Why Did You Cut That?

As a self-help and spirituality editor, I am often tasked with paring down long, unwieldy manuscripts into tightly focused books. One of the most frequent questions I get from first-time authors is “Why did you cut that?”

Invariably, my answer is “Because it was out of scope.”

Knowing what belongs in a book is a little bit like knowing what belongs in a room. Sure, that blue velvet chaise longue may be a beautiful antique, but if you already have two perfectly good couches, then it has to go. Yes, you spent a lot of money on that lamp, but if it’s far too large for the space, you’re better off without it. Cramming these objects into the room will detract from its livability, regardless of how interesting or precious they may be.

The same is true for books. First-time authors often want to keep material because they put a lot of work into it, or they feel emotionally attached, or because the material is beautiful or interesting—regardless of whether or not it is actually serving the overall harmony and functionality of the book. They get fixated on the pieces, while losing sight of the whole.

My job as an editor is to constantly tend to the bigger picture, ensuring that everything in the book attends to that book’s pain point and delivers on its promise, instead of veering wildly between disparate goals or meandering through forests of loosely-related stories and information.

I’ve also noticed that the difference between amateur self-help and spirituality authors and professional ones is that they develop their own knack for recognizing when something is out of scope, and cut it long before I ever get a chance to!

So how can you tell when material in your self-help or spirituality book is out of scope? Ask yourself these questions:

            -Does this directly relate to my book’s pain point?

            -Does this directly address my book’s promise?

            -Does this provide genuine value to readers, or is it generic, obvious, repetitive, or random?

            -Does this develop a core theme or does it open a can of worms your book won’t have space to address?

Once you get in the habit of asking yourself these questions, you will naturally begin to write with greater focus—and you will never again have to e-mail your editor asking, “Why did you cut that?”

Want more? Sign up for my live, online class, Words That Teach, Words That Heal: Secrets of Self-Help and Spirituality Writing, beginning October 8th, 2024—or schedule a free consultation with me for one-on-one advice about your book.