When is Too Much, Too Much?

Good pacing is a vital part of good writing. You know good pacing when you do find yourself unable to put a book down, rather than skimming through the text of an otherwise gripping/well-written book to get to the point of the story. To produce a book that becomes a ‘page-turner,’ cut down on your descriptions.
 
NOTE: This does not mean skimping on the critical description. It means trimming the unnecessary fat, that which doesn’t move the story forward.
 
“Authors must find the perfect balance of telling readers just enough for the story to make sense and come to life without sharing so much that readers are crowded right out of the story. If we’re describing every little detail—both pertinent and not—what we’re creating instead is an on-the-nose narrative that has literally been described to death.”
 
NOTE: Cutting down means, you don’t have to describe (explain) a person, place, or thing from every angle to make sure your reader gets the point.
 
Readers only care about what matters—details that advance the plot, details that help them understand the story and characters, stuff that piques their own imaginations without bogging things down.

This is true for both fiction and nonfiction. Trimming the description gets rid of filler. It helps both the writer and the reader get to the heart of the story. It cuts out all the parts most people skim over anyway.
 
ALERT: Filler is the copy you may think is one of your ‘Best Pieces of Writing, EVER.’ That is what makes it the hardest to cut. However, a good rule of thumb is: If it doesn’t add to the story or vital information, delete it. Though this might sound simple, it’s one of the hardest rules of writing to apply.
 
Try this. The next time you find yourself skimming through text, ask yourself, “Would the story or idea be just as clear without it?” That’s one of the best ways to learn the difference between what to keep and what to cut.  

Enjoy!