"It's the birthday of anthologist and writer Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch… remembered by writers today… for one of the most enduring but non-attributed pieces of writing advice ever given. He wrote in his 1916 book On the Art of Writing, 'Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it — whole-heartedly — and delete it before sending your manuscript to press: Murder your darlings.'… Now a popular catchphrase… 'murder your darlings' admonishes writers to refrain from being too precious about their prose and to trust in the values of simplicity and efficiency."Do ye likewise.
Just in case that phrase was ever confusing (I've actually answered questions about this in several writing groups and even as a panelist).
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