The Place For My Writers Notes

Original posting 26 December 2008

Here comes Writer's Digest again! June 2005, pages 51 to 55, The Writing Clinic with G. Miki Hayden talks about a short story submission. The headline is "Cut Ruthlessly" and the subhead is "Trim off the excess -- even if it means making some characters disappear -- to further your narration." In the critique of the short story, there are number of helpful hints. Let me just pick out a few:

1. Find the Right Blend. The mixture of narrative description, dialogue, and action needs to be balanced. "Avoid using all dialogue, all description or all telling, but instead, employ a harmonious blend of each." Skip over a little "... writers sometimes have to surrender even the cleverest snippets to make the story cohere. No matter how witty or clever your sentence is, if it doesn't make the story stronger, it doesn't belong."
2. Pull It All Together. How do you put story threads, primary goals of the main characters, and wit together in a way that keeps the reader captivated? Focus on the main focus! "With the focus (the protagonist's aims) identified, the entire story can be handled with more clarity." Start the piece by showing the reader what the story is about.
3. Pace the Narrative. Go through your narrative and give only details necessary at each point. Make sure each part brings out only essential factors.
4. Cut Ruthlessly -- Even Characters. Don't add extra characters -- stick to the ones that are absolutely key. Occam's Razor -- especially worded as "don't explain beyond what's necessary" -- applies to fiction writing, too. Use it to shave off unnecessary constructs.

Use the right mixture of show, dialogue, and a dash of description. Keep the story focused on the aims of the protagonist. Provide details when they're needed. And don't over explain. Good advice, especially when rewriting.

So, write and rewrite!