My Writing Must Haves #1--Brevity

A couple of years ago, I posted about how I use lists to help me stay focused on the nuts and bolts of writing. One of the most important of those lists I keep for easy reference on the wall directly behind my computer monitor. I've simply titled it: "My Writing Must Haves," but in actuality, I adapted it from an article I read several years ago by acclaimed author, Gary Provost. It was titled "The Seven Beacons of Excellent Writing."


Because "My Writing Must Haves" list has been so helpful to me, I've decided to write a series of blogs discussing each point on it. The first is Brevity.


Gary Provost began his discussion of brevity (tight writing) with this statement: "When you write and rewrite, don't think about what you can put in. Think about what you can leave out."


Since magazines require writers to say a great deal in very few words, I initially believed this advice mostly applied to that media. However, after Missing was accepted and later as I went through an extensive revision process, I learned that brevity is also important to novel writing. Think about it. Haven't you read novels in which you were at least tempted to skip over sections, sometimes even pages, of an author's prose because it was boring or redundant? I have, and every time it wasn't because the author's story line was boring; it was because the writing was too bogged down with words that didn't carry their weight. So on my list, next to "Brevity," I've written this definition: "include only words that are necessary."


How do we do that? Again, borrowing from Provost, I'll end with three, "brief" tips:

1. Stick to your subject matter; i.e., the specific slant of your article or the goal of your story. Don't wander down unimportant paths or dally in unnecessary information.

2. Begin at the beginning, where the story takes off or where your character's life changes in relation to the plot, and not a moment sooner.

3. Eliminate unnecessary words. I've discussed one way to do this here.

So that's it. Write tight and check back soon. My next post in this series will focus on "Clarity."

MISSING REVIEWS

The reviews for MISSING are coming in! Here are a few tastes to wet your appetite.

“Great book, thrilling read all the way to the end. And yes, it was worth taking a break from Dan Brown for a couple days. Missing was much more romantic, less gruesome, and easier to read and understand. I can’t wait to see what Ronda writes next.” Nichole Giles

“This is probably the best LDS novel I've read. . . despite the book cover saying it's an LDS mystery, I think it's a mystery that would be enjoyed by any spiritual-minded person, regardless of religion. . . This is Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen's debut novel, and I think she hit it out of the park. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced mystery and would appreciate a clean story to boot.” Ali Cross

“Today, I am feeling a little sleep deprived, and it’s partly Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen's fault. . . I was reading late at night because I made the mistake of telling my teenage daughter how good the book was before I had a chance to finish reading it. She started reading it after school, while I was still working, and I had to wait until I could get her to stop reading and go to bed before I could get it back again. She couldn't put it down either without some parental intervention.” Marta O. Smith

"You will find a little bit of everything in this book: Some romance, loads of mystery, humor thrown in throughout the pages and of course the heartbreak associated with Stacie's past experiences and the utter turmoil shown by the parents of the missing girl. . . I highly recommend this book for readers that love a good mystery, those that enjoy angst in their stories and those that are also looking for a light romance that could/should/may probably does...happen. Sheila

I think I’ll stop there. I don’t want to make you too hungry. Oh, wait! Maybe I do! Happy reading!

Book Giveaway Celebration!

We have just reached 200 members on our Clean Romance Group on Goodreads.com! To celebrate, we are having a drawing. More than 18 books have been put up as prizes--MISSING included--and all you have to do to enter is to become a member of the group. (A Goodreads membership is required, however, but it's free!) To be part of the giveaway, enter/join the Clean Romance Group (under the group--Books/Literature, then Romance) by January 10, 2010. The festivities will begin on January 11. See ya there!