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If you have a lot you WANT to say, do you leave it or cut it down?


2009 Advisor
posted on May 12, 2008 at 11:37AM
 
That is a great point, especially for me, since I tend to get, uh, wordy.   I read a book by Stephen King, "On Writing", and when I'm writing I keep in the back of my mind on of the most important things he said.  I'm paraphrasing, but he said when he re-reads something he wrote, I finds he can almost always cut out 10-20% and make it better. I find that is true for me.  I just start writing.  When I get to the end, I go back and read it again.  I ALWAYS cut something out and re-order stuff.

I want to make it tight as I can while being careful not to cut stuff that leaves the other stuff hanging.  That's one of my biggest fears, saying something in a review the will make sense only to me.  It can be a fine line, saying what needs to be said and adhering to the "brevity" rule.

Piggybacking on  ChrisJarmick's post, I never try and convince someone my opinion is correct.  I just lay it out there and let them decide.  Once I've read a review by someone implying if I don't agree with them I'm an idiot, I never, ever read anything by that reviewer again.  I hate arrogance.  Hate it.  My opinion is better than no one's.  I'm just a dude writing what I think and hoping someone reads it.

Then I go back and check for typos.  And usually miss some!

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