10 WEAK WORDS You Should CUT from Your Novel

What's up, my friend? Time to talk about editing again! More specifically: CUTTING WEAK WORDS from your novel. What if I told you that not ALL weak words deserve to die? It's true - sometimes you should cut them, but SOMETIMES... you should keep them. That's what we're discussing in today's video.
Comment below and tell me: which of these "weak words" are YOU most guilty of overusing??
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My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.
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[@trickyjeans5303]

1. Suddenly 2. Then 3. Very/really 4. Is/Was 5. Started 6. Just 7. Somewhat/slightly 8. Somehow 9. Seem 10. Definitely Thanks so much Abbie! Second draft is gonna have a lot of edits!

[@leannemcelroy8482]

Wow I use suddenly a lot

[@lhyn_was_mah_name2113]

@@leannemcelroy8482 same xD

[@oliverhellwig]

2:43 suddenly 4:17 then 5:38 very/really 6:41 is/was 8:21 started 9:37 just 10:53 somewhat/slightly 12:27 somehow 13:59 seem 15:18 definitely 16:35 adverbs

[@nyx019]

@@oliverhellwig thanxxxx

[@Spidertail22]

I use suddenly so much-

[@johne.nobody2946]

Guess I should omit the following sentence from my novel: “Very suddenly, I started to realize I was then just somewhat alive-somehow, it seemed, I had definitely survived death.”

[@schwarzerritter5724]

It does fit well for a zombie comedy.

[@leewardly]

This is just from a reader's perspective as I don't write, but you should. The sentence feels too wordy, as if it's trying to fit in as many words as possible.

[@filo4854]

@@leewardly I think its a joke 💀

[@dragonlover846]

@@filo4854 yeh

[@EdWebb595]

This is what pay by word used to create,

[@wilky1189]

"Using the word 'somehow' is a mark of lazy writing" *"Somehow, Palpatine returned"*

[@shadowxp86]

Somehiw i scroll the comments section only to find Palpatine and i wasn't disappointed.

[@zoeb3573]

I'm always wary of videos saying "never do this" because realistically you can't apply one rule to everything. But you not only explain how not to use it, but also how we CAN use it effectively. That is so much more useful to make sure we know what we're doing. I'm guilty of a lot of those and I feel like I can actually improve with this.

[@saraoln]

Can we have a moment of silence to appreciate how much research and time Abbie puts to make these videos for us and help us become the best writers possible 💛? Thank you, Abbie 😊.

[@myownstory4030]

I definitely agree. Abbie is a source of inspiration she is amazing and all the effort she put in her videos is what makes her special. She is unique and I loved her “100 days of sunlight” novel ✨💕

[@saraoln]

@@myownstory4030 She incredibly inspires me, too, and I wouldn't be where I am in my novel, to be honest, without her guidance to pull me through.

[@myownstory4030]

Blue_Moon_Wolf_07 I can definitely relate

[@SusanCartersBooks]

I love Abbie's videos and I can really relate to how she explains things. I have the book she always refers to, Story Genius, but to have it explained in a video and have realistic examples given helps tremendously. Now I've been spoilt. Now when I watch videos from other KZbinrs on the craft of writing, the explanations seem vague and the instructions on how to create characters especially seem to be almost clinical in comparison. Thank you, Abbie with an "ie"!

[@saraoln]

@@SusanCartersBooks Yup. Abbie has helped me more than any other writing channel. I get what you mean when you say they're "vague". They can be sometimes. She does explain really well, and it makes it so much easier and funner for me along the way 😊.

[@ryuchama-san4986]

I'm guilty of EVERY SINGLE one of these Glad I know now :3

[@cgwvalcv9479]

dont worry i use all them all the time 😅

[@ssas15]

They're pretty normal words, you can use them just the matter is when.

[@SirThomasJames]

I have to say that I like the description "she was small and curvy" way more than "the dress hugged her curvy figure". I'm not sure why, but I'll try to explain. With the first description, an image immediately springs up in my mind. The second one is weirdly focused on her dress for some reason. Maybe if the narrator is super into dresses and clothes, it's good, but I am more interested in the character itself. If that makes sense.

[@modeus_edits.]

Yea cuz the second one has the dress as the main focus and if you want her figure to be the main focus that isn't really the goal. So, if you want to focus on the dress, second one works best, and if you want to focus on her figure, first one works best.

[@Unelith]

Because the first one is an actual description that tells you what you need to know in a concise, clear, straightforward way, that everyone will understand right away and that can't be misinterpreted. To me, the second one just sounds like someone trying too hard to write like a "proper" writer. I honestly hated books that used such descriptions everywhere. I always have to stop and do a double take, before I untangle the message, and then I'm just like "why did you say this in such a roundabout way?". And it could be interesting if there was an actual answer - that second description makes me feel like the dress has agency and personality, that perhaps there's a meaning behind that, maybe this is to highlight the character feeling a specific way, maybe this is foreshadowing for something else. But a lot of the time it seems like the only answer is "that's just how writing is done". Especially if those are everywhere within a particular text - then I feel like *everything* demands focus, attention and deeper analysis, which quickly becomes exhausting to me. I get easily distracted and if there is too much of *that* in a row, I forget the actual story. It doesn't create a more vivid or lively image for me, which I imagine would be the point of writing like that, it just creates a mess of an abstract painting. I don't mind flowery language and personification and whatnot, but I wish writers saved it for the important moments.

