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The Word-Loss Diet: Professional Self-Editing Techniques for Authors (Writer's Craft Book 4) Kindle Edition

by Rayne Hall (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 254 ratings
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Tighten and tone your writing style, and use simple revision tricks to slim down your manuscript. Shed thousands of words without changing the plot.

Strip away the word fat and reveal the muscle of your unique author voice.

This book is short, but potent.

It is perfect for
- self-editing before you submit your book to agents and publishers, or before self-publishing
- understanding why your stories get rejected, or why so few readers buy your book after downloading the sample chapters
- taking your writing craft skills to the next level
- polishing your writing style for the move from amateur to professional

The book is based on Rayne Hall's popular class of the same title which has helped many writers shed word weight and develop a leaner, stronger writing style. Some authors say the class was the best investment they ever made. Now you can study the techniques in book form at your own pace.

Please note: This book assumes that you have some fiction writing experience. You'll benefit most if you've already mastered the basics of the craft and want to learn specialist techniques. It is not recommend for absolute beginners.
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  1. Publication date
    January 8, 2014
  2. Part of series
    Writer's Craft
  3. Language
    English
  4. File size
    1.3 MB
  5. See all details
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Writer's Craft
Writer's Craft
Bundle price: Kindle price
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Bundle price: Kindle price
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Bundle price: Kindle price
$47.90
Bundle price: Kindle price
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rayne Hall has published more than fifty books in several languages under several pen names with several publishers in several genres, mostly fantasy, horror and non-fiction. She is the author of the bestselling Writer's Craft series and editor of the Ten Tales anthologies.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AWA7XEE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rayne Hall (January 8, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 8, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 72 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 254 ratings

About the author

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Rayne Hall

Rayne Hall

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Rayne Hall MA is the author of over 100 books, mostly Dark Fantasy and Gothic Horror, e.g. The Bride’s Curse: Bulgarian Gothic Ghost and Horror Stories. She is also the acclaimed editor of Gothic, Fantasy and Horror anthologies (e.g. Among the Headstones: Creepy Tales from the Graveyard) and author of the bestselling Writer’s Craft series for advanced-level writers, including and the bestselling Writer’s Craft series e.g. Writing Gothic Fiction Writing Scary Scenes, Writing Vivid Settings, Writing Vivid Dialogue, Writing Vivid Characters, Writing Deep Point of View.

Born and raised in Germany, Rayne Hall has lived in China, Mongolia, Nepal and Britain. Now she resides in a village in Bulgaria, where men perform the annual demon dance, ghosts and sirens beckon, and abandoned decaying houses hold memories of a glorious past.

Her lucky black rescue cat Sulu often accompanies her when she explores spooky derelict buildings. He delights in walking across shattered roof tiles, scratching charred timbers and sniffing at long-abandoned hearths. He even senses the presence of ghosts… but that’s another story.

Rayne has worked as an investigative journalist, development aid worker, museum guide, apple picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, belly dancer, magazine editor, publishing manager and more, and now writes full time.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
254 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and packed with useful tips on writing. They say it improves writing quality and polishes their style. Readers describe the book as brilliant, excellent, and well worth their time. The book is easy to follow with simple techniques and clear explanations. It helps them eliminate unnecessary words and phrases, improving the flow of the story. Overall, customers find the book a valuable resource for improving writing quality.

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Book contentWriting qualityBook valueEase of useWord clarityPacingValue for money
60 customers mention "Book content"60 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content informative and useful. They say it teaches them a lot in a fun and informative way. The advice is great, the techniques are easy to use, and the examples are understandable. Readers describe it as a foundational part of an aspiring author's toolkit.

"...Rayne has thought a lot about the writing and editing process, and the book provides a simple route for most authors to tighten up their writing...." Read more

"...Her tips are easy, memorable, and extremely helpful to anyone with a tendency to overwrite (ie. me)...." Read more

"...And for the most part, it's good advice. I happen to have the opposite problem at this moment, with my work-in-progress: I'm trying to bulk it up...." Read more

"...This is Editing 101, and using her tips will separate your work from countless other books and articles struggling to find their way to market...." Read more

47 customers mention "Writing quality"47 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's writing advice useful. They say it helps improve their writing, tighten up prose, and polish their style. The examples are well-written, making it easy to understand. Readers mention it's ideal for beginners or anyone who has struggled with writing.

