For Six Sentence Stories where the given word is Second.
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Oh dear, I think it’s a bit too long, my publisher said fifteen thousand words and I’ve more than doubled that, so a bit of trimming’s required.
Out goes the second chapter, it’s not really necessary, nor the third, or the sixth, good, it’s shrinking fast and with a descriptive title I won’t need the opening paragraphs; in fact, I might as well strike the whole first chapter, yes, that works.
A few words less in those flowery phrases won’t really alter the story, but that will leave some of the sentences a little uninteresting, unnecessary even, so they might as well go and if I add a picture of the hero I won’t need to describe his appearance.
What’s left, chapter four doesn’t make sense without three, I could even remove five as two’s deleted and as for the ending, with so much gone I might as well dump that too.
Now let’s have a look, oh, it’s all gone, every word and all that remains is the title and a picture, so I need to have a second go and make sure I keep count this time.
Once upon a time (4 words) there was a man called Eustice (that makes 10 words – 14900 to go!) and he lived in………….oh, forget it!
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Thanks to Denise at GirlieOnTheEdge for hosting.
Awesome! Editing can be dangerous to creativity!
This started out twice as long, you’ll never know what you missed!
Hahaha…edited beyond recognition…
Oh how I wish some authors had done a bit of editing. Just finished a book with some atrocious dialogue that could have just been eliminated. Or maybe as you did, just start over, lol.
I’ve thought that a few times too!
Haha! That was one drastic bit of editing.
Just a bit!
😂🤣
You’ve earned the Red Pen Editing Award for this one! I can see this happening — and should have, in some cases. 😉
Wow, what an honour! I hope some writers will be inspired and take note!
We are our own worst critic.
That is so true!
Like your style Keith!
Not much style left , but thank you!
Don’t believe you!! Take care.
Hey! There’s an idea “Fiction Minus One”*
A hardcover book (ain’t goin with no cheap paperback format) a Title and, instead of blank pages, a voice to print app and display!)
I’m sure the long-running Music Minus One people won’t mind!
You could have something there, I might just pioneer it! I’ll make sure you get a mention on the cover.
Nice chops there, Keith!
Nice chops? Oh yes, I see what you mean! Most kind of you.
This cracked me up!
I’m pleased! Thanks, Beth.
Heeheehee! Yep, sometimes it works out better that way. Fun six!
Absolutely! Cheers, Mimi.
I hope he took a backup before he started deleting stuff. Sometimes a picture and title are worth fifteen thousand words.
Backups are so important as I’ve learned the hard way on many occasions! Thanks, Frank.
tee-hee 😂
That’ll do nicely, thanks, Chris!
Hahaha! Who says the pen in mightier than the sword! Funny one, Keef!
I don’t! Cheers, Nance!
Cheers, Keith!
Hahahaha! Great one, Keith!
I’ve definitely gone well over the word count when writing 99 word stories for Carrot Ranch prompts, and sat scratching my head for quite some time wondering how to cut those stories down to the limit.
Me too with Friday Fictioneers 100. It’s too easy to turn a colourful story into a monochrome essay.
I’ve felt like that sometimes! Hit delete… and back to the beginning, it is, lol
Too many times! I hate hitting delete but sometimes that’s the only solution!
An excellent lesson on revision.
Drastic but effective!