Five ways to slim down a bloated manuscript
Most of you probably knew (or at least suspected) that you were destined to become a writer during your school years.
Back then, your classmates bemoaned long writing assignments, while you scratched your head in bemusement — churning out pages was the least of your troubles.
Still, though, more words aren’t necessarily better.
Author Tara East has five suggestions for trimming a bloated manuscript:
1. Cut filter words.
2. Tighten your sentences.
3. Remove unnecessary scenes.
4. Take out unnecessary characters.
5. Cut down dialogue tags.
Even if you’re not prone to overwriting, East still wants you to consider these tips, which she explains in further detail on The Creative Penn.