The Three Words Sabotaging Your Writing
Lesson on the words to eliminate from your writing
Refining our craft involves adding new techniques but also shedding detrimental habits. It is crucial to recognize certain words that weaken prose. By removing these words from your vocabulary, you can elevate your writing to new heights.
Here are the three words sabotaging your writing.
1. "Very"
The word 'very' often acts as a crutch, diluting the impact of our writing. It adds a sense of vagueness and lacks the specificity needed to engage readers.
Consider the following example:
Original: "She was very tired after the long journey."
Revised: "She was exhausted after the long journey.”
By replacing 'very' with a more descriptive term, such as 'exhausted,' we create a stronger impact and convey a clearer image to the readers.
"Very is the most useless word in the English language and can always come out. More than useless, it is treacherous because it invariably weakens what it is intended to strengthen." - William Zinsser (from On Writing Well)
2. "Just"
The word 'just' is often used as a filler or a weak modifier that adds unnecessary clutter to our sentences. Its presence can make our writing feel less concise and impactful.
Consider the following example:
Original: ""She just wanted to say a quick hello."
Revised: "She wanted to say a quick hello."
In this revised sentence, we removed the word 'just' without altering the intended meaning. By streamlining our sentence structure and eliminating unnecessary words, such as 'just,' we enhance clarity and convey our message more effectively.
"Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." - William Strunk Jr. (from The Elements of Style)
3. “Suddenly”
While 'suddenly' can inject a sense of immediacy into our storytelling, its excessive usage can become a crutch that disrupts the flow and impact of our narrative. Instead of relying on this word, we can employ other techniques to create smooth transitions and build tension in our writing.
Consider the following example:
Original: "Suddenly, the door burst open."
Revised: "The door burst open, startling everyone in the room."
In the revised sentence, we eliminated 'suddenly' and replaced it with an active verb ('burst') and added a descriptive phrase ('startling everyone in the room'). This creates a more engaging scene that allows readers to experience the surprise and tension without relying on a weak adverb.
"The word ‘suddenly,’ at its core, does not make any moment more exciting than it is otherwise.” - Kris Spisak (from The Novel Editing Workbook)
Remember, effective writing involves using fewer words to convey more meaning.
By taking a deliberate approach to eliminate ‘very,’ ‘just,’ and ‘suddenly’ from your writing, you'll sharpen your prose, enhance clarity, and create a more impactful experience for your readers.
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