I’m big on organizing. So, I have a file for every chapter where I put any relevant drafts, thoughts, or research. And I always have two additional and much-needed book files going: the Dumpster file and the I Don’t Know Where This Goes file. The latter file doesn’t need any further explanation. Eventually, you’ll figure out where to weave in whatever is in that file, or you’ll move it to the Dumpster File.

About that.

We writers hate deleting. We cling to our sentences, paragraphs, scenes, and even chapters like a child’s hand in a crowd. But here’s the truth: not everything you write belongs in your final draft—and that’s okay. Enter the Dumpster File, one of the most overlooked and needed book files.

The Dumpster File (or “Cuts” document) is where every lovely, unnecessary sentence or passage goes to live out its retirement in dignity. When you remove material from your manuscript, paste it there instead of deleting it.

Why this works:

• It frees you to cut ruthlessly. You’re not losing words; you’re relocating them.
• It gives you perspective. Seeing what you’ve cut clarifies what your story truly needs.
• It’s your CYA. A Dumpster file allows you to retrieve what you’ve cut, should you change your mind.

Besides, you can always recycle a lot of the material in that Dumpster File. A paragraph that doesn’t work in your current draft could become the seed for a new scene or essay, or work in another piece you’re writing. When writing a memoir or nonfiction, a discarded chapter might be upcycled into a magazine article or essay, a blog post, or a downloadable guide. You may even be able to turn that deleted material into bonus content that you feature on your website.

The bottom line?

The words you cut still count. They help you find the truer version of your story, and they may yet have lives of their own.