Cleaning Up Your Words. Find, Delete or Replace Clunker Words.

By Mayra CuevasAfter a decade long career in breaking news, working under tight deadlines, I'm all about finding ways to save time and be more efficient.One technique I have incorporated in my writing is what I call "Find, Delete or Replace" - a quick way to clean up your prose from clutter.  Using the "Find" function on your computer (Control + F) search your manuscript for key words that weight down your prose.Over the last year I have compiled a list of words to search for. I have included the list below for your reference and a list of websites where you can find a more detailed explanation.Keep in mind, this list will not be enough. Every author has overused words they inadvertently pepper into their writing. A few examples I have found in best-selling novels are mercifully, gingerly and thankfully. They pop up repeatedly throughout the books screaming “I'm here, look at me.”If you write in Scrivener, use the word count tool to obtain an exact number of times a word was used in your novel.Here is my list of words to search for, categorized by the reason their existence must be questioned:Vague WordscouldwouldUnnecessarysuddenlyinstantlythenthatlike (using metaphor instead)of courseas (can the two actions be done simultaneously?)Show, don’t tellwatchlook atseehearlistenfeelseem/seemedyou  (do not use in narrative, unless it is part of the dialogue)Get out of your character’s headthinkrememberwonderimaginerealizeunderstandknowWho speaks like that?in order tomoreoverhoweverWeak descriptorsveryjustquitesort ofreallyadverbs that end in “ly”action that ends in "ing"brieflygoodbadniceWeak Verbsforms of bestartedcontinuedfinishedbegan tobegins tostarted tostartedstartswentcamegotgetOthersalot (replace with a lot)alright (replace with all right)exclamation points (don't use them or use two or three per 100,000 words) What are your repetitive words? Post them below. Sources: A Straightforward Technique to Make Your Writing More Immediate and Effective8 Words to Seek and Destroy in Your WritingEasy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially HooptedoodleWords To Avoid