Writing, like public relations, is a craft. It is a craft that constantly changes, improves, and develops. You may still think that more words are better, perhaps because of your school days when teachers would assign word/page minimums. However, I’d be willing to bet that almost everyone would rather read a clear, concise article that gets straight to the point.
For years, you may have used words without realizing that they are considered “bad” or, rather, weak and ineffective. It turns out that many of these words fly under your radar, but eliminating them often makes all the difference.
As a rule of thumb, you should replace overused words with specific, lesser-used words. Overused words lose their power due to semantics and their general everyday use, i.e., context.
Types of language that come off as weak writing may surprise you, but staying away from these common words is sure to give your writing a facelift.
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Avoid boring words. Some weak words include “good,” “bad,” “was/is/are,” “thing,” and “stuff.” You should also avoid other words like “interesting,” “big,” “many,” “awesome,” and “great.” How big is big? Almost anything can be described as “interesting” or “great.” Effective alternatives to such words include “compelling,” “intriguing,” and “awe-inspiring,” for example.
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… Except with dialogue: With every rule comes an exception. When showing dialogue, using strong verbs can detract from the dialogue itself. Some examples of these verbs are “whispered,” “exclaimed,” “yelled,” and “murmured.” While these words have their place, you, as readers, are so accustomed to the word “said” that anything else might distract you from the larger point.
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Use active voice instead of passive voice. You commonly use passive voice when you speak. For example, instead of saying, “The papers will be written by her,” you can say, “She will write the papers,” which gets straight to the point without weak passive language. A simple trick is to start sentences with the subject before the action/verb. Avoid terms like “have been,” “will be,” “was,” etc.
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Only use “-ing” verbs as needed. Many editors recommend removing “-ing” verbs. This suggestion stems from the common use of general verbs (e.g., “was/is/are”) in conjunction with “-ing” verbs. For example, “Johnny was running fast” is less powerful than “Johnny sprinted.” While “-ing” verbs are necessary, you should replace them with specific verbs whenever possible to make a significant difference.
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Minimize adverbs. Stephen King states in his memoir, “On Writing,” “I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops.” When you think about it, sentences should demonstrate what adverbs tell. For example, “the day was very warm” sounds stronger as “the day scorched on” or “the sun beat down.”
While these tips provide you with some guidelines, remember that writing is an art, not a science. The best way to determine whether your writing sounds weak or strong is by reading it out loud and keeping an eye out for weaker language.
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This post originally appeared in 2017, written by Alex Harris.