Dissecting My Manuscript

When I was in junior high and high school, I always found science fascinating---especially when we were dissecting worms, frogs, cow eyes, and the like.  When I went to university, I took a Zoology course where we dissected a human body.  It was probably one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken in my life and I still remember a lot of the things I learned because I wasn't just talking about the nerve system or respiratory system, I was looking at it and touching it.  I was constantly amazed at the human body and the way it was put together so perfectly.

This past weekend, I was going over my manuscript, looking at the different parts of it and I realized there was an extraneous character and storyline.  It came to me so clearly that I needed to cut it out in order to tighten things up.  Getting out my writing scalpel isn't as painful as it could be, but I know I need to be precise.  It's hard to cut out an entire character and storyline without mucking up the rest of it.  So I have to not only cut, but smooth things over as well.  And I was feeling a bit overwhelmed about it this morning.

The more I've worked on it, however, the more I realize how much better this will make the book.  As fun as that part of the book would have been, it was just distracting in the long run.  And I don't want my readers distracted or thinking, what did that have to do with anything?

So, I cut myself a piece of chocolate cake with raspberry filling for fortification and I have my manuscript on the table ready and waiting.  I think I'm ready to really pick up my scalpel and get down to business with this thing.  (Wish me luck!)

Do you feel like multiple storylines can be distracting in a book?  Have you ever read a book you wished had been less cluttered?  Tell us all about it!