How to Cut Words From Your Writing

 

Slash! Cut! Snip! Ax! Clip!  All those words relate to our poster quote today. Stephen King's advice is always right on. We should heed his words since he has written so many successful novels and a wonderful reference book for writers titled "On Writing." 

I am in agreement with him about cutting the excess fat. Recently, I wrote a first draft of a story to submit to Chicken Soup for the Soul whose guidelines state no more than 1200 words. And they mean 1200 words. My draft was 1244, but I've done the cutting exercise so many times that I felt confident I could cut those 44 extra words, and maybe more. Doing so would most likely make my story stronger and more concise. 

Most writers don't like to cut words they have written. Every word we write is precious, but if your story can be made better by cutting, then go for it. It's not as difficult a task as some think. And, as I said earlier, the more often you do the slashing words exercise, the better you become. A master slasher! (The phrase 'as I said earlier' could be cut without losing meaning in the sentence. See how easy it can be!)

How do you cut words? Read through the entire draft first, then go back and look at it paragraph by paragraph. You might be surprised by the number of times you repeat a word that isn't necessary. Let's look at several ways you can cut words.

A. Word Repetition:  You might find a section like this:  Alice drove to the beach with tears streaming. She'd go to the beach to forget him. She loved the beach.  20 words. Rewrite it like this:  Tears streaming, Alice drove to her beloved beach to forget him. 11 words. 

B.  Idea Repetition: Some writers fear that readers will not 'get' a point they are making, so they repeat the same idea in the next paragraph. You don't need to do this. Say it once and be done. Readers are capable of 'getting it' the first time. Another possibility is the writer is not sure what to write next, so the easy way out is to repeat the same idea using different words. All it does is add to the word count.

C.  Unnecessary words: When we talk or write, we tend to toss in many unnecessary words. They are words that have no bearing on the meaning, words that, when cut, do nothing harmful to the sentence. Words like 'just, very, really, usually, that, rather, quite, and probably' can be eliminated without losing meaning in the sentence. Google 'unnecessary words in writing' to read more.

D.  Dump the word 'the' in some places: We tend to use 'the' in many places where it is not necessary. The following sentence can be shortened. We use the recipe books and the hand-written ones from our mothers. Rewrite as: We use recipe books and hand-written ones from our mothers. You've cut two words and left the meaning. When you edit, look for places where 'the' can be dropped.

E. Eliminate 'that' when possible: In this sentence, 'We know that Paul will be late and that he will laugh about it.' The word 'that' can be cut without losing any meaning. It would read: 'We know Paul will be late and he will laugh about it.' 

F.  Cut adverbs and adjectives:  These are modifiers and are not always needed. Some writers think if one adjective is good, use two or three. That's overkill. One is fine, and most adverbs can be cut, too. Adverbs lead you into the trap of telling rather than showing.

G.  Conjunctions:  You can eliminate the 'and, but, or' words when you are writing a lengthy sentence. Instead, cut the conjunction and create two separate sentences. Do it in many places, and the number of words cut adds up.

H.  Lengthy sentences: Some writers love long sentences. Not only can they be divided into two sentences but also lose some words. Read a very long sentence and note ways it can be trimmed.

If you can cut words without losing meaning, go ahead and ax them. The more you work on cutting words, the easier it becomes. You train your editing eye to look for places to cut. 

 

Last Minute Writers

Last minute writers often come in last! Ouch! 

I've been thinking about those who wait until close to a deadline to send in a contest entry. They are to be commended for entering, as many writers think about entering a writing contest and think and think until they miss the deadline. However...

Those who enter on the deadline day or close to it run the risk of sending a piece of writing that was done in a hurry. When that happens, there is little time for editing and revising. It ends up either being skipped or done in such a hurry that it hardly makes a dent in good writing. The editing and revision process takes time. Write a first draft, then let it sit untouched for a few days, or even longer. Go back and edit and then at least once again. 

Send in your first draft, and you're quite likely to miss placing or winning a prize, especially if you're competing against others who have taken time to create a truly finished piece of writing. 

Out poster today says: 'Nothing makes me more productive than the last minute.' There is some truth in that saying. We definitely must move fast if we wait until close to the deadline. But will it be of benefit to us? Probably not. 

Some writers are also procrastinators. It's habitual with them. By doing so, they aren't giving themselves a fair shake. Plan ahead and work on a piece of writing a little at a time, and it is probably going to be a better result. Plan ahead to get ahead.

When a high school English teacher grades an essay assignment, he/she can tell who spent time on the writing and who dashed it off the night before. It's usually quite clear. So can contest judges.

