10 WEAK WORDS You Should CUT from Your Novel

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ธ.ค. 2024

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  • @wilky1189
    @wilky1189 ปีที่แล้ว +359

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

    • @shadowxp86
      @shadowxp86 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +39

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

    • @Eric_The_Cleric
      @Eric_The_Cleric 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +19

      I swear all of our minds collectively went to that as soon as she said "somehow."

    • @Nathan-pq7xe
      @Nathan-pq7xe 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      It's dialog, though, which was the exception.

    • @grondhero
      @grondhero 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      *Next up:* "Somehow, Robert Downey Jr. returned."

    • @FairytaleFangirl
      @FairytaleFangirl 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Literally just came down here to comment this!

  • @Xeno_Solarus
    @Xeno_Solarus ปีที่แล้ว +30

    "Somehow... Palpatine returned." Lol

  • @trickyjeans5303
    @trickyjeans5303 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4346

    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
      @leannemcelroy8482 4 ปีที่แล้ว +249

      Wow I use suddenly a lot

    • @lhyn_was_mah_name2113
      @lhyn_was_mah_name2113 4 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      @@leannemcelroy8482 same xD

    • @oliverhellwig
      @oliverhellwig 4 ปีที่แล้ว +325

      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
      @nyx019 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      @@oliverhellwig thanxxxx

    • @Decayingrag3
      @Decayingrag3 3 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      I use suddenly so much-

  • @JerrBaybEe
    @JerrBaybEe 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +61

    I'm glad you specified that dialogue often uses "weak words"

    • @kaydens6964
      @kaydens6964 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Like "Somehow... Palpatine returned." Definitely not lazy writing!

    • @a.m.pietroschek1972
      @a.m.pietroschek1972 28 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Weak people do that all their lifespans long! 🤣

  • @johne.nobody2946
    @johne.nobody2946 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1196

    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
      @schwarzerritter5724 ปีที่แล้ว +206

      It does fit well for a zombie comedy.

    • @leewardly
      @leewardly ปีที่แล้ว +103

      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
      @filo4854 ปีที่แล้ว +190

      @@leewardly I think its a joke 💀

    • @dragonlover846
      @dragonlover846 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      @@filo4854 yeh

    • @EdWebb595
      @EdWebb595 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      This is what pay by word used to create,

  • @dedalus02
    @dedalus02 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Then suddenly, he realized that he was really just getting started on a somewhat intimidating venture of somehow writing something that definitely seemed worthwhile.

  • @SaraOLN
    @SaraOLN 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2235

    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
      @myownstory4030 4 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      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
      @SaraOLN 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@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
      @myownstory4030 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Blue_Moon_Wolf_07
      I can definitely relate

    • @SusanCartersBooks
      @SusanCartersBooks 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      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 TH-camrs 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
      @SaraOLN 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@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 😊.

  • @Aiyvas
    @Aiyvas 3 ปีที่แล้ว +293

    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
      @oliverford5367 ปีที่แล้ว +48

      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
      @MoRino-iy4px ปีที่แล้ว +46

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

    • @cefrinaldi8060
      @cefrinaldi8060 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      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
      @caileyrookids ปีที่แล้ว +15

      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
      @BadgersInTheAttic ปีที่แล้ว +11

      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.

  • @zoeb3573
    @zoeb3573 3 ปีที่แล้ว +864

    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.

    • @1WordChannel
      @1WordChannel 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Same, this video is a banger

  • @SirThomasJames
    @SirThomasJames 3 ปีที่แล้ว +471

    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.
      @modeus_edits. 2 ปีที่แล้ว +67

      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
      @Unelith ปีที่แล้ว +113

      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
      @turnbased608 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      ​@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
      @turnbased608 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      ​@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
      @davidento9611 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      ​@@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.

  • @emmamichelsohn7515
    @emmamichelsohn7515 4 ปีที่แล้ว +712

    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!

