In a nutshell, this means ‘making every word count.’ Publishers have word count guidelines. Their guideline for a novel could be 60,000-80,000 words. Think of that number as your word budget. You have 60,000 words to use exactly as you please, but only 60,000 words. Use them wisely. 

When I was in college, I had a writing assignment: Write a story, including all elements of a story (beginning, middle, end) using 100 words. Not 98 words or 103 words, but 100 words. This kind of assignment will teach you to use the best words and only the best words. 

A writer (and I include myself in this group) can have a tendency to ramble. We know we have the reader’s attention, so why not use words, words and more words? Just ‘cause we can. Well, we can’t. We’ll lose our reader. 

Reading 60,000 rambling words can tire the reader. You don’t want them to be tired, you want them energized, alert and ready to turn that next page. 

Example of writing that needs tightening and how/why it was done. 

The day was turning into a lovely, sunshine-y day after a morning of low gray fog that extended from one end of the valley to another, and all parts in between. The gloom of the morning fog invaded her mind, bringing thoughts that were so depressing she could hardly stand it. 

Tightened: 

After the morning fog burned off, and the sun emerged, she shook off her melancholy. 

It could be further tightened: 

After the morning fog lifted, she shook off her melancholy. Or,

Her mood brightened considerably after the morning fog lifted. 

Everything I deleted, was because … it was implied. 

• After fog burns off, the sun comes out.
• Fog doesn’t just cover one house, it covers the area.
• Using the same word (fog) in consecutive sentences is never a good idea. 
• Depressing thoughts are always ‘more than we can stand.’

There is no need to write down implications because we always Give the Reader Credit! 

Your reader is a smart one. They picked your book to read, didn’t they? The reader has experienced fog and everything associated with it. No need to tell her how fog is or how it can make you feel. As soon as they read the word fog, memories and feelings will be evoked, they will come flooding back … rolling in much like fog rolls in off the sea. (groan)

They will feel tiny droplets of water on their face, their joints may start to hurt, they might feel cold and clammy. Just the thought of a long, gray foggy day could bring on morose feelings, but the very same thoughts could inspire another to put a pot of soup on the back burner and spend a cozy day making a quilt. 

Tighten your sentences to invite your reader on a journey, not bury them in piles of words. (485 words) 

NOTE: The above post is my final draft. To show the effects of tightening, I’m posting my rough draft of this post.

Tightening

In a nutshell, this means ‘making every word count.’ Publishers have word count guidelines. Their guideline for a novel could be 60,000-80,000 words. Think of that number as your word budget. You have 60,000 words to use exactly as you please, but only 60,000 words. Use them wisely. 

When I was in college, I was given a writing assignment: Write a story, including all elements of a story (beginning, middle, end) using 100 words. Not 98 words or 103 words, but 100 words. This kind of assignment will teach you to use the best words and only the best words. 

A writer (and I include myself in this group) can have a tendency to ramble. We know we have the reader’s attention, so why not use words, words and more words? Just ‘cause we can. Well, we can’t. We’ll lose our reader if that happens. 

Reading 60,000 rambling words can tire a person out. You don’t want your reader to be tired, you want them energized, alert and ready to turn that next page. 

Here is an example of writing that needs tightening and how it could be tightened. 

Example 1

The day was turning into a lovely, sunshine-y day after a morning of low gray fog that extended from one end of the valley to another, and all parts in between. The gloom of the morning fog invaded her mind, bringing thoughts that were so depressing she could barely stand it. 

Tightened: 

After the morning fog burned off, and the sun emerged, she shook off her melancholy. 

It could be further tightened: 

After the morning fog lifted, she shook off her melancholy. 

Everything I deleted, I deleted it because it was implied. 

• After fog burns off, the sun comes out
• Fog doesn’t just cover one house, it covers the area
• Using the word ‘fog’ in consecutive sentences is never a good idea. 
• Depressing thoughts are always ‘more than we can stand’

There is no need to write down implications because we always Give the Reader Credit! 

Your reader is a smart one. They picked your book to read, didn’t they? Your reader has experienced fog and everything associated with it. You don’t need to tell her how fog is or how it can make you feel. As soon as they read the word ‘fog’ memories and feelings will be evoked, they will come flooding back … rolling in much like fog rolls in off the sea. (groan)

They will feel the tiny droplets of water on their face, their joints may start to hurt, they’ll feel cold and clammy. Just the thought of a long, gray foggy day could bring on morose feelings, or the very same thoughts could inspire them to put a pot of soup on the back burner and spend a cozy day making a quilt. 

Tighten your sentences to lead your reader on a journey, not bury them in words piled on top of more words. (491 words)

NOTE: I only tightened my article by six words. It’s much easier to tighten someone else’s writing. Do you see any tightening opportunities I missed? Note them in the comments. Have fun!

Author: editor