[@turnbased608]

​@Unelith completely agree. I think with these kinds of videos, as helpful as they are, something that should be taken into account is what kind of writer you're trying to be. Or at the very least a disclaimer to take things with a grain of salt.

[@turnbased608]

​@Unelith completely agree. I think with these kinds of videos, as helpful as they are, something that should be taken into account is what kind of writer you're trying to be. Or at the very least a disclaimer to take things with a grain of salt.

[@davidento9611]

​@@turnbased608 These videos should always be taken with a big grain of salt. I would personally suggest to go and scrutinise books of authors you enjoy to read. I've seen many videos giving different types of 'forbidden' or 'undesirable' words. Or filter words as some call them. And then I go read a book from someone like Brandon Sanderson and see them using these words all the time. And not like 'when it makes sense' but willi-nilli as if they genuinely don't give a damn. And you know what? It's enjoyable to read. Those words don't ruin anything.

[@Aiyvas]

Lots of writers have this hangup about “Passive Voice” and I’m not sure why. I guess it’s when they are overused or misused. I love passive words... when I am describing passive things. Active words pack too much punch. Adverbs can change how the reader perceives your character and/or their actions. At least in how I read and how I write. For instance, this is how I would read her examples: So in her first example “sympathetically” it sounds soft and forgiving and, well, ‘passive’, so the “...we forgive you...” sounds genuine. However, using “sympathetic” sounds, to use her expression, “in your face” so ‘the forgiveness’ comes across, to me at least, as sarcastic or insincere. Same for the mom; “bitterly” is mild, so it sounds the mom is being passive aggressive. As opposed to her snapping, which sounds more like unbridled anger. You get an entirely different mental picture depending on the words used. But maybe that's just me and I am weird. IMO Think about the scene in your head and use what’s best. I write for fun, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

[@oliverford5367]

It's an art not a science. The rules are fine but fiction is about creating a feeling - bringing something emotional out of the reader, helping them imagine your world. Doing that well doesn't follow simple logical rules

[@MoRino-iy4px]

I agree with you. This "rules" are more like "it depends" at the end of the day.

[@cefrinaldi8060]

No, i felt that too. Change of word can change the meaning entirely. I think the unnecessary word was when that one exact word got erased and the sentence felt the same as before.

[@caileyrookids]

Yeah, I actually noticed that change in feeling from a lot of the sentences. Like... there's a lot of internal voice that goes into "unnecessary" words. Like, "I definitely don't want to" just... sounds different than "I don't want to." A little more pleading, which fits with describing yourself as almost a "basketcase."

[@BadgersInTheAttic]

I agree. A lot of it depends on what kind of mood you want to set. Take a look at _The Night Circus_, for example. The passive voice is part of what gives it that dreamy, slightly removed from reality vibe. On the other hand, if you're writing an action thriller, passive voice will detract from the tension and momentum of the work.

[@malcolmstephenson556]

I think "very/really" may be my weak word dependency.

[@nabilamiah3814]

"Crutch" words

[@takebacktheholyland9306]

Search up synonyms for the words you partner with those, You'll be surprised with the results

[@letmebe4195]

Just woke up totally not ready for school, first thing I see is Abby’s notification you know what that means... Ima be late for school

[@saraoln]

Oh, well. These videos are a priority 😂.

[@bic.550]

Haha, I was having dinner, I'm about to go to bed now lol.

[@ThreeFunnySisters]

me that has used every single word she said in my stories: they ask you how you are and you just have to say that you're fine when you're not really fine

[@honzo1078]

"Definitely" has its uses, especially when it is conveying 'voice.' Your character might use 'definitely' to emphasize how committed she is to not crying. The impact later, if she does cry, is quite a bit different than if she merely says, "I don't want to cry." Writing in first person legitimizes pretty much all of the things you discuss because we are basically hearing self-talk, so anything that flies in conversation has a shot at being acceptable.

[@NikiDrozdowski]

Thanks, I was looking for this comment! I also found this example not fitting, as it is basically also "dialogue" because it is an inner monologue and can contain such idioms or even slang without distraction. You should definitely avoid it in a neutral description ;)

[@cottagestoryteller]

I'm super guilty of writing in passive voice, using adverbs, and was/is. I feel like I need to rewire my brain to get out of passive headspace! Thanks for this great video, Abbie! Definitely going to save it to help me get through my editing.

[@alicoria1101]

Sabrina Hill-Davis honestly, I’ve read several traditionally published authors books where they use passive voice where they could’ve written the sentence differently and didn’t. I see so much passive voice in traditionally published books.

[@CW86149]

Same. Prowriting aid has been helping me with this.

