Let’s dive deep into our first series of the new year. As I’ve edited my WIP, I’ve tried to reduce the use of certain words on the page. I look for terms without distinct meanings. These terms increase my word count, but reduce the overall substance of my piece. In the writing world, these words are called “crutch words”.

Our writing is sometimes representative of our speech. We include catch-phrases, adverbs, filler words without thinking. But as we edit our WIP, we must subtract these to make our writing voice heard.

Subtracting crutch words also forces us to provide clearer descriptions, and thus, our writing grows. “Show don’t tell” becomes a reality in our piece as we take away the lackluster words and replace them with vivid descriptions.

This has to be intentional. We as writers cling to certain terms, and without practice, these words take control of our writing. It’s a new year; let’s cut the bad habits. Next week, we’re identifying some of the words to search and delete in our WIPs. Join me as we explore and improve our writing together.