How to Cut 30,000 Words From Your Novel Without Losing the Story

Your manuscript is 120,000 words. Your genre's sweet spot is 90,000. Agents want 80,000-95,000. You need to cut 30,000 words. Maybe more.

The panic sets in. That's 30,000 words of work you're deleting. Scenes you spent weeks writing. Description you labored over. Dialogue you perfected. How can you possibly cut a third of your book without destroying it?

Here's the truth: Most manuscripts are too long not because they have too much story, but because they have too much padding. Redundant scenes. Verbose prose. Subplots that go nowhere. Exposition readers don't need. Your story isn't 120,000 words. It's 90,000 words buried in 30,000 words of bloat.

This guide will show you how to find those 30,000 words and cut them strategically, preserving your story while making it stronger. Because here's what many writers don't realize: Cutting doesn't weaken your book. Done right, it makes it better.

Why Manuscripts Bloat

Before you start cutting, understand why you ended up with too many words. Recognizing the cause helps you cut strategically.

Common causes of manuscript bloat:

Discovery writing without revision plan. You wrote to figure out the story. First 50,000 words might be you finding the plot. That's fine for drafting, but it needs cutting in revision.

Fear of under-explaining. You worry readers won't get it, so you explain everything twice. Or three times. Readers are smarter than you think.

Falling in love with scenes. A scene is beautifully written, funny, touching. But it doesn't serve the story. You keep it because you love it, not because the book needs it.

Subplot proliferation. You added a subplot. Then another. Then another. Now you have four subplots competing for attention and bloating the middle.

Worldbuilding dumps. Your fantasy world is rich and detailed. You want to share every detail. Readers don't need (or want) all of it.

Conflict avoidance. You're afraid to get to the hard scenes, so you add transition scenes, travel scenes, everyday life scenes. Anything to delay the confrontation.

Wrong POV character count. You have five POV characters. Maybe you need two. Each POV character needs their own scenes, inflating word count.

Understanding your bloat source tells you where to focus cuts. If your problem is worldbuilding dumps, focus there. If it's too many POVs, consider consolidating characters.

The Cutting Hierarchy: Where to Start

Not all cuts are equal. Some save 5,000 words with one decision. Others save 10 words per page and take hours. Start with high-impact cuts.

Level 1: Scene-Level Cuts (15,000-20,000 words)

Cutting entire scenes is the fastest way to reduce word count. One scene cut might save 2,000-4,000 words. This is where you get the bulk of your reduction.

What to cut: - Scenes that don't advance plot or develop character - Redundant scenes (two scenes doing the same job) - Subplot scenes that don't connect to main plot - Setup scenes where nothing happens - Transition scenes (travel, daily routine, filler)

How to identify candidates: List all your scenes. For each, write what it accomplishes (plot, character, worldbuilding, relationship). If you can't identify clear purpose, it's a cut candidate. If another scene accomplishes the same thing, merge or cut one.

Level 2: Sequence-Level Cuts (5,000-10,000 words)

Can't cut the entire scene, but can you show less of it? Many scenes can be condensed from 3,000 words to 1,000 words. Or multiple scenes can become one scene.

What to do: - Start scenes later (cut setup, start at conflict) - End scenes earlier (cut aftermath, end at climax) - Combine multiple scenes into one scene - Summarize instead of showing low-stakes moments - Skip time between scenes ("Three weeks later...")

Level 3: Paragraph-Level Cuts (3,000-5,000 words)

Within scenes you're keeping, cut unnecessary paragraphs. Description that doesn't serve the mood. Exposition readers can infer. Repetitive dialogue.

What to cut: - Descriptions longer than they need to be - Backstory that isn't essential - Character thoughts that just repeat what dialogue showed - Explanations of subtext (let readers infer) - Obvious details (readers assume character breathes, you don't need to mention it)

Level 4: Line-Level Cuts (2,000-5,000 words)

Tightening prose. This is the most tedious but adds up. Every page might have 20-50 words that can be cut without losing meaning.

What to cut: - Filler words (just, really, very, quite, rather) - Redundancies ("nodded her head", "whispered quietly") - Weak verb + adverb constructions ("walked quickly" → "hurried") - Unnecessary dialogue tags beyond "said" - Passive voice where active is clearer

Start with Level 1. Don't spend hours on line edits if you're about to cut the entire scene. Get big cuts done first, then tighten what remains.

