Monday, October 12, 2009

Deleting Your Own Words Is Like Eating Your Offspring

That is all.

37 comments:

  1. So true! When I revise, I have to keep the excerpts that I pull out or I feel a depressing sense of loss.

    Well said, Elana! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shh...don't tell anyone, but I sort of like it. Does that make me a baby eating cannibal?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amen!!!

    Oh, wait, I've deleted almost 15,000 words. Is that mass genocide?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nope, it's cathartic, like revealing a big secret or losing weight.

    (But I do keep old versions on file before I start slashing and burning. Not because I'm sentimental or anything.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I understand completely, but I'm always happy when it's done. I like Tere's description. It's kind of like losing weight. :) And I save everything too. That way if I've cut too much it's not gone forever.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am not a murderer....I swear!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, LiLa, I like it too. And yeah, Scott I've committed mass genocide too. Mwa, ha ha!

    I'm still glad others find this hard to do.

    :) Elana

    ReplyDelete
  8. Awwww, just think of all the words you get to give life to on your next project and maybe that will make you feel better.

    Sounds like your edits have been going fruitfully.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Aww... Sounds like you need some chocolate and bacon!

    I felt that way the first couple of times I did it, but now I'm kind of getting used to it... I'm going to put up a sign that says, "Bad Words Beware1"

    ReplyDelete
  10. PROMISE ME you'll read my post on Word Vessel on Oct. 22. PROMISE!

    ReplyDelete
  11. But the real question is how much salt you put on them.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hurts, doesn't it? :(

    But--- as long as it makes the ones that stay all that more powerful, it's a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. *snicker*

    Elana, if you get any more awesome, I'm going to have to start wearing shades when I visit your blog. >:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. What if you C&P them into a new document for undetermined later? Is that kind of like locking your offspring into the closet instead of eating them? And is that actually any less cruel?

    ReplyDelete
  15. I secret mine away into other documents just so I can go look at them sometimes. That way, I only kind of chew them up instead of digest them. =]

    ReplyDelete
  16. I concur. (Gosh that doesn't look right, lol). But never underestimate the power of the delete button, eating your offspring brings no such luck.

    ReplyDelete
  17. ROTFL!!

    So now we're locking them in closets, sprinkling salt on them to make them taste better and/or just chewing, not digesting. We could say, "I didn't swallow."

    Can't... stop... laughing!

    ReplyDelete
  18. LOL!! The delete key is my best friend, but I always stick the deleted words into another file just in case I change my mind. You are too funny!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ouch, the truth hurts! Key stroke, key stroke, delete, delete. Repeat. Key stroke, key stroke, delete,delete.

    I have the rhythm down to a science.

    Blessings to you...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Only to make room for the stronger ones...um. That didn't sound right. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  21. I saw this earlier in my dashboard and laughed.
    Don't have much to add to it. Heh.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Classic. Classic post.

    That is all. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. PRICELESS! And you have done an amazing amount of editing lately. A fantastic, stupendous, lie-on-the-floor-and-feel-too-exhausted-to-even-think-about-getting-up amount.

    Helluva job, E!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Yes, yes it is. Now go watch Equilibrium. :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I kinda like deleting my own words. Couldn't imagine eating my children, though. I don't think they'd taste too yummy. Well maybe my daughter would. She's really sweet. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yes, I can understand how you feel about deleting and revision in general (most times it just sucks the life out of writing), but you also have to look at the good side. If you start your revisions in a new document than you will always have the old document to look back on and go "God, I really am glad that I deleted all that crap, the new draft is much better."

    Edit...I forgot to dot an i I'm sorry:(

    ReplyDelete