Cut It Out

    There are times in life when it's all just too much.  You'll know these  times because they're usually accompanied by tightness in the chest or another manifestation of anxiety.  When this happens, you have two choices.  You can kill yourself trying to do everything, and in the process you'll probably end up screwing up a couple of things. Or, you can cut a few things out of your hectic life and focus on those that are really important.
    The same can be said in writing.  Chances are if you're a writer, you have a million great ideas, and if you're like me, you try to cram them all into the same page.  Unfortunately, you end up doing none of them justice, and your piece ends up reading like a schizophrenic's flow of consciousness.  That's when you edit, and as hard as it may be, you cut some things out.  It may have been your favourite part of the piece before you put it to paper, but once it got there, it just didn't fit.  It feels like leaving your child behind, but for the sake of the piece, you know it has to get cut.
    In life and in writing, you need to make decisions to cut things out and focus on what's most important.  There will always be those that seem to manage to do it all, but they are either superhuman, or they've cut things out that you just haven't noticed, like family, friends or sleep.
    So, take an inventory of all the things in your life, or take a look at whatever piece you're working on, and see if there aren't a couple of things that you can't cut out.  The end result will be better for it.

Photo courtesy of DG Jones.