Narrative Botox: Filler Words and Phrases to Look Out For
If youâre planning on publishing traditionally, chances are you keep a sharp eye on your word count. Literary agents and publishing houses are on the hunt for the best quality stories that they can print for the cheapest price (using the least paper and ink), so you have a higher chance of gaining representation if you can crank your novel out in the least words possible.
However, filler words and phrases arenât only the enemies of aspiring traditional authors; every writerâfanfic, novelist, journalist, you name it!âshould try to eliminate filler from their stories to assure more concise and high-quality writing. Oftentimes, filler contributes nothing but clutter, and without it, your narrative can flow smoother and in a more sophisticated manner.
But how do you know whatâs filler and whatâs not? Here are some tips on how to Ctrl+F and kick this narrative botox to the curb!
I compiled these lists with the help of Infusionmedia, BDR Publishing, and ResetEra !
A writerâs worst enemy, and the bane of my manuscriptsâ existences. Eliminating all the âjustâs can cut down your word count by hundreds.
2. âThatâ as a conjunction
Itâs an unnecessary addition to a sentence, which will be more streamlined without it.
Example: âHe said that he wouldnât do it again.â
Revised: âHe said he wouldnât do it again.â
3. âNowâ as an adverb
âNowâ is essential if youâre talking about the past and present, but when youâre using it to draw attention to a particular statement or point.
Example: âNow, I didnât think itâd get so out of hand.â
Revised: âI didnât think itâd get so out of hand.â
These adverbs serve no purpose because the verbs theyâre describing already imply the way the action is performed.
These words are redundant, especially when using first person, because in describing an event, we can already assume that the characters are experiencing it.
6. âClarifyingâ words used to portray definiteness or indefiniteness
Although these are meant to help out the readers get their bearings on a situation, all they do is come across as wishy-washy! Be concise and sure of yourself!
1.âLet out (vocal noise)â
Example: âHe let out a sigh.â
Revised: âHe sighed.â
Passive voice inflates your word count by including various âto beâ verbs into the prose. Passive voice involves actions happening to a subject rather than the subject performing an action, and as a result isnât as riveting to the reader as active voice; even if it wasnât a matter of word count, youâd still want to get rid of it anyway!
Still donât know what Iâm talking about? Check out this article from Grammarly.
Example: âThe boy was bitten by the dog on his arm.â
Revised: âThe dog bit the boy on his arm.â
3. Describing the wrong noun
Many writers will be as specific as possible about what âthingâ is affected by the event theyâre describing, when itâs much simpler to take a step back and write about something more general.
Example: âThe level of water rose.â
Revised: âThe water rose.â
Phrasal verbs are the combination of two or three words from different grammatical categoriesâa verb and an adverb or a prepositionâto form a single action. Usually, these phrasal verbs can be replaced by a single-word verb.
âAsk forâ can be replaced with ârequestâ
âBring downâ can be replaced with âreduceâ
âCome acrossâ can be replaced with âfindâ
Same reason as clarifying words. Get to the point!
6. Remember your contractions!
Even if your story takes place in olden times, I can guarantee that if you never use any contractions ever, your storyâs gonna be a clunky mess. But sometimes youâre in the moment, consumed by the poetic power of the muses, and forget that this isnât a soap opera; so make sure you check that youâve been using your contractions!
It is, it was, it would, she is, would not, should not, is not, does not etc.
These phrases can be replaced with more concise words.
Along the lines of (shorten to: like)
As a matter of fact (in fact)
At the present (now or currently)
At this point in time (now or currently)
Be able to/would(nât) be able to (could or couldnât)
Because of the fact that (because)
Due to the fact that (because)
Even though (though or although)
For the reason that (because)
Have the ability to (could)
In light of the fact that (because)
In regards to (on or about)
In spite of the fact that (though or although)
In the neighborhood of (about)
On the occasion of (when)
On one/two separate occasions (Once/twice)
There is no doubt that (No doubt)
Wasn(nât) capable of (could or couldnât)
Hope this helped, and happy writing!
