1/8th Vonnegut

One of Kurt Vonnegut’s eight rules of writing fiction is

“Every sentence should either reveal character or advance the plot. If it does neither, cut it.”

Great fiction isn’t just about what you add. Great fiction is about what you remove.

Readers don’t want to wade through pages of beautifully written nothing. 

Every sentence should serve a purpose. It should push the story forward or deepen our understanding of the characters.

If it does both? Even better.

Hemingway called this the “Iceberg Theory.”

Elmore Leonard said, “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” 

The best writers know that storytelling isn’t about stuffing a book with words like a holiday turkey. It’s about making every word count.

So, as you revise, ask yourself: Does this sentence reveal something new? Does it move the story forward? If not, let it go.

Your readers will thank you.