A few days ago I connected with Guy Rosen on Twitter. Guy has a lot of great things to say, and I wanted to talk about one of his recent posts.

Guy gives some advice on how to handle tough decisions. We all face these from time to time, and as a writer, I face them often. When to cut a paragraph, or a sentence, or even a word, out of the story. In his book The 10% Solution, Kend Rand talks about cutting, and cutting and cutting, until you have eliminated all the bloat.

David Allen’s Getting Things Done calls for you to make a decision on something right then. If you are unable to complete the task in under two minutes, defer to a later time or date. Guy suggests something a little different. He suggest you sit on it for a bit. When it comes to writing, I would agree. Write something then let it simmer. Don’t edit right away.

Guys next suggestion is to confer. Don’t make any hasty decisions, brainstorm you ideas. I couldn’t agree more. When I am mapping out a new story, I like to throw out ideas to my family and friends to see what they think. I can usually get a reality check from someone. I want to gauge the reaction. I want to see what someone is going to say just from my elevator pitch.

Choice can cause people to become comatose. For some people, making a choice, is very difficult, especially when it comes to writing. Which characters die. Which live. What part of the plot to re-write, which to change or remove. But you do have to make a choice. Don’t be afraid to make them. That’s the cool part about writing, I get to choose what happens. I give characters a world to play in then direct them, including their destiny. It can be empowering.

The fourth piece of advice Guy gives is to choose the lesser evil. OK, so you just can’t choose what to do. Choose the lesser evil. Or turn it around, choose the greater evil and shock the reader. Not too much. But a twist isn’t a bad thing. If you think the reader is going to expect one thing to happen, do the complete opposite. See what happens.

have you ever met someone who over analyses things? Maybe you are one of these people. It takes a lot of research, and the opinions of others for you to feel comfortable. I’m probably the complete opposite. I tend to make decisions based on as little information as I can. If I feel it’s a good choice based on what I have discovered, then I don’t wast any time moving forward. This type of analyzing has its draw backs, but I can’t stand to agonize over something. I prefer to take it head on and move forward.

The final piece of advice Guy give is to use your instincts. And I couldn’t agree more. No one but you knows what the right thing is. If you do it someone else’s way, you’ll probably be disappointed. You’ve grown up listening to your gut. Don’t stop. It’s the best guide you can have.

What is your advice for handling tough decisions?

• A Day Of Days
• Do I Need A Sales Page To Succeed?
• When You're More Than Just A Writer
• Getting The Hang Of Past And Present

I’m struggling with keeping my stories either in the present or the past. I read, re-read, and read again, my writing, but for some reason my brain just can’t decipher what I’m trying to say. For example, I wrote:

I was running down the street, but started breathing too hard, so I stopped.

I think the word in question is was. I was running, then I stopped, because I was out of breath. Another example:

I was going to pick him up, but I have to stop by the store first.

The word was seems to be the problem here. You’re not going to pick him now because you have to stop by the store?

My problem is going back and forth like this in a story. When I visualize what I want to say, I sort of speak it in my mind, then I write it. I wonder if that means I have really bad grammar when carrying on a verbal conversation.

I must admit, there is a lot to learn when it comes to these small nuances in writing. I guess that’s why you practice, and get feedback.

What have you struggled with in your writing?

• Participating In NaNoWriMo 2009
• 5 Pages Every Writer Should Consider
• The Galactic Writer Elevator Pitch
• The Challenge Of Writing A Book
• Joining A Writing Group