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#OnWriting

There's a rule known as R.U.E., Resist the Urge to Explain. One plus One = One half.

When you repeat an 'effect', the weaker undermines the stronger and the result is the weakest of all. It happens when we try to stress what we want to say, thinking the reader cannot possibly get it with only the things we said in the first attempt.

Silence and hiding is one of the great arts of writing, thus the Resist the Urge to Explain.

Often, the more we force a message, the weaker it becomes. Did you ever find yourself in this situation? What mechanisms do you apply to detect where you're explaining too much?

I always do this in my first draft and then when editing I will go back and try to trim out all the unnecessary explanations.

Good rule.

Caroline wrote: "I always do this in my first draft and then when editing I will go back and try to trim out all the unnecessary explanations.

Good rule."

Yep, which also leads to another good rule advocated by Stephen King as well. 2nd draft = 1st draft - 10%

Similar for 3rd vs 2nd. In addition, "The Elements of Style" never stops telling writers to kill all unnecessary words :)

**Scratches head lightly**
I think I have a problem with that. I mean, I'm rewriting my story for the forth time now and I can't quite remember what I used to hide and now have revealed.

Doaa wrote: "**Scratches head lightly**
I think I have a problem with that. I mean, I'm rewriting my story for the forth time now and I can't quite remember what I used to hide and now have revealed."

:) It happens. But remember, details have to be important or evocative. If they're not they become a distraction. There are things that need to be explained (a bit) others should never. For example things that are well known to the characters, or well known in the world you are creating. It is a fine line but readers expect that what you describe are important; if not immediately in the scene, later on in the story.

Sometimes you say more things with what is hidden than with what is revealed. The RUE rule (that can be broken knowingly, as every rule) is to keep in mind when we give to the temptation to 'make the reader see, understand'. Readers' mind and imagination needs to be titillated, not beaten :)

During plot evolution, character development, descriptions, a writer must have a reason for what is put into words. You don't need to explain to readers, they will discover themselves if there's one.

Writing is both mask and unveiling. If lucky, you'll show what needs to be shown and hide what needs to grow in readers' minds.

From the writer's POV - Less Is More. (From a former technical writer whose training never disappeared). When I edit my own writing I try to step back and allow at the minimum 24 hrs. between writing and editing a piece; otherwise I will edit until the cows come home and I have a completely different story in front of me.

From the reader's POV - flowery prose and too many adjectives distract me from the intended point and leads to frustration. If it happens often enough I put the work down, disappointed by both the problem (as I see it) and my lack of follow through. However my time is important enough not too waste it reading material released to the general public that is not yet ready for public consumption.

Isis wrote: "From the writer's POV - Less Is More. (From a former technical writer whose training never disappeared). When I edit my own writing I try to step back and allow at the minimum 24 hrs. between writi..."

Hi, Isis. Indeed. When writers adopt flowery prose and use adjectives and adverbs one cannot but wonder if they try to convince the readers they've read a dictionary and memorized it and if they forgot they're there to narrate a story.

Kill the unnecessary word, phrase, paragraph, and even chapter.

Massimo - I totally agree with cutting the clutter. My problem is that I want to edit as I go, which kills the flow. Sometimes it works in my favor and I end up with something much better than I began with, but that is not all that common for me.

Does anyone else struggle with the urge to edit even while writing? You pause to arrange your thoughts and suddenly you find you've edited the last several paragraphs. . .

Isis wrote: "Massimo - I totally agree with cutting the clutter. My problem is that I want to edit as I go, which kills the flow. Sometimes it works in my favor and I end up with something much better than I be..."

Isis. Give yourself a rule. Never edit anything written the same day. I allow myself do as you say only for things I wrote 3 to 4 days in advance. I do review as I go, but I impose a mental separation from too recent written flows :)

Massimo wrote: "Isis wrote: "Massimo - I totally agree with cutting the clutter. My problem is that I want to edit as I go, which kills the flow. Sometimes it works in my favor and I end up with something much bet..."

That is a good rule. My current problem is that I have to write a fair amount for work as the exec. assistant to the director of a prestigious institute - so I am kind of required to edit same day many times just to be sure that even the most basic material going out is perfect and in the best format for the audience. It is sooo challenging not to get stuck editing and end up with something completely different than the original piece. :-)

Isis wrote: "Massimo wrote: "Isis wrote: "Massimo - I totally agree with cutting the clutter. My problem is that I want to edit as I go, which kills the flow. Sometimes it works in my favor and I end up with so..."

I see. Well, every rule has exceptions :)

It is indeed, good editing doesn't change the writer's voice and message.