The Ultimate Editing List
Through years of writing, editing, and learning I have created a master list of words/phrases that I eliminate from my writing. I use the “Find” tool in Microsoft Word to help me with this task.
I have shared posts in the past with select words that every writer should try to cut such as: Eliminate Redundancies and Words to Cut out of Your Writing, but I am combining both lists plus including dozens more here:
Redundant/incorrect phrases to fix:• He thought to himself = He thought• She made her way = She went• Low/soft whisper = Whisper• Checked/check out = Checked/check• Reason(s) why = Reason(s)• Right here = Here• Meet with = Meet• Final outcome = Outcome• Added bonus = Bonus• Total blackout = Blackout• Bald-headed = Bald• Visibly Upset = Upset• Try out = Try• Each and every = Each• As many as = Up to
• Turned back = Turned• Turned around = Turned• Return back = Return• Continued on = Continued
Take out words such as "up" and "down."
• Stand/stood up = Stand/stood• Sit/sat down = Sit/sat• Lifted/picked up = Lifted/picked• Knelt/stooped down = Knelt/stooped• Dropped down = dropped• Descended down = Descended
• Woke/wake up = Woke/wake
• Rise up = Rise
• Rest up = Rest• Fix up = Fix
Why? Because the direction/action is already stated.
Here is a list of words to cut because they clutter sentences:· That· Just· Only· Really· Very· Both
Example: She swore that it would never happen again.Better: She swore it would never happen again.
Example: Jamie and Matt both wanted ice creamBetter: Jamie and Matt wanted ice cream.
Note: While I try to eliminate as many of these as I can, I still use “just” and “only” every now and then, like in dialogue.
Cut these words to make clear, assertive statements:· Almost· Slightly· Seemed· Perhaps· Maybe· Simply· Somehow· Kind of· Sort of· A little· Absolutely· Basically· Actually· Instead· Usually· Now
Example: The cut hurt slightly.Better: The cut hurt.
Example: Now stop it!Better: Stop it!
Picture from Wikimedia
Phrases to eliminate to make your writing more specific:· There was/were· There is/are· It was· That had been
Example: “It was a dark and stormy night.”Better: The night was dark and stormy.
Tell your readers exactly what “it,” “that,” and “there” refers to so your meaning is clear.
Cut these phrases to eliminate telling:· He/She/I felt· He/She/I saw (or watched)
Correct phrase meanings/uses:· Site is a place· Sight is vision· Affect (verb) means to influence someone/thing (weather conditions affect)· Effect (noun) is a result of something (side effects of medication)· Could careless = Couldn’t careless· Shouldn’t of = Shouldn’t have (same for "wouldn't of" and "couldn't of")· six year old girl = six-year-old girl· By who = By whom· Only had = Had only· Try and = Try to· All of = All· Off of = Off
Check the placement of your adverbs:Adverbs, words ending with “ly”, should follow the verb.
Example: She quickly ate her dinner.Better:She ate her dinner quickly.
Eliminate passive voice:· was· were· Had/have been· Being· Will be
Passive voice is when the subject of a sentence is acted upon. Active Voice is when the subject of a sentence is the doer of the action.
Passive: Ben was attacked by a swarm of bees. Active: A swarm of bees attacked Ben.
NOTE: It's not totally wrong to use passive voice. For example: "My car was stolen!" is a correct sentence if your character doesn't know who stole their car.
Eliminate how many sentences begin with these words back-to-back:· He/she (third person)· I (first person)· Then· The
Variety is the spice of...writing. ;)
Clichés I look for to rewrite or delete:· Stopped in his/her tracks· Yell at the top of his/her lungs· At his/her fingertips· Sigh of relief· Blood boil· Glaring sun· Cold as ice· Hot as hell· Scared to death· Eyes were glazing over· Bared her soul· In the blink of an eye· All hell broke loose· Time flies· Deer caught in headlines· Pale as a ghost
I am constantly learning and adding more words/phrases to this list. After all, writing is a never-ending learning process.
