While editing, I got to thinking about words I use a lot that either could be replaced with stronger words or could be deleted altogether. Today in a final edit, I searched my manuscript for the following words:
- very
- absolute
- thought
- felt
- just (HUGE culprit for me)
- knew
- seemed (another surprising biggie)
- suddenly
- looked
- was
While I didn't change ALL of these instances - often in dialogue they worked - I did change a lot and delete a fair few as well. I'm putting together a list of words to look out for in a final list. Do you have any words that you over-use and look out for in the final edit?
12 comments:
Love this post! And I'll add:
particularly (no idea why)
dark
gaze
abruptly
something
actually
As you can see, I have an ongoing love affair with the adverb. :-)
Had a huge shudder down my spine when I saw this post as you are the person that finds all my over-used words! The worst part of this is - I never see them until you highlight them for me. Then I scream!
My biggest hurdle HAD. It chases me around the room!
Hahahaha :) Mine is gaze, like Jackie. And having "And" at the start of a sentence (okay, I didn't even do that deliberately :) ).
This has inspired me to put my latest MS into wordle - have you tried that before? http://www.wordle.net/ - very cool!
Ooh thanks for adding more to the list Jackie. I'm almost scared to check my ms for them, since I've just subbed it.
LOL Scarlet! I didn't even realise I did this :)
Leah - I looked for Wordle earlier but it confused me. I've now subbed, so probably shouldn't check, but I'm going to. Will report back in a moment. Eek!
MAN - I just did it. VERY cool!! Now I want to print it off an stick it on my wall. Thing and wanted showed up lots!
I just did it too, biggest words (other than their names!):
Just
one (?)
like
even
back
time (?)
And gaze was only tiny! I'm shocked!
Wordle! I was trying to remember what it was called. You can't google it if you don't know the darn name!
I love "just" too :) Apparently I'm trying out for the Olympic overuse of it.
Oh, this made me remember a few more troublesome words--hot, heat, warm, warmth. Also, for me, little, small, slight.
Love it! Fabulous post. It is the writer's curse of course...
'That' crops up a lot in my work. And I have a nasty habit of 'flicking hair' and 'raising eyebrows'... Very glad Word has a find function that allows me to weed them out!
Wordle? Will have to try that :)
Just, that and yet were my three that needed killing off. I may have to check your list for any other culprits though :)
Just seems to be a popular one Lacey. I reckon Wordle would make GORGEOUS wall art!
Serena - you got a temperature thing happening there?! :)
Ooh Helene, I hear ya on those eyebrows. Shudder to think how many were raised in my last wip!
Oh dear Rebecca - I didn't check for 'yet' but I fear that's one of my culprits too :(
"That". For some totally unknown reason that is my all time biggest offender word! Had a few that get repetitious during my more romantic moments too but my Editor has kindly brought those to my attention! Great post, good luck with the submission!
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