The “Perfect Story”

Here it is:

”               ”

I know this because EVERY guide to fiction writing, every agent, every publisher, every list of writing tips says to CUT, CUT and CUT some more.  They never mention that some authors might not be overly wordy.  The possibility has crossed my mind on occasion that even if the vast preponderance of authors write too much, there have to be at least a minute few who write just enough, or even not enough.

If truly you should cut and cut and gut every unnecessary word out of your story, then the best story, the perfect story in fact would be one with no words at all.  I have not once told instead of shown, I have not used to many adverbs.  I did not change tense.  I did not change perspective.  The brilliance of the story with no words at all, is that you are guaranteed perfection, there are no mistakes, no one can even critique your character arcs.

My story of no words is as deep or as shallow as the imagination of the reader themselves.  If they look at a blank page with no cover and laugh, then they simply don’t understand great writing – do they?  If however, they stare, intrigued, let their mind capture the essence, then awards and recognition are sure to come my way.

My only concern now with my perfect book with no words is whether I should submit it to an agent with a blank query letter with no words, or if I should self-publish it on Kindle with no descriptor or title…

I wonder how you would critique the Bible verse – Jesus wept.  Two words, but you have to CUT!

Obviously, I have been facetious to make a point.  In my personal experience, most writers I know don’t write.  They want to write.  Some are even very good at writing from things they read that they wrote long ago.  However, life, jobs, loved ones, ill health, or even the television sap the life out of their creative spirits.  They simply don’t sit down and write.  Then they are all told – CUT, you have written too much.  Wow.

Michael Stackpole told me that you are not a novelist until you have actually written a novel.  I took that to heart and finished my first novel.  He was right.  Actually finishing a novel changes you as much as losing your virginity.  You feel different.  Having sex the first time makes you feel like a real man, or real woman.  Finishing a novel makes you feel like a real novelist.  It still might not make you a good one, but at least you passed the first hurdle.

So, in my continuing effort to debunk common writing advice that is crap – just write.  Write MORE not less.  You don’t even know what to cut until you finish the story and look back.  Imagine editing a movie where you are only given the first ten minutes.  What do you leave in and what do you take out?

Finish.  Ignore everything else.  Write and actually complete something.  Then worry about editing.