Choosing Words Carefully
You ever talk to someone who just doesn’t know when to shut the trap and wrap it up? People who take five minutes to say what could be said in thirty seconds? Sure you have. We all have. Some people just have diarrhea of the mouth. I’m sorry, I know that sounds awfully harsh, but it’s true. You know it; I know it.
If you’re like me, wordiness is not only annoying, it’s a sure bet for losing my attention and interest. In writing, things aren’t any different. Wordiness equals just plain boring writing and is the quickest way to lose a reader’s attention.
My point is this: when writing fiction (and non-fiction), choose your words carefully and tell your story as it needs to be told, be it as a short story, a novella, a novel, or an all-out epic.
Everyone wants to write a novel, but sometimes the story in your head and heart isn’t meant to be a novel. Let your story tell itself without a bouquet of needless words to boost its numbers. If you only have enough story for a short story then by golly tell a great short story. If you think your story deserves to be a novel but you only have, say 30,000 words worth of tale, don’t pack on a bunch of fat (fat is boring). Add more story.
The challenge for the writer therefore is twofold. One, trim the fat from your writing, axe needless words and phrases, and learn the art of writing tight. Two, if you’re looking to get your story published, do your homework and research what publishers are looking for. Most word count requirements are listed on publishers’ websites.
The moral here is applicable to both writing and speaking and, really, life in general: choose your words carefully.
