*DON'T FALL INTO THE TRAP OF OVERWRITING*

As an author/editor, I’m always looking for fiction writing and editing tips to share with visitors to my blog (www.djwarnerconsulting.blogspot.ca) and with participants at my writing workshops.  Below is an excerpt from Joanna Penn’s web site that I hope you will find helpful.  She suggests most genre fiction should tell the story in simple terms without ornamentation. A recommendation I support.  To read the full article and many more articles by Joanna Penn, go to:  http://www.Thecreativepenn.com

1.      Go ahead and overwrite to your hearts content in your first manuscript draft;

2.      Take a breather and step away from your work. It takes time to transition from your creative thinking to editing.

3.      Read your manuscript twice before starting to edit. Then convert to a PDF and click on the drop down menu, “Read aloud”.  Listening to someone else read your work will pick up problems you may have missed. I also find it helpful to print a copy and do one edit with a pen in hand.

4.      Look for markers of overwriting:

a.       Language usage that shouts, “I have a dictionary and a thesaurus”. Use these valuable tools sparingly;

b.      Make sure the dialogue is natural for your characters;

c.       Check for overly long sentence structure, paragraphs, and chapters;

d.      Don’t overuse adjectives and adverbs;

e.       Ensure you don’t repeat details, e.g. the eye colour of a character.

5.     
      Solicit honest and constructive feedback from beta readers (not only family members and close friends).  Be sure that your beta readers are familiar with your genre.

6.      Edit your manuscript many times. You’ll find things to improve every go through. Seek input from a professional fiction editor on the final draft.

7.      Read your manuscript from the perspective of a reader in case an error has slipped through the many edits. Then, let it go and see if it soars.

      Here is an article you may find helpful on, "5 Ways to Avoid Using Filler Words in your Fiction Writing".