Micro Edit

[lovecraft68]

Has anyone ever tried this? In general the concept is an all out effort to lower word count and 'wordiness'. You go line by line(time consuming, tedious and you need serious patience and focus) and read every sentence and eliminate every word that it can be read without and still make sense.

I've been doing one and its had some excess, except for one thing. In narration, description, it seems to not effect voice and effect all that much.

But dialogue? I don't think this works because it would not only have every character speaking the same way, but no one speaks perfect concise English. It would be like a book full of robots.

Any agree, disagree about dialogue being left out? What's your take on the process iun general?

I'm basically doing this as an exercise in hopes it may sharpen the skills in general rather than planning on doing this to everything I write. My sanity couldn't take that

BTW...a quick example is my second sentence. 'and wordiness' can be eliminated as 'word count' suffices.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Has anyone ever tried this? In general the concept is an all out effort to lower word count and 'wordiness'. You go line by line(time consuming, tedious and you need serious patience and focus) and read every sentence and eliminate every word that it can be read without and still make sense.

I've been doing one and its had some excess, except for one thing. In narration, description, it seems to not effect voice and effect all that much.

But dialogue? I don't think this works because it would not only have every character speaking the same way, but no one speaks perfect concise English. It would be like a book full of robots.

Any agree, disagree about dialogue being left out? What's your take on the process iun general?

I'm basically doing this as an exercise in hopes it may sharpen the skills in general rather than planning on doing this to everything I write. My sanity couldn't take that

BTW...a quick example is my second sentence. 'and wordiness' can be eliminated as 'word count' suffices.

I kind of do something similar but a bit more basic. I go thru looking for any "and's" and "but's" and eliminate them. I'm trying to work on tightening up my writing so what you've done seems like a good approach to me. I think I'll take me editing a step beyond mere ands and buts in my next story.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

And here I thought it was the authors job to keep the word count as high as possible. Well, maybe in the old days when everyone was paid by the word.

I keep most of my sentences short to begin with, except dialog.

Dialog is for the speaker to get their point across, to tell their side of the story, to get to know the other characters. Although, Stargate - SG1's Teal'c made 'Indeed' work quite well.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I kind of do something similar but a bit more basic. I go thru looking for any "and's" and "but's" and eliminate them. I'm trying to work on tightening up my writing so what you've done seems like a good approach to me. I think I'll take me editing a step beyond mere ands and buts in my next story.

I was also told 'that' a lot of writers use 'that' a lot and you should remove all the 'that's' that aren't needed.

 

[lovecraft68]

I kind of do something similar but a bit more basic. I go thru looking for any "and's" and "but's" and eliminate them. I'm trying to work on tightening up my writing so what you've done seems like a good approach to me. I think I'll take me editing a step beyond mere ands and buts in my next story.

"And" is a major causality so far. I never thought I wrote long sentences...I was wrong.

What I'm finding a lot of is the example I used from my own post. In sections where a character says something, then there's a break in the middle example

"Blah. blah, blah." Robin continued to pace the room. "More blah blah."

I've noticed in the two segments I'm saying similar things. I tend to speak that way and need to get my peeps to stop doing it.

This trying to improve thing isn't easy

 

[lovecraft68]

And here I thought it was the authors job to keep the word count as high as possible. Well, maybe in the old days when everyone was paid by the word.

I keep most of my sentences short to begin with, except dialog.

Dialog is for the speaker to get their point across, to tell their side of the story, to get to know the other characters. Although, Stargate - SG1's Teal'c made 'Indeed' work quite well.

If I got paid by the word then I'd be taking the entire AH on an all expenses paid cruise around the world...just off of my SWB series

 

[Zeb_Carter]

If I got paid by the word then I'd be taking the entire AH on an all expenses paid cruise around the world...just off of my SWB series

But if that was only $.01 a word, would you?

 

[LeandraNyx]

Deleted

 

[ChloeTzang]

"And" is a major causality so far. I never thought I wrote long sentences...I was wrong.

What I'm finding a lot of is the example I used from my own post. In sections where a character says something, then there's a break in the middle example

"Blah. blah, blah." Robin continued to pace the room. "More blah blah."

I've noticed in the two segments I'm saying similar things. I tend to speak that way and need to get my peeps to stop doing it.

This trying to improve thing isn't easy

It's really tough to go thru your own writing like that.

I'd take that "continued to pace the room and tighten it if I could as well. You already know Robin is in the room? Take out the room? "Continued" is a boring word.

"Blah. blah, blah." Robin paced frenetically.

Or anxiously / something to convey the mood of his pacing.

When you have time, it's quite fascinating to see what you can do with the words. I think thats why I'm taking longer to write now than when I started. As you learn, you find out there's more you can do with your words id you take care.... speed versus style and detail.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes, I do this. I word search on "and" "that" "then" "but", which are bad habits of mine (overuse), to see if I can tighten up sentences. At the same time I quite often add words because the beat is wrong. I also make sure repeated words close together are quite deliberately used, not accidental.