  • @honzo1078
    @honzo1078 2 ปีที่แล้ว +96

    "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
      @NikiDrozdowski ปีที่แล้ว +5

      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 ;)

  • @ryuchama-san4986
    @ryuchama-san4986 4 ปีที่แล้ว +358

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

    • @cgwvalcv9479
      @cgwvalcv9479 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      dont worry i use all them all the time 😅

    • @ssas15
      @ssas15 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

    • @kerri-lynbryant293
      @kerri-lynbryant293 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Me too😅

    • @a.m.pietroschek1972
      @a.m.pietroschek1972 28 วันที่ผ่านมา

      *cough* Yeah, and you sure are the only person in this universe. NO, you are not! 😉

  • @photographyguru2135
    @photographyguru2135 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    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
      @toad_of_the_sky 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Madder? My story is crazy enough as it is

  • @malcolmstephenson556
    @malcolmstephenson556 4 ปีที่แล้ว +190

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

    • @nabilamiah3814
      @nabilamiah3814 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      "Crutch" words

    • @takebacktheholyland9306
      @takebacktheholyland9306 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

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

  • @cartoonkelly7924
    @cartoonkelly7924 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    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
      @jtpikachu1012 2 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      It's definitely showing

    • @SophieNeudorf
      @SophieNeudorf 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@jtpikachu1012 LOL

    • @NeonAGC
      @NeonAGC ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@jtpikachu1012 Definitely agree with you.

    • @AlpineSunshine_
      @AlpineSunshine_ 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      you are definitely overusing the word "definitely"

    • @Rose_WhiteRose
      @Rose_WhiteRose 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@AlpineSunshine_ They definitely are. It definitely shows how much they need to cut it off from their vocabulary. It is definitely ruining it.

  • @cottagestoryteller
    @cottagestoryteller 4 ปีที่แล้ว +372

    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.

    • @Celestialstars0109
      @Celestialstars0109 4 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      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
      @CW86149 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Same. Prowriting aid has been helping me with this.

    • @DoodlesArtAndStorytelling13
      @DoodlesArtAndStorytelling13 ปีที่แล้ว +7

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

    • @ROMANTIKILLER2
      @ROMANTIKILLER2 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      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).

  • @GerSan1979
    @GerSan1979 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

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

    • @missg8056
      @missg8056 ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

  • @letmebe4195
    @letmebe4195 4 ปีที่แล้ว +147

    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
      @SaraOLN 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Oh, well. These videos are a priority 😂.

    • @bic.550
      @bic.550 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

  • @brandic89
    @brandic89 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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)!

  • @ThreeFunnySisters
    @ThreeFunnySisters 3 ปีที่แล้ว +88

    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

  • @isabellablanc4716
    @isabellablanc4716 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    13:37 This gives me the urge to write a small story where I wouldn't tell the reader at all that the main character is blind but every now and then, there would such sentences which would subtly tell the reader that the main character is blind.

    • @KateKreeperKing
      @KateKreeperKing 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      Oh my gosh, please do!! That sounds super interesting 🙏

  • @BlueEyedBlondie
    @BlueEyedBlondie 4 ปีที่แล้ว +134

    The best part of every Wednesday :)

    • @SaraOLN
      @SaraOLN 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @InkyChloeGarcia 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @danielhayes5136
    @danielhayes5136 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    "Somehow, Palpatine returned.", came to mind very quickly.

  • @JordanBlythe
    @JordanBlythe 4 ปีที่แล้ว +105

    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.

  • @ramspencer5492
    @ramspencer5492 ปีที่แล้ว +9

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

  • @galaxylucia1898
    @galaxylucia1898 4 ปีที่แล้ว +55

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

  • @karlayork877
    @karlayork877 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    ~ 06:12 As someone who tends to overuse "actually", I am always alert to that particular word. And in your sentence "It's actually adorable -- soft beach waves that touch my shoulders," removing "actually" would strengthen your sentence. (I almost automatically said "would actually strengthen", but it's unnecessary there, as well.) Also, I would personally make one further change: "It's adorable -- soft beach waves lapping my shoulders," or possibly "It's adorable -- soft beach waves lapping at my shoulders."

