"Over" Writing Saturday

Well, I'm up and writing today and having fun. As I edit the second chapter of the book I've been working on, I have to face the truth. My non-writing mom was right. I read the paragraphs and ugh. Too much. My descriptions, although quite detailed, are not needed.

Reminds me of when I read a Leo Tolstoy book. I was so bored reading about Russian farmland. Clearly I didn't understand the relevance. The necessity of over explaining the area. I nearly quit on that book multiple times. Took me forever to read it. It literally became a toilet book. You know, that one you sit in the bathroom for when you're trapped and bored. I finished Anna Karenina, but barely. Tolstoy nearly lost me there.

So I judged his writing and I ended up over explaining in my book. Ha! Maybe that's what I was supposed to learn from reading Tolstoy. I can't blast the man, he's a celebrated novelist who wrote stories that live on. And obviously he had an audience. He had a book deal and movie deal with that story. What novels have I published? What movie deals have I signed? Exactly. Honor to where honor is due...and all.

Some people like details and some don't. I guess I've learned I don't and that's why I practice writing everyday. I'm still forming up who I am as a storytelling writer. There's an audience for me as is, as long as I stay true to my own voice. Signing off now to untangle some of that over writing...sigh.