Keep It Simple

The one thing I've always tried to do whenever possible is keep it simple. I hate clutter in my living spaces as well as in my writing. A surplus of unnecessary things in a room, added just to fill spaces, is repugnant to me. I start feeling nervous as if I may soon be buried under the stuff. I imagine this reaction could be a form of claustrophobia, since I also become nervous in tight spaces.

When I write, I feel the same way. I try to use as few words as possible to present my thought. I find myself editing as I go in order to pare my sentences to the least amount of words. I don't think a thought has to be explained in a surplus of words for readers or listeners to understand its meaning. A few well-chosen words will usually do the trick. I've written this way since I was a kid in school. I never thought about it. It just came naturally.

Now that I'm writing books, I can't help noticing the darn word counter at the bottom of every page. I want to rid myself of it, but I also find myself peeking at it furtively. Is it becoming an obsession? Will it change my writing style? I know many readers prefer wordy books. The more words, the better. The more pages, the more desirable the book. I understand. I used to prefer long books myself, until I noticed I was skipping sections I found to be unnecessary to the gist of the story. After that, I gradually became bored by very long books, even books by authors I used to love. All this doesn't mean I don't appreciate descriptive writing. I love well-written descriptions, and can almost lose my soul in the middle of an especially good one.

If you have found your reading and writing likes and dislikes have changed over the years, let me know. I can't be the only one.