So, what should you do? Plan ahead. If you enter your state writing contest annually, you'll know the time when the entry dates begin and end. Don't wait. Decide what you might like to enter. Perhaps it is something you've already written, or maybe you'd like to write a new piece for a certain category. Get that first draft written or start editing and revising a piece you've already written way ahead of the deadline. 

If you are the habitual procrastinator, you can change. It might be difficult, but you can do it. Do it once, twice, and more, and you might make it a habit. 

Yes, last minute writers often come in last! 

 

Persistence Should Be A Writer's Keyword

The fairy in today's poster has some good advice for writers, most especially newbie writers. Even intermediate level writers and beyond should give this poster quote some serious thought.

The poster indicates that the sweet little fairy has had failures and doubts in her writing life, but she kept on writing despite those two big boulders on her writing path. What about us?

I've had plenty of failures and doubts during my writing journey, and I'm quite certain you all have, too. It's part of the writing world. If a writer never had either one, I'd be a bit suspicious. 

We generally have more rejections than acceptances. One statistic I heard long ago was that the average writer receives twelve rejections for every acceptance. Wouldn't that put you in a funk? It would if you let it get you down. Instead of sinking like a rowboat with a hole in the bottom, take a good look at those rejections. (after you've gotten over the first disappointment for a few days) Consider yourself fortunate if you received a note from the editor telling you why they were not accepting your submission. If he/she points out a problem, address it. Rework the piece and submit it to another publication. If you received no reason why your piece was not accepted, you'll have to do some soul searching on your own. Look for weak spots, or missing pieces, or confusing places. Then rework them.

What about the doubts writers have? Nearly every writer has to deal with doubt at one time or another. For some, it's a regular ritual. For others, it comes only occasionally. But it's a part of our writing world. A bit of advice that qualifies as a cliche is the children's story The Little Engine That Could. The little engine kept repeating "I think I can" over and over until he reached his goal. We can do that, too. 

Instead of tearing yourself down, do all you can to build yourself up. Have you ever placed in a contest? Been published in a coveted publication? Self-published a book? Remind yourself of your accomplishments in the writing world. 

One keyword we need as writers is 'persistence'. If you give up easily, your writing world will soon turn to dust. Once again, it's your choice.

 

Remembering D-Day and My Visit to the Normandy Beaches

Today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day, commemorating the Allied invasion of France on June 6th, 1944. It was the breakthrough needed, the beginning of the ending of WWII. The following was written in 2013, published in 2014. I repost it as a reminder of the horrific price we pay for wars. My visit to Normandy left a deep impression on me. I hope young people today still learn of this part of history in their classes. 

Remembering D-Day on the Normandy Beaches

By Nancy Julien Kopp

Today marks the 81st Anniversary of D-Day when Allied troops landed in Normandy. It was the beginning of the end of WWII. I think it is worth commemorating each year. The essay below features my visit to Normandy in 2013. 

Visiting the Normandy Beaches

My husband and I were nearing the end of a river cruise in France which brought us from Paris to Normandy, famed for its Norman cows and fine dairy products as well as being the place where the Allied Invasion began during WWII. Our river ship docked at the final port--Honfleur, a picture postcard kind of town. Now, we were close to the highlight of the two-week cruise that had begun in Paris. We’d spend a full day at the D-Day beaches of Normandy, something Ken and I had looked forward to since booking months earlier.

At breakfast in the ship’s dining room that next morning, we sensed an air of anticipation that had not been evident in our other sightseeing tours on this trip. We were not the only ones looking forward to this day when we would view the beaches where the landing took place on June 6, 1944. The ensuing battle resulted in the Allied Forces turning the tide of the long-fought war that threatened so many, not only in France but other countries as well.

Being mostly senior citizens, the people in our tour group knew the history of the battle well. One man had even been there with the British navy shortly after the initial invasion. Only 16, he lied about his age to join the navy and was among the first who arrived after the beaches were taken. This now-elderly gentleman had spoken about his experience one evening on the river ship. That morning, as the bus took us from ship to the beaches, I watched this man who sat silently while we rode through the Normandy countryside. What thoughts were going through his mind, what memories were returning one by one? I wanted to ask but out of respect for what must have been an emotional time for him, I kept my silence.   

We filed quietly off the bus on that cold, wet March morning. There was none of the usual chatter and good-natured teasing on this day. We were a solemn, respectful group as we were introduced to our local tour guide. Her scarf whipped wildly in the strong wind, and like us, she wore hat, gloves and a warm coat. The skies were gray which somehow seemed fitting for this place where the remnants of battle and death remained even these 69 years after the fact.

