In a post on Killzone, James Scott Bell gets into the nitty gritty with words we should all excise from our writing. “I love getting into the weeds to discuss things like adverbs, POV violations, and whether you should use a comma in the phrase ‘Oh God,'” Bell says. He picks four weeds to pull:
- Then. Avoid “then” in faster paced scenes or when the tension is high. Use it when you want to emphasize actions or adjust the rhythm of your sentences.
- Suddenly. Most writers agree that “suddenly” is unnecessary in narrative. It’s better to show something happening suddenly than say it. You have more leeway with dialogue and first person.
- Very. Very is “flabby and indistinct,” Bell says. Again, there are exceptions for dialogue and first person, but you should use it sparingly and purposefully.
- Had. Often overused by writers in flashbacks or memories, “had” is necessary once. You don’t need to “had” your sentences to death.
