on Live Write Thrive:

All fiction writers fall into the trap of overwriting. We’re lured by the desire to be clear and thorough in our descriptions. To make sure the reader gets what we’re trying to say. We think if we pack our sentences full of words, we’ll get the point across. We’ll convey the right emotion and, in turn, evoke the emotional response we long for in our readers.

But however logical that seems, the odd truth is that, more often than not, less is more. Plot and character motivation can come across more strongly and effectively with fewer words. Carefully chosen words. Just the right words put down just the right way.

We tend to underestimate our readers’ ability to fill in blanks. We tend to get too close to what we are writing to see it clearly. We tend to doubt our own writing ability—and so we overwrite.

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