  • @lilyannecrow8259
    @lilyannecrow8259 4 ปีที่แล้ว +84

    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!! :)

  • @tmore1969
    @tmore1969 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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
      @1975KyleDavid ปีที่แล้ว +2

      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.

  • @Jman2543
    @Jman2543 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

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

  • @kitwayne4891
    @kitwayne4891 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    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.

  • @Prejippie
    @Prejippie ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thanks for using examples and for giving a follow up with a general rule as to where and where not to use these words. This video is a keeper, because the topic is so well presented! 😊🙌🏾

  • @juliaherkel8051
    @juliaherkel8051 4 ปีที่แล้ว +36

    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 😂

  • @0njo188
    @0njo188 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    The verdict.....: He stares at me somehow blinking at me like im somewhat of ghost. Then he Suddenly seems to definitely pull off his headphones.

  • @knkdz.__
    @knkdz.__ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +257

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

    • @covu4746
      @covu4746 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Me too actually 😅

    • @GamingWithGlacier
      @GamingWithGlacier 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

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

    • @katerinapetrova245
      @katerinapetrova245 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Ikr😂

    • @cerealmug450
      @cerealmug450 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      As a past tense righter, this would be hell 😅

    • @angelartamesia2
      @angelartamesia2 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @michaeln5078
    @michaeln5078 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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% :)

  • @TheCleanTheory
    @TheCleanTheory 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

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

  • @MagicTurtle643
    @MagicTurtle643 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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.

  • @itaysevenfoldhamri
    @itaysevenfoldhamri 2 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    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.

  • @blazingdance3612
    @blazingdance3612 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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.

  • @Soaring_Penguin
    @Soaring_Penguin 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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 🙈

  • @halt2.069
    @halt2.069 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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 😊😊

  • @perstephanies
    @perstephanies 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    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!

  • @official_akpamgbo2729
    @official_akpamgbo2729 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Abbie, you just ripped me of my most cherished vocabularies. All my favourite words 😫

  • @dm8640
    @dm8640 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

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

  • @erlindasali156
    @erlindasali156 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

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

  • @backman60205
    @backman60205 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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.

  • @shadowjewel
    @shadowjewel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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.

  • @Missy04
    @Missy04 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    this is such good advice. I love your channel a lot because you not only say "cut it/delete it/do something else", but you explain the reason behind it and also say it's fine to use something for a special purpose. Most people just say "delete suddenly", but then you ask yourself why the word even exists if it should be banned all the time? So yes, thanks, great advice from you, I learned so, so much.

  • @MillieFlorenceAuthor
    @MillieFlorenceAuthor 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

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

    • @MissRuthina
      @MissRuthina 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      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.

  • @luissosa320
    @luissosa320 13 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Finished my first novel a few weeks ago, starting the editing process now! This video is golden!

  • @JaniceSeagraves
    @JaniceSeagraves 4 ปีที่แล้ว +79

    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*

  • @xzhad0wx
    @xzhad0wx หลายเดือนก่อน

    i'm writing a short horror fanfiction, which is going to be my first ever story that I ever post publicly, and this video has helped me so much with editing. thank you so much abbie! ❤

  • @cocodarling7307
    @cocodarling7307 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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!

  • @KBRoller
    @KBRoller 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I will offer another case where "then" is useful: in the standalone phrase "and then" as a quick stop for contrasting pace after a fast or tense series of descriptions. So you've got a paragraph where one thing after another is happening, either in quick succession, or otherwise building lots of tension, over and over, no way out, eating away at your character left and right and all around -- and then... nothing. And then -- silence. And then, it stops.
    I think that use of "and then" can be extremely effective at both transitioning your pace *and* contrasting the pace itself with the chaos going on in the scene otherwise.

  • @v.dickson
    @v.dickson 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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 💕

  • @qwaty8978
    @qwaty8978 8 วันที่ผ่านมา

    As a romanian writer myself I can CONFIRM that we have the SAME PROBLEMS. AND YOUR ADVICES HELPED ME SO MUCH because I translated them mentally into my mother tongue and I was like:"Yup! This is practically the same!" So thanks! Love ya!❤

  • @birdmanstrength
    @birdmanstrength 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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.

