Alpha Readers Forum Cut everything you can?

Gre7g Luterman	Cut everything you can? 9 Years Ago My copy-editor left me an interesting note on one of my scenes. It read (I'll paraphrase): I'm unconvinced that this section is necessary. Since going to that workshop, I've been trying this experiment: Try to cut out a piece, and if the story is unchanged, then leave it out. I kind of feel this way about this section. It's painful to do, I know. I don't know how I feel about this. She's totally correct that cutting is difficult and painful. I like the scene and don't want to let it go. But should you cut every scene that isn't absolutely required? I had to do this earlier, I cut a bunch of color from my first chapter because the first chapter needs to be all BAM! STUFF IS HAPPENING! HEY, READER, YOU WANT* TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! but is that true for the rest of the manuscript? If this scene adds color, tells you what the characters are thinking, and shows you a little more of the universe that the reader wouldn't have seen otherwise, is it bad, just because removing it won't change the storyline? I'd really love to hear opinions from other writers! *The one I mentioned in my blog.
jjwilbourne	Re: Cut everything you can? 9 Years Ago Yeah... This can be hard to do. I'm expecting to do it myself. Honestly, YOU are the artist and this is YOUR story. Ultimately, this is your vision and the story you want to tell. If you hate the idea of it being cut, maybe you find a why for the scene to do double duty instead? Also, Dan Wells said that sometimes he has found that he had to cut things he liked but it wasn't needed in the book. Instead of tossing it, he set it aside, disassembled and reused it in another book where the scene could be played as more important. Of course, this was in a series of books, so it may not work for your book. (I haven't gotten to the end yet, so I'm not sure if there is sequel plans).
Gre7g Luterman	Re: Cut everything you can? 9 Years Ago I like the idea of making the scene more important rather than cutting it. I'll see if I can. Thanks!
Taylor_McCutcheon	Re: Cut everything you can? 9 Years Ago Originally posted by Gre7g Luterman My copy-editor left me an interesting note on one of my scenes. It read (I'll paraphrase): I'm unconvinced that this section is necessary. Since going to that workshop, I've been trying this experiment: Try to cut out a piece, and if the story is unchanged, then leave it out. I kind of feel this way about this section. It's painful to do, I know. I don't know how I feel about this. She's totally correct that cutting is difficult and painful. I like the scene and don't want to let it go. But should you cut every scene that isn't absolutely required? I had to do this earlier, I cut a bunch of color from my first chapter because the first chapter needs to be all BAM! STUFF IS HAPPENING! HEY, READER, YOU WANT* TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! but is that true for the rest of the manuscript? If this scene adds color, tells you what the characters are thinking, and shows you a little more of the universe that the reader wouldn't have seen otherwise, is it bad, just because removing it won't change the storyline? I'd really love to hear opinions from other writers! *The one I mentioned in my blog. Think about Stephen King. He has TONS AND TONS of unnecessary scenes and writing in his books/short stories, but, they are still GENIUS and very very very good. I feel if it helps with character development or scene structure, it can stay. If its repeating something you already got into the readers head for no reason or its boring, then yes, take it out. Otherwise, leave it be.
jjwilbourne	Re: Cut everything you can? 9 Years Ago one of my favourite writing podcasts addresses this issue in this episode.
NoelHC	Re: Cut everything you can? 9 Years Ago Interesting that you bring up Stephen King, in his On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, King tells of receiving a manuscript back, in which he was advised to cut 10% and resubmit the story. He has used that as a standard practice ever since receiving that advice. It is an extremely interesting book, a big part of it being his 20 year history to become an "overnight" success. There is a great deal of valuable writing information in the book as well