[@DoodlesArtAndStorytelling13]

Why is using adverbs considered a bad thing? (I thought that was what the comment was saying, sorry if I misunderstood)

[@ROMANTIKILLER2]

My perspective may be skewed as English is not my native language, despite it being the one to which I'm the most exposed and I use the most, but personally I find the good old is/was clear and effective, so long as they are not abused (e.g. a list of descriptors in which something/someone was A, was B, was C). More creative active sentences are nice and work well when they are trying to deliver a specific tone or feeling or focus the reader's attention on a specific element. In other instances, I find they sound overly flowery and slightly pretentious, as well as making the sentence harder to follow (I feel the same when reading a text in my native language).

[@knkdz.__]

me: looks at my writing for the word “was” also me: 👁👄👁 there’s so many

[@covu4746]

Me too actually 😅

[@GamingWithGlacier]

I hear you. After I watched this video, I realized how many times I used the word "Just".

[@katerinapetrova245]

Ikr😂

[@cerealmug450]

As a past tense righter, this would be hell 😅

[@angelartamesia2]

I use "seem" a lot TT I'll cut when I finish my final manuscript

[@cartoonkelly7924]

I definitely use definitely way too offen. I definitely have a problem with definitely needing to make it definite that my characters are definitely taking definitive action.

[@jtpikachu1012]

It's definitely showing

[@SophieNeudorf]

@@jtpikachu1012 LOL

[@NeonAGC]

@@jtpikachu1012 Definitely agree with you.

[@AlpineSunshine_]

you are definitely overusing the word "definitely"

[@photographyguru2135]

When Abbie said "make your story matter" I started laughing because it sounded like she said, "make your story madder", which made sense to me because we are cutting words -- precious words from our stories! I love Abbie.

[@toad_of_the_sky]

Madder? My story is crazy enough as it is

[@emmamichelsohn7515]

Suddenly, there was a notification in my inbox. Abbie uploaded a new video and I just had to click right away! She really gives very good advice. Abbie is a genius and that video was so helpful; I started watching it while I drank my morning coffee. I just think the information provided was somewhat helpful, even more than slightly. Somehow, I think I'll replay it again in the future and use it when I edit my manuscript. After all, it seemed really well thought out - the examples were so useful. I definitely love Wednesdays, because that's when Abbie graces us with new videos!

[@caitlynv1167]

Bravo

[@annalisajaimes8705]

well done

[@yolandacarrillo3681]

Me too.

[@azeemp.thrithala4669]

Nice usage of the aforementioned weak words. ;)

[@CoachSarahC]

Haha!

[@BlueEyedBlondie]

The best part of every Wednesday :)

[@saraoln]

I couldn't agree more 😊👍🏻. I get so excited when I realize that a new video is coming up the next day and is actually one of the first things I do in the morning.

[@InkyChloeGarcia]

I'm in Australia so it's more like a Thursday for me 😅

[@GerSan1979]

I'm from Spain (so I write in spanish) and I can tell this advice is good for every language. Thanks Abbie!

[@missg8056]

I write in French and I'd say the same 😊

[@brandic89]

I feel like many people use "just" to soften their speech and become more relatable/likable. When I first started college, the girls would make fun of me for always using "big words" (and it was a private college), so I looked for ways to fit in better and cut the formality. But you're absolutely correct. We should not be less than we are to please others. Wow! You mentioned that you use "just" for the same reason, that it just sounds nice, lol! Thanks for this (and for the humor)!

[@JaniceSeagraves]

I tried to get rid of "that" (an often useless word) in one of my manuscripts, but then, one of my other books was published and I went over it one last time... I could have cried. "That" was everywhere. *sigh*

[@erlindasali156]

I once found 9 'just' and 15 'then' in a 1500 word chapter.

[@kitwayne4891]

I had no idea just how many times I used "then" in my novel. Over 250 times in 178 pages. I deleted or reworded them down to 84 (some of them used with a different meaning). Thank you! Part two Edit: I finished editing all the "just" words in my novel. Over 500 of them in 277 pages, down to 84. Holy hell! *EDIT: "was" - 1699 of them. I think I get why publishers have rejected my novel. The worst part is that I got my BA in English (Creative Writing) specifically to get a job as a proofreader/editor at a publishing company. I actually feel ashamed.

[@debbierichardson8364]

Well done! I'm about to go and check mine!

[@itaysevenfoldhamri]

She gives us the tip of deleting weak words, and unlike every other channel she makes a whole other 20 minute video about what those words are. Abbie, you are amazing.

[@lilyannecrow8259]

I'm guilty of using 'slightly' and 'seemed' way too much. Man, oh man, I have a lot of editing to do. Thanks, Abbie! Your videos are fantastic!! :)

[@TheCleanTheory]

Lol, "just". I just culled 47 instances of this word from my short story. Down to 8, and mostly in dialogue that it fits.

