tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post9209792558212702608..comments2023-10-25T08:47:36.436-07:00Comments on L: Eradicating Thats, or, Pet Words & Why We Love ThemLiv Rancourthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13171029958375171223noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-70239797249663252582015-01-07T06:41:30.291-08:002015-01-07T06:41:30.291-08:00There's the Hemingway App, Ellen. (http://www....There's the Hemingway App, Ellen. (http://www.hemingwayapp.com) You can copy chunks of your work into it, and it'll identify adverbs, passive voice, complicated sentence structure &/or words or phrases that could be simpler. Beyond that, I just keep a running list of words I know I like and periodically check how often they appear in the manuscript.Liv Rancourthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171029958375171223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-38040506600032899972015-01-07T06:38:23.563-08:002015-01-07T06:38:23.563-08:00It's a fine line, Susan, because some thats ar...It's a fine line, Susan, because some thats are necessary. I got the count in my current WIP down to 91, and I think that's where it'll stay. The ones that need to go are the ones that add to the wordiness. I almost always try to get my ideas across in the most direct way possible.<br />;)Liv Rancourthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171029958375171223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-90845797419481044492015-01-07T06:31:54.635-08:002015-01-07T06:31:54.635-08:00Thanks Olivia!Thanks Olivia!Liv Rancourthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171029958375171223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-78751725957522673392015-01-07T04:31:17.754-08:002015-01-07T04:31:17.754-08:00'That' is something I try to cut as I go.....'That' is something I try to cut as I go... I keep writing it and cutting it out again.<br /><br />Is there some cool piece of software that will analyse your work for pet words? I know you can throw it in a wordle to get an idea, but I'm wondering whether there's something more scientific.Ellen Gregoryhttp://ellenvgregory.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-62668269333921485212015-01-07T03:11:28.550-08:002015-01-07T03:11:28.550-08:00You should see my list of overused words! But I wa...You should see my list of overused words! But I wanted to comment on THAT because sometimes, you do need it for clarity. I've had a number of clients who have removed it across the board and sometimes, I'll sit and stare cross-eyed at their sentences until I figure out that yep, they've gone on a THAT binge and taken out the needed ones. And don't overwrite in your quest to remove THAT and WAS; being too self-consciously fancy is a sign of inexperience. Susan at West of Marshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00960492289928788491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-2417142478182622282015-01-06T15:47:26.848-08:002015-01-06T15:47:26.848-08:00Great post, Liv, thank you!Great post, Liv, thank you!Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O.J. Barréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01107021392937169669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-62271451482186100112015-01-06T13:51:03.486-08:002015-01-06T13:51:03.486-08:00Ah yes, turn & look. Two very good words.
Or N...Ah yes, turn & look. Two very good words.<br />Or NOT!<br />;)Liv Rancourthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171029958375171223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-16359784456672885492015-01-06T13:17:25.094-08:002015-01-06T13:17:25.094-08:00When I first started writing I took advice from an...When I first started writing I took advice from an agent's Q&A telling writers to remove all the unnecessary 'thats.' I had a whole lot of them in there. Was my next favorite, until my editor beat it out of me. Now it's all about look and turn.Nana Prahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12854685637338591856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-87873921871069779992015-01-06T12:42:13.622-08:002015-01-06T12:42:13.622-08:00Oh shit. Now I'm going to be paranoid about se...Oh shit. Now I'm going to be paranoid about sentence length. There's always something...<br />;)Liv Rancourthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171029958375171223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9152710377778718003.post-46307001060401660872015-01-06T12:39:51.366-08:002015-01-06T12:39:51.366-08:00I LOVE that your one sentence was 49 words. It'...I LOVE that your one sentence was 49 words. It's a great sentence - either one- the edited or beginning one- My crit partners are always chopping my long sentences. I like them, myself. Jillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08153037458860004412noreply@blogger.com