Happy Wednesday, Final Drafters!
There's an old rule in journalism and creative writing that has stayed with me throughout my career: Kill your darlings.
It sounds a little dramatic, doesn't it?
But any good editor knows exactly what it means.
Sometimes the sentence you love most is the very sentence that needs to go. Sometimes the clever paragraph you've spent hours perfecting adds absolutely nothing to the story.
And sometimes the hardest part of writing isn't figuring out what to put on the page.
It's finding the courage to take something off.
The same is true of life.
When we're navigating a career pivot, building something new, or reinventing ourselves, it's tempting to throw everything we've got at the assignment.
We overpack our schedules. We overcomplicate our strategies. We convince ourselves that if we just do a little more, add another project, or chase another opportunity, everything will finally come together.
But more isn't always better.
Sometimes more is just noise.
And noise has a way of burying the lead.
The art of the personal edit
Think about the things currently taking up space in your life.
Are they helping you move toward the future you're trying to create? Or are they simply occupying valuable real estate on the page?
Perhaps it's an overcomplicated plan that needs simplifying.
Maybe it's a distraction that's stealing your focus.
Or perhaps it's a commitment you've outgrown but haven't quite figured out how to release.
Whatever it is, remember this:
You can appreciate what something once contributed to your story without insisting it remain in every chapter.
That's not failure. That's editing.
And good editing makes the story stronger.
✂️ Your Midweek Copyedit Challenge
This week, I want you to identify ONE thing that no longer serves the story you're trying to tell.
Not 10 things. Not an entire life overhaul.
Just one.
Take out your imaginary red marker and strike it from the page.
Then use that reclaimed time, energy, or attention to focus on the one move that matters most.
Because your next chapter doesn't need to be longer, louder, or more complicated.
It needs to be intentional.
Watch today's Midweek Moment: Kill Your Darlings.
And if this message resonates, hit reply and tell me: What's getting the red marker in your life this week?
Until our next assignment,
Lynn Lewis
The Final Draft with Lynn Lewis
A Mountain Max Media production
Change the script. Own the story.