[@michaeln5078]

I feel your pain on “just”. I did a read through of the novel I’m working on with the sole goal of removing as many “just’s” as possible. I think I got rid of 90% :)

[@ramspencer5492]

I totally agree that in dialog, weak words are often a fantastic option.... I'm also a fan of realistic dialog.

[@JordanBlythe]

As always, love your content. One of these days, Abbie, I am going to finish my book. And it will be largely because of your videos.

[@juliaherkel8051]

My first reaction to this video loading up was, "WOW, her hair looks AMAZING." 😂 "See how marginally better that is?" That's literally me whenever I edit my writing 😂

[@axolotlandpangolin]

I'm so guilty of "then." Thank you for this video, it helped me clean up my writing!

[@Altarior]

Think I'm most guilty of "Definitely" and "Seem". Most of these I'm (thankfully) already *painfully* aware of when I try to write anything 🙈

[@galaxylucia1898]

'Just' is one of my major filler words. Thank you Abby for that app recommendation! Can't wait to check it out.

[@yolandacarrillo3681]

In the sentence: After that, she curls my hair for me. Shouldn't the "for me" be dropped too ?

[@akgwriting9481]

Yes

[@ThreeFunnySisters]

ya

[@bappadityabhattacharya4433]

That would actually sound better

[@xarzneimittel8220]

Maybe, but I feel like it implies that she wants it done. It could be "for her" when the other person wants it done and not her.

[@lilyfhonazhel2675]

It depends It is not necessarily bad, in fact that works if done right

[@jacksonbarrett5561]

I was looking through the words using find and replace on chapter one in my books and thought. “wow I’m not using too much of any of these. Until I got to “was”… the computer said I used it 74 times. Time to edit!

[@778strength4]

Me: *using the word THEN and other fillers for Nano a lot so my word count goes up faster*

[@pseudonymousentity5334]

When you realize you're not guilty of Weak Words Syndrome, and you get a sudden confidence boost. 😎😅

[@saraoln]

🙀

[@tiny754]

What I'm most guilty of is using way too many commas and repeating words. I also make things too obvious instead of trusting the readers to understand what I mean.

[@MissRuthina]

@@tiny754 Oh man! Yeah, me too. Like, hyper descriptive? But in a way that's more confusing than illuminating!!! This should be the second bonus answer...

[@tiny754]

@@MissRuthina Well not so much descriptions but like I over explain things in the dialogue. Also I switch back and forth between tenses and that's another big issue I have. The comma thing isn't actually that bad.

[@onceupxn]

Nicole Jackson Same! I suffer from OCD so It makes my, already comma-packed novels, worse. 😂

[@MillieFlorenceAuthor]

12:32 My first thought: "Somehow, Palpatine returned." Abby calling out the Star Wars writers. XD

[@MissRuthina]

Calling out Disney for their atrocious handling of Star Wars! My husband used to bash the prequels so bad... then Disney (who are usually very good with their storytelling) make up all their own rules that actually BREAK the Star Wars universe and now my husband has accepted the previously estranged Episodes because of the horrendous atrocity that is Rae and hyperspace ship destroying!!!! Sorry Disney, you messed this up really bad.

[@shadowjewel]

On top of all of the "when to keep and when to cut" rules, I'd add that, IMO, these rules can be bent or outright broken when it serves the tone (even beyond the dialogue). But, how to do that is contextual both to the over all work and the scene, so I get why it wouldn't be mentioned here.

[@davelordy]

Here are my own top 10 weak words / phrases: 1) Jeans. 2) Jean jacket. 3) Perm. 4) Synthesiser keyboard. 5) Rollerskates. 6) Synthesiser keyboard solo. 7) Cruise ship. 8) Dysentery 9) The ship listed and groaned. 10) I rose and struck him.

[@zordox5533]

I use suddenly all the time, I never know how to smoothly go from one action to another 😂😬

[@leech1355]

A good tip for suddenly is to use sudden instead, it’s a lot less glaring. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. There was a sudden knock on the door.

[@jge8144]

Hey, that's a great tip!

[@zyaicob]

This is good because suddenly describes perception which is redundant because we're already perceiving it. Sudden describes the actual action. The knock is sudden- that's a characteristic of the knock, maybe it's fast and sharp, maybe the knocks were really close together so it ended as soon as it started and felt jarring, but yeah this is an excellent tip

[@backman60205]

I've had stories rolling around my brain for years I'm just beginning to write them down. I'm fairly new to writing thank you for your writing advice.

[@medhurtch]

Abby Emmons! Removing the word "was" had some serious magical power with my writing. I couldn't get past the "dullness" of my writing. Having to work around using "was" has pressed my into further creativity and even if there are less words!! My paragraphs are so much more interesting now. Shorter but richer--keep up the good work!!

[@perstephanies]

Then! "And then they" is my writing block blocker...my filler phrase so I don't get stuck. It's satisfying to search the phrase and fill in the scene after writing the story! Thanks for great videos. You're inspiring and so helpful!

