tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post2813352467359189169..comments2023-11-30T07:21:38.040-08:00Comments on Writers in Residence: BonnieShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-23791995572739102452015-11-22T21:23:52.030-08:002015-11-22T21:23:52.030-08:00Thanks, Susan. Glad to supply "Schroeder slas...Thanks, Susan. Glad to supply "Schroeder slashing!"BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-50740773112498817202015-11-22T11:15:37.409-08:002015-11-22T11:15:37.409-08:00I love Strunk and White and now you have added &qu...I love Strunk and White and now you have added " Schroeder slashing" to the writer's toolbox. Great suggestions. it is so very hard to kill our darlings though. Practice makes perfect and thanks for the great reminders. susan james carrhttp://wondrousnature.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-79712515941655632052015-11-20T07:20:31.550-08:002015-11-20T07:20:31.550-08:00Thanks, Linda. Your work reads so succintly--you&#...Thanks, Linda. Your work reads so succintly--you've clearly mastered the editing process.BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-72462249352705057512015-11-19T22:40:26.485-08:002015-11-19T22:40:26.485-08:00Excellent post, Bonnie--good ideas and reminders. ...Excellent post, Bonnie--good ideas and reminders. Great timing, too. I'm nearly finished with the first draft of my current WIP and will soon start my editing process. Thanks!Linda O. Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-58597555712542860352015-11-19T06:45:10.973-08:002015-11-19T06:45:10.973-08:00Hah! "He stood up" is a good one to add ...Hah! "He stood up" is a good one to add to my list, Miko. And I'm a "just" overuser too--thank goodness for the "find" function in Word. It went into overtime when I typed "just."BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-88981476923780659552015-11-18T21:20:07.574-08:002015-11-18T21:20:07.574-08:00For me it's number one. Can't tell you how...For me it's number one. Can't tell you how many 'just's I've cut from my manuscripts. Another is 'he stood up', as if one might assume he stood in a different direction without the clarification. Excellent suggestions, Bonnie.Miko Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02877203657513631557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-49135660611118307312015-11-18T18:42:18.179-08:002015-11-18T18:42:18.179-08:00You do too compose beautiful and well-written imag...You do too compose beautiful and well-written imagery in your articles and your reviews--but I've always found it to be "just enough." And sometimes a lengthy passage of description is necessary and enjoyable. Just not on every page.BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-55776991825850247922015-11-18T18:38:32.025-08:002015-11-18T18:38:32.025-08:00"Learning what not to write." Clearly I ..."Learning what not to write." Clearly I have not mastered that lesson yet, but it's something I strive for. And yes, reading the work aloud does help weed out the unnecessary stuff. When we met as a group and I read my pages, the clunkers really stood out!BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-43400504316128057982015-11-18T18:35:52.821-08:002015-11-18T18:35:52.821-08:00Thanks, Paul. I'm impressed that you could cut...Thanks, Paul. I'm impressed that you could cut 15K words out of 25K. Gosh, could I send you my manuscript? Just kidding about that, but as you observe, it is quite humbling to come across those extraneous passages and those sneaky weasel words.BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-66777344542262996722015-11-18T18:31:48.743-08:002015-11-18T18:31:48.743-08:00You said it, M.M.--it ain't easy. But if it wa...You said it, M.M.--it ain't easy. But if it was, everybody would do it, not just we ruthless writers, hahahaha.BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-54169107476481361552015-11-18T17:31:20.124-08:002015-11-18T17:31:20.124-08:00I just realized that the second part of my comment...I just realized that the second part of my comment applies to READING and not WRITING, and since I don't compose beautiful and well written imagery... I have no reason to talk. Haha!Jackie Houchinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01753758587434594531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-87811404562624239632015-11-18T17:29:39.892-08:002015-11-18T17:29:39.892-08:00I like your number six. Somehow, cutting one word...I like your number six. Somehow, cutting one word from a sentence sounds easier than cutting 15,000 words from the whole manuscript, unless of course your sentence is "Anna nodded."<br />Seriously, I do a lot of editing and these are good tips to follow. The hardest one for me is number four on description. If it is beautiful, well written imagery, I can read a LOT of description. My classic example is Louise Penny.Jackie Houchinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01753758587434594531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-11676228180244136732015-11-18T13:19:19.754-08:002015-11-18T13:19:19.754-08:00I am finding the editing process gets easier the m...I am finding the editing process gets easier the more books I write. Maybe I am leaning what not to write before I start. <br /><br />Your redundancy thoughts should be carved in stone over every writer's computer/typewriter/notebook. Another way to see/hear if your work has those redundancies or unnecessary words is to have your computer or a friend or even yourself read the work aloud. Those redundant words stand out, especially when you, the author, know what's coming next and those extra words get in the way. <br /><br />I like your idea about cutting out a word a sentence. I will use that when I write short stories. Cut, cut, cut.GBPoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190573764848658894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-16275748298410320752015-11-18T11:56:17.225-08:002015-11-18T11:56:17.225-08:00Hi, Bonnie, it's very humbling what you can lo...Hi, Bonnie, it's very humbling what you can lose when you edit. I write short books, novellas and novelettes, nothing much longer. For a Christmas story, I cut 15K words out of a 25K piece. Like I said. Very humbling. Of course, it's now a short story but that's fine as there just happened to be a call for them by my publisher. Great post. Thanks for sharing what I call my "weasel" words. I have a list of them. They just creep into everything, don't they? My best. Paul mindprinterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01874142522106185186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-59110687884059895042015-11-18T11:11:34.655-08:002015-11-18T11:11:34.655-08:00Excellent! I use a lot of adverbs and adjectives t...Excellent! I use a lot of adverbs and adjectives that have to go! Oddly though, when editing, am usually trying to fill in, add scenes, words, sentences, paragraphs etc that fill in. Usually starting with low word count that needs pumping up. But then--there's still "stuff!" that needs to go. You're so right, Bonnie regarding the expertise and "ruthlessness" required to edit properly. And it ain't easy...M.M. Gornellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05610211516010193111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-62366413494228701192015-11-18T09:28:21.223-08:002015-11-18T09:28:21.223-08:00Thanks, Jack. It is always a challenge, and as you...Thanks, Jack. It is always a challenge, and as you point out, sometimes a fine line between character reveals and excess words. I've read your work and you seem to have mastered it.BonnieShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12642142065722406733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628814011025215047.post-54927656598455502492015-11-18T09:18:57.298-08:002015-11-18T09:18:57.298-08:00I love your suggestions, especially the last one. ...I love your suggestions, especially the last one. It's difficult to trim some of those extra words, such as "rather", from dialogue and narration-first person- when they add (or you think they add) to the character's personality.Jacqueline Vickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17066655287551999883noreply@blogger.com