Jeannie Zokan: A Writer's Cup: Murdering Darlings

Monday, September 17, 2012

Murdering Darlings

Okay, it's time to go on a shooting spree. No, I'm not that kind of crazy, I've just been looking outside myself for help in tweaking my work, and I'm realizing it's an inside job.
A guy named Quiller-Couch said it best, but I wouldn't want to be him. Many a writer has cried over his words: "Murder your darlings." Yes, murder them. Kill off all the writing that is self-serving, the stuff that takes the reader out of her fictive dream.
Strange, but part of me looks forward to strapping on some shining armor and a really cool sword. I'll slay my own dragon, the dead wood in my manuscript, and this novel and I will be better for it. Maybe I'm feeling confident because I wished upon a star at

( http://www.mylifetime.com/astrology/free-readings/enchanted/wish-upon-a-star-game ), and my star said I would succeed. Well, by the third wish it did, anyway.

3 comments:

AnonymousSeptember 20, 2012 at 4:29 AM
Good luck murdering those darlings. Just please don't murder any starry-eyed missionaries!
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MissySeptember 21, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Everyone needs a good quest, and now you have yours. I'm glad you'll get your wish ... apparently I'll also get mine, but with a partner :)
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