[@elizabethgiliberto8932]

Criiiinge...I remember writing; "*Insert character name* looked intrigued" FACE PALM DX I am guilty of using weak words...I try not to..I'm usually aware I'm using a weak word or doing too much telling, but I suffer from writer's block at times and I word rather write crummy smut than nothing at all. Once I stared down at an empty page for probably 10 minutes because I was so afraid of writing something lame and amateur. Well...I plan to worry about the rubbish in my stories when I edit them. Thank you for this!

[@tmore1969]

As a novice writer, I can't thank you enough for this video. Still doing my best to show and not tell, and this video really helps with that.

[@1975KyleDavid]

You might want to check out Ernest Hemingway's or Shirley Jackson's short stories and some of their novels if you want examples of how to show your stories. Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea are short novels because these two limit their narrators' voices and allow the characters to do the describing. Another good example of showing would be Hemingway's short story A Clean, Well Lighted Place.

[@duringthebluehour]

In the middle of rewrites of my 3rd draft with five more chapters to go in my werewolf novel. This is helpful. Thank you so much.

[@jerodhansen2543]

I like this girl she gets to the point quicker than anyone else!

[@upinsmokewego59]

I love when a character talks realistically 😂

[@MagicTurtle643]

I just have to say, I started looking out for "was" especially in my current novel and I USE IT SO MUCH. And the sentences are so much stronger and more poetic every time I restructure them. So thank you for that. The sad thing is I was taught this a FEW times and I still let the habit creep back in. Thanks for your great content.

[@valflower]

Really shows up the most and sometimes it even repeats! Makes editing a pain in the ---.

[@MykkiOnTheCusp]

I have a character who thinks and speaks in passive-voice because that's part of their communication culture, but I try to limit it to those instances only!~

[@camelliaaisyah]

I can't stop watching her video after I found this channel. Thank you so much, you are so inspiring me. Finally, after a long time, i can do writing, and enjoy the process. Warm greetings from Indonesia 😊

[@blazingdance3612]

Thank you so much for this Abbie! I never realized how pointless these words can be. I went through one of my stories today and cut out a lot of these words when I saw them serving no purpose in my stories.

[@rcschmidt668]

When I saw this title, my first thought was, “What about dialogue?” And there you are 2 minutes into the video. Thanks for sharing this list.

[@ShreeNation]

I was _somewhat_ struggling with my writing, _then suddenly_ this video popped up and _then I started_ to listen, and it was _just_ as if things _somewhat started to_ make sense. Thank you _very_ much Abbie, _definitely_ gonna try this _really_ soon.

[@debbierichardson8364]

Lol😅

[@emxry]

Our teacher had a rule that said we weren’t allowed to use when. 😆

[@bappadityabhattacharya4433]

That's another word I'm guilty of. You know, *when* I write, I just can't keep it off my paper... Lol

[@JL-ze5qm]

Great video for beginner writers. I suggest you do a video on overuse and incorrect usage of the word 'literally'. People who use the word 'literally' who have literally no idea what it means makes them sound uneducated and listeners will stop listening to them, literally.

[@TheYashakami]

This video is conveying less of a concept of weak words and more of a "use words appropriately to their definition"

[@cocodarling7307]

This was amazingly in-depth and SUPER helpful! I’m soooo glad to have come across you page. You got yourself a new subscriber. Thank you again!

[@dm8640]

Some of those words I never thought about from that perspective. Your videos are always so helpful!!! 🥰🥰

[@ThreeFunnySisters]

her: dont really use adverbs j.k rowling: 👁️👄👁️

[@LenaLovesgoodStories]

I've seen lists like this one before, but yours really (:D) stands out. Why? Because of your well-chosen and clear rules/examples on when to keep these words. Before, the petulant child inside of me was always like "yeah, but sometimes, they are justified" and made me keep like 80% of cases when in truth I should have kept 20%. Now I feel I have no excuses left. 😊

[@birdmanstrength]

This WAS JUST a great video. I SOMEHOW knew this would help me when it STARTED, and THEN the video ended and I WAS DEFINITELY correct. You SEEM like a REALLY great writer. I SUDDENLY had an irresistible urge to write this comment saying thank you. I hope it reads well, I think it IS SLIGHTLY great. Seriously, thanks.

[@AmyLahr149]

This was fantastic. Thanks for putting in all the work to make this!

[@halt2.069]

I’m so glad I found your channel! Like many other commenters here, I am an aspiring writer but I have difficulty with writers block and I suspect it is because I’m unhappy with how my sentences look on paper. This helped me so much! I’m excited to try writing again! Also I couldn’t help noticing that all of your examples are in present tense rather than a past tense like most books and stories. For instance, your example of “”Speak for yourself,” Mom snaps, turning away from us both.”” Usually you would see it as “”Speak for yourself,” Mom snapped, turning away from us both.” Why is that? Thanks 😊😊

[@tomsaltsman]

A few of your weak words actually worked for me. I liked them and thought they should be kept. Yet we get the point. Thanks so much. My general rule is to make every word on the page bright, clear, colorful, and engaging. Use every trick possible to make your reader not 'ready to put the book down just yet,' even though the dishes have been sitting in the sink for over three hours now and are starting to make the dog barf.

