Thursday 13 – Words I Avoid Using When Writing
June 7, 2007
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2. Gingerly – A personal preference, but carefully, cautiously, flow much better. Ginger is a spice. Or a name and it might be weird, but it pulls me right out of the story. 3. Padded – A no-no unless I’m writing about animals, or shape-shifters. Humans do not “Pad down the hallway.” Eww. Especially bad when mixed with…gingerly. Padded gingerly. (picture me shuddering) Or I think of Pad Thai, and I don’t need another excuse to head into the kitchen. 4. Irregardless – Yes, it is a word, but don’t use it in prose. Ever. Regardless is the more widely accepted usage. I cringe when I hear it – or read it – it does not make you sound smarter if it is misused. 5. Grimaced – This is on the list simply because I once read a book (NY Times bestselling author) who used it SEVENTY-TWO times in 25 pages. Pathetic that I counted? Maybe. But the overusage made me overly conscious of it, and every time I read that word in another book, I think of that horrid book. Hence, off the list. 6. Loquacious – Huh? Maybe because I don’t write historicals, but I honestly cannot see a character of mine describing another character as “loquacious.” This makes more sense: “She wouldn’t shut the hell up.” 7. Nonplussed – I’ve had the wrong definition in my head for this word for years. I thought it meant, “not bothered.” Huh-uh. It means perplexed, puzzled, at a loss what to say. After I had an editor point it out, well, I felt stupid because I’d been misusing it forever and hate to be reminded of my stupidity, so I’ve never used it again. 8. “Waggling eyebrows” unless I’m describing Groucho Marx or using it facetiously. Not funny, not a positive character trait, for a man or woman, ‘nough said. 9. Caveat – I’ve never heard this word in casual conversation, so I seriously doubt any character would blurt out, “One caveat, don’t drink the water.” Plus…in my head I mispronounce it cav-eet, rather than the correct way, which is, cav-e-at, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. 10. Pleasure – okay, I do use this word. Not excessively, but it is somewhat unique. Check out any thesaurus and there aren’t many other options. But for Godsake, it ceases to have any impact if it is repeated over and over. Especially during sex scenes. Again, I counted and found it used 17 times on one page of a bestselling novel. 11. Cavort – might be a rural thing, but it reminds me of pigs. Rolling in the mud. Not sexy. Unless you are describing a hog farm. Then feel free to add in the character “snorting” and “squealing” all the time because it fits. 12. Thwart – besides sounding old-fashioned, “We thwarted his attempt at duping us,” it makes me think the character has a lisp. Or is discussing a disease…with a lisp. Not PC? So sue me, hey, this is my list 🙂 13. !!!!!!!! Technically, not a word, but too many exclamation points, in a novel, are ridiculous. To me, exclamation points scream amateur author, because the language should indicate anger, distress, fear, humiliation, not the punctuation. Elmore Leonard said it was acceptable to use FOUR exclamation points within a 100,000 word novel. That’s it. Do I use them? Occasionally. Again, last week I read a novella, and the author used 19 exclamation points on one page. My first thought was her editor was an idiot, my second thought was, these characters (male and female) are always hysterical, why should I care when something really bad happens because they’ll react exactly the same when something good happens? Example – “What do you mean I won the lottery!!”- or – “I can’t believe you said that!!” -or – “For Christsake, there’s a dead body in the bathroom!!” Eveything – big, small, is over-empasized, made overly dramatic and loses any and all emotional punch. It also loses me as a reader. I’ll never buy another one of her books. Harsh? Yes, but reading that damn book made me angry. I have plenty of other things in my life to create anger. So…what are some of your pet-peeve words? And do you disagrees with any on my list? Happy Thursday – notice there’s no exclamation point? Links to other Thursday Thirteens! |
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N.J. Walters said:
I use #10, but I try not to overdue it. *g* And I’m guilty of overusing exclamation points in emails, but I keep a tight rein on myself when I’m writing. LOL
Lori said:
LOL….like your list:)
Charlene Teglia said:
Awww, what do you have against thwarting? Thwart! Thwart! Great word. I use it all the time, especially with small people. And my list is up now. *g*
Michelle M Pillow said:
A lot of these seem like they’d be in historicals and I don’t mind them there if the characters call for it.
🙂
Raven Paranormal Blog said:
Interesting list!
Wylie Kinson said:
This list sure got me thinking. I already know I use way to many !!!! (I’m highly emotive)
No word is good if used TOO much.
I’m okay with gingerly and even padded. But don’t get me started on irregardless!!!!
😉
Ann(ie) said:
I like thwart! and nonplussed.
Kate Davies said:
LOL! Great list. Funny how word pet peeves can be so individual, isn’t it? I just did galleys on my upcoming release and realized I’d used some version of “press” (pressing, pressed, etc.) SIX TIMES in one page. And then three times in two paragraphs later on. Argh. Several of them went bye-bye immediately. 🙂
Lorelei James said:
See? What bothers me, doesn’t bother others.
Oh, repetitive words are a whole ‘nother kettle of fish, Kate. With every manuscript, I have a new “habit” word I have to search out before I turn it in. In the last mystery, I believe it was stood. Not forms of stand, just stood.
Another one is look. Because it’s obvious I count I once counted 22 looks…on one page. But, I still prefer it to…gawped or gaped.
Nicole Austin said:
Thankfully, my editor smacks my hand if I use a word too much. I hate it when I get stuck on a particular word or phrase, but the exclamation point is my friend. LOL! Especially in emails. Oh my. Its difficult not to use it often then.
Samantha Lucas said:
I stay away from all those too! Well, except #4 cause I use that one all the time in my personal vocabulary irregardless. 😉
Emma Wayne Porter said:
Oh god… all exclamation points need to DIE.
And my personal no-no word is gaze. It just bothers me.
Vivi Anna said:
Soem of my characters pad across a room, but usually they are shapeshifters of one kind or another. I use it to give them animalistic traits. And I am a heavy user of pleasure…lol I love that damn word.
Karen Olson said:
I like “thwart.” Or better yet: “foil.” But really only when writing a Shakespearean play. And exclamation points, as Emma says, should be totally eliminated! 🙂
I have had characters padding. But your comment has made me think twice now about that…
Lorelei James said:
Good to see some new names here, thanks everyone for the great comments 🙂
Vivi – heavy pleasure user? I could take that soooo many ways, suga lips.
Nicole – fellow western writer – share that habit word!
The exclamation point was for you, Emma ~
I used to use padding, Karen, now I prefer plodding, shuffling, kerfluffling – hey, that’s not a word 🙁
Joely said:
#6 really cracked me up! Happy TT!
JS said:
Churlish. It just doesn’t sound or read right to me. I also don’t like the phrase “dental procedure” when it applies to me.
Rene Lyons said:
I’m so stealing this TT for next week. 😉
Thanks for stopping by!
Mechele Armstrong said:
What a great TT! *G* I only overuse ! in personal stuff.
Renee B said:
Love the list. I don’t write–however, I am from the south and my pet peeve words are: youns, ain’t, and any double negatives. My Mother in law taught English; she and I are always correcting my 3 yr old with the double negatives. I do however use lots of exclamation points. Now, I’ll be worried that your checking my grammar and puncuation marks–UGH–:) Have a great week.