Murder Your Darlings: Difference between revisions

'''Murder Your Darlings''' (or sometimes '''Kill Your Darlings''') is a phrase used in editing -- particularlyediting—particularly self-editing. The idea is that a writer may have some aspect of a story, typically a scene, that she is irrationally attached to. The editing process needs to be merciless though -- ifthough—if a scene does not work to serve the greater story, no matter how awesome it is it needs to be cut. A good writer has the ability to murder her darlings.

Common editing victims include [[Narm]] and [[Purple Prose]], though many tropes from the [[Bad Writing Index]] could apply. And remember writers, it's never bad to write these kinds of text -- thetext—the creative impulse should always be followed -- leavingfollowed—leaving them untouched by editing is the sin.