Weasel Words
Weasel Words are those little words, or gigantic words, that will trip a reader causing them to put the book down never to pick it up again.
Weasel Words are cliches, redundant, and cheap - by cheap, I mean they come easily to the mind while writing, but have little value to the work.
Words are the building blocks of the characters, places, and events of a story. Weak words make for a weak character, a weak plot, and weak reading. Even in our conversation, weasel words can turn a deaf ear to the speaker. From public speaking to casual conversations, we should polish our language usage, especially in our writing where we have the powerful tools of editing.
Microsoft Office Word provides many tools in editing our work. We should use them to the fullest advantage. Search out and
destroy those words that are weak, meaningless, and troublesome by using the "search and replace" feature of Word. Highlight all weasel words of your manuscript and then replace them with strong verbs, nouns, or descriptive words. If nothing can replace the word, try removing it all together. Try cutting the entire sentence. No fear, remember the undo button.
Weasel Words trip a reader. If a sentence does not flow easily, it can break the flow of the plot and eventually, a reader may put the book down without ever picking it up again.
Tell me about your favorite Weasel Words and possible alternative words to replace them...
A
Actually
B
But (when used as
the first word of a sentence) = However, Howbeit,
Although
C
Casually
D
E
Eventually
F
G
Got = acquired,
grabbed, arrived, many more including the delete option. "I have got to go" can
read, "I have to
go."
H
I
Issues
= attitude, problems, situations
J
Just = normally can
be eliminated, but can be used on occasion in
dialogue.
K
L
Love
is so abused and over
used.
M
N
O
P
Practically
Q
Quietly
R
Really
S
Seem
or any form of
seem
Stuff
T
Thing
U
V
W
XYZ
Weasel Words are cliches, redundant, and cheap - by cheap, I mean they come easily to the mind while writing, but have little value to the work.
Words are the building blocks of the characters, places, and events of a story. Weak words make for a weak character, a weak plot, and weak reading. Even in our conversation, weasel words can turn a deaf ear to the speaker. From public speaking to casual conversations, we should polish our language usage, especially in our writing where we have the powerful tools of editing.
Microsoft Office Word provides many tools in editing our work. We should use them to the fullest advantage. Search out and
destroy those words that are weak, meaningless, and troublesome by using the "search and replace" feature of Word. Highlight all weasel words of your manuscript and then replace them with strong verbs, nouns, or descriptive words. If nothing can replace the word, try removing it all together. Try cutting the entire sentence. No fear, remember the undo button.
Weasel Words trip a reader. If a sentence does not flow easily, it can break the flow of the plot and eventually, a reader may put the book down without ever picking it up again.
Tell me about your favorite Weasel Words and possible alternative words to replace them...
A
Actually
B
But (when used as
the first word of a sentence) = However, Howbeit,
Although
C
Casually
D
E
Eventually
F
G
Got = acquired,
grabbed, arrived, many more including the delete option. "I have got to go" can
read, "I have to
go."
H
I
Issues
= attitude, problems, situations
J
Just = normally can
be eliminated, but can be used on occasion in
dialogue.
K
L
Love
is so abused and over
used.
M
N
O
P
Practically
Q
Quietly
R
Really
S
Seem
or any form of
seem
Stuff
T
Thing
U
V
W
XYZ