SHARE: Words you delete when you’re editing, and I’ll add them to my list!
I have shared posts in the past with select words that every writer should try to cut such as: Eliminate Redundancies and Words to Cut out of Your Writing, but I am combining both lists plus including dozens more here:
Redundant/incorrect phrases to fix:• He thought to himself = He thought• She made her way = She went• Low/soft whisper = Whisper• Checked/check out = Checked/check• Reason(s) why = Reason(s)• Right here = Here• Meet with = Meet• Final outcome = Outcome• Added bonus = Bonus• Total blackout = Blackout• Bald-headed = Bald• Visibly Upset = Upset• Try out = Try• Each and every = Each• As many as = Up to
• Turned back = Turned• Turned around = Turned• Return back = Return• Continued on = Continued
Take out words such as "up" and "down."
• Stand/stood up = Stand/stood• Sit/sat down = Sit/sat• Lifted/picked up = Lifted/picked• Knelt/stooped down = Knelt/stooped• Dropped down = dropped• Descended down = Descended
• Woke/wake up = Woke/wake
• Rise up = Rise
• Rest up = Rest• Fix up = Fix
Why? Because the direction/action is already stated.
Here is a list of words to cut because they clutter sentences:· That· Just· Only· Really· Very· Both
Example: She swore that it would never happen again.Better: She swore it would never happen again.
Example: Jamie and Matt both wanted ice creamBetter: Jamie and Matt wanted ice cream.
Note: While I try to eliminate as many of these as I can, I still use “just” and “only” every now and then, like in dialogue.
Cut these words to make clear, assertive statements:· Almost· Slightly· Seemed· Perhaps· Maybe· Simply· Somehow· Kind of· Sort of· A little· Absolutely· Basically· Actually· Instead· Usually· Now
Example: The cut hurt slightly.Better: The cut hurt.
Example: Now stop it!Better: Stop it!
Picture from WikimediaPhrases to eliminate to make your writing more specific:· There was/were· There is/are· It was· That had been
Example: “It was a dark and stormy night.”Better: The night was dark and stormy.
Tell your readers exactly what “it,” “that,” and “there” refers to so your meaning is clear.
Cut these phrases to eliminate telling:· He/She/I felt· He/She/I saw (or watched)
Correct phrase meanings/uses:· Site is a place· Sight is vision· Affect (verb) means to influence someone/thing (weather conditions affect)· Effect (noun) is a result of something (side effects of medication)· Could careless = Couldn’t careless· Shouldn’t of = Shouldn’t have (same for "wouldn't of" and "couldn't of")· six year old girl = six-year-old girl· By who = By whom· Only had = Had only· Try and = Try to· All of = All· Off of = Off
Check the placement of your adverbs:Adverbs, words ending with “ly”, should follow the verb.
Example: She quickly ate her dinner.Better:She ate her dinner quickly.
Eliminate passive voice:· was· were· Had/have been· Being· Will be
Passive voice is when the subject of a sentence is acted upon. Active Voice is when the subject of a sentence is the doer of the action.
Passive: Ben was attacked by a swarm of bees. Active: A swarm of bees attacked Ben.
NOTE: It's not totally wrong to use passive voice. For example: "My car was stolen!" is a correct sentence if your character doesn't know who stole their car.
Eliminate how many sentences begin with these words back-to-back:· He/she (third person)· I (first person)· Then· The
Variety is the spice of...writing. ;)
Clichés I look for to rewrite or delete:· Stopped in his/her tracks· Yell at the top of his/her lungs· At his/her fingertips· Sigh of relief· Blood boil· Glaring sun· Cold as ice· Hot as hell· Scared to death· Eyes were glazing over· Bared her soul· In the blink of an eye· All hell broke loose· Time flies· Deer caught in headlines· Pale as a ghost
I am constantly learning and adding more words/phrases to this list. After all, writing is a never-ending learning process.
SHARE: Words you delete when you’re editing, and I’ll add them to my list!
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