Robbie Overwriting is when a writer goes beyond the effective description of storytelling, and begins to distract the reader by using a long or elaborate prose.
The most common issue is when a writer uses more words than necessary to convey the message. But there are several aspects that fall under category of overwriting.
On my first writing journey, I fell afoul of this multiple times. And it wasn’t until my editor educated me in her feedback that I began to research overwriting and how it was affecting my novel.
Even after doing my homework and taking care during my writing, I still find a few common overwriting problems creeping into my work from time to time. But it’s ok. It all gets ironed out in the editing phase. Well… almost all of it.
How does overwriting impact a story?
New writers try to build tension and draw in their readers by using hyperbole and dramatic sentence structures.
These are great tools to use if applied properly, but without an element of restraint, this can lead to overwriting.
As your skills develop, you’ll be tempted to exercise your command of the English language (or whatever language you use). However, you must not forget about the reader and what they want from your story.
When a writer begins to describe too many things in a given scene, they risk boring the reader. This is problematic especially when the pace of the story slows. If this does happen, the reader will begin to scan the page for the beginning of the next important element.
Think of it like watching a marathon.
The beginning is interesting as the runners try to push their way to the front. The end is where we see the runner bring it home in a climactic finish. And there may be a few interesting events somewhere in the middle of the race.
But if you had to watch every step of the marathon, I guarantee your eyes will drift and you’ll begin scanning the crowd for a distraction.
If this happens to your reader when reading your story, it means they are bored. If they are bored, then the story has lost its grip on them. And sadly, this means they will simply put your book to one side and look for a more interesting one.
An example of overwriting.
Without trying to teach you to suck eggs, below is a basic example of what I mean.
“Slowing the vehicle, she tentatively pressed the metallic pedal, gripped the steering wheel, and held her breath. The space was tight. Too tight for comfort. And with every turn of the wheel, she imagined the sound of metal scraping metal. But with no room for error, she glanced in her mirror, peered over the dashboard, and carefully manoeuvred the powerful Mustang between the white lines of the parking bay.”
Unless the story is about someone passing a driving test, I think the best way to write this would be to say, “she parked the car.”
Unless the parking the car leads to an interesting situation or a life-changing event, no one cares about parking the car.
Get to the good stuff.
Body language and non-verbal dialogue
Another important factor that contributes to overwriting is when a writer describes a character’s body language.
There’s a fine line between avoiding irrelevant description and omitting important details. This is especially important when describing body language, and even more so when writing a conversation between two or more characters.
If the story is brought to a standstill because the writer describes every action during a conversation, the reader will lose interest.
Think back to the last time you had a conversation. Now, try to recall how the other person acted during that chat. Were they relaxed? How do you know they were relaxed? Were they agitated? If so, what told you they were on edge?
For example, a character who runs into a police officer after escaping an attacker might glance over their shoulder to check for danger. It’s also likely, their eyes will be wide and alert.
This shows us the character is afraid. But when a reader is bombarded with too many examples to convey the panic, it removes them from the story.
The things that are conveyed non-verbally are subtle in day-to-day life, and this should be the same for literature.
Sprinkling on some small details so the reader can feel what the character feels will allow a writer to describe the moment whilst allowing the story to continue.
Show the reader just enough to create an emotive response. But not so much that they end up skimming the words to get to the next action sequence.
Why and when does overwriting occur?
Overwriting is a symptom of two main things: the inexperience of a new writer, and the excitement of a work in progress.
Inexperience
A new writer will often explain everything with fantastic detail by using words that wouldn’t normally be used in casual conversation.
For example, we don’t regale our companions with tales of recent events. No. We tell our friends a story. We use simple, direct language when speaking, and so should your book. After all, you are telling a story.
As a self-publishing author, you won’t have anyone to reel you in when you get carried away. You must be your own critic when you write and edit your first draft. And you must be disciplined.
Simply say what needs to be said and try to keep the story moving forward.
Give the reader the elements they need. And if you begin to dance with your words and they add nothing to the story, remove them.
Excitement
The whirlwind excitement of hammering out a first draft is a wonderful feeling. And it’s perfectly acceptable to get it all out on the page.
A writer who is passionate about their new novel is likely to churn out dozens of pages – getting their idea down on paper as quickly as it comes to them. Every thought, feeling, and emotion will spill onto the page without restraint or apology. And again, it’s ok.
This is the place to overwrite and enjoy doing so.
Enjoying your writing and allowing your story to flow without holding yourself back allows you to fully explore your idea. Also, it needs to be said that this isn’t just for those pantsers out there. Even the planners amongst us should let the story flow to a degree.
It will be up to you during the self-editing phase where you will need to apply that discipline mentioned earlier… cropping, cutting, changing your words to remove anything that doesn’t add value to the narrative.
How can self-editing help?
The first thing you’ll need is the ability to be self-critical.
Looking at your work without sentiment is vital when self-editing. It’s difficult for most of us to do but any sentimentality will prevent you from cutting a scene or paragraph because of how it makes you feel.
Remember, this is not about you. It’s about your reader and the story.
Read through your book chapter by chapter, and get your highlighter ready. Each line needs to be read and evaluated.
If a sentence is long and flowing and takes a long time to get to the point, highlight it.
If a scene focuses too much on scenery; taking a character two paragraphs to enter a room because you describe everything inside, highlight it.
And if a conversation turns into “he scratched his chin, swallowed hard, exhaled slowly and said…” highlight it and move on.
You should also look out for redundant words. If someone sits down on a chair, or ran quickly, even clapped their hands, get highlighting.
By the end of the readthrough, you will have plenty to work with. And then it will be time to revise each colourful line and either rewrite or remove.
Is overwriting a bad thing?
This is a difficult question to answer because it all comes down to writing style and voice. Some successful authors are noted for their long, flowing sentence structures, and the way they paint a picture for the reader. But they are exceptions to the rule.
Some readers love to be caught up in descriptive and flourishing literature, and a dramatic scene seems to be enhanced by extravagant words. But in the world of commercial fiction, the average reader is simply looking for a story.
Commercial fiction doesn’t have room for overwriting of any kind. It is tailored to the masses. As such, most editors will steer you to deliver your story in a way that will suit the majority of readers.
The important thing to remember is to have fun when writing your first draft. Pantser or planner; enjoy the experience of getting the words down on paper.
“Once you’ve got to the end, and you know what happens, it’s your job to make it look like you knew exactly what you were doing all along.” – Neil Gaiman
It will be in the self-editing phase where you clean up overwriting, and that is where the magic happens.
Good luck
