Several years ago some creative mind came up with the KISS theory--Keep It Simple Stupid. The photo above offers the same message but in a more gentile way. KISS has no golden flower or breathtaking butterfly, nor does it use soft and kind words. Even so, both convey a message we should heed.
Some writers tend to overdo everything. If one adjective is good, they think two or three are better. If they make a point once, two times will truly get the point across to the reader. Others sprinkle unnecessary words throughout a good story which often takes away from a good read.
What about word count? Some writers go on and on and on. Then they wonder what is wrong when they can't find a market that will accept the huge number of words they have in the submission. If we learn to write with simplicity, we can shorten our essays, stories and even poems.
Consider the overdone story, essay or poem. Compare to a woman who overdoes it when dressing for a special occasion. If she adorns herself with too many frills, frou-fous, jewelry, ribbons and lace she is lost in a sea of fashion that merely detracts from the person herself. Take away all those extras and let the woman shine instead.
Less is more applies here. Simplify your writing and your words can become more powerful. Does that mean to toss our sensory details, descriptive adjectives and emotions? Of course not. Use all those tools we have learned but use them wisely and sparingly. Too much of anything detracts from the main idea.
A writer who writes a short story cannot use a large number of characters as a novelist would. The short story writer has to be more concise, use fewer characters, have a plot but not a lot of subplots and keep to fewer words. He/she lightens the journey by simplifying.
So, whether you adhere to the KISS principle or the softer Simplify--lighten your journey, you can make your life easier and create more powerful writing along the way.
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