WORDS ARE ALL I HAVE

One of the songs I love by the Bee Gee's is, 'IT'S ONLY WORDS' and with their haunting tune the lyrics say so much with just a few words. "It's only words and words are all I have to take your heart away".
Phew, it says it all really. The hope, the despair, the pathos, the warmth, the pleading, the love. I could go on. This is what I have to consider each time I write a story, whether it is 2000 words long or 100,000 words long. Every word has to count and therefore each word has to encapsulate all the necessary information as well as the emotions created by the scene. Clearly, editing and re-writing become a big part of whittling down words that are not absolutely essential. Strangely, I often find these non-essential words to be the ones I desire to use the most. Yet, as a published writer who never stops learning the craft, I must stick to the convention that readers not only need, but want, the least amount of words that tell the full story, that draws them in to the story and which makes them empathise with one or more characters.
So, each word needs to begin the journey, inform and entertain with what the story is about and draw to a conclusion that is satisfying for the reader. Simple,in theory. In practice, just a little bit more tricky. With this, perhaps obvious, statement I will conclude. After all, I have 😁said enough with the words I had allowed myself.  😍