time
other books to read
ruthless editor's eye

Step 1

First, and you've heard this often if you've been writing for a while...cut, cut, cut.
Step 2

Many of us have heard the 10% rule. If you've written 10,000 words, cut it by 10% - lose 1,000 words. But how? Okay, watch for adverbs and adjectives. They're easily overdone. In fact, many times they can be dropped altogether. Tighten your descriptions and allow your reader to fill in with hi or her imagination. Keep dialog tight. Trim out the extraneous 'how are you, I am fine" type of dialog. Remember less is more. Choose words and phrases carefully. Make them say something and don't ramble.
Step 3

Now, a bit more specifically, examine your descriptions. Yes, description is the backbone of your story. Done well it adds depth and texture. But, beware. If you flood your reader with too much, it can dull their attention, then creates boredom and then the reader puts aside the book. Not good.
Step 4

Chance Agrella

Seek balance. To this end, reading aloud can be very helpful. It can help you spot places where you've gone on for paragraphs about the beauty of your heroin in great detail about her nipped in waist, her perfect porcelain skin, her flowing auburn hair..... It can also tell you when you've neglected another character, left your reader wondering about his or her background, appearance or motivation. Read for flow. Practice will help you develop a feel for this, so will reading your favorite author's books. Your writing will be far better with a little too little rather than a little too much.
Step 5

Focus on your dialog. Read them aloud. Listen to people talk around you and compare. Is yours stilted or rambling? Real conversations hardly ever flow in complete well articulated sentences and phrases. And in speech, heck, forget grammar. Make your dialog real to your character, and keep it tight.
Long, drawn out conversations that don't add to your story, that curve back on themselves are deadly. Watch out for conversations that repeat themselves, that say something, then say it again, then find yet another way to put it.
Step 6

The above applies to description as well. Train your eye to find repetition and cut it without mercy.
Step 7

Sabbir

Follow these steps and you're much closer to publication.