If you cleaned out all the filler material from your story, what would you have left?
I’ve got about 20 scenes. I need around 40 more. I’m not allowing myself any filler. This is where it gets really hard. “But what about the muse?” all you Blank-Pager, drafting-lovers might ask?
I’m allowing my muse to find its own path of least resistance, like a plant growing between the cracks in a sidewalk. I’ve got my 40 extra index cards, all primed and ready for whenever this supposed muse decides to shine. It’s got plenty of 3×5 territory to play in.
No filler. I refuse. Each and every scene must have a purpose! Filler isn’t a proper alternative to creative block–not for me, anyway. Generating material isn’t hard for me. Generating material that is strong, worthy, and appropriate to my novel–THAT is the hard part.
It reminds me of those commercials, “What’s in your wallet?” Do you pad your wallet out with old receipts and paper cuttings, to make it seem fatter? Does that seem like a silly thing to do? So why do it with a novel?
What’s in your scene pile? How many scenes would you be throwing out if you tossed out all the filler? How many scenes would you have left?
I’m a big fan of the svelt streamlined novel, and really hate fat bloated books that seem to consist mainly of filler. Besides readers aren’t stupid, they generally know filler when they see it.
You know when I started writing I had no filler. It made scenes short and my novels have always been on the short side. I’ve since started to add filler :D but I find it gets cut quite quickly. Especially when someone reviews/critiques my story. I wonder if it’s just an evolution of the writer–the ability to add filler (not saying it’s a good ability).
I try and make every scene connect to the next, make each action import, each event relavant.
It’s hard stuff!
Jack,
I too am a fan of streamlined novels. And you’re right–readers know when the author is in fluff territory.
Jennifer,
Since the first conception of this novel was during National Novel Writing Month, I had tons of filler from the beginning. If it’s an ‘ability,’ it seems to be a natural one for me. Not a skill inclined towards producing greatness, at least in my case.
Ugh. Dumping the filler…all the great descriptive phrases and clever uses of fresh verbs to tell about something boring. As you know, I’m in Revision Hell, and my rule of thumb is, if it doesn’t show conflict or move the story forward, only leave enough to ground the reader in the scene. Ergo, I’ve cut about 50 pages and I’m sweating it.
But then I relax when I flesh out scenes of conflict and/or dialogue. That’s what the reader wants, so give it to them. You’ll fill up the cards in a jiffy.
Kathleen,
As you allude, it’s not as tough as it seems. I keep having this “Hey, that’s a scene!” realization. So I’ve got more than I thought I did.