tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post115983633164493759..comments2023-11-07T21:12:19.852-06:00Comments on Wyrdsmiths: Cutting hurts, do it anywaytate hallawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631759014508937940noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-1159893160367370762006-10-03T11:32:00.000-05:002006-10-03T11:32:00.000-05:00Erik, very nice thought on the mood shifting stuff...Erik, very nice thought on the mood shifting stuff. <BR/><BR/>Muneraven, yeah the difference between short and long form is huge, though I'm finding that a lot of things I learned by teaching myself to be a short story writer have really helped my novel work. And, you're welcome.Kelly McCulloughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399122960869198042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-1159887222160500202006-10-03T09:53:00.000-05:002006-10-03T09:53:00.000-05:00The distance thing is BIG when it comes to cutting...The distance thing is BIG when it comes to cutting, I think. I thought I could edit my book a month after it was finished. I couldn't. I couldn't SEE it. It's been five months now and I think I can see it for what it is now. I probably could have edited a little sooner if I'd stopped fretting over it and looking at it. <BR/><BR/>Man I hate it when I think I know something and then, in practical terms, it turns out I don't know what I thought I knew. Writing big books is enough different from writing short stories that I have had to relearn some things I thought I knew. How to edit is one of those things.<BR/><BR/>I'm still learning how I write big projects. Still new at it, really. :-) Yakking with you folks helps some. Thanks for the blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-1159879520695341112006-10-03T07:45:00.000-05:002006-10-03T07:45:00.000-05:00I'll have to remember sentence origami. That's a ...I'll have to remember sentence origami. That's a good one.<BR/><BR/>Other ways to cut. Hmmm.<BR/><BR/>I think you've got most of it. Don't keep anything that doesn't serve the story, advance the plot, develop the characters, or paint the picture of the world.<BR/><BR/>Add lose redundant description. If you've described the woods once, you don't need to describe them again, unless you're looking for something specific or a shifting the mood (i.e. The low overhanging branches which loked so pretty the night before lost their appeal when Joe sat up in the morning and got one in the eye). Same with redundant dialogue. If you've already told about the event in chapter 6, telling about it again in chapter 8 becomes a little much.<BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, don't let emotional attachment get in the way of the story (as you said, time away helps). Occasionally you will write a scene that will be brilliant, beautiful, meaningful and wonderful and have absolutely nothing to do with the story you are telling. <BR/><BR/>Dump it. It sucks, but dump it. The book will be better for it.<BR/><BR/>(I keep those scenes and pretend I will use them later. It helps me feel better about it)Erik Buchananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11117613593580899672noreply@blogger.com