  • @MichelleYbarra-f2f
    @MichelleYbarra-f2f 11 วันที่ผ่านมา

    I am working on my first book and found your videos. I want to tell you how much this has helped me! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU PUT INTO YOUR VODEOS!!!

  • @camelliaaisyah
    @camelliaaisyah 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    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 😊

  • @nimrodfilms5104
    @nimrodfilms5104 ปีที่แล้ว

    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.

  • @johnmichael_
    @johnmichael_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

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

  • @heal41hp
    @heal41hp ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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.

  • @elizabethgiliberto8932
    @elizabethgiliberto8932 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    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!

  • @axolotlandpangolin
    @axolotlandpangolin 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

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

  • @yolandacarrillo3681
    @yolandacarrillo3681 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

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

    • @akgwriting9481
      @akgwriting9481 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yes

    • @ThreeFunnySisters
      @ThreeFunnySisters 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ya

    • @bappadityabhattacharya4433
      @bappadityabhattacharya4433 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      That would actually sound better

    • @xarzneimittel8220
      @xarzneimittel8220 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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.

    • @lilylilylily2675
      @lilylilylily2675 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

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

  • @medhurtch
    @medhurtch 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    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!!

  • @AmyLahr149
    @AmyLahr149 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

  • @frostyhannah
    @frostyhannah 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Just, then, is/was, very/really, started
    I didn't know is/was were weak, and I didn't know adverbs were weak either. The other words I knew were weak but it was sorta a habit. The thing is, is I write how I talk, and I don't talk in good grammar at all. So that always means I got to edit a lot

  • @upinsmokewego59
    @upinsmokewego59 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    I love when a character talks realistically 😂

  • @emeralddraegon
    @emeralddraegon 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Ohmigosh, I'm right there with you, Abbie! I just can't help it! "Just" does sound good! 😆
    I think I'm guilty of using most of these, but I have gotten wise to some of them and keep an eye out.

  • @jjettswriting
    @jjettswriting ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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

  • @LenaLovesgoodStories
    @LenaLovesgoodStories 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    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. 😊

  • @zordox5533
    @zordox5533 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

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

  • @bessiemalt9070
    @bessiemalt9070 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @ShreeNation
    @ShreeNation ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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.

  • @debolliff5720
    @debolliff5720 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I love this. I especially like your comment about dialogue, and how character voice can keep many of these words. My word is “just”. I often check my writing in Grammerly and it ALWAYS wants me to cut that word, but often I say no, I need it for the way my character speaks! Damnit! Lol😂

  • @MykkiOnTheCusp
    @MykkiOnTheCusp 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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!~

  • @mbrsart
    @mbrsart 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Pet peeve about the phrase "passive voice."
    I think we need to find some other name for passive writing/style/language. There are a bunch of different constructions with "to be" plus a verb, and they all have different uses in a discourse context. Only one of them should actually be called passive voice, IMO, and it isn't even in the paragraph at 7:02. (I do agree with the rephrased paragraph though, just that the linguist in me has a pet peeve with definitions.)
    "She was small and curvy, wearing a lacy white dress and holding a hairbrush in one hand." - This construction is predicative description. There are three adjectival phrases: "small and curvy", "wearing a lacy white dress", and "holding a hairbrush in one hand."
    "The soft light was reflecting in her eyes and making her milk-pale skin seem to glow." - This one is past progressive tense, which should be used for background information or to frame action as ongoing in the discourse context. For instance, "I was on my way home from school last night when I saw a dog lying by the side of the road. At first I thought it had been hit by a car, but it looked up at me as I passed, painting and wagging its tail." These can usually be replaced with "As I" + simple past tense if one wants to avoid using "to be."
    True passive voice requires a transitive verb. It takes the direct object of that verb, promotes it to the subject, and defocuses or omits the original agent of the clause. This is useful to keep the subject the same from clause to clause, maintaining discourse cohesion, or when the agent is general or otherwise unimportant. It's also used to promote higher animacy direct objects to the subject position, something seen cross-linguistically. Examples always sound clunky on their own, but they flow a lot better in a discourse context. For instance above, "At first I thought _it had been hit by a car_, but it looked up at me...." The dog is the center of the discourse, so passive voice elevates it to the subject of the clause, and the oblique "by a car" shunts the agent of the original clause to a less important position.
    I think if we all found a different name for weak "to be" constructions than passive voice it would cause far less confusion for new writers, especially if we explained what the constructions are and why they are weak. I've seen so much weak writing, lots of it my own, that came from following the rules but not understanding why the rules exist.

