image from Wikipedia
Editing. Is it painful? Yes. Is it necessary? Yes. I’ve been an editor for seven years and counting. I’m still learning about the craft of writing and editing on a daily basis. One thing that’s really helped make my writing stronger is taking out filter words.
What are filter words? You know when you’re reading a story and you just can’t connect to the characters? You want to like the story, but there’s something about it keeping you from experiencing the story with the character.
On Writing by Janet Burroway has a good section on filter words. “Filtering is when the writer forces the reader to look at rather than through the point of view character’s eyes” (Burroway 2010). Deleting these words shows the reader what’s going on instead of telling. They distance the reader from the story. It’s one extra step the reader has to take in order to experience action with the character. Only use filter words when it’s critical to the meaning of a sentence. Here’s a list of filter words I’ve compiled over the years. Look out for these in your manuscript (this is for past and present tense):
- can
- to hear
- to look
- to realize
- to notice
- to feel
- to touch
- seem
- to know
- to start
- to sound like
- to seem
- to think
- to see
- to decide
- to watch
- to wonder
- begin
- to try
Here are some basic examples. Of course you’ll want to add some flavor with the sentences, but this is just to help you get an idea of how filtering out distance words make a sentence stronger.
With filtering word: The white cat started licking its paws.
Without: The white cat licked its paws.
Why would the cat start to lick its paws? Why not have the cat just lick its paws? Make it immediate. Take that extra step out of the equation.
With filtering words: I heard the woman scream for help.
Without filtering words: “Help me!” the woman screamed.
Why did we have to be told the woman screamed instead of shown? Do a search for these words in your manuscript. Delete them and replace them with more vivid imagery to make it more immediate.
Can you think of any other filter words I can add to my list?
Courtney Koschel has been writing since she could hold a crayon. She has worked as a journalist, editor, technical writer, and technical editor. Young adult fiction is near and dear to her heart, which is why she writes YA and all of its glorious sub-genres.
Tonia Marie Houston is a mother, writer, poet, bookworm, and blogger. When sheís not chasing her three spider monkeys, she spends her time revising a young adult novel about life after death and second chances. Though she began to pursue her career later in life, she hopes to inspire and motivate other writers to put their best book forward.
This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in North Ayrshire, Scotland, where she wanders the moors in search of William Wallace. She has been a guest blogger on Writer Unboxed and is currently working on the sequel to her YA supernatural novel, Touched by Darkness.
Jamie Raintree writes what she likes to call everyday fairytale love stories, featuring the little moments in life that are truly magical. She lives in Arizona with her husband and daughter and is currently editing her second novel.
Jani Grey is a South African ambivert, writer, reader, optimist, and bacon enthusiast. When her boss isnít looking she writes, revises, or edits YA Urban Fantasies in between work. Sheís sneaky like that. Sheís a NaNoWriMo addict and is currently working on two NaNo novels.
Rebecca Fields is a modern gypsy, roaming from place to place in search of ñ well, sheíll let you know when she finds it. Writing has become a way for her to share her adventures, both real and imagined. Along with her on her journey are her son and an assortment of rescued animals.
Ben
February 24, 2012 at 8:44 am
This looks like a pretty good list, and dovetails nicely with the general advice to “show, don’t tell” the reader what is happening. For me, I think the most important thing is to remember that our word choices are CHOICES, which means that 1) we can usually make better ones and 2) we should think about WHY we picked one word instead of another.
Tonia Marie Houston
February 24, 2012 at 9:29 am
This is excellent advice, and another good point from which to go over my manuscript. Every writer wants their work to feel immediate to the reader. I love this and look forward to wonderful advice from your prospective.
Courtney Koschel
February 24, 2012 at 9:37 am
I’m glad you found this helpful! This is something I think we all struggle with without even knowing it. It goes against how we talk, therefore it’s more natural to put them in our writing. I always go back and make these changes, and my writing definitely sounds better because of it
Tonia Marie Houston
February 24, 2012 at 10:16 am
Prospective? Wow, I wonder if that made the editor in you twitch. Can I blame that on my two-year-old’s refusal to sleep? I wrote an entire scene once, then blamed it on sleep deprivation the next day. *Slams more coffee back.* Okay, better. I look to more advice from your point of view.
Fellow commentators: This is why we should proofread our comments before hitting the submit button.
*Shakes head in shame.*
Vaughn
February 24, 2012 at 9:39 am
I’m beginning to get a grip on what I’m hearing from you, and I can see how it will start to help my editing. Um, I mean: I understand, and it’ll help. Thanks.
Courtney Koschel
February 24, 2012 at 9:52 am
Lol! Love that sentence
Jani
February 24, 2012 at 10:34 am
Thanks for sharing this! It’s going straight into the notebook I have with useful novel tips and such.
Courtney Koschel
February 24, 2012 at 5:42 pm
Glad you found this helpful!
Heather Reid
February 24, 2012 at 10:52 am
This is something that’s easily overlooked. A great way to make every sentence stronger. Time to readthrough my novel again and check for filter words. Thanks, Courtney!
Courtney Koschel
February 24, 2012 at 5:42 pm
You’re welcome! Like I said, it’s something we all do because that’s how we talk. It’s easy to overlook them in our writing
Cari Kamm
February 24, 2012 at 11:26 am
Thanks for sharing! Currently editing and this is very helpful!
Jamie Raintree
February 24, 2012 at 4:52 pm
This really does make a huge difference in a novel. It’s such an invisible thing yet it makes all the difference in how the reader connects to the story. Thank you!
Courtney Koschel
February 24, 2012 at 5:43 pm
You’re right! It really does make a huge difference. It adds immediacy and makes a story a lot stronger
Karen S. Elliott
February 24, 2012 at 6:47 pm
This is fabulous! Shared to my personal page and my group page. Great advice.
Courtney Koschel
February 25, 2012 at 9:08 am
Thank you for sharing! I hope everyone finds this helpful
Rebecca
February 25, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Love the list! I’ve been trying to watch for these as I go. Thanks for a great article
Joan Leacott
February 26, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Here’s one to add: to appear. It’s especially heinous when combined with seem. It seemed to appear that a ghost stood in the doorway. Ugh!