Tags
editing tips, Strong Verbs, Strong vs Weak Words, Strong Words, Weak Verbs, Weak Words, writers, writing, Writing Advice, writing tips
You all were thinking, “Phew, Robin stopped harping about Strong vs Weak Words. At last we can read something more interesting than eliminating the word ‘it.’ Thank GAWD Robin wised up and moved on to tell us about her daughter’s Army Basic Training experience.”
Not so!
I have more of Amanda’s letters to share with you but I thought I should mix things up a bit.
I discovered two new weak words. Drum roll please . . .
~ “Put” ~
~ and, “Put’s” cousin “Place” ~
Here we go . . .
I put my fingers in my ears to drown out Robin’s yammering.
Have you tried earplugs? Better yet, try noise-canceling headphones.
Even with my fingers shoved in my ears, I could hear Robin’s incessant screeching.
~~~~~
I put Robin’s manuscript in the garbage.
Whoa . . . that’s harsh. She meant well.
I read Robin’s manuscript and then shredded it to destroy the evidence.
~~~~~
Robin’s electrifying speech put me on the edge of my seat.
First she screeches, and then she’s electric?
Robin’s monotone delivery lulled me to sleep.
~~~~~
I put my purse on the chair next to Robin’s to save my place.
You know she has cooties, right?
I flung my purse at Robin to keep her from sitting next to me.
~~~~~
I placed Robin’s book on my nightstand and her words entered my brain in my sleep by osmosis.
When you say osmosis, do you mean nightmares?
Because Robin’s words haunted my dreams, I pitched her book out my bedroom window. It landed in my pigsty.
~~~~~
Robin placed a heartfelt thank you note in my mailbox.
She writes the BEST notes!
Robin kidnapped my pig and hurled a ransom note tied to a rock through my bedroom window.
Can you believe we are on Part 30?
Thanks, Robin. Your blog is a little goldmine – I’ll be back after I’ve hunted out a few weak words. I’m off after ‘puts’.
Hello Harry. Welcome! Any idea how you found this humble blog? I’m always curious about that.
Maybe you know this already, but my Strong vs Weak Word series is under a link on my left sidebar. Have fun with those “puts”!
Hello, Robin. I wandered here via (I think) http://thelaughinghousewife.wordpress.com/
but it might be from a link on Linda’s page – I forget.
I’m making a list of your ‘weak words’ and ransacking my wip for offenders – there are many. The ‘ings’ are a problem – but I see them splattered across the pages of Pan Macmillan and the like.
I’ll now visit your sidebar.
Thanks – makes a bow to you.
I love Linda, er Tilly at The Laughing Housewife.
Keep me posted as you go through the series. I discovered these issues (or whatever you want to call them) as I was editing my WIP. I figured if they were an issue for me, they might be an issue for others. As such, a series was born.
Linda and I were on the same creative writing course with the Open University. She helped check my novel as the story progressed – she’s eagle-eyed on punctuation.
Your writing tips are bright and talented.
Well, thank you Harry. Any friend of Linda’s is a friend of mine!
You asked for a drumroll……..
Why thank you for the drumroll! That was perfect.
I see you camped out at my blog yesterday. Bravo! I love it when you do.
Pretty soon there wont be any words we can use… LOL, just kidding. As I was reading I was thinking, “why can’t I come up with better ways to sy Hesse things when I’m writing them???
I see you are playing catch up with my blog. LOVE IT!
I will leave a few words for you to use . . . like coconut, pathetic, and onomatopoeia. Let’s see them in a sentence.
P.S. Our daughter Paige named her gold fish onomatopoeia because she likes saying the word.
Oh dear, I’m going to have to think on those. The catch is onomonopea, is that the same as onomatopoeia? What a name for a fish, poor thing! Yes I am playing catch up. Don’t know why I can’t stay caught up on anyones. I want the kids to go back to school because I get nothing done when they are home. I want to just hang with them, and do nothing….
Pig-Napper!
Evil, aren’t I? Want him back? Pay up.
I commented but it must have been put aside. But anyway, thanks for putting me in my place with this fabulous post, Robin. Two more words I need to search for in my manuscript.
Well thanks for putting me in my place. 🙂 Another great post, Robin, and two more words I need to search for,
oh wait! there it is. 🙂
Mr. WordPress likes to play with our heads, doesn’t he?
Glad you liked the post! Now get back in your “place.”
Wow, 30 already. This has been a great series, Robin.
Another two words to go into my notebook. They are all words we use, but when you’re editing and hit one of them there are more imaginative choices to use. Which is one of the reasons we edit. To improve the previous draft.
I was going to ask for my pig back, but that’s already been done 🙂
Thanks Pete . . . 30 posts and counting. I have a few more weak words up my sleeve. I am gratified by how the series has been received.
You can have your pig back. He is too stinky for me to keep in the house.
