The Parts People Skip

I try to leave out the parts that people skip.

~Elmore Leonard

No kidding, the best advice I ever read.  For a while I’d be all… “Ugh, I have to write that scene,” and if you don’t want to write the scene, why the hell would anyone want to read the scene?  Sum it up and move on.  You don’t have to write a play by play of life for your characters–only the important parts.

I realize there are times when self-doubt about the ability to really pull off an important scene slips in, but that’s the thing: you know it’s an important scene.  In that case, write the damn thing and pretend it’s just a placeholder scene so you can move on.  Sometimes, this little trick is all that keeps me sort of sane.  You’re not writing THE scene.  You’re giving your muse the chance to stretch out a little before the real writing starts.  ;-)

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