Some thoughts about weeds and words

I needed to do some weeding in the garden recently. Our rose bed was in danger of disappearing into a jungle of tangled weeds.

Weeding in the garden is so satisfying; in a very short space of time you can see the results of your labours. The garden bed looks much better very quickly. The plants you leave behind – presumably those you want to keep – give a huge sigh of relief. ‘There is a sun after all,’ they say. Weeding improves the garden.

Too often we allow words to grow like weeds in our writing. Many words creep in unannounced and unwanted. There is the danger that they can choke out the good words. At their worst they can rob the desirable words of all the necessary moisture and nutrients for growth. Your story can wilt and die.

Be ruthless. Pull out all unnecessary words. Edit relentlessly.

And your writing will be allowed to bloom into its full potential.

Good weeding – and good writing.