I typically write 500 -750 words in short sessions. Every time I read over the last section written maybe two or three times before I write the next bit. This technique works well to pick up typos, also makes sure the rhythm of the writing is consistent from one section to the next.

I write more dialogue now than I used to, which I find really helps characters blossom and get their own voices, their own personalities. And agree, you can't tighten dialogue.

I've given myself an added challenge in my current project - how to write with no 20th or 21st century anachronisms. Makes me pay closer attention to words, that's for sure.

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm honestly conflicted about the whole exercise. On the one hand, absolutely, wordiness takes away from the effectiveness of a story. On the other hand, I'm not really a fan of the "bare bones" approach to writing, either. I've read some stuff written in that style and it has its place, but it's just not "me."

What works for me is to step away from a story after it's been written--a few days minimum, but hopefully a week or two--and then come back with fresh eyes. I read it straight through and if I find myself stumbling--if anything doesn't read smoothly--I go through and try to cut out excessive wordiness or re-work the entire thing. But I couldn't stomach a mircoedit and even if I were so inclined, I agree that dialogue should probably get a pass. I don't believe in censoring my characters, lol.

I totally understand your point. Robotic is how I feel the bare bones approach reads. I'm doing this more as an exercise and trust me if I lop a couple words from a sentence and then read it aloud and it sounds like Spock reading it, I'll put it back in.

Voice is important, but the voice doesn't have to repeat itself or ramble either.

My motto in life is everything in moderation. I'm very wordy, a micro edit is bare bones. Somewhere in the middle there's a balance.

But its still good for me see the constant errors I make and get into a habit of curbing them.

I should add I'm doing this for a paid project and under a more mainstream pen name. When it comes to erotica or anything for here, I just let it flow as I always have, but...because I've done things like this, even that writing is tighter and that's coming naturally now as I beat my head into the wall with things like this.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I was also told 'that' a lot of writers use 'that' a lot and you should remove all the 'that's' that aren't needed.

Yes. I always look now at the start of my sentences for waste words. Any sentences that are joined I try to split and tighten (except when I'm doing some sort of interior monologue or thought process where it all runs on and on coz that's how you think when you're thinking deep thoughts about something). Or something

 

[ChloeTzang]

....At the same time I quite often add words because the beat is wrong. I also make sure repeated words close together are quite deliberately used, not accidental.

Yes and yes. I use repeated words sometimes to convey things like intensity or emotions. Definitely deliberate.

...sessions. Every time I read over the last section written maybe two or three times before I write the next bit. This technique works well to pick up typos, also makes sure the rhythm of the writing is consistent from one section to the next.

I tend to re-read and edit every time when I re-start writing. Gets me into the mood of the story and the character and at the same time I make little changes, edits and corrections as I go.

..... On the one hand, absolutely, wordiness takes away from the effectiveness of a story. On the other hand, I'm not really a fan of the "bare bones" approach to writing, either. I've read some stuff written in that style and it has its place, but it's just not "me."

Oh totally. It depends on the story you're writing and I'm a master of the "not the bare bones" approach. I mean, I can spend an entire LIT page writing about a single kiss. I haven't quite gone that far but "Fingerprints" was 14 LIT pages and about 12 of those was just non-stop sex. I could have tightened it but then it wouldn;t have been the story I was telling. It's all suybjective in the end, based on what you're trying to do and the story you're telling.

The "Lovecraft and my Grandpops" one I'm working on now, I'm doing a lot of tightening in that coz I'm sort of trying for that noir / action style where tight and choppy lends itself to the story. But for a lyrical romance tight and choppy doesn't necessarily work.

 

[LeandraNyx]

Deleted

 

[ElectricBlue]

Great minds, Chloe, you know what they say!






.... fools, also. Sigh.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yes. I always look now at the start of my sentences for waste words. Any sentences that are joined I try to split and tighten (except when I'm doing some sort of interior monologue or thought process where it all runs on and on coz that's how you think when you're thinking deep thoughts about something). Or something

I was also told by a professional writer don't change 'that' to 'which'. It was so long ago I forgot why.

I have tried to follow her advice but I find in certain situation which is better than that.

 

[lovecraft68]

I was also told by a professional writer don't change 'that' to 'which'. It was so long ago I forgot why.

I have tried to follow her advice but I find in certain situation which is better than that.

Which is one of those examples of things I read out loud. Sometimes it seems a good option, other times it makes no sense.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

...

I tend to re-read and edit every time when I re-start writing. Gets me into the mood of the story and the character and at the same time I make little changes, edits and corrections as I go.

...

OMG, me too!

I used to struggle to get into the zone, but it works every time.

That's how I work too. I re-read what I last wrote for three reasons.

1. to see where I left off, very important.

