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How to Kill a Word (2018)
The document discusses the importance of editing writing by removing unnecessary words. It provides quotes from famous authors emphasizing that good writing is concise. Mark Twain's quote "If you catch an adjective, kill it" is used throughout as advice. Examples are given of editing paragraphs down to their essential elements by deleting extra words. The document encourages interrogating each word to see if it is needed or can be cut to tighten the writing.
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How to Kill a Word (2018)
- 1. by Patrick E.McLean How to KillA Word patrickemclean.com
- 2. How to KillA Word byPatrick E. McLean patrickemclean.com
- 3. How to KillA Word byPatrick E. McLean patrickemclean.com
- 4. Ernest Hemingway, editingin Cuba circa 1940.
- 5. The first draft ofanything is shit. “ ” Ernest Hemingway
- 6. Mark Twain If youcatch an adjective, kill it.” “
- 7. Mark Twain If youcatch an adjective, kill it.” “ Revising down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.” “ Stephen King
- 8. Why do allthese writers hate words so much?
- 9. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” The business of writing, rightly understood, is largely a matter of killing words.
- 10. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” The business of writing, rightly understood, is largely a matter of killing words.
- 11. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” The business of writing, rightly understood, is largely a matter of killing words.
- 12. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” It’s a sad fact of modern existence that nobody has enough attention. In fact, some thought leaders are referring to this as the age of distraction.
- 13. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” It’s a sad fact of modern existence that nobody has enough attention. In fact, some thought leaders are referring to this as the age of distraction.
- 14. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” It’s a sad fact of modern existence that nobody has enough attention. In fact, some thought leaders are referring to this as the age of distraction.
- 15. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” Each additional word you use demands more of a reader’s attention. While transitions and style tricks are often nice, they involve a ruthless and unforgiving trade-off. Beyond a point, additional words make it harder to get to your point. Assuming you have one to begin with.
- 16. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” Each additional word you use demands more of a reader’s attention. While transitions and style tricks are often nice, they involve a ruthless and unforgiving trade-off. Beyond a point, additional words make it harder to get to your point. Assuming you have one to begin with.
- 17. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” Each additional word you use demands more of a reader’s attention. While transitions and style tricks are often nice, they involve a ruthless and unforgiving trade-off. Beyond a point, additional words make it harder to get to your point. Assuming you have one to begin with.
- 18. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” Each additional word you use demands more of a reader’s attention. While transitions and style tricks are often nice, they involve a ruthless and unforgiving trade-off. Beyond a point, additional get to your point. Assuming you have one to begin with.
- 19. I ask themto take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide or press an ear against its hive. I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out, or walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch. I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore. But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means. Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins
- 20. If you arewriting anything other than poetry...
- 21. I ask themto take a poem and hold it up to the light like a color slide or press an ear against its hive. I say drop a mouse into a poem and watch him probe his way out, or walk inside the poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch. I want them to waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore. But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means. Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins
- 22. I want themto waterski across the surface of a poem waving at the author's name on the shore. But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope and torture a confession out of it. They begin beating it with a hose to find out what it really means.
- 23. When you edit,you want to interrogate each word.
- 24. When you edit,you want to interrogate each word.
- 25. When you edit,you want to interrogate each word.
- 26. If you findone that is unclear, mumbles, or otherwise doesn’t have its story straight...
- 27. If you findone that is unclear, mumbles, or otherwise doesn’t have its story straight...
- 28. If you findone that is unclear,
- 29. Delete it withextreme prejudice.
- 30. Delete it withextreme prejudice.
- 31. Delete it withoutfurther ado.
- 32. Delete it withoutfurther ado.
- 33.
- 34.
- 35. However, some chairsare more comfortable than others. In fact, some chairs are downright uncomfortable. Some have itchy fabrics, uncomfortable seat bottoms, and awkward side arms. They can be excessively big or obnoxiously small.
- 36. However, some chairsare more comfortable than others. In fact, some chairs are downright uncomfortable. Some have itchy fabrics, uncomfortable seat bottoms, and awkward side arms. They can be excessively big or obnoxiously small.
- 37. However, some chairsare more comfortable than others. In fact, some chairs are downright uncomfortable. Some have itchy fabrics, uncomfortable seat bottoms, and awkward side arms. They can be excessively big or obnoxiously small.
- 38. Some chairs aredownright uncomfortable. They can have itchy fabric, uncomfortable seat bottoms or awkward side arms. They can be too big or too small.
- 39. That’s still notgreat prose. But it’s stronger, faster, better.
- 40. That’s still notgreat prose. But it’s stronger, faster, better.
- 41. That’s still notgreat prose. But it’s stronger, faster, better.
