Filler (word)s - cut them (out)! by (author) Tom Afford

It can be hard being ruthless when editing your own writing. You grow attached to the phrasing, those long winding paragraphs. You like how the words ebb and flow. But do you really need all of them?! Could you say the same thing, more concisely. The answer is: yes! How? By deleting fillers! (Boo!) Read on for how.

Intro

It's easy to lose track when writing quickly. You sit down and words spill out. You know roughly what you want to say, but not precisely. Best give it a whirl, see what comes out.?

Hey presto. Several thousand words later, you're done! That was easy!

But if you go back, and if you're honest, you'll see the writing could be greatly improved. You could rework what you've written into something more focused - pared down. Deleting words that don't add anything, that can be omitted without changing the meaning.

You might spot that you've said the same thing several times. Several times you'll have said the same thing (that's a joke). Delete one. You've used the same word in several sentences. Like several. Change it! All those 'reallys' and 'verys' don't add anything. Avoid them! They detract from the meaning!

These are 'fillers'. Filler words. Filler phrases. Perhaps they could go?! Yes, they should! Get rid and your writing transforms. It's more concise, more powerful and persuasive. And the more that you do it, the better your writing will get.

What are fillers?

'Fillers' are words or sentences that don't add anything. Things you can miss out without harming your writing. It will focus your style.?

Words such as: sometimes, really, about, again, all, any, much, maybe, quite, very, right, simply, sure, too, well, try, mostly, often, perhaps, kind of, etc. etc. Wishy washy words.?

Or mundane phrases. Like "Time and time again". "Over and over". And "More to the point" etc.?

For quite often?they muddy things, and?maybe?dilute them. Scratch that. They muddy things and dilute them. (Boom.)?

When do they arise?

Fillers appear all the time, for varying reasons.?

They're added intentionally by authors to try and stress a point, but can have the opposite effect.?

Consider the word 'very'. The house wasn't big, it was very big. The news wasn't worrying, it was very worrying. If it's very, it must be more, right?! Wrong!?

'Very' doesn't add anything concrete. It doesn't enhance things. It's a none word which can undermine making something more pertinent or poignant.?

Fillers are added to mitigate things. Consider the word 'quite'. It's used to soften the blow. He wasn't angry, he was 'quite angry'. He wasn't hurt badly, she was 'hurt quite badly'. But 'quite' doesn't paint a clear picture in the reader's mind. It just muddies things.

Fillers are added rhetorically, to add incredulity. She was 'always late'. He was 'always taking drugs'. As in, what are they like?! But using 'always' too much lessens credibility and impact.

Fillers can be a part of your style. Used to pad things out. They often appear in dialogue. But consider if they're helping or detracting.?

Fillers can arise from lazy writing, done in a rush. The author slots them in because they sound ok, and seem to help things flow. But if you're ruthless and exacting, you'll see that they don't.

Why are they dangerous

Fillers are dangerous because they dilute meaning and impact, and are easy to slip in. Easy to miss when you edit. They're like a virus sucking the life out of your work.

They make you less precise. Less persuasive. Less impactful.

Why delete them?

Doing so will improve all of the above. Your writing becomes powerful, persuasive, and impactful. It's a key editing skill.

How to get rid

It can be hard to know what to look for, but with training, you'll spot fillers in no time.?

One way is to search individually for repeat offenders. In word processors, like Word, use the search function (Ctrl+F) for a word or a phrase. It will crop up repeatedly. You can then consider each occasion and delete as appropriate.

With time you won't need to do this. You'll spot them instantly and avoid them.

Always a no-no?

Are fillers always a no-no?

Actually, no. You can delete too much.?Some?fillers might be necessary! It depends on the context. Sometimes they help. With dialogue and style. They might assist for a character who's slovenly, unfocussed, or colloquial in the way that they talk. But more often, they're unnecessary and obsolete.

Take a view in the context. Deleting too many fillers, can hurt your style. The writing can become robotic, confusing, losing flow and meaning. It can become stilted and contrived.?

There's a balance to be struck. Some fillers might be necessary, but keep them to a minimum.

Examples?

Consider the following example:

• Mary was always late for work, each and every day. Probably and mostly it was down to her drinking, which she did all the time. Perhaps, sometimes, because she was really, really hung-over. Mostly, yeah. So she was always very sorry, time and time again, but no damned use. Well, it changed nothing really at all.

These words can be deleted, without changing the meaning:

• Mary was (always) late for work, (each and) every day. (Probably and mostly it was down) to her drinking, (which she did all the time). (Perhaps, sometimes, because) she was (really), (really) hung-over. (Mostly, yeah). (So) she was (always very) sorry, (time and time again), but no (damned) use. Well, it changed nothing (really at all).

And here's the short version, honed down:

• Mary was late for work, every day. Due to her drinking. She was hung over. She was sorry, but no use. It changed nothing.

There's still some merit in the first version, if a stoned teenager is talking. But the last version is way more precise. More powerful. More persuasive. And a word count of 24 instead of 56. (Boom).

Conclusion

Cutting fillers is crucial to effective writing. (Arguably) it's (one of) the most important skill(s) (to develop). So get cutting: un-fill!