Simple, quick tips for improving both your writing quality and your Wattpad experience. Open, friendly, and conversational, this book will give you that little info boost you need to tackle common problems and often-overlooked issues.
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Want to instantly take your writing up a notch? Here are three simple tricks that can turn a paragraph from alright to amazing!
1) Cut Out Filter Words
Little words like "he saw," "he thought," "he felt," and "he heard," can seem harmless. When you get rid of them, though, your writing will sound less like a story your friend is telling you and more like something that is really happening. These filter words, and others like them, put a barrier between the reader and the narration. Remove that barrier, and you have a much more immersive experience.
Filter Example: John saw the gleaming castle in the distance. Filter Removed: The castle gleamed in the distance.
If we are in John's POV, presumably anything that the narration mentions is what he is seeing, feeling, hearing, etc. Not only is the first example wordier, it's less direct and puts emphasis on the weaker verb ("saw"). The second example reads like something you, the reader, can see; the first example reads like something someone far away and unconnected with you sees.
For more information about filter words and a more complete list of them, check out this article:
Of course, there's an exception to every rule, but in general, removing filter words tightens up your paragraph and better connects your reader to it.
2) Duck Adverbs When Possible
Ah, those insidious little 'ly' words. If you're a grammar nerd or have played MadLibs recently, you're well-acquainted with this part of speech. If not, let's just do a quick recap.
Recap:An adverb is any word that describes a verb or an adjective. It adds to the verb, or works as an "adjective for adjectives." For instance, "he spoke harshly" or "she was incredibly pretty." In the first, "harshly" describes the verb "spoke." In the second, "incredibly" describes the adjective "pretty." Most adverbs end in "ly," but not all. "Very" and "just" are a couple of the sneakier ones.
Here's a good link if you want to find out more:
The Tip:So, now that we're all on the same page, let's get to the meat of the material. Adverbs often make sentences clunkier or weaker than necessary, so when possible, it's best to avoid them.
Weak Words:Most of the time, we reach for adverbs because the word that we're using isn't strong enough. So, instead of using an adverb + verb combo, try picking a punchier verb!
Adverb to Strengthen Example 1: John hungrily ate the food. Stronger Verb Example 1: John scarfed down the food.
Adverb to Strengthen Example 2: John ran quickly across the road. Stronger Verb Example 2: John dashed across the road.