The pillboxes where the German artillery faced the beaches remain today. I slipped and slid down a muddy incline to see inside one where parts of the big guns remained. Looking out to the beaches, I was immediately struck by the incongruity of those in the pillboxes versus the men on the open beaches on that summer morning so long ago. An old cliché seemed most fitting. They were “sitting ducks.” I shivered with both the thought and the sharp wind that found its way through my warm jacket.

The Allied Forces came to liberate France from German occupation, to push the German forces back to their own country. The Canadians landed at Juno Beach, the British at Sword and Gold Beach. Our American troops came ashore at both Omaha and Utah Beach. Paratroopers landed first followed by amphibious landing craft manned by Navy and Coast Guard personnel. Thousands of men with one goal—take the beaches and move on.

Gnawing fear must have been in the belly of each man but they surged forward with many falling on the beach. More than a thousand died on Omaha Beach alone. Others continued to dodge the constant gunfire and scaled precarious cliffs to reach the German strongholds. 

As the tour guide talked, I thought of the men I knew who had fought in this war of so long ago—my uncle who had been an Air Force pilot, my best friend’s uncle who had endured the hardships of a prison camp, and my dad’s cousin whose plane blew to pieces before he could escape. I thought of my father-in-law who served in Paris after the liberation and came home safely thanks to the courage of the men who fought on D-Day, those who carried General Eisenhower’s order with them. “Full victory. Nothing else.” 

Our tour guide told us of a U.S. Army veteran who had been on another of her tours. On the morning of the invasion, he was in a landing craft that held 32 men. 31 of them were violently seasick. By the time they landed, they were covered in vomit with no choice but to rush the beach and dodge the artillery fire. That was only one of nearly 7,000 boats that hit the five beaches early that morning. I shivered yet again but didn’t know if it was because of the cold misty rain or the stories she related.

Our next stop was the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, located not far from the beaches. In gratitude, the government of France granted use of the land, in perpetuity, as a permanent burial ground. We walked through the immaculate grounds, viewing the choppy waters of the English Channel just beyond. Nearly 10,000 American soldiers are buried here, a Latin cross or a Star of David marking each grave.

We gathered in the light rain at the Memorial area which features a 22-foot statue called “The Spirit of American Youth Rising From the Waves.” A representative from the cemetery addressed our group before leading a short ceremony to honor those who had sacrificed so much in this place. Everyone faced the wildly waving American flag, hand on hearts. Cold raindrops mixed with the warm tears that fell as I listened to a recording of our national anthem followed by a volley of gunshots and finally the playing of “Taps.” The lump in my throat would allow me no words, nor were any needed. 

As the group dispersed, Ken and I walked to the edge of the cemetery close to the sea. The rain had finally ceased. We gazed at the gray sky and the gray water, empty now save for the ghosts of 69 years earlier. We have heard about the Normandy Beaches and D-Day for most of our lives. We’ve seen pictures, watched movies depicting that day. But being there and hearing the personal stories brought reality like nothing else. What struck me as we walked silently back through the cemetery was that we humans didn’t learn from the horrors of WWII. We’ve continued to send our young men and women to fight in multiple wars since. 

At home, we fly our American flag with pride every June 6th to honor those who fought and those who didn’t come home. After visiting Normandy, that day will take on even greater significance. Veterans of the D-Day battle dwindle year by year. Before long, there will be none left, so it will be up to the next generation and the next to keep the memory alive. It is my great hope that this year’s 70th Anniversary will spark some interest among all ages for this commemorated day.

Book Review: A Shakespeare Sonnet Shakeup

 Are you looking for something new and different to read? I can recommend just the book for you. It's poetry. Now don't turn your nose up. Poetry can be enlightening, interesting, and educational. 

Poet and award-winning author, Tom Mach, set himself a real test. Mach used the first 77 sonnets Shakespeare wrote (of 154) to challenge himself to rewrite each of the Bard's sonnets as if he'd lived in the 21st century. The title, A Shakespeare Sonnet Shakeup should give you a glimmer of Mach's sense of humor.

What, you might ask, is a sonnet?  According to Google: Originating in the 13th century, the sonnet is a form of a poem that has 14 lines, written in iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line with specific stress pattern) and adhering to a specific rhyme scheme. Shakespeare's sonnets are written with three quatrains (or stanzas) and a concluding couplet (2-line stanza). The rhyming scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

You don't need to know all that to enjoy reading Shakespeare's sonnets. Or those that Tom Mach has written as a 21st century version.

Shakespeare's sonnets follow a few themes--love, having more children, and leaving a piece of yourself behind in particular.

