By Andrea Merrell
Have you ever paid for a critique or entered a contest only to be told you were too wordy? Maybe they said you need to write tight or go back and cut out all your weasel words (unnecessary words that add nothing). Maybe they said you used too many adverbs or labored over your descriptions.
Did you go back through your MS (manuscript) wondering what in the world they meant? You wrote your story the way you saw it in your head. How could you possibly go back and cut such beautiful prose?
The problem is we don’t see these issues in our own writing. That’s why we need editors, proofreaders, critique groups, and beta readers for another set of eyes on our work. After all, we need to trust the folks who will be reading our books, right?
As you look through your WIP (work in progress)—and I suggest reading it out loud—here are a few examples of being too wordy to get you started as you learn to tighten your own writing. (BTW: these are taken from actual edited manuscripts.)
Nancy got ready for her weekly shopping trip. (better)
A photographer would know if a picture had been photoshopped. (better)
Tracy saw Mrs. Adams at her desk typing away on her computer. (better)
Bonnie soon realized how much Kent was hurting. (better)
See how a slight difference can change the flow of your story and move it forward? Learn to say the most in the least amount of words, and make each one count.
Homework: Go through the first two pages of your WIP and see how many words you can eliminate or find better ways to rearrange your sentences.
Photo #1 Courtesy of Image by narcisol from Pixabay
Photo #2 Courtesy of Pixabay
Wordy, Wordy, Wordy
Andrea Merrill
1/10/2025
Don't Write Your Bio - Write WHY ME? - Assignment 1
Bob Hostetler
1/7/2025
Get Rid of Gimmicks
Denise Loock
3/15/2024
Avoid Pronoun-Antecedent Dysphoria
Cindy Sproles
3/13/2024
Assignment 6 - Self-Editing Is Not For the Faint of Heart
Andrea Merrell
2/17/2024
Assignment 5 - What in the World is a One Sheet - Andrea Merrell
Cindy Sproles
2/8/2024
Assignment 4 - Storytelling Your Life Lessons
Lucinda Secrest McDowell
2/3/2024
Learn to Show, Not Tell Your Story
Cindy Sproles
1/26/2024
Spit shine that Work - Assignment 3
Cindy Sproles
1/20/2024
Oh! I Need a Professional Email Address?
Cindy Sproles
1/16/2024
Bio, Bio, Who's Got the Bio
Cindy Sproles
1/4/2024
Get in the Mood to Write - Assignment 5
Cindy Sproles
2/13/2023
Assignment 4 - The 5 Cs of an Elevator Pitch
Cindy Sproles
2/2/2023
Appropriate Emails - [email protected] - Assignment 3
Cindy Sproles
1/21/2023
Assignment 2 - Creative Non-Fiction
Cindy Sproles
1/15/2023
How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience - Assignment 7
Cindy Sproles
2/12/2022
Sensory Perception Enhances Your Writing - Assignment 4
Cindy Sproles
1/22/2022
January 16, Assignment 3 - Bring Your Characters to Life
Cindy Sproles
1/16/2022
Assignment 2 - Titles & Sentences - Nancy Lohr
Cindy Sproles
1/8/2022
An Adjective Safari - Assignment 1
Denise Loock
1/5/2022
Assignment 5 - Don't Waste Your Conference Experience
Cindy Sproles
2/6/2021
January 24, Assignment Four - Time to Shoot the Weasel Words
Cindy Sproles
1/24/2021
Assignment 3 - The Role of Speaker Tags and Beats
Cindy Sproles
1/21/2021
January 10, Assignment 2 (1 of 2 assignments)
Cindy Sproles
1/10/2021
Assignment 1 - ACWC January 5 - Let's Start with a Bio
Cindy Sproles
1/5/2021
February 1 - Assignments 5 & 6 - Linda Glaz
Cindy Sproles
2/1/2020
How Not to Get an Agent - Assignment 7
Bob Hostetler
2/10/2019
It's Not What You Know; It's Who You Know - Assignment 4
Bob Hostetler
1/20/2019
Stay on Track with a Writing Schedule - Assignment 3
Larry Leech
1/13/2019
Assignment 2 - Finding Speaker Topics
Beth Fortune
1/5/2019
IMAGERY–WHEN THIS IS LIKE THAT
By Ann Tatlock
12/30/2018
Asheville Christian Writers Conference Privacy Policy
Cindy Sproles
6/4/2018
2018 Writers Charge
Cindy
2/18/2018
Getting Rid of “I” Disease - Assignment 3
Andrea Merrell
1/14/2018
Curb Your Adverb Addiction - Assignment 2
Denise Loock
1/7/2018
WHO ARE YOU? - Writing Your Bio
Cindy Sproles
11/17/2017
WRITING IN A PICKLE
Cindy Sproles
11/13/2017
THE NaNoWriMo CHALLENGE
Cindy Sproles
11/10/2017
BRINGING YOUR CHARACTERS TO LIFE
By Andrea Merrell
2/12/2017
DON’T LET SPEAKER BEATS RUIN YOUR MANUSCRIPT
By Andrea Merrell
2/5/2017
HOW TO CRAFT GREAT DIALOGUE
By Andrea Merrell
1/30/2017
AVOID REPETITION AND WRITE TIGHT
By Andrea Merrell
1/20/2017
THE QUOTATION QUOTA – ASSIGNMENT 2
By Andrea Merrell
1/13/2017
ELIMINATE THE EXCLAMATION POINTS – ASSIGNMENT 1
By Andrea Merrell
1/7/2017
WRITING ADVICE FROM MARK TWAIN: WRITE WITHOUT PAY UNTIL SOMEBODY OFFERS TO PAY
By Sandra Merville Hart
12/22/2016
WHEN THE STORY STALLS IN THE MIDDLE
by Sandra Merville Hart
12/20/2016
WHO REALLY SELLS YOUR BOOKS ?
by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted
9/20/2016
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR 15-MINUTE APPOINTMENTS
by Cindy Sproles
9/16/2016
ARRRGH! ANOTHER REJECTION – CINDY SPROLES
by Cindy Sproles
9/12/2016
FROZEN IN PLACE – ICEY SELF-TALK TO FREEZE YOUR WRITING
By Cindy Sproles
9/8/2016
THE BIO – THE FRAGRANCE OF WHO YOU ARE
by Cindy Sproles
9/3/2016
THE PAIN OF UNSOLICITED
by Cindy Sproles
8/29/2016
REDUNDANCY: AN EXCESSIVE, OPPRESSIVE, PERVASIVE DISEASE
By Denise Loock
8/26/2016
7 THINGS TO DO NOW TO BE READY WHEN WRITING INSPIRATION STRIKES – EDIE MELSON
by Edie Melson
8/23/2016
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR 15-MINUTE CONFERENCE APPOINTMENTS
by Cindy Sproles
8/20/2016
WHY SHOULD I ATTEND THE ASHEVILLE CHRISTIAN WRITERS’ CONFERENCE?
by Cindy Sproles
8/17/2016
YOU NEED A PLATFORM – LIVING A STORY- ASSIGNMENT 3
By La-tan Murphy
1/20/2016
THE ONE SHEET
by Cindy Sproles
1/8/2016
OVER-EDIT?
By Steven James
11/4/2015
