One thing I struggled with when I started writing was pressing the dreaded delete key. At the time, deleting large swathes of text was unthinkable and and a waste of precious time. Over many months, I tried my hardest to repair sections of text that were simply rubbish. What I learnt – the hard way – was deleting something that is, well, crap, is sometimes the most efficient use of your time and writing skills.
Imagine you are painting a wall that you’ve failed to prepare correctly. Maybe it’s cracked, or you are trying to paint over already flaking paint. No matter how hard you try, the wall will never look right. The only way is to scrape it off, prep the surface correctly and start again. The result is a better finish and a more satisfying outcome.
As with your writing, you may suddenly realise the last section is rubbish. You desperately scan the text, trying to find a way to salvage your hard work, but ultimate sometimes it just better to start over.
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It’s hard to rip up your work and start again. But there’s no point trying to fix something that needs an overhaul. Sometimes going back, to go forward is the best solution. Lawrence Block made a wonderful quote on the subject:
“One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want.”
Lawrence Block
A writer will naturally become attached to their work; characters, words, scenes, chapters, clever phrases and paragraphs all take love, time and effort. They become your darlings; they were born from your imagination; you nurtured them and brought them into existence. How could you possibly consider deleting them, never to be seen again? Unfortunately, it’s a necessary part of the writing process that you are not alone in experiencing. Yes, it feels like you’ve wasted your time! Yes, it seems like you are no good! Yes, you think you aren’t cutout for this writing game!
Stephen King, in his book A Memoir of the Craft said:
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”
Stephen King
You haven’t wasted time because you are fixing a problem and learning from that experience. Hopefully, the second, third, and fourth attempts will produce more profound and meaningful work. As I’ve said in other blog posts, you should always be open to learning from setbacks. You can’t always avoid them, so use them to build a better you – a better writer and author.
Every time you delete your darlings, you aren’t completely losing everything in that section of work. Every word you’ve written builds upon the scene you are trying to convey. Think of it as practising before the final event
You shouldn’t assume you are no good, because professional writers such as Steven King and Lawrence Block, have deleted their own darlings many times in their careers. Its part of the process. If they have to do it, then you should expect to face the same peril from time to time. Come to think of it, if you are lucky enough never to face termination of your darlings, then you are a very lucky writer, or you may want to double-check your work.
The fact you know when something needs culling instead of saving, makes you a better writer. A writer who owes it to themselves to keep going, keep learning and to keep honing your skills.
The Slate is Clean, Go Forth and Rewrite
So next time you sit in front of your work wondering, ‘What the hell have I just written!’, note any snippets you can salvage and delete the rest; clean the page and remove the problem. Take a deep breath or a short break, and start again. Repeat this process until you produce something that works and you are proud of.
Don’t be afraid of the big bad delete key!
Good luck and keep writing,
Take care,
– Scrib
Paul J. Scribbans — Author 