By rewriting each of the seventy-seven sonnets, Mach attempted to keep the premise of the sonnet the Bard wrote but offering it in the language of today's world. 

The book is set up so that Shakespeare's numbered sonnets are on the lefthand-side pages with a lovely, framed border, and a sketch of Will himself in the bottom right corner of each. Mach's borderless, rewritten sonnet is on the righthand-side page allowing for easy comparison. 

Mach offers an Introduction page to explain what he hoped to accomplish with this book, and also a final page about the sonnets of Will Shakespeare. Finally, Mach offers his own Sonnet #155 to add to the 154 that the Bard wrote. 

If you've ever felt a bit perplexed when reading Shakespeare's poetry, Mach offers the reader some fine explanations via his own interpretation of these first 77 sonnets. 

Purchase the paperback at Amazon for $9.95 and free for KindleUnlimited members. 

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Tips for Writing Family Stories

My regular readers know that one of my pet projects is encouraging people to write family stories. Writers and non-writers alike. You don't need to be a professional writer to record your family history through stories of incidents and events. Anyone can do it. 

There are websites to help. Use any search engine and enter 'how to write family stories', and you'll be amazed at the number of helpful articles that pop up. 

There is a difference between family stories and family history. The latter is made up of facts and figures...names and dates of marriages, births, deaths, places lived. Family stories are more personal letting future generations know more about the personalities of family members as well as significant things that happened within the family. Both good events and sad or bad. It's all part of your family history. You don't want to sugarcoat your family members in every story. Tell it like it is. Or was! You can do this without being nasty or cruel. 

My mother often mentioned an uncle of hers who she said was 'the meanest man on the earth'. When he died, he left money to all his nieces and nephews, so the man had a good side, as well. Many of our relatives have more than one side. Try to find the good side when you can.

A few tips when writing family stories: 

A. Use sensory details to make the individuals seem real--sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.

B. Try to show the place where the story happens. City, farm, ranch, island, ocean? 

C. Do more than tell the story. Show us what happened. That's where the sense of place and sensory details come in.

D. Use active verbs instead of relying on passive ones like is, was, were, are. Active verbs help show while passive ones end up merely telling the story.

E. Use some adjectives to help with description, but keep it to one, two at the most. Otherwise, it sounds too saccharin.

F. Dialogue helps bring the story alive. You probably can't remember dialogue word for word, but you will remember the gist of what was said. It's alright to create dialogue as long as the meaning is the same as what was said.

G. Humor is always welcome in any story. There are many humorous things that happen in our families. They beg to be repeated.

H. Don't shy away from sad stories. They should be told. They are part of what makes people who they are. The same with tragic events in a family. Tell them with kindness.

I. It's not necessary to write the stories chronologically. Write them as they come to you. 

J. Describe the characters in your stories. What relation were they to you? Physical attributes. The kind of person he/she was. Weave all this into your individual story. 

Keep a file of the stories you write. Both on your computer and hard copies saved in a large 3-ring binder. Computers fail us at times, so those hard copies are important. 

Many people say they want to write their family stories. They think about it, they talk about it, but that's as far as it goes. Start with one story, save it, then go on to the next. You don't have to keep at it day by day. Write when the mood moves you but try to do it with some regularity. The longer you are away from the project, the easier it is to stay away. Maybe aim for one a week. 

If you write your family stories, you'll have a certain sense of satisfaction. Our family memories are treasures, so why not share them with other family members and leave them for future family members.  

Don't Put Off Writing What is Important Today

My apologies for the long time between posts. Life throws us a curve ball now and then. On the evening of May 1st, I had a heart attack, ending up with two stents put in the next day and a couple days in the hospital. Then home to spend a few weeks recovering. 

I've been thinking about writing an essay detailing this experience, but the thought process is as far as I've gotten. When we have something traumatic happen, and that could be any number of things, we need to get our thoughts down in some way. Maybe an essay, maybe a poem, maybe a fiction piece based on what happened. 

The problem is that we don't feel like making that effort while we are still going through whatever happened. With me, it's been on my mind, but I haven't been able to sit down and put the words on the paper or screen yet. 

When this happens, we need to do it before those thoughts trickle away, and we've lost the urge to write about it or have forgotten many of those important bits and pieces. We should do it while the emotion is still present.

Give yourself time, just not too much time. If nothing else, make some notes and keep them where you see them daily. When you're ready, get that first draft written. 

Write about your experience for yourself but also for others who might relate to what happened to you. Don't put it off too long, or you'll lose some of the emotion that can go into a piece like this. Be like Goldilocks and find what is 'just right'.