Filler words that clog up your copy
Keeping readers engaged requires diligent trimming. Here are words and phrases that savvy writers and editors should look for and remove.
Writers often put filler words in their writing without realizing it.
They add them either because it’s how they speak, or they are using a common phrase that they’ve seen others use. A lot of time, filler words are just the result of bad habits.
Writers tend to use more filler words when they are less confident about their subject or can’t express themselves well enough.
The No. 1 rule of communications is to make it easy for your reader to find your point. Filler undermines that purpose.
Take “that” out
In most cases “that” can be taken out to tighten up your sentences, and sentences always sound better without it. Luckily, in this age of technology, you can remove the pesky word easily by doing a find/replace within your word processing program.
Just say ‘no’ to modifiers and determiners
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