Comments on: http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/ Adventure, Mystery, Passion: Aspen Mountain Press eBook Publisher Thu, 17 May 2012 07:25:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Andy http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/#comment-986 Andy Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:03:25 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/#comment-986 My "clutter" issue tends to be the repetitious items I use and don't notice until later. The first time I had somebody edit a short story for me, I wasn't aware I'd been using the word "gentle" so much. He underlined it each time I'd used it, and it was embarrassing how many times it showed up! With the current WIP I'm editing, I'd found my characters like to sigh and shrug. A lot. (One character sighed so much on one page, I'm surprised he didn't pass out from oxygen deprivation!) The best thing for me in this situation is to remove all instances of sighing and shrugging, even when I think it's absolutely necessary. They probably aren't as interesting as what the characters are saying or doing to each other, and since this isn't November and National Novel Writing Month, I certainly don't need the word count! My “clutter” issue tends to be the repetitious items I use and don’t notice until later. The first time I had somebody edit a short story for me, I wasn’t aware I’d been using the word “gentle” so much. He underlined it each time I’d used it, and it was embarrassing how many times it showed up! With the current WIP I’m editing, I’d found my characters like to sigh and shrug. A lot. (One character sighed so much on one page, I’m surprised he didn’t pass out from oxygen deprivation!) The best thing for me in this situation is to remove all instances of sighing and shrugging, even when I think it’s absolutely necessary. They probably aren’t as interesting as what the characters are saying or doing to each other, and since this isn’t November and National Novel Writing Month, I certainly don’t need the word count!

]]> By: Lizzie http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/#comment-982 Lizzie Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:53:47 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/#comment-982 Great advice Barbara. Like the 'take your character to dinner' idea. Great advice Barbara. Like the ‘take your character to dinner’ idea.

]]> By: Kara Griffin http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/#comment-981 Kara Griffin Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:31:23 +0000 http://aspenmountainpress.com/blog/2010/07/08/153/#comment-981 Barbara! You are so brave to admit that. But it's the truth. We try to create interest and don't realize that the story itself without all those extras is what the reader really wants. I've read stories where I've thought 'who gives a....' about back history that had nothing whatsoever to do with the character. I need to make sure I'm not doing this and will definitely look at my words more carefully. I'm all about characterization, and most of my stories center around the characters and not the genre or history. Nice blog. Definitely worth thinking about. And, hello, you better clean out your car more often :) Kara Barbara! You are so brave to admit that. But it’s the truth. We try to create interest and don’t realize that the story itself without all those extras is what the reader really wants. I’ve read stories where I’ve thought ‘who gives a….’ about back history that had nothing whatsoever to do with the character. I need to make sure I’m not doing this and will definitely look at my words more carefully. I’m all about characterization, and most of my stories center around the characters and not the genre or history.

Nice blog. Definitely worth thinking about. And, hello, you better clean out your car more often :)
Kara

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