I’ve always been the bookish sort, hanging out with imaginary characters in the library while my peers went out to recess, reading about adventures instead of going on them, and scanning the dictionary for sophisticated zingers to wield in future (and unlikely) debates. It wasn’t that I didn’t have many friends—though that is also true—but I believed I had a firm grasp of language arts from a young age. However, it wasn’t until I set out to write a novel that I discovered I’d been making some rookie mistakes. Through my study of the craft, suggestions from editors, and earning an MA in English and creative writing, I’ve compiled a list of tips you might find helpful. While no one wants their artistic endeavors stifled by dos and don’ts, incorporating these suggestions to align with your style will make your writing more effective, engaging, and concise.
- Eliminate Adverbs
Stephen King once told me to cut out all my adverbs. Well, he didn’t tell me this personally, but I did listen to him narrate his audiobook On Writing, so it felt like he was speaking to me. This advice confused me at first. Why wouldn’t I want to use a million modifiers to clear up any ambiguity a lone verb might create in the reader’s mind? Well, because adverbs can be condescending and lazy. Strong verbs provide narrative context to allow the reader to grasp your meaning without relying on a plethora of -ly words. Readers are intuitive; go ahead and trust them. Use adverbs as you would cayenne pepper—just enough to give your writing a kick. (I learned this the hard way in writing and cooking—sorry, family). - Choose Your Dialogue Tags Carefully
I loved assigning a clever tag to each dialogue line in my stories. One character would “exclaim,” the next would “shout,” and another “declare.” However, these expressive tags distract from the dialogue and narrative flow. Stick to simple tags like “said” or “asked,” but even these aren’t entirely invisible. Mix them with action beats, internal thoughts, sensory details, and body language. If dialogue can be understood without a tag, don’t use one. Don’t reiterate a character’s emotion with a redundant tag. Also, be wary of onomatopoeic words like “grunt,” “snort,” “groan,” or “guffaw”—these sounds are hard to make while speaking. - Avoid Clichés
The adage “All that glitters is not gold” is as true now as when Shakespeare coined the phrase, but overuse of expressions degrades their literary impact. In dialogue, common idioms can reflect a character’s voice, background, or personality, but avoid them in narrative and descriptive passages. Don’t say, “Listening to him talk was like watching paint dry.” There are countless other boring things in the world. Create something original to complete the metaphor and make your writing stand out. - Eliminate or Change Repetitive Words and Ideas
I try to avoid overusing my favorite words when writing. However, searching for a synonym in the middle of a writing session can slow down creative flow, and in my case, lead to deep dives into etymological rabbit holes and distractions like word games and quizzes on the dictionary app. Instead, wait until the revision process and use your word processor’s “find” feature to search for words you tend to repeat. Then delete them or think of alternatives. - Ground Your Characters and Set the Stage
Even if readers can reasonably assume the scene takes place in a particular city or country, let them know where the characters are at the start of the narrative. Don’t let your characters float in a void for the first few paragraphs. Provide enough description to ground readers, but be careful not to overdo it. Each aspect of the character’s environment should serve a purpose, like carefully chosen decorations in a room. Include enough key pieces and furniture to make the setting feel real, and avoid littering it with unnecessary details that distract from your purpose. - Be Specific
Words like “there,” “that,” “those,” “it,” “this,” “here,” and “which,” along with other vague pronouns, can slip into sentences when you’re not looking. While these pronouns might be convenient placeholders in a first draft, carefully examine them during editing. Pronouns are necessary and effective when their antecedents are clear, and they help avoid repetition of nouns. However, when their reference is unclear, they can confuse readers and weaken the impact of your writing. Specific language clarifies your meaning and helps readers form a complete mental image of the scene. - Avoid Heavy-Handed Dialect
Overwrought vernacular can cause readers to stumble over dialogue, pull them out of the story, and frustrate them. Avoid phonetically spelling words to make a character seem ignorant or foreign. Misspelling words to mimic pronunciation can make the text challenging to read and disrupt the narrative. Plus, it’s easy to get it wrong unless you’re very familiar with the region or social group you’re trying to represent. The goal is to enhance the narrative, not create barriers between your story and the audience. I once tried to write all my dialogue in Early Modern English because my book was set in the 17th century. Alas! My readers grew tired of slogging through all the “forsooths” and “prithees.” I left some archaisms in because what fun would it be to remove them all? As my linguistics teacher advised, “Remain true to your characters and their language, but don’t sacrifice clarity.” Use dialect sparingly to give a subtle flavor of a character’s education, background, and regional origin. - Limit Adjectives
Oh, how I love delightful, beautiful, intrepid adjectives. Why else would I spend my childhood reading the dictionary but to stuff my prose full of sharp-witted, erudite, and droll descriptive words? Are adjectives your darlings too? Kill them. They cling to a sentence like barnacles and drag down the narrative. Scrape off adjectives that don’t serve a purpose before they sink your story. Keep only those that sharpen the image or add essential information. - Get Rid of Filter Words
Perception verbs like “feel,” “hear,” “see,” “realize,” “watch,” “notice,” and “wonder” clutter up the story, create distance between the reader and the narrative, and dilute the story’s immediacy. For example, instead of “I saw the car drive by,” you could say, “The car drove by.” Immerse the reader in the action and setting by showing instead of telling. For example, instead of “She felt nervous,” you might say, “She clasped her trembling hands in her lap.” Let the reader experience the story through the POV character, not filtered through an extra layer of interpretation. - Use Active Voice Instead of Passive Voice
Look for words like “had,” “were,” “was,” “have been,” and other “to be” verb forms followed by the past participle of the main verb. For instance, instead of saying, “The food was eaten by me,” opt for the more direct, active version: “I ate the food.” Replace weak “to be” verb forms with stronger verbs. Using the active voice whenever possible will make your sentences more engaging and precise.
Apply or Disregard These Suggestions as You See Fit!
Don’t be afraid to write for fear of “breaking” a rule. The key lesson I’ve learned is to put your ideas down on paper, then go back later and make your writing glisten.
Happy writing and revising!
Kami Pehrson
Kami Pehrson lives with her husband and five teenage children in Stansbury Park, Utah. She recently finished her master’s degree in English and creative writing and has written three novels—but is still trying to figure out what to do with them. She loves editing, reading, and playing word games on her phone. She also enjoys listening to audiobooks while half-heartedly doing Pilates in the living room.