  • @pseudonymousentity5334
    @pseudonymousentity5334 4 ปีที่แล้ว +81

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

    • @SaraOLN
      @SaraOLN 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      🙀

    • @tiny754
      @tiny754 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      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
      @MissRuthina 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@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
      @tiny754 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@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
      @onceupxn 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

  • @tigers12343
    @tigers12343 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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!

  • @RyanTh3Great
    @RyanTh3Great 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Somehow Palpatine returned

  • @AlexAppleby
    @AlexAppleby 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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.

  • @derangedmaniac3827
    @derangedmaniac3827 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    7:48 100 days of sunlight reference

  • @DivestedConfessions
    @DivestedConfessions 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Love listening to you as a podcast while writing & immediately using your advice

  • @lisaneedham4302
    @lisaneedham4302 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I'm incredibly guilty of 'just'

  • @juliesit5344
    @juliesit5344 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    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
      @arianarain7749 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      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!

  • @XX-sp3tt
    @XX-sp3tt ปีที่แล้ว

    11:35 I figured 'slightly terrified' would be said ironically or someone panicked but trying to make it look like they're not.

  • @virgilknightley2668
    @virgilknightley2668 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

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

  • @wespenre3418
    @wespenre3418 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have listened to many writers--some of them very famous--trying to explain how to write and give various tips. Still, what has helped me the most is to listen to your videos. I'm JUST saying... (Yay! "Just" fits in here!). Awesome advice! It never fails! Thank you.

  • @778strength4
    @778strength4 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

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

  • @detachedcreature
    @detachedcreature 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I use almost every word except for seem and somehow. I have trouble with grammar and their rules so I mostly search for helping videos like this one. Very glad I found your youtbe channel, you explain, tell, and such as in this video; show straight forward how to not use or do use things while writing. Just what I need. Hoping my writing quality will increase after noting everything I learned from you!

  • @leech1355
    @leech1355 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    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
      @jge8144 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hey, that's a great tip!

    • @zyaicob
      @zyaicob 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      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

  • @grondhero
    @grondhero 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I like how not only you provided your own examples that could be improved, but you showed where it's acceptable to include them. :)

  • @emxry
    @emxry 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

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

    • @bappadityabhattacharya4433
      @bappadityabhattacharya4433 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @HolyCrapGodIsReal
    @HolyCrapGodIsReal 8 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Abbie, I joined. You are the queen of writing advice. I clicked on other writing advisors, and they are terrible. One fellow said, "Writing is difficult. It's a lot of work. Don't think it's easy...." How useless is that? I have watched your top 10 weak words three times. I am excited about rewriting my romance book - my first book - because of your advice. My great plot will now be guided by the MC arc. As it should be. Now, I block out the other writing coaches as noise. Don't ever stop. I would be lost without you.
    Also, I decided to reach out to a traditional book publisher instead of self-publishing in Amazon. Your thoughts?

  • @bottompercy
    @bottompercy ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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!

  • @tanyanykina1472
    @tanyanykina1472 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks!

  • @simelly_6813
    @simelly_6813 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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
      @cgwvalcv9479 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ha

    • @ThreeFunnySisters
      @ThreeFunnySisters 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ha

    • @x4nder176
      @x4nder176 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ha

    • @bappadityabhattacharya4433
      @bappadityabhattacharya4433 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
      @simelly_6813 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@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