Novels, articles, essays. Different writing formats, but they all share one thing. Word counts. Too many words and an article can be rejected. Too few and an essay won’t make the grade. In my experience, it’s easier to write more than less, especially when the story picks up or the thesis evolves into a stronger paper. For you, writing more might be the issue.
No matter which is your dilemma, there are words that must be cut from every paper. If you’re like me, this list will help bring down the word count. If more words is the need, cut these words and replace them with stronger phrases. Letting go of one idea makes room for more.
In this top 10 list, the first five apply to all forms of writing. The second five work more with stories, but depending on the tone of an article, the last five could apply as well.
I. Start/Begin
If something “starts,” it needs to “end.” I used “start” a lot when talking about the actions of a character or the beginning of an era. However, if there is no end, there’s no point to mention the start. Unless the “end” of an era or action is mentioned, “start” and “begin” can be removed.
II. Look/See
“Look” and “see” are narrative terms that remove a reader from a story. They also make a formal report clunky and can bring in the infamous “you.” “As you can see. . .” is a dangerous phrase, especially in a persuasive paper. The reader or professor doesn’t want to be told what to think or see. The description in a story or proof in an essay should do all the talking.
Remove “look” and “see.” If you need more words, use this opportunity to strengthen the proofs.
III. Could
“Instead of telling us the heroine could see, could hear, could smell, or could feel something, let her see, hear, smell, taste, feel it. Simply cut the word ‘could.'”
Hall, Rayne. The Word-Loss Diet. Scimitar Press, 2014. Print. 17.
Hall’s book, The Word-Loss Diet, is geared toward writers, but the same applies to formal papers. “Could” weakens the verb; something good could happen, the artifact could be revolutionary, Einstein could be a genius. Obviously, Einstein was a genius. However, “could” is a leak in an otherwise air-tight statement. Removing “could” strengthens the verb and the impact of a thesis or description.
IV. “No Weight”
Words that add nothing to the content of an essay or book are “no weight” words. Rayne Hall describes it “like water added to wine: they thin the wine and make it taste watery” (pg. 41).
I personally think of soda. When there’s more water than syrup, the flavor is distorted. Words with little meaning distort the way a paragraph reads. Microsoft Word takes care of some “watery” words, but reading aloud makes clunky wording more obvious.
V. Adjectives
Don’t panic; adjectives aren’t bad. But too much of a good thing can be bad. Adjectives describe nouns, but a noun can describe itself. Like saying “quill” instead of “pen.” Sometimes a stronger noun works better than five adjectives.
Limiting adjectives makes the noun more profound and the sentence reads better. Even spreading out the adjectives can uncomplicate a paragraph. And increase the word count, if necessary. Two adjectives per noun is perfect; three or more is clutter.
VI. Different Words, Same Meaning
“Jump up.” “Fall down.” “Shrug shoulders.” Though the words are different, their meanings are similar. If something jumps, they go up. If something falls, it goes down. If a person shrugs, it’s with their shoulders. Where together they sound okay, subtract the second and a reader still understands the main idea. “Jump.” “Fall.” “Shrug.”
More searching is required, but the more you notice, the less it will occur.
VII. Breathing
To all writers, we know the characters are breathing. A sigh of relief in one chapter is okay. But frantic inhales, constant sighs, and irritated exhales aren’t necessary. Five or more sighs on a page sounds like a character with a breathing problem. And even if that’s part of the character, state it once and only use it occasionally. Too many muddles the story in yawns.
Cut the breathing unless it plays an important part (holding breath underwater).
VIII. Smile/Frown
“A smile can have enormous power in a story – but only if there aren’t many other smiles.”
Hall, Rayne. The Word-Loss Diet. Scimitar Press, 2014. Print. 22.
Everyone smiles and frowns. There’s no need to announce every single one. Highlight the important moments, like a time of victory or great tragedy. And don’t simply say “smile” or “frown”; describe it. Malicious, sweet, foreboding, heart-wrenching, tearful. Adjective rule still applies.
For those who are trying to add expressions throughout the story, describe the character’s expression. They don’t have to smile or frown. They could turn red with rage or furrow their brows or bite their lip. There’s so many expressions in the world; don’t settle for the common two.
IX. Dialogue Tags
“Said” is invisible while “asked” and “exclaimed” can be replaced by punctuation. The first few lines should say who is talking, but after that, there’s no need. Use actions like pacing or clenching fingers to describe the mood of the character while speaking. There’s no need for the “he said, she said” when the characters are made known. Removing tags also makes the dialogue quicker and more intense.
X. Wonder/Ponder/Realize
These three words fit under the “tell” category. Similar to “look” and “see,” they separate a reader from the story by narrating what’s happening rather than showing the character’s thoughts. Removing these words creates a seamless transition between mental thoughts and physical actions.
“Kill Your Darlings”
Odd phrase, but my editor uses it all the time. What are “darlings”? The words you hold onto because you’ve read the same paragraph five times and it just sounds right. Words that sound right in the moment may or may not hold up later. The only way to know is to cut and sometimes replace. Stepping away also helps this process because you can get perspective on the whole piece. All words can be cut, so don’t hold back because that one cliche sounds so right.