I sat on a panel of writers at an editing workshop last
weekend. That got me thinking about what I’ve learned from editors over the
years. Perhaps my most important lesson was to recognize and murder passive
voice.
Recently, an editor pounded on me about my use of weakening
words. I probably sin the most with the word “though.” Here’s an example from
my book Wizard Chase:
I didn't like the plan, much. It was the best plan we had,
though. It was the only plan.
That short paragraph is stronger, and one word shorter,
without “though.”
I’ve taken to doing a word search for “though” in all my
writing. I find that I can get along without it about 95% of the time. I
sometimes leave it in when it’s not strictly needed, if it’s in conversation.
Otherwise, I’m aggressive with the delete key.
There’s another weakening word that I’m pone to use in my
writing. Stand by for irony. The word is “just.”
With apologies to Nike, here’s an example from the same book—the
same chapter—where “just” is unnecessary and weakening:
“Let's just do it," said Valven.
The Internet has weakening word lists. Check them out. Do a
word search on your own writing. Do you see words such as seemed, well, while?
Can you get along without them?
Writing is the quintessential example of less is more.
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