Writers, Do You Have a Cut Page?

Ask any writer and they will tell you that the hardest part of writing is editing. Otherwise known as killing your darlings, it is much more difficult the just deleting or scratching out areas of the text that need to fixed or removed completely. It is destroying the work that the writer has put blood, sweat and tears into.

Unfortunately, it is part of the writing process, whether we like it or not.

Enter the cut page.

I’ve had cut pages for the last few years and I find them to be helpful. The cut page is a separate document from the document that contains your story. Instead of permanently deleting text that was removed during the editing process, it is saved to perhaps be used at a later date.

Below is an example of the cut page from the story I am presently working on.

One of the things I have learned is that every writer has their own style and their own way of working. For me, that includes having a cut page.

Author: Writergurlny

I am Brooklyn, NY born and raised writer who needs writing to find sanity in an insane world. To quote Charlotte Bronte: “I'm just going to write because I cannot help it.”

6 thoughts on “Writers, Do You Have a Cut Page?”

  1. I can’t say I have a cut page, but since I tend to have a Google Docs copy of my manuscripts (backup), I guess I can say I have a cut page/manuscript, lol. Thanks for sharing this!

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  2. Never heard of “cut” page. After each draft, I keep it so that way part of my book is safe and see if I actually liked something that is out of my book. I am in the middle of my 5th draft of Tale of The Cattail Forest not really knowing how to continue

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      1. I feel like each draft gets harder as it goes. All I am writing for now is feedback- just to know how continue. I know I am getting close to that final draft- but still not there

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