Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
When plain words work, use them. Don’t feel that you must use fancy words to elevate your fiction. Choose words that make your story feel real rather than pretentious.
If a character comes from a country different from yours or different from that of your other characters, make sure that he uses words and phrases peculiar to his country and not to yours.
Rather than try to spell an accent, use other options for letting readers know that a character has an accent.
Rather than use common verbs, use specific verbs that fit your story, your characters, and each scene. Direct events and emotion through the choice of specific rather than general verbs.
A reader’s question got me thinking about the details of a story’s setting, about choosing details that fit the actual location as well as the story. I also wanted to share a reminder to check details for real locations—make sure your details are correct.
There are multiple ways to make changes to your story text. Make sure that you’re not using the same kinds of changes again and again.
Somehow is a nothing word that doesn’t reveal anything new about a character or an event. Cut uses of somehow from your stories.
Like “thing,” “people” is a nothing word. A filler. But you can easily change the bland and generic “people” to a word that better fits the scene and the character using the word.
Fiction can be made stronger by simply using strong and precise words in place of do-nothing filler words. Clear your stories of the filler word “thing.”
The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
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freelance editors, and everyone who loves words
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Copyright © 2010-2018 E. A. Hill Visit Beth at A Novel Edit
Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
