Russ Colchamiro's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
Author Interview with Russ Colchamiro
Ruled By Books reviewer Jaime Chambers interviewed me about my novel Finders Keepers, advice for new writers, and what I'm up to next.
Plus ... final thoughts on what I'd read if I had time to kill on my way to becoming a zombie.
Here's the link:
http://www.ruledbybooks.com/author-in...
Plus ... final thoughts on what I'd read if I had time to kill on my way to becoming a zombie.
Here's the link:
http://www.ruledbybooks.com/author-in...
In the Writer's Chair: Cut ... Or Else!
In the Writer's Chair - If You Can't Cut 10 Percent Then You're Not Really Trying
Writers write. Sure. We've all heard that one.
But the problem is that as writers, we often write too much. Given enough time and space, we have a tendency to ramble.
I've tried writing short stories, but I just feel too confined. The short form doesn't work for me. I need to room to explore, to let characters and plot and setting go where they go.
And yet ... no matter what I end up with, I ultimately have more than I need.
Example: my first draft of Finders Keepers was 127,000+ words.
Way. Too. Long.
Ultimately, I cut it down to about 97,000 words. That's more like it. But the discipline I needed was, der ... to write less. To cut.
So I did.
The conversation with myself went something like this:
Editor Russ: Cut ten percent.
Writer Russ: Bite me.
ER: Cut ten percent. Your book is too freakin long.
WR: I know, but that's 12,700 words. How am I suppose do that?
ER: Not my problem. Get to it.
WR: But--
ER: Do it!
WR: But--
ER: Do it!!
WR: ... sigh ... fine.
And so I did.
Phase II left me with a manuscript of about 110,000 words. Better, but still too long. And my two selves went at it again.
ER: Cut ten percent. Your book is still too freakin long.
WR: I know, but that's ANOTHER 11,000 words.
ER: Aaaand ...?
WR: ... You're going to yell me again aren't you?
ER: Do I really need to answer that?
WR: ... sigh ... you suck. But okay.
And ultimately I got down to 97,000 words.
The directive to myself had nothing to do with content or style. It was simply forcing myself to be economical.
My second novel, Crossline is in the hands of my editor right now. I handed in a manuscript that came in at about 95,000 words. I may ultimately prune a bit, but I won't need to cut 25,000 words.
As writers, we write. But the more you can discipline yourself to write -- or at least, keep -- only what you need, you'll find that cutting isn't nearly as tough as it might first appear.
And if you wind up arguing with yourself about it, think of it this way: If you don't force yourself to cut what you don't need, somebody else will. And however rough you think your inner voice might be, it's often a lot friendlier than if you hear it from someone else.
Writers write. Sure. We've all heard that one.
But the problem is that as writers, we often write too much. Given enough time and space, we have a tendency to ramble.
I've tried writing short stories, but I just feel too confined. The short form doesn't work for me. I need to room to explore, to let characters and plot and setting go where they go.
And yet ... no matter what I end up with, I ultimately have more than I need.
Example: my first draft of Finders Keepers was 127,000+ words.
Way. Too. Long.
Ultimately, I cut it down to about 97,000 words. That's more like it. But the discipline I needed was, der ... to write less. To cut.
So I did.
The conversation with myself went something like this:
Editor Russ: Cut ten percent.
Writer Russ: Bite me.
ER: Cut ten percent. Your book is too freakin long.
WR: I know, but that's 12,700 words. How am I suppose do that?
ER: Not my problem. Get to it.
WR: But--
ER: Do it!
WR: But--
ER: Do it!!
WR: ... sigh ... fine.
And so I did.
Phase II left me with a manuscript of about 110,000 words. Better, but still too long. And my two selves went at it again.
ER: Cut ten percent. Your book is still too freakin long.
WR: I know, but that's ANOTHER 11,000 words.
ER: Aaaand ...?
WR: ... You're going to yell me again aren't you?
ER: Do I really need to answer that?
WR: ... sigh ... you suck. But okay.
And ultimately I got down to 97,000 words.
The directive to myself had nothing to do with content or style. It was simply forcing myself to be economical.
My second novel, Crossline is in the hands of my editor right now. I handed in a manuscript that came in at about 95,000 words. I may ultimately prune a bit, but I won't need to cut 25,000 words.
As writers, we write. But the more you can discipline yourself to write -- or at least, keep -- only what you need, you'll find that cutting isn't nearly as tough as it might first appear.
And if you wind up arguing with yourself about it, think of it this way: If you don't force yourself to cut what you don't need, somebody else will. And however rough you think your inner voice might be, it's often a lot friendlier than if you hear it from someone else.