Hahaha, thanks. I think 🙂
Okay – now I have to go through my latest novel and do a word search for ‘put’ and ‘place’! Robin – why do you put me in this position? 😀
Sorry dear. Someone had you “put” you in your “place.” 🙂
LOL!
I’m going to slightly defend those depending on where er, placed. If you are at a scene where the pacing needs to be faster, these can be ok, but for slower scenes they could be stronger when replaced.
Please don’t think I am saying that all weak words need to go. They have their place. It is fun to challenge our brains to think of better words when a better word is, well . . . better.
I don’t, I was just suggesting where I thought they would be ok.
Oh, put a lid on it, Robin!
Or better “put,” “Put a sock in it, Robin!”
I’ve never really thought of put and place as weak words before, but now I see why you do! They’re easy to replace, and the words you use instead will probably be much stronger. Good post!
As I say, the weak words sneak in unnoticed. I love the challenge of finding strong words to replace them!
Great reminder — and a few nice giggles, too! 😎
I like it when I make you laugh, Judith!
Yes I can … believe we are on part 30 …
Part 30? Oh the torture, oh the pain!
Good ones, Robin. I’ll have to scout my ms for these, as I’m sure I have quite a few. Thanks for keeping us on track!
“Put” and “place” are not chronic offenders, but it is fun to come up with replacements when the words pop up.
I hope you never find time to read my book…
HA! Too late. I am on chapter 6 or so, Margaret.
Well, you’ll be happy to know my publisher has agreed to fix all the typos… as for the weak words, I guess they’ll always be a part of my story.
I am so glad I read your latest post first. That way when I went back and got caught up on your amazingly cool sounding daughter’s adventures, I was not laughing so much so I could come back and respond in a professional sounding manner. Those are some very interesting and enlightening comments about your new “strong vs weak” words. There. Oh, alright still laughing. 🙂
I love that I made you laugh. I crack myself up. Dumb humor, that’s my name!
Amanda is a cool chick and the response to her adventure is even cooler. I could NEVER do what she is doing. EVER. NEVER.
I understand and hear your words robin but take some deserved credit, she’s you and your husband’s daughter, genetics never fall far from the tree, have I mixed a metaphor here oh wise one!
I am happy sitting in my cozy home. Amanda and her dad are always looking for the next physical challenge or mountain to climb. I gave her the brains, he gave her the drive. Oh gosh, I hope he doesn’t read that!
P.S. I love me a good mixed metaphor. They are underrated.
ok, I can go with that flow. 🙂
Oh, boy, I have quite a few of these. But since I already submitted my line edits, I guess they’re there to stay. One more thing for my readers to pretend they didn’t see. 🙂
Put and Place are invisible, until you know about the way they haunt the halls!
How exciting . . . You submitted your line-edits. Now what?
Have I told you how jealous I am?
Now I just wait for the whole thing to be put together, I guess. This is all new for me, so I’m learning as I go. My release date is supposed to be Sept. 1 or 15, so hopefully all will stay on schedule. I plan to write a post about my experience in the next week or so.
And no need to be jealous. You haven’t read it yet…
This isn’t my biggest word sin either but it’s good to keep in mind. I would ordinarily say “I’ll put it away for future reference” but instead I’ll say “I shall file it away in my What-Robin-Says archives.”
Just as long as you don’t say, “Shove it where the sun don’t shine, Robin.” instead of “Put your pen away darling.”
In my current editing venture, these two aren’t terrible, but I will give each another look. The problem is finding the place in my notebook to put these words. 😉 As always, thank you for the help!
Yea . . . put and place isn’t a baddie, but they are fun ones to replace! Hurl, fling, smash, slap . . . makes “put” sound boring, doesn’t it?
Definitely. I just found a “put his hand over my mouth.” How much better would be – clapped a hand over, or clamped a hand over, or even “slapped.” I’m on it now, Robin!
Bravo! “Smashed his hand over my mid-scream” (or whatever) is livelier than the flat “put.”
Hmm, 40. Some work in dialogue, but I see others that should go….. Added to the to-do list! 🙂
In archeology, you probably don’t do a lot of “flinging” or “hurling,” right?
It’s now how we should do things 😉 Indiana Jones would never make it in the real world.
Love it. You and Indy need to talk. Snag his hat. You would look good in it.
I should dig out one of my old field hats and take a new gravatar photo…. But I need some sporty sunglasses for the best look. 😉
And a whip. Tee hee.
Where do I place the comment? Okay, I’ll put it here.
Ha Ha Ha . . . Smarty pants.
I need my pig back
Not until you cave to my ransom demands.
(You made me laugh!)
two pennies and a paperback novel?
Deal!
now what am I going to do with a pig? (lol)
Oh, boy. I don’t think I have a problem with this one. Only time will tell when I go through your entire strong words list and my completed manuscript one fine day in the future.
“Put” wasn’t rampent in my WIP . . . but because it is a weak verb, it was fun to find dynamic replacements!