What to Leave Out

1. Do important stuff in scene. That means, you don’t have the crucial confrontations, discussions, stares happening out of the reader’s view. It’s disappointing and frustrating to work toward the day when Jane finally tells Inez what she really thinks of her, and then not be invited to observe.

2. Dialogue is gold. Every word has to bear multiple burdens. Few writers can pull off pages of dialogue. Try writing a five page scene that is nothing but a telephone conversation, and you’ll see what I mean.

3. Trust the reader to make logical leaps. We don’t need, we shouldn’t be subjected to, every movement and thought.