We often see comments about word counts on here - but I think that making the words we use count is far more important...
Does anyone have any practical suggestions for ways that we can improve our writing and make the words that we put together more useful/effective?
thanks
:-)
A few tips:
(i) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
(ii) Never use a long word where a short one will do.
(iii) If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
(iv) Never use the passive where you can use the active.( Use short sentences for pace, and write in the Active Voice)
(v) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
I use a thesaurus A LOT, even though Steven King suggests one shouldn't. Basically because my vocabulary seems to have shrunk drastically over the last twenty years or so for some strange reason.
Getting older's a b*gger ;)
I'm fairly sure I've been told by someone every word should be a step towards the point your book is trying to make. I fully intend to take that advice... with my next project. Unfortunately that was never the aim with my series. I don't suppose it would be a series if it ever was.