By Dave Pratt
My first novel evolved from an introductory novel-writing correspondence course. At about that time, I met a well-published romance writer who agreed to take a look once I completed the manuscript. When I mailed her the hard copy, I was so excited!
Those were the days of snail-mail hardcopy editors. It was that long ago! So, when I received Zelma’s return-mail markup, I was excited. A published novelist reviewed my work. So exciting.
Then I opened the manuscript box and viewed the damage. Every page of the second half of the 40,000-word novel was “red-X-ed.” What remained was 20,000 words of a story without an ending. How could this be a good thing?
I called Zelma a few days later, and during that conversation, she explained, with no shortage of compassion, that “Anything that doesn’t add to the story should be cut. That is what I did for your manuscript. The last half of your manuscript adds nothing to what started as a rather good story. Rewrite it! Grow it. Make it better.”
In spite of her kindness and in spite of our friendship, I was crushed, frustrated, even a bit angry. Hanging up the phone, I tossed the manuscript onto my desk, intent to leave it there forever. My first novel. My first failure. What a bitter taste.
It was some months later when my thoughts drifted to that half-completed manuscript. As I reflected on Zelma’s words, humility reared its embarrassing, awkward head. Zelma had a dozen successful novels to her credit, and she spoke with authority. Perhaps I should take her message to heart. So, I reread the last half of the novel and concluded she was right, and I needed to heed her words.
What Zelma told me back then reminds me of the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9, NIV). In that parable, Jesus describes a vineyard owner who tells his gardener to cut down a fig tree that produced no fruit for three years. The gardener then pleads with the owner to let him cultivate and fertilize the tree for a year. If it produces fruit, then all would be well. If not, the tree would be removed.
If what we write doesn’t carry our stories forward, bring our characters and settings to life, or deliver His message to our readers, perhaps the words should be deleted. On the other hand, when we write, the Holy Spirit guides our words. If what we produce doesn’t convey the message effectively, we want to consider thinning the vineyard, cutting those words from our story.
But when we consider doing that, we need to also consider the gardener’s perspective and not be too hasty. Before we cast aside thousands of hard-crafted words, we may want to spend some time cultivating them, nurturing them, since the Holy Spirit may be their source in the first place. There’s a chance they will blossom and provide fruit, improving our story. If that doesn’t work, then there’s always the delete key.
If it’s how God looks at us, giving us every chance to grow and produce fruit, perhaps we need to do the same with what we write in His name.
When the first novel in my Christian suspense series, The Home Team, came out several years ago, I loved that book. When the publisher accepted it and agreed to a five-book deal, he seemed to love it just as much as I did. Then my publisher’s editor chopped out the last 10,000 words of the novel. It was Déjà vu all over again. I recalled Zelma’s advice and did not push back on the 10,000-word cut. As anticipated, it improved the novel, which has received positive reviews.
In the third book of the Home Team Series, Homesick, I felt prepared for my publisher’s editor. When she identified whole paragraphs, even pages for the cut, I didn’t flinch. At least, not much. But this time, instead of feeling threatened, I recognized it was all part of His plan – providing me with a great editor committed to the success of Christian fiction and His message. Her comments and suggestions cultivated, nurtured, and pruned my work to produce the best possible fruit in terms of plot, characters, action, fun, and most importantly, His message.
As it says in John 15:2 (NIV), “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
I believe these are guiding words for us all as Christians and Christian writers.
May your work on His behalf bear a bumper crop of fruit.
Dave Pratt is a native of most of the West Coast, who now lives in Middle Tennessee. A freelance writer since 1982, Dave has authored numerous magazine articles, short stories, professional books, and novels. His latest books include the first three novels of the 5-part Home Team Christian/clean suspense series: The Home Team, Home Team 2, and Homesick, which was released in November 2025.
Dave thanks Jesus Christ for his inspiration and the countless blessings in his life.
His latest novels can be found on Amazon, as well as on the Ambassador International Publications website.