The Scene Audit: Identifying What to Cut

You need to be ruthless. Here's the systematic approach.

Step 1: List all your scenes

Create a spreadsheet or document listing every scene: - Scene number/chapter - POV character - Brief description (1-2 sentences) - Word count - What it accomplishes (plot/character/worldbuilding/relationship)

This overview lets you see patterns. You might notice five scenes in a row that don't advance plot. Or realize three scenes accomplish the same character development.

Step 2: Ask the hard questions

For each scene, ask:

"What would happen if I cut this scene entirely?"

If the answer is "nothing, the story would work fine," cut it. If answer is "readers would be confused about X," can you convey X differently? Maybe one line in another scene instead of whole scene?

"Does this scene have conflict/tension?"

If characters are just having pleasant conversation or doing mundane tasks without any tension, it's probably filler. Even quiet scenes need emotional tension.

"Is this scene serving plot, character, or both?"

Strongest scenes do both. Weakest do neither. If scene only serves one purpose, it better be essential to that purpose.

"Could I summarize this instead of showing it?"

Not everything needs to be shown in real-time. "The investigation continued for weeks, turning up nothing" is better than showing ten scenes of dead-end interviews.

"Am I repeating information readers already know?"

If you showed it in Scene 5, don't show it again in Scene 7. If you told readers in Scene 2, don't have character explain it again in Scene 10. One clear presentation is enough.

Step 3: Mark for cutting

Use a simple coding system:

K = KEEP (essential, no cuts) C = CUT (remove entirely) M = MERGE (combine with another scene) R = REDUCE (keep but cut to half or less) T = TIGHTEN (keep but trim 10-20%)

Your goal: Find enough C, M, and R scenes to hit your word count target.

Step 4: Calculate savings

Add up word counts for scenes marked C (full savings) and estimate savings for M and R (usually 50-75% of original word count). This tells you if you're on track to hit target.

If you're not hitting target with scene-level cuts, you'll need more aggressive prose tightening. But scene cuts should get you 60-80% of the way there.

What to Cut: Specific Categories

Some types of content are common bloat sources. Here's what to look for.

1. Redundant Scenes

The problem: Multiple scenes accomplish the same goal.

Example: Three different scenes showing protagonist doesn't trust people. Reader gets it after one. Two more is overkill.

How to fix: Keep the strongest scene, cut the others. Or keep one scene and reference the pattern in narrative summary: "This wasn't the first time she'd pushed people away."

2. Subplot Scenes That Don't Connect

The problem: Subplot runs parallel to main plot but never intersects or enhances it.

Example: Protagonist's hobby subplot that takes up 10,000 words but has no bearing on main plot or character arc.

How to fix: Cut entire subplot. Or keep 1-2 scenes and make subplot causally connected to main plot (hobby leads to important meeting, etc.).

3. Setup Without Payoff

The problem: Extended setup for something minor.

Example: Five scenes building to big revelation. Revelation is minor or readers already guessed it.

How to fix: Cut most setup scenes. One scene of setup, then reveal. Or cut reveal entirely if it doesn't matter.

4. Travel and Transition Scenes

The problem: Showing characters traveling from A to B when nothing important happens during travel.

Example: Three scenes of characters driving across country, chatting about unrelated topics.

How to fix: Cut to "They arrived in Chicago three days later." Skip the journey. Exception: If important character development or plot happens during travel, keep it. Otherwise, skip.

5. Worldbuilding Exposition

The problem: Info-dumping about world, history, or magic system that readers don't need right now (or ever).

Example: Three-page explanation of political system that doesn't affect current plot.

How to fix: Cut most of it. Keep only worldbuilding that directly affects current plot or character choices. Readers can learn world through character actions, not lectures.

6. Backstory Dumps

The problem: Stopping story to explain character's entire history.

Example: Chapter 3 pauses plot to spend 2,000 words on protagonist's childhood trauma.

How to fix: Cut to essential minimum. Brief mention now, more later when relevant. Or weave backstory into present action through brief memories or dialogue, not extended flashback.

7. Redundant Dialogue

The problem: Characters say the same thing multiple ways, or dialogue restates what just happened.

