Books in progress litter my desk. As I revise manuscripts, there are certain words I watch for. When I see them I ask, “Who cares and who needs it?”
Here are some of those watch words and cautions:
1. Sentences that begin with “And…” (It’s not that it’s wrong or bad, but it’s often not necessary.)
2. Sentences that begin with “And then…” Sentences are sequences and usually work without this tip to the reader.
3. He felt, she heard, he sensed, she saw… Just describe the scene. Not “She saw a crocodile rise from the swamp.” Instead, “A crocodile rose from the swamp.”
4. Was. This crops up a lot in most writers’ first drafts. “She was fighting,” becomes “she fought.”
Gerunds are passive and they are not our friends, especially when overused. I don’t use adverbs much, though I don’t ban them. It’s a novel, not a telegram. Besides, I’m suggesting…
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