Less is More

In my experience, beginning writers often go through a phase. As they start to write, it is difficult for them to produce any volume of text. What I mean by this is that if they are writing a novel, they might get their entire plot on the page and find they’ve only managed to write 30,000 words. But if someone is determined to be a writer, this phase all too quickly jumps to the other extreme. And that is what I wish to look at in this article.

When writing is no longer a chore, but indeed a genuine pleasure, overwriting becomes a danger.

When a writer realizes that he or she is going to be a writer for life, it is often because they have discovered the joy that comes with writing. When writing is no longer a chore, but indeed a genuine pleasure, overwriting becomes a danger. It is all the more dangerous in that sometimes it can be difficult to spot. In fact, the only sure method you can use to find if something you have written is overwritten is to cut it from your work and see if the quality improves.

This is counterintuitive, of course. We work hard developing our phrases and making a sentence just right, and the realization that our work is actually improved without that sentence can come as quite a shock. But the simple fact is that nearly everything we write can be condensed. Even this paragraph could be rewritten, as so:

Though counterintuitive, trimming our perfectly crafted sentences can often improve our work as a whole. Nearly everything we write can be condensed to a better format.

Of course, the key is to find the correct balance. If we trim too much, our sentences lose the flavors that make them interesting. But finding writing that is too terse is, in my experience, far less likely than finding works that would be improved with a judicious use of a butcher knife. So, aside from simply cutting and seeing how a text flows, are there any other methods to tell when you have overwritten a story?

First, look for any repetitions. If you say the same thing in more than one place, then you almost certainly don’t need it in the duplicate locations. In general, if you trust that your readers have a good memory they will not disappoint you.

Secondly, look for sections where your action is bogged down by description. If you’re describing a shootout in a bank vault, that’s probably not the time to go into intricate detail about what the robbers are wearing, or note that one of the cops spilled mustard on his shirt three days ago and the stain still hadn’t come out. You certainly don’t need to describe how the bank customer, who is not part of the plot after this chapter, had an affair with his secretary in 1987 and consequently was divorced after his wife found out, etc. etc. And by all means, please avoid giving a millisecond by millisecond account of the reaction of gunpowder inside the chamber of the revolver. You might think that providing these details will make you the next Tom Clancy, but all you have done is distract from the action.

Third, consider the sentences even outside of action scenes and ask, “Is this sentence necessary? Does it advance the plot? Is it ornamentation or is it essential?” To be sure, you need some ornamentation or your writing will be flat. But if you find passage after passage that does not advance your plot, then cut it. Even if it means you have to cut an entire chapter or even an entire character from your work, it is almost always worth the loss.

The key is to find the correct balance.

Fourth, if you find passages that convey essential information needed to carry the plot, look for ways that you can convey the same data with fewer words. This step works best if you’ve already established your voice because you will need to stay consistent. It is better to have a little overwriting than to have an inconsistent voice. Nevertheless, you will need to find ways to convey the information quicker and clearly while still remaining true to your voice.

Fifth, ask whether or not the information you think is critical truly is essential to the plot. To again use the shootout example from above, is it really necessary to describe the color of the weapon the robber is using, or is it enough to say it was a Colt .45? Unless the color is important in a later plot development (perhaps the police find a silver Colt .45) then you can cut it.

Finally, if all else fails, simply pretend that you will be charged $1 for each word you write and try to stay within budget.