Example: "We need to go." "Yes, we should leave." "Agreed, let's get out of here." "Right, we're leaving." How to fix: One character states it, others show agreement through action, not more words. Cut dialogue that just rephrases previous dialogue.

8. Over-Description

The problem: Describing every detail of setting, appearance, or action.

Example: Full-page description of room protagonist enters once and never returns to.

How to fix: Choose 2-3 vivid details that establish mood or character perspective. Cut the rest. Readers fill in blanks.

Starting Scenes Late, Ending Scenes Early

This technique alone can save thousands of words.

The principle: Most scenes have fat at beginning (setup) and end (aftermath). Cut both. Start at moment of conflict, end at moment of decision or revelation.

Example - Before:

Scene opens with protagonist waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, driving to office, small talk with receptionist, walking to boss's office, sitting down, boss making small talk.

Then: Boss fires protagonist.

Then: Protagonist processes, leaves office, drives home, sits in living room thinking about it.

Word count: 3,500 words

Example - After:

Scene opens with boss saying, "I'm sorry, but we have to let you go."

Protagonist's reaction, brief conversation about why.

Scene ends with protagonist walking out, knowing life just changed.

Word count: 1,200 words

Savings: 2,300 words. Same plot beat. Tighter, more impactful.

How to apply this:

For every scene, find the moment of conflict or change. That's your starting line. Everything before it? Cut or reduce to one sentence.

Find the moment of decision, revelation, or emotional shift. That's your ending line. Everything after it? Cut or move to next scene.

Exception: If setup or aftermath serves character development or relationship building that's essential, keep it. But be honest about "essential." Most setup is habit, not necessity.

Merging Scenes: Two Become One

Sometimes you have two scenes that each serve partial purposes. Merge them into one stronger scene.

When to merge:

Two scenes serve same character arc moment. Scene A shows protagonist being brave. Scene B shows protagonist being brave. Merge into one scene showing bravery more dramatically.

Two scenes reveal related information. Scene A reveals part of mystery. Scene B reveals related part. Combine into one revelation.

Two scenes advance same subplot. Subplot appears in Scene 5 and Scene 12 with nothing in between. Merge them so subplot doesn't feel scattered.

How to merge:

1. Identify what's essential in each scene 2. Choose setting and circumstances from one scene 3. Incorporate essential elements from other scene 4. Cut everything else 5. Result should feel like one cohesive scene, not two scenes stapled together

Example:

Scene A: Protagonist interviews witness who reveals clue about suspect's past. Scene B: Protagonist researches clue in library, finds important document. Merged: Protagonist interviews witness who not only reveals clue but also has document in their possession. Cuts library scene entirely, saves 2,000 words.

Prose-Level Cutting: Tightening Every Line

Once you've handled big cuts, tighten the prose. This is tedious but essential.

Technique 1: Cut filter words

Filter words create distance between reader and character.

Before: "She saw the door open." After: "The door opened."

Before: "He felt angry." After: "Anger burned through him." (Or just show his angry actions)

Common filters: saw, heard, felt, thought, realized, wondered, seemed, noticed

Search your manuscript for these words. 70% of instances can be cut.

Technique 2: Cut redundancies

Many phrases include redundant information.

Before: "He nodded his head." After: "He nodded." (What else would he nod?)

Before: "She whispered quietly." After: "She whispered." (Whispers are quiet)

Before: "He shrugged his shoulders." After: "He shrugged."

Search for body part references with actions. Most are redundant.

Technique 3: Replace weak verb + adverb with strong verb

Before: "walked quickly" After: "hurried" or "strode" or "rushed"

Before: "said angrily" After: "snapped" or "snarled" or "growled"

Before: "looked carefully" After: "examined" or "scrutinized" or "inspected"

Adverbs often signal weak verb choice. Stronger verb eliminates need for adverb, saving words and improving prose.

Technique 4: Cut filler words

These words rarely add meaning: - just ("She just looked at him" → "She looked at him") - really ("It was really cold" → "It was cold" or better: "It was freezing") - very ("very tired" → "exhausted") - quite ("quite hungry" → "hungry" or "starving") - rather ("rather difficult" → "difficult" or "challenging") - somewhat (almost always unnecessary) - a bit ("a bit worried" → "worried")

Search and destroy. Your prose gets stronger, word count drops.

