“Fixing Mistakes in Writing, Fixing Mistakes in Life”
A clever editor can pick out writing mistakes from the earliest stages of a manuscript. A receptive writer will have the mindfulness to listen to their feedback, and the courage to make changes in an effort to strengthen their work. I’ve done a lot of writing over the years on both my book project and my blog. I’ve also done a lot of editing. What I’ve learned about editing my writing work is that the same applications which go into cleaning up a manuscript can also have relevancy in other areas of my life. The commonality between editing words on paper and evaluating the way I communicate, parent, interact with patients in my eye clinics, set goals, and maintain a healthy life outlook are easy to appreciate. I wrote a blog article a while back about “show, don’t tell,” and how that writing principle carries over from paper to the real world. Today, I’ll share some more writing pearls knowing they represent pitfalls that we’re all guilty of falling into, in both the writing universe and in our daily lives.
Overwritten and under-edited: when enough is never quite enough.
Even the most accomplished writers are capable of being too wordy with their work. Stephen King routinely criticizes himself for doing this, and he’s not the only one. Ever read Lord of the Rings cover to cover? There’s a lot of hobbit lore in there that has nothing to do with the central story, and pretty much none of it is interesting (sorry Tolkien). One of the things people don’t realize about writing is that it involves a lot of listening. We all have a writer’s voice inside, and in order to allow the voice to speak, we need to quiet the background noise enough to hear it. Sometimes we also need to know when to cut the voice off, at least before it turns into a rambling mess. Overwriting is a classic sign of trying too hard. Writers do it for fear that readers will not understand their points exactly the way they want them to. Never-ending dialogue. Too much description. Redundant word use. These are writing faults that many of us struggle with, myself included. Over-talking one’s opinion, as well as talking over others, is a personality trait that many people suffer from. Ever get into a conversation with someone and realize, rather quickly, that they have no intention of asking you anything? I’m not a selfish conversationalist, but there are people in my life who I’ve known for years, and during all that time I can’t recall a single occasion when they’ve made it a point to ask me anything about my job, family, interests, or personal life. Sometimes I’ll decide to throw something my own way in the conversation just to see what happens—though you can probably guess how that turns out. When I end up in conversations with people who routinely over-talk, I try to remind myself that much like the over-writing writer, they have no idea they’re even doing it. Whatever they’re telling me is very important to them, and they want to share it with me because they believe it will add value to my life (and sometimes it does!). I’ve been on both sides of it, and while I understand that I should be careful to judge, it’s important for many of us to be aware of the way we may tend to control, or over-control our conversations. There are benefits to coming up for air, as things are generally more enjoyable when both people are breathing.
Too much backstory.
Ernest Hemingway said, “I always try to write on the principle of an iceberg. There is seven-eighths of it underwater for every part that shows.” When it comes to backstory, writers need to establish it in order to know what they’re doing. As for readers, they don’t generally need to know most of it. Eliminating unnecessary backstory is something I’m currently working on with my Unsung Heroes books. I’ve been throwing scenarios around inside my head for quite some time regarding how much of it I want to let go of, and while I haven’t taken the plunge by making the actual cuts yet, I’m putting myself though a preparation cycle by sharpening my mental blade, or ax, if you will. Admitting that I need to make substantive changes to the books even after all this time isn’t easy for me to do, but I know that it’s necessary. I have a surgical precision I hope to use when it comes to addressing my backstory conundrum, but the wiser part of me knows that the problem is only going to be fixed one way: by going after it Annie Wilkes-style. “Kill your darlings” is an expression that’s routinely used with manuscript editing, for while those darlings may seem precious through the eyes of the beholder, they’re unnecessary, and in many instances are distracting to the reader. When I consider the notion of eliminating backstory outside of the writing world, the phrase “think before you speak” comes to mind. TMI, we say to ourselves when friends, family members, and coworkers lay it all out there on social media, at family gatherings, and in the work environment. What’s important to remember is that just because people don’t want to hear us go off the rails doesn’t mean they don’t value our opinions. Sometimes the heaviness of what we’re putting out there can be a bit much to take in. Pouring it all out might feel good in the moment, but doing so can also come across as overwhelming, uncomfortable, and depending on the situation, even improper. There are instances when it’s okay to let everything loose, but there’s value for both ourselves and those around us if we use discretion and respect boundaries. This can help to salvage not only our personal relationships, but our mental health and work culture.
Writing while constantly editing along the way.
This writing tendency is the opposite of overwriting, and is rooted in the fear of letting go. A writer’s work is cerebral, and is filled with the potential for distractions. Becoming adept at the craft requires hard work, self-discipline, and a sustainable routine. When our words don’t formulate as easily as we’d hope, insecurity can seep in, and many writers will make the mistake of getting in their own way. Instead of changing strategies or taking a break and circling back, we fall into a pattern of reading and rereading what we’ve already created. The endless cycle that results is similar to the pattern of behavior people demonstrate when they over-think things. Progress slows to a crawl and we lose the confidence to keep our momentum churning forward. There’s planning, and then there’s over-planning. A big part of life, as well as the creative process, is having the courage to figure certain things out as we go.
Writing only when it’s convenient rather than building it into your life.
Dedicating the time to write, and to attempt to create something from nothing can be an intimidating task. I’ve said in previous blog posts that getting started is by far the most difficult step, and I stand by those words. The steps that follow the starting point might be the most important ones though, and represent the ultimate test of a writer’s determination. In order to make the writing process work, you have to sell yourself on the importance of building it into your life. You have to convince yourself at your deepest level that it’s an important undertaking, and no less valuable to your daily routine than eating, sleeping, combing your hair, and brushing your teeth. You cannot rely on inspiration alone. Writers shouldn’t avoid writing simply because it seems hard. As spouses, parents, coworkers, and friends, we all have jobs to do, boundaries to set, conversations to be had, and differences to reconcile, the likes of which won’t always involve glamorous work. Most of us are creatures of habit, which comes with both good and bad consequences. The question we should ask ourselves when we know we’re avoiding difficult tasks is this: if we’re going to create habits of only doing things when they seem convenient, at what point does it become convenient to stop that cycle and do what’s necessary to get the job done?
Speaking in half truths to both yourself and to your audience.
Anyone can tell people what they want to hear. Telling them what they need to hear requires courage, and for obvious reasons (they won’t like me!) is far more difficult. There are many forms of deception in the world, and writers are just as guilty of committing them as anyone. What we say can be just as important as what we don’t say, and when a person’s deception influences the way other people think then it creates problems. Not all forms of deception are crafted with ill-intent though, or even in ways that are overtly purposeful. A common example can be seen with self-deception. Whenever you think you understand something, it’s important to try to dig deeper. Consider not only your argument, but the counterargument. If the counterargument makes you feel uncomfortable, then ask yourself why. Not everyone is okay with being challenged on their beliefs, but the possibility of being wrong is always real, regardless of however difficult that concept might be to concede. To believe otherwise is the very definition of self-deception, and in no way is it a sign of strength.
Thanks for reading my post! The list of writing mistakes I’ve outlined is by no means exhaustive. Like many writers, I’m guilty of having committed them all, but I’ve hopefully learned to (at least sometimes) recognize them. What mistakes do you routinely discover in your own writing? Let me know because I’d love to hear and learn from them. Until next time, take care and many thanks for your continued support!
- Todd
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