2. to edit my bad typing. I tend to leave letters and words out. I think them while I'm writing, but my fingers don't type them.

3. to get back into the mood.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I was also told by a professional writer don't change 'that' to 'which'. It was so long ago I forgot why.

I have tried to follow her advice but I find in certain situation which is better than that.

I checked that one just recently - found this:

The traditional approach to this question is to use "that" with restrictive clauses and "which" with nonrestrictive clauses. A restrictive clause is one that limits - or restricts - the identity of the subject in some way. A nonrestrictive clause may tell us something interesting or incidental about a subject, but it does not define that subject.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Doesn’t it really depend on the story-type, and the situation in the story, what style of sentences you ‘should be’ using?

Long, descriptive, winding sentences, using many, many adjectives slow the story down and make the reader feel at ease – they give him/her all the time ‘calmly to look around and take in the view’ and 'fall asleep'.

Short, brief sentences indicate a rush and get the adrenaline pumping.

I have read a lot of Robert B. Parker and I never found my adrenaline pumping. He is an author that uses a lot of short, clipped sentences. Now his works don't soothe my soul, but they don't get my heart pumping.

Watch a Jesse Stone movie - they were adapted from Parker's work.

 

[lovecraft68]

Doesn’t it really depend on the story-type, and the situation in the story, what style of sentences you ‘should be’ using?

Long, descriptive, winding sentences, using many, many adjectives slow the story down and make the reader feel at ease – they give him/her all the time ‘calmly to look around and take in the view’ and 'fall asleep'.

Short, brief sentences indicate a rush and get the adrenaline pumping.

Good point and I've found shorter more abrupt narrative sentences work best during sex and fight scenes because you want the reader all in on the action, not getting bogged down in what happens between the participants.

Long and windy descriptions lending a sense of comfort is true for some readers. Personally I don't mind some excess. But it is a fine line and readers are a varied lot. For some just a little too much is a turn off, but so is not enough.

My personal style has always been a lot more dialogue and action driven than long narrative info dumps or taking two paragraphs to describe a skyline so it doesn't apply to me all that much. To quote an old Aerosmith song I let the music do the talking

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I checked that one just recently - found this:

The traditional approach to this question is to use "that" with restrictive clauses and "which" with nonrestrictive clauses. A restrictive clause is one that limits - or restricts - the identity of the subject in some way. A nonrestrictive clause may tell us something interesting or incidental about a subject, but it does not define that subject.

I've read that too, but what she told me had something to do with the level of reading skill of the reader. She was the department head of the technical writers for the company I worked for in Atlanta. She had been writing for 20 years. Nice lady. A little too hippy, as in hippy, not wide of hips, for my tastes.

 

[oggbashan]

Obviously I have to do it for my fifty-word stories. Every word in that fifty has to be there because it is essential, or that's the ideal.

But for mainstream stories? I'm not convinced that is anything but an interesting exercise unless you know you are prone to wordiness. Brevity and conciseness can be useful in a report or an argued case for something but in story-telling it can be taken too far.

I already get comments such as 'not bad for a Lit 1-pager' implying I should have written at greater length or expanded some of the interaction. But I also get 'why 4 Lit pages for this crap?'.

Readers have different expectations. Varying the length of your stories is good. Cutting them to the bone, except for fifty-worders, is possibly going too far.

This is a concise story in 22 words:

They meet. They have sex. They like it. They like each other. They argue. They make up. They marry and have kids.

I could shorten that even further but who would want to read it?

 

[ElectricBlue]

I've read that too, but what she told me had something to do with the level of reading skill of the reader. She was the department head of the technical writers for the company I worked for in Atlanta. She had been writing for 20 years. Nice lady. A little too hippy, as in hippy, not wide of hips, for my tastes.

I don't write to some assumed reader level, I write to my own, using my vocabulary, my language. If folk can't keep up, ain't my problem.

If you're writing tech manuals, it's a different story. I have a real problem in my professional life when people don't know the proper meaning of words. What the fuck, you're at that bloody pay scale and you don't know what that means? Buy a bloody dictionary, clown. My solution, when bosses are impenetrably stupid, is to prepare what I call crayon briefings - bright colours, no word longer than five letters. And they still want me to read it to them!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I don't write to some assumed reader level, I write to my own, using my vocabulary, my language. If folk can't keep up, ain't my problem.

If you're writing tech manuals, it's a different story. I have a real problem in my professional life when people don't know the proper meaning of words. What the fuck, you're at that bloody pay scale and you don't know what that means? Buy a bloody dictionary, clown. My solution, when bosses are impenetrably stupid, is to prepare what I call crayon briefings - bright colours, no word longer than five letters. And they still want me to read it to them!

I used to read the bullet points and then ask them if everything was clear.

A lot of nodding. Then I let them try the application out. A lot of question. Then we went back into the conference room and did the real presentation.