by Linda Thorne
Wordiness that clogs up your communications is often caused when you use filter words, something I confess comes naturally to me. I may be worse than others because someone has called me on it my entire life. Not just high school and college English or literature teachers, editors, and critique group members, but friends and family.
Let me give you some examples of common filter words. Notice our five basic senses are among them, below, in bold and underlined.
Assume, Believe, Can (or Able to), Feel, Decide, Hear, Know, Notice, Realize (or Note), See, Seem, Sense, Smell, Taste, Touch, Wonder
Filter words separate and distance the reader from the action. They add an extra layer that the reader must wade through while, in the process, being robbed of the story's urgency. Normally, the reader is forced to follow the story only through the character’s perspective.
This is something I work hard to minimize, but the minute I let my guard down--that moment I relax wanting to talk or write effortlessly--filter words flow from the communication. Somehow, this habit became ingrained into my being early in life. You may not fight it as much as I do, but most people will muddy a story or communication with filter words at least on occasion.
Compare the examples below with filter words and without.
• F: Joannie looked like she was going to pass out. When I heard her moan, I felt the need to hurry over to catch her.
• NF: Joannie’s face turned white and her legs wavered beneath her. When she moaned, I hurried over to catch her.
• F: I felt pure panic when I realized I had left my wallet on the store counter across the street. I decided to whip around to face the traffic. I heard car horns and vehicles whooshing past, but I knew I had to hurry back. When I saw the first break in the traffic, I ran.
• NF: Pure panic hit me. My wallet – I had left it on the store counter across the street. I whipped around to face the traffic. Car horns honked and vehicles whooshed past. With the first break in traffic, I ran.
Like any rules in writing, there will be times you’ll need to use these words. When they’re unnecessary or overused, the simple fact is they’ll slow your story down.
I enjoyed reading up on this topic, something I need to refresh myself on often, and then sharing it with all of you.
This was a nice break from these stressful times. Stay safe.
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9 comments:
Terrific reminder, Linda. Some studies have shown that women use similar filter words to soften a statement when speaking to male business associates--a mode of self-deprecation so they will not appear threatening (even though they know they're right). But for story-telling, it's best to keep the edge in your prose.
I loved Carol's comment, above. I can believe it!
There are so many things I have to edit out of my writing, and filter words are some of the big ones. They slow down the action and have the power to send the reader right out of the story. Great reminder!
Thank you Carol and Amy. I love this subject since I'm so bad at it. I constantly need to remind myself.
That was great. And yes, I make those mistakes all the time.
Great reminder. Finish the book first if you can, then make sure to edit out those distancing words!
More good advice. Thank you.
You have me racing to my computer. I knew the writing was weak in my last story, I just didn't realize there was a word for it 😂
Eugenia, I have to look specifically for these because I honestly don't see them without using a watchful eye. I didn't know there was a name for them either until I stumbled upon a article on the subject.
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