[@v.dickson]

Abbie, I feel so roasted watching this! Whew! 😂 Got me checking myself here with my own book I'm writing. Thanks so much! So glad I came across your channel 💕

[@johnmichael_]

These videos are literally the best!! They help me so much with my writing! Everybody..have a great day!!☺✅

[@nimrodfilms5104]

2:17 Same. I like to sometimes specifically have my characters pronounce a word weirdly or in the moment take creative liberty on the spelling of a word just to emphasize how they said it.

[@DebOlliff]

Just, and definitely. Great reminders, Abbie! Thanks!

[@paulapoetry]

I relate to this one. Somewhat and just - those are two I personally tend to overuse. Great video. 😃💖💝

[@anantakabir2505]

WOOOOOOOWWWWW! THIS IS A LIFE SAVER!Thank you sooooooo much Abbie .You should get more than 2M subs! :)

[@catherinewright432]

1. Suddenly 2. Is/was 3. Started Thanks for the tips on how to avoid these!

[@IamSoup09]

As someone who uses these words a lot in my stories, this is helpful! I love seeing things from other perspectives because it shows me how other people view specific things. Thank you a lot Abbie for this video! Your videos help me when I need it

[@shiyuhe3499]

OMG Abbie I just read your novel in a day!!! WORDS CAN’T DESCRIBE HOW AMAZING IT WAS!!! ASDFGHJKL EEEEEEK! Sorry I’m a bit late on reading it!

[@jjettswriting1900]

Thank you for all your help. Too many successful writers out there only offer advice that would improve our writing if we're willing to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars first. Learning from you feels like I'm in a writing group with the best and kindest teacher I've every had

[@AlexAppleby]

This has certainly sent a few bolts into my heart but I bloody appreciate it. Will certainly be editing my writing differently from now on.

[@SarkyGacha]

I am so happy that i found this channel, its a life saver.

[@derangedmaniac3827]

7:48 100 days of sunlight reference

[@flylightgirl4933]

1. Suddenly 2:42 Cut it when the action happens just as suddenly without you needing to say "suddenly". Keep it when something is sudden enough to throw off your character - and thus, throws off your reader. 2. Then 4:15 Cut it if the sentence flows normally when it's gone. Keep it if it's "bridging the gap" between two actions and highlighting the difference. 3. Very/really 5:37 Cut it when you can use a stronger word(i.e. adorable instead of very cute). Keep it everywhere it sounds better with a "very/really" than without. 4. Is/Was 6:40 Cut it when you can show us what the subject is doing/feeling instead of what the subject is. Keep it when the subject is inactive and you need to convey information quickly. 5. Started 8:20 Cut it when nothing changes if it's gone. Keep it when something actually starts. 6. Just 9:35 Cut it when nothing changes in it's absence. Keep it as a limiter or an indicator of time. 7. Somewhat/slightly 10:50 Cut it if you can use a more accurate and intentional adjective instead. Keep it if it actually creates the most accurate description of what's happening. 8. Somehow 12:26 Cut it when you're just being lazy by avoiding information. Keep it when the character is missing information, or can't make sense of something. 9. Seem 13:59 Cut it when you can show us how the character perceives what's happening. Keep it when your character's intuition is telling them something. 10. Definitely 15:17 Cut it when it contributes literally nothing to the sentence. Keep it when contrasted with previous doubt. Hope this helped! The timestamps are around the beginning of when Abbie talks about each word.

[@LadyDecember]

Jeez, I wish I found this comment earlier before I myself transcribed these in my notes 90% of the way through. Could have saved so much time... Still, thanks for this!

[@flylightgirl4933]

@@LadyDecember no problem! im glad it helped someone :>

[@harleyruiz1321]

ive been scrolling for a comment like this, ty!

[@livingbeautifullyeveryday]

Thank you for putting this together!

[@crowsguard]

OMG. THANK YOU SO MUCH. After watching the video i realised i had at least ONE instance of 'suddenly' EVERY SINGLE PAGE. THIS IS GONNA NEED A LOT OF EDITING. I DIDN'T EVEN REALISE I WAS DOING IT

[@tiffanyleigh7114]

You should do more of words! This was so helpful I just scanned my draft and holy hell do I over use most of these words! Thanks you Abbie! Xx

[@virgilknightley2668]

I follow a bunch of AuthorTubers and Abbie is undoubtedly the most professional. I look forward to her insights every week.

[@simelly_6813]

Then there’s me who thought this was going to be about words like “Nice”, “Good”, “Bad”, etc. I use a thesaurus for that problem 😂

[@cgwvalcv9479]

ha

[@ThreeFunnySisters]

ha

[@x4nder176]

ha

[@bappadityabhattacharya4433]

Sometimes the words from thesaurus sound so... Poetic that it's not normal so it's better to use words in your vocab

[@simelly_6813]

@@bappadityabhattacharya4433 I mostly just use it to remind myself of words I already know. I don’t use words I don’t personally know the meaning of, only ones I’ve heard of to help me out

[@bessiemalt9070]

I was just watching this video, then I suddenly realized just how well you somehow seem to know your subject. It was very enlightening.

