Then people tell you to look at every sentence, paragraph, and chapter. Consider how cutting it will alter your manuscript. Especially when it comes to fiction, I often feel like I’m not sure. This is like a wardrobe challenge where I’m told I can only keep 10 items. You can keep 10 paragraphs/pages/chapters, but no more! That kind of thinking always feels artificial to me.
Earlier in the week, I read an article about reverse de-cluttering. That phrase caught my attention. Reverse de-cluttering? That sounds like filling a space to the brim, but the author of the article meant evaluating what you have in terms of what you use and love. Don’t label things as what should go away. Label them according to what must stay.
So now think about the manuscript you need to revise. Look at your essay, story, or poem. Consider what pieces have to stay.
Let me show you what I mean by analyzing an imaginary picture book.
Let’s say I’ve written a picture book for a preschool audience. My character is trying to convince Mom and Dad that she should have a dog although her little brother is afraid of dogs.
First, let’s look at the characters. Your main character has to stay. It is her story. Her little brother? Definitely a keeper although he seems to be at the root of the problem. If my character discusses dogs with a teacher and a neighbor, and each suggests getting a cat, I may be able to reduce this to one encounter and get rid of a character. Each character in the limited space of a picture book needs to fill a unique role.
Next let’s look at the scenes. The first scene shows the main character asking to pet a neighbor’s dog. She explains why she can’t have a dog. It establishes her desire and the story problem. Next she stops a police officer and asks to pet his horse. No, that doesn't work towards our story. It has to go. Other scenes need to show roadblocks to her plan, changes of direction, and different types of attempts to solve the problem. A scene where she goes to see a musical with her grandmother? Maybe Lion King helps her decide to get a cat, but Where the Wild Things Are might need to be cut.
Descriptive details are vital to good writing including picture book writing. I look through the manuscript to see if each sensory detail I’ve included shapes the story. At one point, I indicate that Becka backpack is blue. This is something the illustrator can show, and the color isn’t vital to the story. I should cut that description. Instead, I should include scents, sounds, tastes and details of motion.
Don't think of revising as looking for things to cut. Instead, consider how this line of text works in the story? For your reader? To sell your work to an agent or editor? Reverse decluttering isn’t about cutting text as it is keeping text that works to meet your goals.
--SueBE
Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers. To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog.
She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:
To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.
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