The 80/20 Rule of Writing

How to Write Less and Mean More

Coffee-Stained Insurance Papers and Writing Truths

Last week, I sat in my car, parked outside a Ralph’s. One hand clutched a receipt for overpriced craft beer; the other held a stack of insurance claims for clients who thought they didn’t need umbrella coverage (newsflash: they do). Somewhere between sighing at my caffeine-stained paperwork and debating whether I had the energy to write that night, it hit me: 80% of what I do feels like filler. Only 20% seems to matter.

And then I thought about writing.

What if we’re all wasting time writing filler, those forgettable words, redundant chapters, or pretentious prose that no one really cares about? What if writing less but meaning more is the key to producing work that matters? Spoiler: It is. And it’s called the 80/20 Rule, stolen shamelessly from economics and applied to the chaotic, self-loathing world of writers like us.

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Identify Your 20%

When I started writing Amalia, I thought every subplot needed to shine, every page needed to be soaked in metaphorical genius. What I ended up with was a bloated draft with more filler than an off-brand burrito. So here’s the deal: 20% of your work carries 80% of the impact. Find those gold-plated sentences, that killer scene, the moment your protagonist finally punches their inner demon in the metaphorical face, and ruthlessly cut the rest.

Actionable Tip:

• Highlight the passages in your draft that make you feel something: joy, pain, rage, tequila cravings. If a section doesn’t evoke emotion, question its existence.

Relatable Anecdote:

When editing The Ghost Lover, I cut an entire 6,000-word subplot about a haunted coffee mug. Why? Because I realized no one gave a damn, not even me.

Step 2: Stop Obsessing Over the 80%

Look, 80% of your first draft will suck. That’s not a hot take; it’s math. But here’s the trick: instead of spiraling into an existential crisis (been there, bought the shot glasses), embrace it. The messy draft is a means to uncover the 20% that makes your story worth reading.

Actionable Tip:

• Adopt a two-draft system:

• Draft One: Vomit words on the page without judgment.

• Draft Two: Focus like a sniper on finding and refining your 20%.

Personal Connection:

I wrote Obsessed in a frenzy of caffeine and self-doubt. The first draft was 90% trash, but that 10%? That’s where I found the creepy monologue that made my beta reader text, “WTF is wrong with you?”

Step 3: Write for Yourself, Edit for Readers

Writers screw up when they try to please everyone. The 80/20 Rule demands you pick a side. Write the story you need to tell, not the one TikTok trends are screaming for. Then, when editing, focus on the 20% of your story that readers will cling to like their last glass of whiskey.

Actionable Tip:

• Ask yourself, What’s the one thing I want readers to remember about this story? Edit until that one thing burns through every page.

Metaphor Time:

Think of your story as carne asada tacos. Nobody remembers the tortilla; they’re there for the meat. Stop seasoning filler tortillas; focus on your carne.

Step 4: The Writer’s 80/20 Lifestyle

This principle doesn’t just apply to writing. It’s a damn life philosophy. 80% of the shit we worry about as writers doesn’t matter. Should you join the latest #WritingChallenge? No. Should you write every single day? Maybe not. Should you be chugging tequila at midnight because your word count sucks? Honestly, yes, sometimes.

Actionable Tip:

• Spend 80% of your time living, experiencing things worth writing about. Use the remaining 20% to turn those experiences into art.

Quirky Anecdote:

I got the idea for Missing while people-watching at a bar, eavesdropping on a guy explaining his “crazy-girlfriend problem’ to a group of friends. Had I stayed home, “writing,” that story never would’ve happened.

The Big Picture: Why the 80/20 Rule Will Save Your Sanity

Writing isn’t about perfection. It’s about prioritizing what matters. Pareto’s principle reminds us that less is more. Less time agonizing over adverbs. More time creating visceral, unforgettable moments. Less filler. More carne.

We write to connect, to claw at something universal in the hopes it’ll reach someone else. If you spend all your time perfecting the 80% of fluff no one cares about, you’ll lose the 20% that might change someone’s life. Or, at least, make them buy your next book.

Final Call: Burn the Filler

The 80/20 Rule isn’t just for economists or life coaches. It’s for the writers slogging through insurance claims, cheap beer, and self-doubt. It’s for you. So, here’s the challenge: open your latest project, find your 20%, and burn the rest.

Because writing less and meaning more isn’t just a rule, it’s survival.

(If you found the 20% that resonated with you and that makes you feel a bit altruistic, here is how you can show your support.)

Until next time…