writing 4 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜: WRITING ADVICE TO MAKE YOU A BETTER WRITER

Dead Words

Eliminate the following dead words from your writing so your ideas aren't hindered by the power of overused and useless words. Replace them with these alternatives.

also: too, moreover, besides, as well as, in addition to

awesome/cool/rad: fine, wonderful, marvelous, great fantastic

awful: dreadful, alarming, frightful, terrible, horrid, shocking

bad: awful, lousy, poor, unacceptable, crummy, dreadful, rough, inferior, substandard, atrocious, appalling, defective

beautiful: striking, stunning, magnificent, lovely, charming, gorgeous, radiant, dazzling

big: towering, huge, large, great, giant, gigantic, massive, immense, enormous, tremendous, colossal, bulky, hefty, sizable, extensive, substantial

but: however, moreover, yet, still, nevertheless, though, although, on the other hand

change: alter, transform, replace, diversify, adjust, adapt, modify, remodel, very, evolve, transfigure, redesign, refashion, advance, transition, shift, adjustment

easy: effortless, simple, clear, smooth, straightforward, uncomplicated, painless, accessible, apparent, basic, plain, child's play, facile, elementary, cinch

fast: agile, brisk, rapid, nimble, swift, accelerated, fleeting, high-speed, active, dashing, winged, hurried, turbo

fun: pleasant, pleasurable, amusing, entertaining, jolly

funny: amusing, comical, laughable, jovial, humorous, worry, hysterical, hilarious, silly, nonsensical, ludacris, droll, entertaining, absurd, joking, witty, side-splitting, knee-slapping

get: acquire, obtain, receive, gain, earn, gather, collect, buy, purchase, attain, score, secure, take possession of, grab

give: grant, donate, a handout, present, provide, deliver, hand over, offer, award, bestow, supply with, contribute to, send, entrust

good: excellent, exceptional, fine, marvelous, splendid, superb, wonderful, acceptable, wonderful, positive, brilliant, notable, stellar, favorable, prime

got/get: received, obtained, attained, succeed in

great: wonderful, marvelous, fantastic

guy: man, person, fellow, boy

happy: glad, jovial, jubilant, joyful, thrilled, cheerful, merry, jolly, content, pleased, delighted, elated, amused, thrilled, ecstatic

have to: need to, must

interesting: noteworthy, thought-provoking, fascinating, attracting, appealing, attention-grabbing, captivating, gripping, invigorating, engrossing, engaging, electrifying

kid: child, boy, girl, youngster, youth

know: understand, comprehend, realize, learn, perceive, recognize, grasp, since

laughed: snickered, roared, bellowed, cackled, giggled, howled, chuckled, snorted

like: such as, similar to, similarly

little: teeny, small, tiny, compact, slight, petite, short, miniature

look: glance, fixate, observe, stare, gaze, peer, scan, watch, study, browse, eye, glimpse, review, inspect

lots: numerous, heaps, many, scores, innumerable

mad: angry, frustrated, furious, incensed, enraged, irate, touchy, cross, resentful, indignant, infuriated, wound up, worked up, seething, raging, heated, bitter, bad-tempered, offended

nice: pleasant, charming, fascinating, lovely, superior, satisfying, delightful, likable, agreeable, correct, adequate, swell, fair, okay, approved

old: age, ancient, matured, elderly, senior, veteran, the crew pit, seasoned, venerable, past one's prime, daughtering, senile

pretty: exquisite, attractive, elegant, striking, fair, gorgeous, lovely, handsome, adorable, stunning, glamorous, breathtaking

ran: hurried, raced, scurried, dashed, sprinted, trotted, scampered, bolted, darted, sped, galloped, jogged, rushed, loped

really: genuinely, truly, honestly, actually, undoubtedly, certainly, remarkably, incredibly, downright, unquestionably, extremely

sad: unhappy, dejected, miserable, depressed, gloomy, sorrowful, devastated, distraught, distressed, dispirited, downcast, feeling blue, desolate

said: called, shouted cried, demanded, whispered, thought

shocked: taken aback, lost for words, flabbergasted, staggered, outraged, astonished, astounded, stunned, speechless, appalled

small: tiny, petite, mini, miniature, microscopic, minuscule, compact, pocket-sized, cramped, puny, undersized, limited, meager, modest, minute, pint-sized

so: thus, accordingly, therefore

then: first, second, next, later, finally, afterward, meanwhile, soon

think: ponder, reflect, conceive, imagine, contemplate, consider, determine, realize, visualize, guess, assume, conclude, envision

very: extremely, exceedingly, exceptionally, immensely, tremendously, abundantly, particularly, remarkably, fantastically, unusually, incredibly, intensely, truly, fully, especially, shockingly, bitterly, immeasurable, infinitely, severely, surely, mightily, powerfully, chiefly

walked: staggered, trudged, marched, strolled, shuffled, strutted, hiked, paraded