The Four Letter Word I Must Avoid in My Writing

I hope I didn’t shock you with the title. Then again, maybe a little shock treatment is in order.

Since I started writing this blog, I have spent considerable time each week studying and learning my craft. It’s a process.

Writing is a Learning Process 

I read blogs about writing. I take notes from my critique group. I listen carefully to my editor. During the course of the year, I have encountered at least six blogs and had at least three discussions with my fellow writers about words and phrases authors use that weaken their writing. I have researched the topic and read several good articles on strengthening my writing.

I never professed to be a quick learner.

A week or so ago, my editor made a note along the side of my manuscript. It read, in effect, never use the word “just.” Avoid it.

Just?

I knew that.

I knew it, I just didn’t put it into practice.

Just is a four letter word (literally) that serves only to weaken your writing. I took the lesson to heart and applied those words of wisdom not only to my first novel, but also to my current Work In Progress (WIP): Livvie’s Cuppa Joe.

I typed the word “just” into the window allowing me to “Search in Document.” Want to take a guess at how many times I employed the offensive word? Ninety-six times. That means there are ninety-six sentences in my story where my writing is not as strong as I like it.

A few I’ll keep. I’ll keep the word if it is absolutely necessary to carry the meaning of the sentence. I may keep one or two in dialogue.  I’ll delete most of them and some of them I’ll change, finding a new word that enhances the meaning of the text and drives the story forward. 

Would you like to sit in on the edits?

Here are a few examples. in each I show the original (old) and my revised version (new):

#1 For this passage, I deleted the word. The meaning remains intact. The writing is stronger for it.

 “No dinner. No food. They just sold plain old coffee, but had a great business doing it. My dad says I should just keep things status quo for a while,”Sonja told her friend. (old)

 “No dinner. No food. They sold plain old coffee, but had a great business doing it. My dad says I should keep things status quo for a while,” Sonja told her friend. (new)

#2 In this example, I deleted the word, but also split the sentence.

At the Pavilion, some of her aunt friends were playing cards and others were just sitting around tables talking. (old)

At the Pavilion, some of her aunt’s friends were playing cards. Others were sitting around the tables talking. (new)

# 3 Try these next three on your own. What would you do? Do you need the word “just” to make the sentence work?

Sonja wasn’t sure about the fourth building. It appeared to be just a house. There was no sign out front, only a white picket fence.

Cassie arrived on the doorstep of the coffee shop promptly at four o’clock just as Joan had predicted.

“So what did Joe do for baked goods last summer?” Sonja began wrapping the tea sets in newspaper and carefully placing it in a box that had just this morning contained Sonja’s collection of sweaters.

“Just” seems to be a word I hold dear. I’m learning to let go.

Below, I’ve listed a couple of sites you may find helpful in identifying words and phrases that weaken your own writing. The first offers replacements.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plague.htm

Jeff Goins+ examines five words that should be avoided in your writing.

http://goinswriter.com/weak-words/

Hold your current WIP up to the magnifying glass and see what words and phrases keep cropping up for you.

Then scroll down to the comment section and share those problem words you use and abuse. It should be fun to see the list we create.