Some common words to remove from a novel are overly used adverbs like 'very', 'really', and 'extremely'. They often don't add much depth and can make the writing seem amateurish. Also, clichéd words such as 'nice' and 'good' can be replaced with more descriptive alternatives to make the prose more engaging.
Identifying words to remove from your novel can make your writing more concise. For example, removing redundant words streamlines the prose and makes it easier for readers to follow. This can lead to a more engaging reading experience as the story moves along at a better pace.
Some words that might be removed from a novel could be overly technical jargon that the general readership may not understand. For example, if it's a historical fiction novel aimed at a wide audience, using very specific and complex medical or scientific terms from a particular era without proper explanation can be removed. Another type of words could be excessive adverbs. Instead of saying 'He ran very quickly', it could be just 'He ran'. Also, repetitive words that don't add much value to the narrative. If a character keeps saying 'like' every other sentence in a way that seems unnatural, those 'like' words could be removed.
One way to do it is to focus the story on elements that don't require the description or presence of eyes. Maybe set the story in a dark environment or have characters wearing masks or helmets that cover their eyes.
You might remove someone by creating a situation where they have to leave the setting of the story. Maybe they move away, or there's a conflict that forces them out. Another option is to have them die or disappear in a mysterious way, but be careful with that approach as it can be quite dramatic and needs to fit the tone of your story.
The way to remove something from your story depends. If it's a small detail, you could just ignore it and let the reader's imagination fill the gap. But if it's a significant part, you might need to rewrite the surrounding text to make the story flow smoothly after the removal.
One might need to remove words from a novel to improve its readability. If there are too many long, complex words, it can make the story difficult to follow for the average reader. By removing some of these, the flow of the narrative becomes smoother.