The Dichotomy of Deleting

D is for "delete at least one sentence from each page of your manuscript." I'm not talking about rewording or restructuring a sentence but actually getting rid of it, never to be a part of the story again. This simple exercise is a powerful way to begin the editing process. It allows the writer to emotionally step away from the page and let go of unnecessary fluff'n stuff. Read each sentence with the following questions in mind: Does this sentence move the story along? Is it vital to the scene? Does it have a definite purpose? If the answer is 'no' to any of these questions, consider striking the sentence. If the answer is 'no' to more than one of these questions, absolutely get rid of the sentence. Here's another hint: there are likely many more sentences that need to be deleted on that particular page! It may sound brutal but it's really quite liberating. The dichotomy is that we can ask these same questions about our life. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, what can we delete that will make our story more real, more believable, more true to our character?