Today I took a huge load of junk I don’t need to Goodwill. I filled my Explorer to the gills and then passed it all off on an unsuspecting lone worker who is on the front lines of the redistribution of stuff in this community. Every time I handed him yet more bags of stuff (32 in all on this trip) I could see his resolve strengthen a little bit. He would sort through my castaways if it was the last thing he ever did.

Other loads I’ve dealt with today: two of dishes, three of laundry, one of trash. And I have to tell you that it feels so good to walk out into the warm, sunny day (we actually hit the mid-40s in mid-Michigan today!) carrying out the stuff I don’t need.

It’s like editing. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?) You go through your manuscript or article or story and find the useless stuff, the stuff that doesn’t help anyone, the stuff that you thought you’d use but that instead just ended up as unsightly clutter that distracts you from the real focal point.

What parts of your latest creation could use a good spring cleaning? Trust me, you’ll like your story better once you can get yourself to part with the unnecessary clutter.