When I jumped onto social media to build my platform, I came across a lot of self-published writers that I wanted to help. I joined their advance teams and got their books to read and review before they were released to the public. But as I consumed each novel, I found a lot of elements I liked and a lot that I despised. I couldn’t figure out why until recently.
My small epiphany relates to something I heard from literary agent and Serious Writer cofounder Cyle Young: not everything goes into your book. It’s easy for self-published writer to throw everything in and miss mistakes. That’s why self-published books gained a reputation of being poorer quality; they haven’t gone through the wringer with multiple editors, agents, and publishers. But even if the grammar is wonky, the story itself needs to be solid. And when everything goes in, nothing stands out. So, for all my traditional publish and self-publish friends, here’s a quick list of content to consider when you’re plotting what goes in and what comes out.
Exposition: Explaining Everything
Explanation isn’t bad, especially for fiction. But when moments of action are skipped and recapped instead of played out, then there’s a problem. There’s a couple writers I read who skip chunks of time that actually have some action. The writing has fantastic description, but it feels flat because we’re recapping pivotal moments instead of living them with the characters. And when I’m reading lengthy expositions and find I’ve got 300 more pages left in the book, I find a lot of excuses to not read. Then I feel super guilty and suffer through three more pages.
Thanks to social media and our fast-paced world, people’s attention spans have shrunk significantly. Not only do books need to be condensed, but the writing needs to engage at nearly every moment. Exposition is good for covering something boring like hacking into a computer or walking down the street, but if your characters are engaging in something that’s important to their position or end goal, we want to read the internal turmoil of the moment as things change.
Use exposition sparingly. Let the reader be part of the action. Remember, show not tell.
Inconsiquential: Moments for the Heck of it
Cyle Young (literary agent and Serious Writer cofounder) actually posted a video on TikTok about how every moment in a book should be prioritized for moving the plot forward. Makes a lot of sense when you consider other media.
When it comes to movies and tv shows, my brothers and I are aficianados. We can spot a filler episode or a useless moment just by reading the description or watching a few seconds. For example, in Spiderman: No Way Home, the casual conversation between the previous two Spidermans before the big battle could’ve been removed and no one would see a difference (except for all the meme lovers). There’s nothing bad about McGuire commenting about his bad back, but it feels removed from the fact that they’re going into an intense fight.
Filler content in a book is felt more than in a movie. If the content comes back later, then it’s not filler; it’s foretelling. But if it’s a moment that sits on its own and doesn’t ever relink to the plot, then it’s pointless. What’s considered a filler varies; I’ve had minor fillers for the sake of a romantic moment. Fillers truly should be avoided, even if you’re trying to hit a certain word count.
If you consider using fillers, develop your story more. Analyze the plot and the characters and where they can grow. There’s no need for pointless content.
Foundation: Explaining the World you Created
This problem plagues fantasy and sci-fi because the writer is crafting a world unlike our own and needs to describe it. I’ve seen some interesting integrations from the writers I read, but it can fall into exposition very quickly. There’s so much to say and not much room because there’s character development and a massive problem to cover as well.
Through reading and writing, I’ve found the best method to be small chunks at a time. While your reader doesn’t know the world, your character most likely does. Using descriptive words and concepts that readers can relate to, you can paint the culture and hierarchy for them in a meaningful way. Weave it into the dialogue and the actions of the characters while moving everything forward. Some words are overused, but switching out made-up terminology for things like “ruler” or “blacksmith” won’t hurt. The idea is that the reader can follow and understand the character as they walk through this strange world.
Description: Describing the World, People, and More
I love description. Literally one of my favorite things to write other than action. But too much of a good thing can hurt. I can’t confirm this yet, but I heard that Moby Dick spends ten pages describing one painting. That’s the sort of overkill I’m talking about. Describing a room is important in order to get the lay of the land. Continually describing each element as characters walk around in it is a little much.
Another thing to note is general description versus specifics. Everyone knows what a kitchen looks like, but they might not know that the cookie jar shaped like a cat has a map hidden inside. Everyone knows what a lawn looks like, but they might need to know that the rose bushes only have white flowers because the owner hates red. Some things can be left to the imagination thanks to common knowledge. Specifics fall under what moves the character and plot forward, as stated before. Describe the world, but show it as well.
Pages: Keep it Consistent
I’ve been driven mad with this very simple point in my writing. Yet I understand it’s importance when I read the work of someone who doesn’t follow it. There’s nothing worse than reading a five page chapter and then a twenty-five page chapter. Obviously I’ve been reading ebooks; no way I’m counting pages. Still, it’s discouraging to go through a few short chapters and then find a monstrous one that drones on and on.
Chapter length determines pace. The Maze Runner books irritated me with their tiny chapters, but the lengths were consistent and kept the tone up as the action ebbed and flowed. I still think the writing could’ve been handled better, though I have to credit Dashner for making every moment a cliff-hanger (and I do mean EVERY moment).
Whether it’s words or pages, keep it consistent. Formatting is different for all books, but the number of words does not shift. Break it up into more chapters, combine them into one, or double-check for unnecessary exposition. Use the words you have wisely.
Final Thoughts: Kill your Darlings
I wouldn’t be a good friend if I wasn’t honest. And I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t do it myself (kicking and screaming, of course). You will need to remove entire paragraphs or even chapters from your work. Trying to keep everything will create an extended book that drones on.
I’m bringing this up because I want you to succeed. I want to enjoy your novel because I love reading other’s crazy ideas. But if I’m not engaged, then I know others aren’t. And if other readers aren’t engaged, then career writers won’t succeed.
Consider what I’ve said, step away from your book, and come back with fresh eyes and perspective. Believe me, the end result of a “word massacre” is a punchier, engaging story that brings people in.