[@handmade64]

out of all writing advice videos THIS one helped me the most

[@bottompercy]

I love Abby's description of somehow bc it made me realize where I use it to much, but it also gave me the correct reasoning to use it! It made me realize that i can use somehow to make the reader question the reasoning behind it. Like if a character has magic but "somehow" can't use it or is "somehow" able to do something but doesn't know they have magic, that can give the reader questions that keep them interested and even help with dramatic irony. That may seem like basic knowledge or whatever but it clicked in my mind bc of this!

[@juliesit5344]

I’m restarting my first novel because the first time I tried the pantser style. That didn’t work because I got to where I didn’t know what should come next. I’m going to do it this by the 3 Act story structure. But I have a question. What if I have more scenes or chapters between the plot points? Or am I suppose to? I’m new to this. Please help.

[@arianarain7749]

Take my advice with a grain of salt.. I'm not an accomplished writer nor am I highly educated. However, I am an avid reader and am in the beginnings of my writing dream. I would say that, whether or not you are "supposed to," you should have intent in what you include. If it's important to your story, keep it! If not, then maybe reconsider. Your story is what you make of it. Artistic choices such as additional story beats are your call as the artistic creator :) hope this helps, have a good day, stay safe, keep writing!

[@TheDodgerReid]

This video is amazing, and thank you so much for using the when to keep/when to cut, I'm def screenshooting those 🙌🏻

[@jsantiago9485]

Great video, it thoroughly gave a clear advice on when these words do work and when they are best left out. I love how you addressed passive voice too. You were very clear and straightforward.

[@UltimateKyuubiFox]

I’ve found ‘suddenly’ has a very specific purpose - you use it when you actually want to give the reader more time to process what’s now happening. Sometimes just writing what’s happening doesn’t give readers what they need to understand the tone or context and the ‘suddenly’ gives them a buffer. When you want them confused and flustered, you excise it.

[@rahulrajr8790]

SOMEHOW palpatine returned

[@zyaicob]

Multimillion dollar budget. They had a multimillion dollar budget and they wrote "Somehow, Palpatine returned"

[@heal41hp]

I really appreciate that you give consideration for when to not cut these words. Exceptions exist in every rule of writing, I think. It's art after all.

[@mattlambert5079]

Super helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to put this video together.

[@victoriathevictoria.]

So I’ve been writing something and wanted advice on it. I thought this would be a good place to put it. (My Writing) Now that I could see her for myself, I could hardly believe my eyes. Her curly glossy voluminous platinum blonde hair, wrapped in a formal loose bun with a thin strand standing in front of both her ears had me mesmerized as her loose bun bounced and moved around in the bright ballroom lights. She had dark eyebrows and big lashes that tied in nicely with her smooth skin and big dark eyes that pairs perfectly with her small nose, rosy cheeks and light brown colored lips. She had perfect features, long thin face, big lips, strong cheekbones, strong jawline, slim body, tall stature, and delicate and soft looking hands and fingers. She also had plenty of accessories; such as a silver ring on her pinky finger on her left hand that shines brilliantly in the light. On her right hand, a pearl bracelet with a shining polished look, and diamond one with a lustrous glow, as if it had just been bought. On her neck, a plain black choker and gold ruby necklace, just like the one I saw earlier that costs twelve thousand two hundred seventy nine dollars. On her ears, small gem crystal earrings, shining as bright as the stars. And her dress, clearly distinctive, hugs around her slim body with eighteen hundreds big short puffy shoulder sleeves. The rest of her dress was also puffy, very puffy, as if clouds were made in them. And the colors, the layers! The dress was as blue as the sky, so light and beautiful. The dress had silver and gold rhinestones on it, but only on the sides of the top layer. It also has gold accents on the bodice and sleeves, and a big blue bow on the left side of the dress. At the bottom, it had black leaf-like detailing and its bodice also had a sideways crescent moon at the top. She wore it so elegantly, everybody in the ballroom set their eyes on her the moment she walked in. She must be very rich, everyone had probably thought. She was in the middle of the very ballroom, in the most beautiful dress anyone has ever seen. She was elegant, swift with her movements but so graceful at the same time. As she danced around by herself, her puffy blue dress spun and moved in the shining lights. The prince should start mingling around at this point I had thought. And he did; he chose the beautiful woman to dance, much to no one's surprise. The lady danced beautifully, as everyone watched, probably in envy or admiration. Her dress flowed in swift movements, spinning around as it revealed all the layers underneath, each one with a different type of fabric and a different shade of blue. She looked magical, as if she was a princess straight out of a fairytale. The prince and the beautiful woman started slow dancing as the music started playing, the lights only focusing on them. As the woman turned around, smiling for only a short moment, showing her pearly-white teeth, everyone focused on her and the prince even more. I didn’t know how I was feeling, but under the circumstances as of right now, the prince probably won’t interact with anyone else for the rest of the night. But hey, we’ve got two more nights to impress him.