Technique 5: Condense dialogue tags and beats

Before: "I don't know," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "What do you mean?" he asked, looking at her with confusion.

Savings: Small per exchange, but adds up across 300 pages. Typically saves 2,000-3,000 words in novel-length manuscript.

What NOT to Cut

Cutting has limits. Don't cut so much you lose what makes your story work.

Don't cut:

Character arc moments. The scenes showing character growth, even if quiet, are essential. Cut plot before character.

Unique, memorable scenes. The scenes readers will remember and talk about. Even if they don't "advance plot," they create the reading experience.

Essential worldbuilding. Information readers need to understand plot and character choices. Cut the rest, keep this.

All pacing variety. If you cut every quiet moment, book becomes exhausting. Some breathing room is necessary.

Voice and personality. Don't sand off your prose style in pursuit of word count. Cutting isn't about making prose bland.

Plot causality. Don't cut scenes that make later events make sense. Readers need to understand why things happen.

Setup for major payoffs. If you're cutting setup scenes, make sure payoff still works. No setup = no payoff.

The test: After cutting, read through. Does story still make sense? Do character arcs work? Is pacing good (not just relentless)? Do you still love the book? If yes, cuts are good. If no, you cut too much.

The Revision Process: How to Actually Do This

Knowing what to cut is different from actually cutting it. Here's the process.

Step 1: Save a new version

Don't delete from your only copy. Save as "Manuscript - Cutting Draft" or similar. This lets you change your mind later if needed.

Step 2: Start with scene-level cuts

Using your scene audit, delete entire scenes marked "CUT." Don't read them again. Don't second-guess. Just delete.

Track word count savings. Seeing numbers drop is motivating.

Step 3: Merge scenes

For scenes marked "MERGE," combine them. This requires rewriting, not just deleting. Take your time to make merged scene feel cohesive.

Step 4: Condense marked scenes

For scenes marked "REDUCE," use start-late-end-early technique. Cut setup and aftermath. Focus on core conflict.

Step 5: Paragraph-level pass

Go through remaining scenes. Cut unnecessary paragraphs of description, exposition, backstory.

Step 6: Line-level pass

Tighten prose. Search for filter words, weak verbs, filler words. Cut, replace, condense.

Step 7: Read through

Read the cut version from beginning to end. Does it flow? Make sense? Still feel like your book? Fix any rough transitions or gaps.

Step 8: Check word count

Did you hit target? If not, repeat with tighter cuts. If you overshot, add back some cuts.

Timeline: Cutting 30,000 words takes 2-4 weeks of focused revision. Don't rush. But don't agonize forever. Set deadline and commit.

Tracking Your Cuts

Motivation helps. Track your progress.

Simple tracking method:

Starting word count: 120,000 Target word count: 90,000 Words to cut: 30,000

After scene cuts: 105,000 (cut 15,000 - 50% done!) After paragraph cuts: 98,000 (cut 22,000 - 73% done!) After line cuts: 91,000 (cut 29,000 - 97% done!) Final pass: 89,500 (cut 30,500 - DONE!)

Seeing progress motivates you to keep going. Cutting 30,000 words feels impossible at start. Cutting 1,000 words per chapter for 30 chapters feels doable.

Keep a "cuts" document

Optional but helpful: Paste deleted scenes into separate document. This way you haven't permanently lost them. You can reference later if needed. And it's psychologically easier to delete when you know it's not gone forever.

Reality: You'll probably never use those cut scenes. But knowing they exist helps you let go.

Common Mistakes When Cutting

Mistake 1: Cutting randomly instead of strategically

Going page by page cutting a sentence here, a paragraph there, with no plan. This takes forever and misses big savings.

Fix: Start with scene-level audit. Make strategic decisions before opening manuscript.

Mistake 2: Trying to save everything

"But I love this scene!" Every scene can't stay. If you're not willing to cut anything meaningful, you can't hit target.

Fix: Accept that good writing will be cut. That's revision. Doesn't mean it was bad, just means it doesn't serve the book.

Mistake 3: Cutting character for plot

Keeping all plot scenes, cutting all character moments. Results in fast but emotionally empty book.

Fix: Balance cuts. Some plot scenes can go. Character moments are often more important than you think.

