Comments on: Reductive Revision

By: Kayla Olson

Kayla Olson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:13:42 +0000

So, I know this post is from a while ago, but I thought it would be fun (and good practice) to participate. Got it down to 49 words, too!

Edna looked Chris in the eye. Her pulse quickened—any minute, the librarian might emerge and find them sneaking around the forbidden shelves. “I’m scared,” she whispered.
“Yeah. Me too.” He scanned a row of tattered books. “It’s gotta be here somewhere…”
Just then, the office door flew open.

By: Tess Sharpe

Tess Sharpe — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:04:52 +0000

Awesome post! Thank you for this. I’ve got 15K of dead weight to cut off my MS of DOOM!

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:08:48 +0000

Do doors fly open with a creak?

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:59:52 +0000

Nice revision, Sally. Thanks for playing! I think that a lot of writers overuse the heart/eye/spine/hands choreography sometimes, but it never hurts to leave some of that in there.

By: sally apokedak

sally apokedak — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:58:41 +0000

Hey, great blog. OK I’ll play.

Edna looked at Chris, her heart beating quickly. Her back was to the office from where, any minute, the librarian might emerge and find them sneaking around. “I’m scared,” she said.

“Me too, but we have to find that book.”

They were still scanning the shelves when, with a creak, the office door flew open.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:48:13 +0000

Well you always want to maintain the story. For me and for some of the writers whose mss. I read, I find that their cuttable stuff is the padding on the story… description, dialog tags. Stay tuned. I’ll be doing more revision posts. And, for writers like you, I’ll even put a post about adding during a revision in the pipeline.

By: Doeray

Doeray — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:22:11 +0000

I know what you mean. It’s no fun killing your work, but I think I may take it to extremes. I cut out so much that the story no longer makes sense then have to rewrite it!