Overwriting is a result of our own effort to figure out what’s happening in any given scene. Only after we have discovered that core truth can we know what truly belongs and what doesn’t, based on a clearer knowledge of what we’re trying to say and what the scene requires. – David Corbett

So why do we overwrite? Insecurity? Annie Dillard describes one type of insecurity as “the old one-two.” You write your thoughts, feel like you have to explain yourself, and repeat what you just said using different words. Remember, you want to say it once, say it well, and move on.

Another reason for overwriting is the anxiety of feeling you didn’t give your reader a clear, concise picture of what’s going on. I’ll raise my hand here 🙂 The reader needs to know, right? Give your reader some credit. Maybe they already know what’s going on based on everything they’ve read so far, or maybe they don’t need to know everything. Leave a little mystery and give yourself fodder for upcoming chapters.

The good news is that overwriting is one of the best problems to have. You just have to find that sweet spot where you give your readers just enough to let their imagination take over. Take out the scissors, or hedge trimmers, depending on how much you have to trim 🙂

Don’t bog your reader down with needless words. Keep them engaged and moving forward with the thrill of finding out what lies just around the corner.

Something to think about.

-Jan R