I’ve got two projects simmering right now. One is about preschooling at home, and my first step is to check what I have already written for anything that might provide a spark to move this project from slow simmer to full boil. So I put all that I had together and had about 6000 words in semi-formed drafty ideas.
Next project: cut out 2000 words. My first cut looked at redundancy and parts that veer off into a different direction than where I plan to go wtih this book. I’ll print out what is left, and then plan to cut–at least–another third, maybe more. By then I hope to have a solid core list of ideas that I want to develop.
As often happens, one fairly mundane task leads to thinking about life lessons. I started thinking about my day. Some days, cutting a third off the to-do list would really yield a day that was solid and more focused. I could use my outline cutting guideline to trim out waste from my wardrobe, the linen closet, or, perhaps, from that drawer in the kitchen that somehow attracts bread wrappers, spare change, and screwdrivers.
In the end, cutting out the dead parts makes the live parts come alive. I see this when I prune trees in the spring or thin the onions in the garden. The reduction of redundancy produces greater yield.
Keep that in mind as you go about your day. Cut out the parts you don’t need. After you cull out the tasks that aren’t actually necessary or enriching, you’ll be amazed at how much time you have left over to enjoy what is important in your life–time with family, perhaps.