Mistake 4: Not reading through after cutting

Making cuts then sending to agent without reading full manuscript. Results in rough transitions and gaps.

Fix: Always read through. Smooth transitions between remaining scenes. Make sure story still flows.

Mistake 5: Giving up too early

"I cut 10,000 words and there's nothing left to cut." There's always more. You're just attached to what remains.

Fix: Take break. Come back with fresh eyes. Or get feedback from writing partner who isn't attached to your words.

Mistake 6: Cutting too much

Cutting 40,000 words when you needed to cut 30,000. Book feels rushed, character development thin.

Fix: Cut to target, then stop. If you overcut, add back some deleted material or write new transitional passages.

When You've Cut Enough

How do you know when you're done?

You've hit your target word count (or close - within 1,000-2,000 words).

The story still makes sense. Plot is logical, character arcs work, worldbuilding is clear.

Pacing feels good. Not rushed, not dragging. Right rhythm of action and breathing room.

Every scene earns its place. You can defend why each scene exists. Nothing feels like filler.

You still love the book. Cutting shouldn't make you hate your story. It should make you proud of how tight it is.

Beta readers respond well. Send cut version to trusted readers. If they say it's better than before, you succeeded. If they say something's missing, you cut too much of that thing.

When all of these are true, you're done cutting. Celebrate. Cutting 30,000 words is hard work.

Your Cutting Checklist

Use this to guide your revision:

Pre-Cutting: - [ ] Identified why manuscript is too long - [ ] Created scene-by-scene list with word counts - [ ] Audited each scene (purpose, keep/cut/merge/reduce) - [ ] Calculated estimated savings - [ ] Saved new version for cutting Scene-Level Cutting: - [ ] Deleted scenes marked "CUT" - [ ] Merged scenes marked "MERGE" - [ ] Condensed scenes marked "REDUCE" - [ ] Started scenes later, ended earlier - [ ] Cut redundant scenes - [ ] Cut unnecessary subplots - [ ] Achieved 15,000-20,000 word reduction Paragraph-Level Cutting: - [ ] Removed unnecessary description - [ ] Cut backstory to minimum - [ ] Eliminated worldbuilding that doesn't serve plot - [ ] Trimmed exposition readers can infer - [ ] Removed redundant dialogue - [ ] Achieved 3,000-5,000 word reduction Line-Level Cutting: - [ ] Cut filter words (saw, felt, heard) - [ ] Removed redundancies (nodded his head) - [ ] Replaced weak verb + adverb with strong verb - [ ] Deleted filler words (just, really, very) - [ ] Tightened dialogue tags and beats - [ ] Achieved 2,000-5,000 word reduction Post-Cutting: - [ ] Read through entire manuscript - [ ] Smoothed transitions between scenes - [ ] Verified story logic still works - [ ] Checked character arcs remain intact - [ ] Confirmed target word count reached - [ ] Sent to beta readers for feedback If you've checked all boxes, your manuscript is ready.

Final Thoughts: Cutting Makes It Better

Here's what writers don't want to hear but need to: Your 120,000-word manuscript is probably not better than the 90,000-word version. It's just longer.

Readers don't want more words. They want better words. Tighter scenes. Sharper prose. Stories that don't waste their time.

Every published author has cut thousands of words. Stephen King's first draft of The Stand was 1,200 pages. He cut to 800 for the published version (then restored some later, but still). Patrick Rothfuss cut The Name of the Wind by over 100,000 words. These books are classics, not despite the cuts but because of them.

Cutting is painful. You're deleting work. Discarding scenes you labored over. Killing your darlings, as they say. But here's what you're gaining:

Better pacing. Readers don't get bogged down in the middle. Stronger impact. Every scene matters. Tighter prose. Every sentence earns its place. Genre fit. You're in the word count range agents and publishers want. Reader experience. Satisfying, engaging book from first page to last.

A bloated manuscript might satisfy you (you wrote all those words!). A tight manuscript satisfies readers. And readers are who you're writing for.

So be ruthless. Cut deep. Trust that your story will survive the cuts. Trust that it will be stronger for them.

Your 90,000-word novel is in there. It's currently buried in 30,000 words of padding. Your job is to excavate it, cutting away everything that isn't the story until the story shines.

You can do this. Now start cutting.