What Does It Mean to Kill Your Darlings?

“Kill your darlings” is a common piece of advice given by experienced writers. You kill your darlings when you decide to get rid of an unnecessary storyline, character, or sentences in a piece of creative writing—elements you may have worked hard to create but that must be removed for the sake of your overall story. Though you may have heard the phrase a thousand times, it’s valuable to learn the origins of the kill your darlings quote and to consider how you can apply the concept in your work.