Do You Always Have to ‘Kill Your Darlings’?

One of the most challenging parts of the editorial process is when you write something you think is amazing, but during the editorial process, you come to the realization that it might not be a great fit for your book. You might find, especially if this is your first book, that you think you’ve got to jam everything you want to say into this- book because you don’t know if you’ll ever write another one. 

But the reality is, even if you don’t include that section in your current book, that doesn’t mean it will never again see the light of day. So as you’re deciding what to cut and what to keep, remember that you can also save sections of your work for future books. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you’re deciding which camp your writing falls into:

Keep it

So you’ve got your edits back, and your editor wants you to strike something from your manuscript that you really don’t want to part with. Obviously, it’s worth listening to what your editor suggests, but just because they suggest it doesn’t mean it’s the right call for you. Does omitting a section change the direction of your book, the plot, or the development of a character? Does it change a character’s motivation? Does it change your writer’s voice? Is it something that you feel is too important to skip? If so, any or all of these things could be a good reason to keep something in your book. Maybe that means keeping the text right where you put it, but don’t be afraid to chat with your editor and see if there is a way to maybe place that text in a different part of the book, or work on a way to restructure it to make it work better in the overall narrative flow.

Kill It

Some stuff, regardless of how much we love it, needs to end up on the proverbial “cutting room floor.” And indeed, you might have a section of text that you really love, but it needs to go, even though it might never see the light of day again. If the text would alienate or offend a huge portion of your core readership, it’s probably worth cutting it for good. If the text adds some conflict that introduces a plot hole or an unresolved loose end, it needs to go. If it majorly changes the motivation of a character in a way that doesn’t make sense in the narrative, it’s got to go. If you’ve a section of text that messes with the flow of the book at a major level, cuts important tension, or makes characterization too confusing, even if it won’t work in a future book, it’s time to cut it.

Save It

If there’s a section of text that you really love or an idea that you are really passionate about, remember that cutting it from your current book isn’t your last opportunity to use that text or idea. If you’re writing fiction, maybe you can pick up that plot thread or character arc in book two, or release a special short story on Patreon or for newsletter subscribers. Or perhaps it can be something you can explore in a spin-off novella or full-length novel. If you’re writing nonfiction, you can save text and ideas that you cut from your current book for future books, or you can also use it for future presentations, podcasts, or even ancillary products like a workbook or guided journal.

The most important thing when working through what to keep and what to omit from a book is to think about what will make this book the best version of itself that it can be. If you’re weighing keeping or omitting a section of text based on a frantic feeling that this is your last chance to write a book or you don’t want to leave anything out, you’ll end up weighing the book down. Instead, remember that while some things need to be thrown into the fires of Mount Doom, never to be seen again, you probably can find a place for those really special ideas if your current work-in-progress isn’t the best home for them. If you’re focused on making your current WIP the best it can be, it can make cutting sections you really love a bit easier because you’ll know that you can find a home for those words in another place.

Ultimately, this is one of the most challenging and—emotionally charged—parts of the writing process. So don’t go it alone! We’re here for you if you want editorial support, writing coaching, or any other publishing help. Don’t hesitate to reach out, so we can start talking about making your book dreams a reality today!