In the art of storytelling, every word should serve a purpose, like a brushstroke on a canvas. Unnecessary words not only clutter your narrative but can also dilute its impact. As writers, our mission is to convey powerful stories with precision and clarity. To help you on your journey toward leaner, more engaging prose, let’s explore 20 words that often sneak into our writing but can be gracefully excised without sacrificing meaning or depth.
1. That: This word is often superfluous. For instance, “She said that she would come” can be simplified to “She said she would come.”
- Original: “She said that she would come.”
- Revised: “She said she would come.”
2. Really: It often adds little meaning and it is lazy writing. Use a stronger word to convey the same meaning. Instead of “It was really hot,” try “It was scorching.”
- Original: “It was really hot.”
- Revised: “It was scorching.”
3. Just: While sometimes necessary, it’s often dispensable. “I just wanted to say” can become “I wanted to say.” This is a word that sneaks into my writing a lot, I have to be strict when editing.
- Original: “I just wanted to say.”
- Revised: “I wanted to say.”
4. Very: Similar to “really,” it’s often better replaced with a more descriptive word. Instead of “very tired,” try “exhausted.”
- Original: “She was very tired.”
- Revised: “She was exhausted.”
5. Quite: Often, it doesn’t enhance your message. Instead of “quite surprised,” use “surprised.”
- Original: “He was quite surprised.”
- Revised: “He was surprised.”
6. In order to: It can usually be simplified to “to.” For example, “In order to reach the goal” becomes “To reach the goal.”
- Original: “In order to reach the goal.”
- Revised: “To reach the goal.”
7. Basically: This word can weaken your writing. “She basically told him off” can be “She told him off.”
- Original: “She basically told him off.”
- Revised: “She told him off.”
8. Utilize: Replace it with “use” for simplicity.
- Original: “He utilized the tools.”
- Revised: “He used the tools.”
9. Literally: Often used incorrectly or excessively, it’s best omitted.
- Original: “I literally jumped out of my skin.”
- Revised: “I jumped out of my skin.”
10. Almost: Sometimes, it’s not needed. Instead of “almost perfect,” say “nearly perfect.”
- Original: “It was almost perfect.”
- Revised: “It was nearly perfect.”
11. Slightly: Replace it with more specific words. Instead of “slightly annoyed,” use “irritated.”
- Original: “She was slightly annoyed.”
- Revised: “She was irritated.”
12. Feel / Think: It pulls the reader out and away from the narrator
- Original: “I felt the raindrop slide down my nose “
- Revised: “The raindrop slide down my nose.”
13. Down / Up: They are usually unnecessary.
- Original: “I sat down on the floor and gazed up at the painting.”
- Revised: “I slid to the floor and gazed at the painting.”
14. Started to: Replace with “began to” or even better, simply “began.”
- Original: “He started to walk.”
- Revised: “He began to walk.”
15. Looked / Gazed: My characters did a lot of looking in the beginning. Just describe the scene rather than say they are actively looking.
- Original: “She looked out the window and saw John walking away.”
- Revised: “Through the window, John retreating figure grew smaller.”
16. Due to the fact that: Simplify to “because” or “since.”
- Original: “Due to the fact that it was raining, we stayed home.”
- Revised: “Because it was raining, we stayed home.”
17. At the present time: Use “now” or “currently.”
- Original: “At the present time, I’m working on a new project.”
- Revised: “Now, I’m working on a new project.”
18. On account of: Replace with “because of.”
- Original: “On account of the rain, the game was canceled.”
- Revised: “Because of the rain, the game was canceled.”
19. As a matter of fact: Usually, “in fact” works just as well.
- Original: “As a matter of fact, she was right.”
- Revised: “In fact, she was right.”
20. Despite the fact that: Simplify to “although” or “though.”
- Original: “Despite the fact that it was late, he stayed up to finish the book.”
- Revised: “Although it was late, he stayed up to finish the book.”
21. Adverbs Ending in -ly: The Stealthy Culprits that I feel strongly about…
In our quest to trim the fat from our writing, we can’t overlook the stealthy culprits known as adverbs ending in -ly. While adverbs serve a purpose in adding nuance to verbs, too many of them can dilute the impact of your prose. Here’s why they often find themselves on the chopping block:
Over-Reliance on Adverbs: Adverbs ending in -ly are often used as crutches to modify weak verbs. For instance, instead of “He walked confidently,” why not use “He strutted” or “He marched”? By opting for stronger verbs, you convey the same information with more precision and vigor.
Show, Don’t Tell: Adverbs sometimes tell readers what’s happening rather than showing it through vivid descriptions and actions. For example, instead of “She spoke softly,” consider “She whispered” or “She murmured.” These alternatives paint a clearer picture and engage the reader’s senses.
Redundancy: Occasionally, adverbs reiterate what’s already evident from the context. For instance, saying “He shouted loudly” is redundant since shouting is, by nature, loud. Simplify such phrases to “He shouted,” and let the action speak for itself.
While adverbs ending in -ly can be valuable in moderation, it’s essential to wield them with care. Before allowing them to sneak into your writing, ask yourself if they genuinely enhance your narrative or if stronger verbs and more vivid descriptions can achieve the same effect. By judiciously employing these adverbs, you’ll create prose that’s concise, evocative, and compelling.
By eliminating these unnecessary words and phrases from your writing, you can create prose that is more concise and impactful, enhancing the overall quality of your storytelling.
Search and Destroy
Something I find useful, is the search and destroy function in Word, also known as Find.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to find and replace words or phrases in Microsoft Word:
Finding and Replacing Words or Phrases in Microsoft Word
- Navigate to the “Find” Feature:
- Click on the “Home” tab in the Word ribbon, which is usually at the top of the screen.
- Use the “Find” Feature:
- In the “Editing” group on the “Home” tab, you will see a “Find” option. Click on it.
- Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + F” (or “Command + F” on Mac) to open the “Find” dialog box.
- Enter the Word or Phrase to Find:
- In the “Find” dialog box that appears on the left or at the top of your document, type the word or phrase you want to find.
- Navigate Through Matches:
- Click “Find Next” to locate the first occurrence of the word or phrase in your document.
- Word will highlight the first match, and you can choose to replace it or continue searching. You can highlight all instances of the word too.
- Replace a Word or Phrase:
- If you want to replace the word or phrase with something else, click on the “Replace” button.
- Word will replace the current match and find the next occurrence.
- Replace All Instances (Optional):
- If you want to replace all instances of the word or phrase throughout the document without reviewing each one individually, click on “Replace All.”
- Word will make all replacements without further input.
- Confirm Replacements (Optional):
- If you choose to replace individually, you can click “Find Next” to locate each occurrence and decide whether to replace it or skip it.
- Save Your Document:
- Don’t forget to save your document to preserve the changes you’ve made.
What are your crutch words that you manage to stuff into your work? Mine are “just” and “look” or anything eye related, “held” is another word that my characters do a lot.
