10 WEAK WORDS You Should CUT from Your Novel

I'm here 3 years later to tell you, JUST still rules. It does make things better, and I might even write a novel with Just as the title.

Just. Hahah im guilty

All good info, Abbie. THANKS

You missed "that". I used autocrit and discovered that "that" and "very" were my kryptonite. Thank you for this video.

I'm so guilty of "then." Thank you for this video, it helped me clean up my writing!

Getting rid of adverbs and gerunds makes sentences more powerful.

I was a heavy adverb user all around. I've been trying hard to ignore most of them these days. LOL The struggle is real.

I definitely use was/is and seem way to much lol

This explains how the sequel trilogy sucks because “somehow palpatine returned”

How about "literally", or "like"? My hate expression is "I thought to myself." Stupid. Who else are you going to think to?

very

Example of somehow being laz, ahem.
- "Somwhow, Palatine returned"

I'd add 'literally'.

I love your videos ❤ i’m in the process of learning how to write.
I’m curious when you use the words - basically, exactly and actually - so often in this video, are they necessary words to use as often in a book as well?

I haven’t used suddenly, very, really or definitely since I was in grade five 😂

“Somehow palpatine is still alive” we all know this terrible line don’t use somehow

I tend to use a lot of 'and' in my novels haha

Thank you so much for making this video 🙏 I use suddenly way too much and now I know how to get past it 🤩

Excellent video, as always.
If you do another, please discuss the use and misuse words like amazing, "nuttuh!", and ofcourse, like, literally.

I use started a lot. In the editing process, I kick myself every time I see it!

Im binge watching Abbie Emma's because I'm writing a book and I want it to be good. I'll get through the first draft and then use these tips to make the second draft stronger!

I may be not a confirmed writer, used to write small fictions/fan-fictions and only reached draft but I am interested in Minimalist style à la Hemingway. The dominance of actions and dialogue helps writing a stronger and more focused story. Sure, the style reminds of comic books/cinema and allows the reader to give an opinion on the plot and reading between line. However, this style shouldn't be abused. I believe style is how you express the plot. One will take a funny approach, the other a serious one.
The minimalist style matches the list in the video: use adverb sparely, use active, strong sentence, be precise but not too much. Plot is the essence of the story.

Then you show the Hemingway editor.

Fair enough for the words on this list, if they're cropping up in every paragraph, but any word can start to jar if it's over-used. I read a series of books by one popular author and grew steadily more irritated by her repeated use of the word 'tiredly' to describe her hero's actions - he got out of bed tiredly, he walked down the street tiredly, he did his heroics tiredly... Did we need to be reminded in every sentence that he was sleep deprived? And what's wrong with 'wearily', just to mix it up? When I found myself counting the number of times 'tiredly' was used, rather than reading the story, I knew it was time to read something else!

"Somehow... Palpatine returned." Lol

"Somehow, Palpatine returned.", came to mind very quickly.

Hehe. Woops.

Turns out I use a lot of weak words. Especially "then," "is/was," "started," "somewhat/slightly," and "seem"

Saving this video for when I finish the first draft of my current story and begin the proofreading stage.

Literally should be on the list and so should like
In fact like should have been part of seem since they are the same
I think there is a problem with taking out is/was a lot because there aren’t enough words that can substitute it
Is/was are words that we use in our everyday life
People would sound weird if they took it out

I applaud myself for speaking like a syllabus :c

Came here to see if “just “ made it. I’m ( just) “starting “ to attempt a daily habit of writing. Just is everywhere 🙄. How long for my brain to stop adding?😂

Thank you for these vids!

Called out but very much needed! 😅😅 Thank you so much you are a blessing 😂❤

I'm definitely (😉) guilty of overusing most of these words. But 'just' is my #1. It's my precious little baby that I just can't let go of. So much so that I even think in Abbie's "bad" example the sentences sounded a lot better with the 'just'. That's just my opinion though :D

I'd add "that" to this list. Most often it is unnecessary.

Is/Was, definitely my weakness haha

you forgot "literally" and "like"

I'm a seemer, I use seem all the fucking time

Somehow, Palpatine returned!

truly the best writing video

Thanks, I may even have used such words on occasion. I got a better feel for nuance from this also.

I'm incredibly guilty of 'just'

I've had stories rolling around my brain for years I'm just beginning to write them down. I'm fairly new to writing thank you for your writing advice.

I love these videos. They are so helpful.

I suddenly started to realise that i was using a lot of these words while watching this video. I just definitely use then too much. It really seems like somehow i need to cut that out slightly

Somehow, Palpatine returned

"That's it, Somehow!"

Abbie brilliant video "very" needed ha ha

I'm honestly not trolling at all... but I think that THIS IS SOME OF THE WORST WRITING ADVICE EVER. While her other videos are somewhat mediocre but still decent, this particular video, teaches writers a bunch of useless crap. I'll iterate, I'm not trolling at all, not a bit. I'm being honest.

Word #11 - “literally”. A word that you use at least 4 times in this video, that has been so overused that it doesn’t mean anything anymore.

I type 'd' and 'e' and my phone 'definitely' knows what word is coming. Oops.

Sometimes 'just' can add a touch of abrupt or dismissive comedy. It can be tricky to explain though, actually just trust me. It works.

Can you please please please make a video on trigger warnings 🥺 please?