"...It's a quick read, but if you don't want to read the whole thing from start to finish, you can start with the chapter that targets your problem areas..." Read more

"...On the other hand, the World-loss diet encompasses all genres and styles of writing...." Read more

"...with no-nonsense things you can do, right now, to make your writing really sizzle and pop...." Read more

"...While the samples are helpful as demonstrations of slim writing, it might have been advantageous to include the original, unedited prose as before-..." Read more

37 customers mention "Book value"37 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's value. They find it an excellent resource for editing a manuscript, providing specific examples and detailed guidance. Readers describe it as a valuable guide for writers of all experience levels.

"...The book is a great place to look if you're interested in tightening up your manuscript and improving your writing craft in general...." Read more

"...Her tips are easy, memorable, and extremely helpful to anyone with a tendency to overwrite (ie. me)...." Read more

"...Rayne Hall’s books are outstanding and a foundational part of the aspiring author’s toolkit." Read more

"...This book gets to the point, gives specific examples, and also detailed ways in which to polish your prose...." Read more

36 customers mention "Ease of use"36 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to follow with simple techniques. They appreciate the concise chapters and examples that provide the first steps in the editing process. The book provides a quick read that tightens up prose without requiring a full rewrite.

"...the writing and editing process, and the book provides a simple route for most authors to tighten up their writing...." Read more

"...Her tips are easy, memorable, and extremely helpful to anyone with a tendency to overwrite (ie. me)...." Read more

"...stuff hashed over and over, this lays it out in a way that's easy to understand, makes sense, and helps me remember!" Read more

"...Concerning the advice provided, it is solid, well-presented, and easy to apply...." Read more

18 customers mention "Word clarity"13 positive5 negative

Customers find this book helpful for eliminating unnecessary words from their writing. It helps them clear sentences and improve the flow of the story. The author points out needless words and phrases that can be cut from their manuscripts. They describe it as straightforward and well-presented, with a list of common overused words.

"...This means, showing writers how to trim the fat, while knowing when to stop...." Read more

"...Concerning the advice provided, it is solid, well-presented, and easy to apply...." Read more

"...Was a bit excessive in the losing of words. Most of the example sentences weren't more cohesive than the examples themselves...." Read more

"...This is straightforward and clear to me, and for that, Hall has done a good job. I only wish it was bit longer." Read more

11 customers mention "Pacing"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for trimming their prose. It provides clear examples and detailed instructions on polishing writing. Readers mention it helps them trim unnecessary words and phrases from their manuscripts.

"...This means, showing writers how to trim the fat, while knowing when to stop...." Read more

"...to the point, gives specific examples, and also detailed ways in which to polish your prose...." Read more

"Rayne Hall breaks down the basics for trimming your prose professionally. The chapters are concise, delivering easy-to-read examples...." Read more

"...book and am only halfway through chapter one and trimmed over 1000 words by tightening the dialogue, rewriting descriptions, trimming bloat, and..." Read more

7 customers mention "Value for money"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book valuable for new writers. They say it's worth the time and effort.

"You just can't go wrong with this inexpensive book...." Read more

"...your manuscript through the exercises Ms.Hall suggests is well worth the time and effort. It will also cure you of bad habits editors miss...." Read more

"...Worth every penny. -- Phil Dale" Read more

"...Well worth the money and time to read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Skye Callahan
    5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect start to self-editing
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    What's the most common thing I remember writing on people's manuscripts and essays over the years? "Wordy" Whether the sentence is from an academic article or a fiction manuscript, if it trips up the brain and sends the reader around in circles to decipher the meaning it needs rewritten. But there are also less obvious words that you can cut from your writing and make it smoother, clearer, and shorter? In The Word-Loss Diet, Rayne Hall presents techniques to tighten your writing from her own experiences as a writer and editor.

    The book is a great place to look if you're interested in tightening up your manuscript and improving your writing craft in general. It's a quick read, but if you don't want to read the whole thing from start to finish, you can start with the chapter that targets your problem areas. Looking back at my old drafts, my characters definitely have smiling problems-who cares if your character is always smiling? And what's the point in wasting a word every other line to tell the reader that?

    Rayne's advice:

    "Keep just the most heart-warming, the most devastating, and the most disconcerting smiles."
    Rayne Hall, The Word-Loss Diet, Scimitar Press.

    At the end of each chapter is a simple "how-to" section encouraging writers to use the Find & Replace function to highlight the problem words to see how often they're used in the manuscript-a fun (or maybe not so fun if it reveals a lot of work ahead) way to see how clogged up the language has become.

