or
BRIEF
We know the saying, (some attribute to Mark Twain) “If I had
more time, I would have written you a shorter letter.”
Another version of this notion tells about a US senator who
was asked to address a high school and tell them about his job.
At question time, one of the students asked, “How long does it
take you to prepare a speech?"
The senator replied, “It depends on time. If you want a
fifteen-minute speech, I would need two weeks. If you want a five-minute speech,
I would require four weeks, and if you want an hour's speech, I can start
straight away.”
This is even more important in query letters. A few months
back, a writing friend gave me feedback on the “Bio” paragraph in mine. I had
two versions, one longer and more personal in tone, and one shorter and more businesslike.
I thought both were short and was happy with how I managed
to succinctly distill my life and writing journey into a single brief
paragraph.
My friend chopped away the branches, shaved off the bark,
and left my shorter version with only the heartwood. Her edit is the one I will now use
in queries.
It takes time, reflection, and the help of a good writing
friend to make it shorter.
©K. J. Lamb
7 comments:
So true. Less is more.
^Gratitude for succinct comment ;)
Well said. It's usually the pithy comments we remember.
I don’t remember who said “brevity is the soul of wit,” but you are right that cutting down to the heartwood is a good idea. Editors are too often beleaguered to read more and prefer someone who knows how to cut to the chase.
MirkaK, I've been told my writing tends to be terse, so there's hope on that (word-)count. Editors still have to deal with my typos ;)
Great reminder. I love the examples you gave. I run to the garralous in things like queries, and have to cut and cut and cut. But for some reason, in my fiction, it's just the opposite. I start out too lean, then have to expand, then cut again.
I tend to provide too much information. One aspect of my job has helped me learn to pare it down.
Love,
Janie
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