- 42. There is muchconversation in dog circles about why the American Pit Bull Terrier is only recognized by the United Kennel Club and not the AKC and why some dogs are dual registered in both kennel clubs.
- 43. There is muchconversation in dog circles about why the American Pit Bull Terrier is only recognized by the United Kennel Club and not the AKC and why some dogs are dual registered in both kennel clubs.
- 44. There is muchconversation in dog circles about why the American Pit Bull Terrier is only recognized by the United Kennel Club and not the AKC and why some dogs are dual registered in both kennel clubs.
- 45. Why is theAmerican Pit Bull Terrier recognized by the United Kennel Club but not the American Kennel Club?
- 46. Any other questions ornuances of breed classification go in additional sentences. This question seems to be a better way to begin the paragraph.
- 47. Any other questions ornuances of breed classification go in additional sentences. This question seems to be a better way to begin the paragraph.
- 48. Any other questions ornuances of breed classification go in additional sentences. This question seems to be a better way to begin the paragraph.
- 49. Any other questions ornuances of breed classification go in additional sentences. This question is seems to be a better way to begin the paragraph.
- 50. When looking atyour model week and your sales process, you have to ask yourself how that activity is going to contribute to bringing you closer to your goals. A good sales manager would keep you from rationalizing. They would keep you honest and prevent you from putting more emphasis on activities that you like over activities that actually generate the right outcomes.
- 51. When looking atyour model week and your sales process, you have to ask yourself how that activity is going to contribute to bringing you closer to your goals. A good sales manager would keep you from rationalizing. They would keep you honest and prevent you from putting more emphasis on activities that you like over activities that actually generate the right outcomes.
- 52. When looking atyour model week and your sales process, you have to ask yourself how that activity is going to contribute to bringing you closer to your goals. A good sales manager would keep you from rationalizing. They would keep you honest and prevent you from putting more emphasis on activities that you like over activities that actually generate the right outcomes.
- 53. Still too damnlong.
- 54. Still too damnlong.
- 55. Still too damnlong.
- 56. Still too damnlong.
- 57. Still too damnlong. Still too (I’ll keep working.) long.
- 58. When looking atyour model week and your sales process, you have to ask yourself how that activity is going to contribute to bringing you closer to your goals. A good sales manager would keep you from rationalizing. They would keep you honest and prevent you from putting more emphasis on activities that you like over activities that actually generate the right outcomes.
- 59. When looking atyour model week and your sales process, you have to ask yourself how each activity will contribute to move you closer to your goals. A good sales manager would keep you from rationalizing. They would keep you honest and prevent you from wasting time on activities that won’t get you where you need to go.
- 60. When looking atyour model week, ask how each activity will move you closer to your goals. A good sales manager would prevent you from wasting time on activities that won’t get you where you need to go.
- 61. And there’s still morethat could be done.
- 62. And there’s still morethat could be done.
- 63. And there’s still morethat could be done.
- 64. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.”It’s not always so complicated.
- 65. You can instantlyand dramatically improve your blog writing skills and immediately explode your profits and skyrocket your online success by following the spectacular, simple, and practical tips found in this groundbreaking new free blog post.
- 66. You can instantlyand dramatically improve your blog writing skills and immediately explode your profits and skyrocket your online success by following the spectacular, simple, and practical tips found in this groundbreaking new free blog post.
- 67. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.”
- 68. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.”Sometimes you get to kill all the words.
- 69. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” :-)
- 70. “If you catchan adjective, kill it.” How to Start the Slaughter 1. Read it out loud. 2. Cross out all the adjectives and adverbs. 3. Read it out loud again. 4. Rewrite so it makes sense.
- 71. I am moresuspicious of adjectives than at any other time in all my born days.” Carl Sandburg, aged 81 “
- 72. Vigorous writing isconcise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell. Omit Needless Words William Strunk and E.B. White
- 73. Vigorous writing isconcise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell. Omit Needless Words William Strunk and E.B. White
- 74. Vigorous writing isconcise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell. Omit Needless Words William Strunk and E.B. White
- 75. There’s no sentencethat’s too short in the eyes of God.” William Zinnser “
- 76. Be precise inuse of words, and expect precision of others. Watch for error, even in Holy Scripture” Pierre Abelard “
- 77. If you reallyliked this, you can find the free “How to Kill a Word” course at http:// www.patrickemclean.com/ how-to-kill-a-word/
- 78. If you reallyliked this, you can find the free “How to Kill a Word” course at http:// www.patrickemclean.com/ how-to-kill-a-word/
- 79. If you reallyliked this, you can find the free “How to Kill a Word” course at http:// www.patrickemclean.com/ how-to-kill-a-word/
- 80. If you reallyliked this, you can Free “How to Kill a Word” course: patrickemclean.com/how-to- kill-a-word/
- 81. This work madeavailable under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License