We are writers. Our words are our hearts spilled on the
page. Our stories often becoming our babies. It takes a lot of care and
planning to birth a story. But while all kiddos need love and nurturing, they
also need discipline.
A common behavioral disorder that hinders the potential of
beautiful storytelling is something called over-writing. (Over-directing is
also a sneaky little hitch-hiking virus that can flatten your tires.)
Over-writing is an ailment that comes very natural to me. I
get caught up in the scenery, in the senses (both important), but while I’m
whipping up a tasty little turn of phrase (or two, or three to really ramp up
the magic) the rest of the concoction I was stirring up for the main course
sours.
Because I recognize this as a weakness I make a
conscious effort to prop up the baby-gate before I tumble down the stairs and
mangle my story.
Here's how you can too...
Trim the fat.
Close your eyes and envision your scene. Very often utilizing all five of your
senses will insert your reader into the storyworld you created. But explaining
every detail down to the color of the rug on the floor and the pattern of
drapes on the windows doesn’t necessarily create atmosphere. Play up the
details that create a feeling as you visualize them. Which ones stir your
senses? Which ones don’t? Trim the excess and trust the reader to fill in those
gaps. Sometimes it’s important to see your heroine wrapped in that hand-knitted
heirloom afghan, staring thought the crackling fire, self-medicating with a cup
of hot chocolate, dreaming of a love like the her grandparents who overcame
everything to be together. The scene can invoke a feeling, and you’ll spend
less time in those draggy introspective paragraphs. Other times it’s enough to
know she’d simply snuggled up on the couch, nursing a broken heart with the
world best remedy. Chocolate. But be aware that fat-free chocolate probably isn't very appealing either. Leave enough marbled in to give it flavor. Snip the rest. Lean and mean!
It’s okay to tell.
(But don’t tell anyone I told you.) Think about those two examples above. The
first is overly descriptive and showy, you could almost see the scene in a
Hallmark movie. The other is understated but gives you the pertinent
information so you can move on to the action. Sure, we’ve all heard
the rule, show don’t tell. But showing a whole story is not only impossible,
but really, really tedious. With things of little consequence, don’t dawdle. We
really don’t need to know the way he dragged the towel through his wet hair
unless the heroine is intensely preoccupied with the process. More than likely
she’s more focused on the beads of water trailing her eyes to more
interesting scenery than the blue striped towel you felt compelled to dwell on.
(Sorry, not so G-rated here but we’re all adults, right?) The point is,
determine when you need to show, and when it’s more effective to tell. (And
when to cut all together!)
Actions speak louder
than words. Yes, now we are into what is called over-directing. I’ve read a
lot of stories where they dictate each characters movements like staging a
play. In a production, it’s important to know your position on the stage, the
choreography of your movements, your entrance and exit points,
ect. You really don’t want to upstage a primadonna, trust me, been there. But
in a book you don’t have to waste words explaining every pace of motion, every
hand gesture, nor every fidget or throat-clear… UNLESS it informs the
reader of unspoken emotions.
For example, crossing ones arms is a clear defense
mechanism. If your character does this while in a heated rant with the hero,
she’s protecting herself. Therefore, you can skip saying she rose to the
defensive because her body language speaks clearly. Just like a jutting hip or
poke in the chest is more antagonistic. When the actions speak, you don’t have
to explain their intention. This will save you words and will let your reader know you trust them enough to draw the right conclusions. At the same time, I don’t need to see a volley of
activity. He crossed his arms, she shifted her weight, he shrugged his
shoulders, she tapped her foot, sighed, tossed her hair, and narrowed her eyes. Be
picky. Make your actions count for more than simple movement. Let them enlighten
your reader. And leave out the place-keepers that cut up the dialogue with
unnecessary staging.
Don’t get too
attached. Ooo, this one is tough. This is my baby, remember? It’s kind of
like that first haircut, and you just want to save all those feathery soft
pieces. Yes, your words are valuable. After all, they ALL come together to
create your story. But some, you’ll come to find, are necessary. Some are less
so. Know your genre and be sure to consider the pace. Romance, women’s fiction,
and historicals can have a more relaxed cadence. Thrillers, suspense, and
mystery gotta keep the clip or they lose the reader. Though you never want a muddy plot! I write romantic suspense,
which can be tricky. Sometimes it’s appropriate to stop and smell the roses,
other times those buds are getting trampled under the pursuit of a killer, so if you
stop, you die. Make sense? As a general rule of thumb I recommend reading your
story out loud. (To another person is immensely helpful, though not always
realistic.) You’d be surprised by the lull you’ll find when you are dragging
your voice through each word. Pay attention and put your pride on the shelf.
Over-writing can be fatal. Many a good story has died a slow
and painful death to the trappings of a draggy pace. Now, I’m off to go heed my
own advice. Go exercise those trimming sheers. Snip, snip. You’ll thank me
later!
YOUR TURN: Are you an over-writer? Where do you notice you over-do it?
Plot points? Descriptions? Actions? Staging? Knowing your weakness can be the
best defense against it.
Edit happy! Your story is shaping up!
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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little tow-headed mischief makers and wife to her very own swoon-worthy hero. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.