[@Sally-vk9yw]

personally, i think it’s great, well done!it’s really well described and is good at creating an image of the scene in the readers mind, i’m so curious about what this story is about thoughh! there’s only some simple things like grammar mistakes (putting commas in between some words like when you are describing her hair at the beginning), but that’s nothing to worry about👍 ik this comment is from 3 months ago but i thought i’d help anwyaysss

[@victoriathevictoria.]

@@Sally-vk9yw Thank you for commenting! (Sorry for the late reply though. I was at a relatives house and my device was out of battery 😅) I honestly kind of forgot about this though because I put it here months ago lol 😂. Since then, I changed up quite a lot and I was planning to whenever I edited it, I would edit the comment to how my story looks right now but for some reason whenever I click edit, it wouldn’t let me edit the comment so I was just too lazy to do anything for a while 🤣. For the context of the story, a poor girl gets an invitation to a ball where the prince has to decide to pick a woman to marry (wow, I’ve never heard that before). The ball will last over three nights so the prince will have time to think about it (Hence the two more nights to impress him line). The thing is the ball was going normal for the first few hours but then interesting people started coming in (For example, a teenage girl with black and white and pink hair and a girl with a blanket for a dress and another girl with pink skin and pink hair, and then at one point a man comes in, yada yada 😂). And in this scene, a very beautiful woman comes in and not like the rest before her. I still got some outlining to do but that’s my overall thoughts so far. Sorry for the long reply! If you want the current version of the story right now I will copy and paste it here because my comments long enough 😂😅

[@Sally-vk9yw]

@@victoriathevictoria. oh woww, that sounds amazinggg i love the ideass💖 i would definitely read ittt. i’d love to see the edited version of it if it’s not too much hassle 😁

[@victoriathevictoria.]

@@Sally-vk9yw Thank you! Here’s the current version. (My Writing) Now that I could see her for myself, I could hardly believe my eyes! She had curly, glossy voluminous platinum blonde hair, wrapped in a formal loose bun. My eyes only focused on her as her loose bun bounced and moved around in the bright ballroom lights. One of the first things I noticed about her was her natural features. She had smooth skin, big dark eyes, and a small nose. Other features she had were a long thin face, big lips, strong cheekbones, and a strong jawline. I noticed she had make-up on; dark eyebrows, lashes, and eyeliner (with a wing). She also had a rosy blush and a light brown lipstick. She had plenty of accessories; such as a silver ring on her pinky finger on her left hand. It had a brilliant shine when shone in the light. On her right hand, a pearl bracelet with a shining polished look, and diamond one with a lustrous glow. On her neck, a plain black choker. I focused on her neck; she also had a gold ruby necklace that looked like the one I saw at the store. Wait, a gold ruby necklace? Isn’t she the lady I saw buying the necklace? It must be her, I thought. It wasn’t a surprise to me, though. That was because I expected lots of women to accessorize themselves for the prince. I stopped paying attention to that, and instead focused on her ears. She had small gem crystal earrings, shining as bright as the stars. Her dress hugs her with eighteen-hundreds big short puffy shoulder sleeves. The rest of her dress was also puffy, very puffy, as if clouds were in them. And the colors, the layers! The dress was as blue as the sky; so light and beautiful. It had silver and gold rhinestones on it, but only on the sides of the top layer. It also has gold accents on the bodice and sleeves, and a big blue bow on the left side of the dress. At the bottom, it had black leaf-like detailing, and its bodice also had a sideways crescent moon at the top. Then, the lady moved to the middle of the ballroom and started dancing. She was elegant, swift with her movements, but so graceful at the same time. As she danced around by herself, her puffy blue dress spun and moved in the shining lights. The prince should start mingling around at this point, I had thought. And he did; he chose the beautiful woman to dance with, much to no one's surprise. The lady’s dancing was so wonderful that everyone in the ballroom had watched. Her dress flowed in slow swift movements. It was spinning around as it revealed all the layers underneath. Each one with a different type of fabric and a different shade of blue. She looked magical, as if she were a princess straight out of a fairy-tale. The prince and the beautiful lady started slow dancing as the music started playing. The woman smiles, showing her pearly white teeth as the lights focus on them. (I haven’t edited this in a long time though so the storyline isn’t progressing so far lol 😂)

[@Sally-vk9yw]

@@victoriathevictoria. WOWW THATS SO GOOD I LOVE ITTT 😻😻 i’m sure this story will be amazing when it’s all doneee 🥰 best of luck!

[@cabefinn]

“Whatsoever” Just don’t. Please.

[@tigers12343]

Abbie, I can wholeheartedly thank you for your videos! When I found them I was lost and feeling insecure about my writing. Now I am working on my own debut novel! Thank you so much for all your content!

[@StarrClaws]

I've been out of college for a while, so I'm trying to retrain my brain for editing my own writing. This has helped a lot! Thank you!