Why Less is More in a Thriller

I’ve always believed that, in many areas of life, less is more. For example, I loathe clutter, and my house reflects that. My pet peeve? When someone talks too much (often mostly about themself!)
 
It’s often what’s not said that carries the most weight.
 
I’ve been reminded of that again recently — both in my writing and, oddly enough, in my garden. I’ve just bought some secateurs to tackle the overgrown areas, and it struck me how similar the process is. You can improve plants by cutting them back, and writing a psychological thriller works in much the same way. Chopping out words often has a bigger impact than adding them. It speeds up the pacing, and stripping back repetition can make a character’s motivation clearer — and sometimes more unsettling.
 
Of course, an author can overdo it. It’s possible to prune too much, the same as with plants. Just as I hate clutter but am not a minimalist, I try not to overedit. Sometimes an extra word makes the sentence flow better, and that’s more important.
 
As I continue editing Unlocked Lies, I’m doing a lot of pruning. Not always easy, especially when it means cutting something I like, but it’s making the story leaner and stronger.
 
And hopefully, harder to put down.

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