    Rayne has thought a lot about the writing and editing process, and the book provides a simple route for most authors to tighten up their writing. Even if you don't follow every exercise in the book, I guarantee it will make you more conscious of the word choices you are making as you write (saving some time in the cutting and editing process later).

    If you're looking to improve your writing craft and make some changes to your writing habits, this is a great reference to have on hand.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Nicholas C. Rossis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rayne's best resource so far, IMHO
    Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I love all of Rayne Hall's books; from Storm Dancer to her Writing Craft series. I was, however, surprised that it is her "Writing Fight Scenes" one that's a best seller. IMHO, WFS is a great book (I just gave it 5 stars), but limited to one aspect of writing. On the other hand, the World-loss diet encompasses all genres and styles of writing.

    From what I understand, the book sums up a whole course she ran, aiming at helping people write like her (did I mention I love her books?) This means, showing writers how to trim the fat, while knowing when to stop. Her tips are easy, memorable, and extremely helpful to anyone with a tendency to overwrite (ie. me). It may not be a long book, but it is a sharp and helpful one.

    An interesting addition is a few sample chapters from Bony Hands and Storm Dancer (the beginning of which went down from 17,000 words to a mere 2,700), so the reader can see her tips in action.

    This is a must-buy for novice writers, and a great resource for many seasoned ones as well.
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  • Graham Downs
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great advice, as always!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Rayne Hall's writing books are always right on point. This one's no exception. It's filled with no-nonsense things you can do, right now, to make your writing really sizzle and pop.

    Throughout this book, there's this analogy of obesity, as if the very inclusion of certain words bloats your book. From "filler words" to advice on adjectives and adverbs, to dialogue attribution tags, there are things you can cut, often without any change to the surrounding sentence, which will make your prose leaner and meaner. Too much fat, Ms Hall says, and your readers lose interest. Stop saying "very", shorten your dialogues, cut introspection and descriptions of travel. Hall claims that, depending on how much of this stuff you're doing wrong, you could cut your manuscript length by as much as 20%.

    And for the most part, it's good advice. I happen to have the opposite problem at this moment, with my work-in-progress: I'm trying to bulk it up. But at least, armed with this book, I know what NOT to do to try and make it longer. I'm definitely keeping all this in mind, now.

    At the end of the book, Rayne Hall includes two sample stories, in the hopes that you'll see just how much better this new style of writing is. I more-or-less see her point, but I did find that there were a bit TOO few attribution tags in her dialogue sometimes. See, I read for five-minute stretches, and I sometimes have to stop in the middle of a dialogue. When I pick it up again an hour later, I've forgotten who's involved in the conversation, and when I have to go through two pages or more without an attribution tag, I tend to lose interest.

    But hey, that's my particular reading style. Everyone's different, and besides, one of the over-arching themes of Rayne Hall's books is that you should find your own unique voice. I still think this book is useful, and I'd recommend any writer read it. There's no doubt it'll make you better at your craft.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jennifer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for ALL writers
    Reviewed in Canada on September 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The best writing book I've read! My prose improved immediately upon reading. All writers should have this on their bookshelves.
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  • JANINE BRAY-MUELLER
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent information for editing your fiction book
    Reviewed in France on March 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Cringe... That's what I did when I started to edit my first fantasy book. I made every mistake written in this book. I am so glad I bought it.
    Report
  • Mr. Michael T. Knox
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Mobile phone of Writing..Excellent!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Constantly i've got my mobile phone in my pocket, just like this book, when i write its always by my side. What wonderful nuggets of information to aspire the new or advanced writer. Ms Hall offers three different versions of the same sentence to help give you an insight in reducing the amount of "fat" that you give to your sentences. The sensation from reading this short book is one of confidence. I can now approach my writing with clarity and enthusiasm.
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  • Rachie Reads
    5.0 out of 5 stars perfect education.
    Reviewed in Australia on April 12, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed using this ebook. I feel it has helped strengthen my writing and I even find myself spotting instances where other authors could use this ebook too.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Word-Loss Diet enabled me to cut over 3000 words. My book is tighter and punchier for it
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly recommend this book. Whether you’re a new writer who wants to create lean mean books, or an experienced author who could use a subtle reminder when to cut stuff out.
    I was almost ready to release my next book, which was just shy of 150,000 words. The Word-Loss Diet enabled me to cut over 3000 words. My book is tighter and punchier for it.
    The Word-Loss Diet is a short book, which is just how I like books of this nature to be. It cuts to the chase and within minutes you’ll find yourself shaving away hundreds of words that don’t need to be there.
    Report

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