This is a very important thing for writers everywhere. Yes, it is a well-known tip. But it is also important. Every element in your story needs needs to be for a reason. Even the smallest, seemingly stupidest thing such as a mosquito buzzing around your character's head. Why? Because people don't like to read things that have no purpose in the story. I love that thrill that I get when I'm reading a story and then something that seemed irrelevant from earlier in the book suddenly has a very deep meaning. It's called a plot twist. Most people enjoy them.
Now, when I talk about mosquitoes buzzing around, you might think "What meaning could that have?" Very simple answer: you're building the setting. The readers now know that the characters are outdoor in the evening, that it is probably cool and damp, or maybe near a body of water. The reader might not think of all this, but the average person knows that mosquitoes like cool, damp climates and so this information will be in their brain subconsciously.
Adding events that have no relevance to the story just to meet the word count requirement is a big turnoff. You don't want to do that. Filler books are the worst. Needing to do this comes from lack of plotting. I'm a bit of a pantser myself, but even I push myself to do at least some plotting so that I won't have to write filler scenes which are my arch-nemesis.
Anyway, just something to think about, my friends!
-The Bandit
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