If the reader cant immediately figure out what it is youre trying to say or trying to describe, hell tune out completely. If youre not engaged in some kind of science experiment, what you mean to say is that a person needs to focus in on the fine details.7. What to use instead: Modern, Fresh, Creative, Updated, Sophisticated, Current. While I hesitate to call myself a travel writer thats not exactly what I do I sure as hell do a lot of travel writing. Theres an exciting debate going on regarding the origin of hit the ground running. Absolutely is used to add weight to an adjective. Your readers shouldnt need a parenthetical phrase to understand the meaning. What are your go-to words and phrases that you overuse, asks @AnnGynn via @cmicontent. If you dont have the ability to compare, dont use them. Glad Im not the only one, the overused cliche i hate the most isoff the beaten path. Consider these sentences: Would you just take a look at these figures? - Jack Kerouac. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. And yes, that Chuck Thompson book is such an excellent reminder of how some words just get thrown around without a second thought just because they suit the genre. These statistics are really worrying. They can convey so much. But if youre looking for a general descriptor or superlative, why not go for more subtle-yet-reliable words? The one I hate the most is friendly locals. Maybe its the cynic in me, but I know that more often than not, there are loads of not-so-friendly locals, too lets hear about them as well! early on in the pandemic. Mike Sweeney understood the need for clichs tone-deaf, unprecedented, etc. I also have a job that mostly involves writing and editing. Say it like you mean it, and youll be the trusted speaker you want to be. Thanks, Shawn! Description. The problem is, they dont tell the reader anything about why the object in question is good, great, or bad. How to Write Top-Graded Essays in English. Getting careful editing is one of the overlooked benefits of writing for print. Avoid this phrase by saying working in harmony, having a shared understanding, or coming from the same perspective.. I agree. Both phrases are forms of mockery of poorly spoken English, often by those of Chinese origin. The more I do, the more I see just how often I rely on the most overused words in travel writing. Consider the cultural differences of your target audience. It happens time and time again. Dealing with overused words often means re-writing almost everything, and when youre writing a scene that is all about one thing, then it becomes difficult to avoid. Bad could mean quite a few things, such as tedious, unsuitable, or inaccurate. Great piece! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. I still read and hear many people talk about flushing something out in ways that has nothing to do with toilet paper or dead goldfish. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As well as correcting spelling and grammar mistakes, our business writing experts will highlight areas that are unclear or repetitive. Ive definitely used that one and youre right, its overused! If youd like any of your professional writing checked for errors, our proofreaders can help. Do you ever feel that constructive or even negative feedback is more helpful than positive? Cant. Oh, this made me laugh. Lets get together soon to chat about it. Replace your boring over-used tired limp adjectives with strong nouns (eg, instead of successfully obtains, use wins, This example is not an adjective its an adverb modifying a verb, I use the word quite, quite a bit. So is totally! Often, a clich or over-used phrase can be directly replaced with one or two simple words. I dont think Id ever refuse to read something just for using a certain word, but I agree that there are some phrases that really make me roll my eyes! If you sing in a choir, its a good idea to be on the same page with the rest of the singers. Thanks for pointing out my grammatical error, Caren! If so, your writing is in danger of becoming boring and predictable. No, he writes, Its uncharted territory. This post makes me laugh. My editor, says that using an overused word once a page is absolutely fine as a general rule, so if in doubt, leave it in and let your editor make the final call. The company must have a polite support service that will competently advise the client, answer all questions and support until the end of the cooperation. Browse overused words in writing resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. Just like basically and honestly, one should question the need for using this word. Be creative with your vocabulary choices, but dont go overboard with the thesaurus, either. Once you are done with your first draft, do a search (CTRL F) and find out how often you used each of these words in your manuscript. Delete the overused word if the sentence would be fine without it. Cut adverbs and replace the weak adverb/verb combination with a stronger verb. For example, she walked quickly could become she sprinted. Looking to create a blog? Across the board, everything I write has some sort of connection to travelling. Great list! When used as a slur or a self-appointed label by white people, it can feel uncomfortable privilege affords them the irony. For the last couple of years Ive used ProWritingAid to help me edit and revise a book Ive been working on, and until recently it worked fine other than the odd disappearance from Word, which required reloading the program. Look up the clich in a dictionary and use the definition as a starting point to look up synonyms in a thesaurus. The fix? This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why. But no matter, the road is life." It might be new, clever, different. The word wanderlust by itself grates on my nerves anymore. And up next? This isnt just the best way to learn how to write better, itll will help you spot and avoid over-used words in your writing. Browse overused words in writing tombstone resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. I realize that you cant do this for every piece of content. This is the kind of clich youd expect to hear from a used car salesman. But when you go on a road trip and stop by the first cafe you saw, its not a random cafe, its the one you found. Dealing with my overused words made me so crazy that I wrote a spreadsheet of them, with how many instances there were in both Highland and Hollywood Games. It makes me want to stab something with a spork. I think youd love the program! Im guilty of so many of these! Using these can imply that youre trying to persuade the reader of something, which may lead them to question your integrity. Even if they cant remember off hand, they can pay close attention the next time they review your work and make notes to share with you. I cut laugh from six instances to two, and finger from four instances to one. Especially love, must-see, magical, and the superlatives. You need to search for an alternative. For more ways to avoid over-used words, readHow to Write Good Sentences 5 Tips for Making Your Words Flow. I feel the same way. Thanks for the reminder! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A bear!. Whoever first uttered the phraseyummy mummy should be forced to never eat anything scrumptious, tasty, or delicious again. Theres nothing special about using the same word over and over again. Before you publish your words, make sure theyre accurate. Then it was hijacked by the tech industry and today it is used to describe business partnerships, co-working spaces or financial networks. Glad I could make you laugh, Jill! Same goes for Cuba and other places. It can be difficult to come up with anything unique in travel writing anymore when everyones doing it and were all reading each others writing. Its up to you, fellow scribes. Haha! When you dont know where to begin, basically comes in handy. But in the writing game, youre definitely losing points over originality. No one intends to create boring content, so dont allow these common writing mishaps to turn off your readers. "Acrolinx" is a trademark of Acrolinx GmbH. Here are our suggestions for swapping out some of those unoriginal words, but youll find plenty more by checking a thesaurus: Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox. Ha ha this is just my own personal opinion! More often, however, you can use a stronger adjective. Youre using something to its maximum advantage, not exerting force using a lever. I try and make a point of not using these. The Writer's Lexicon: Descriptions, Overused Words, and Taboos. What else would you add? This saying perpetuates that its manly to be in a dominant or powerful position. Adjectives like these are used to modify another adjective: There are two ways to avoid these overused degree words. In this, he statistically analyses word frequency in a range of texts from literature to fan fiction to New York Times bestsellers. Writing tip: Replace your boring over-used tired limp adjectives with strong nouns (eg, instead of successfully obtains, use wins). made me laugh ) I agree with all of them except Real .. sorry darling, but if youre staying in a 5 star resort in Kenya and being flown to Masai Mara by a private jet, I have the right to tell you, you did NOT see the REAL Kenya!! Amazing post, I am really guilty of using the best of these words in my brilliant blog . The world could always use more imaginative writing. Toms face was ghastly green.. To describe something as exotic, by pure definition, means that the thing youre describing is from a foreign land. The sight of a mother duck leading her ducklings into a lake might be a nice one, but it doesnt really convey the need to get organized, prepare, and get every element in place, does it? It might suggest a different approach. In content marketing, every word is important, so you need to make sure you choose the ones that have the most impact. The the analysis sidebar shows you the number of words found in a category and recommendations for improvement. I refuse to read anything with that phrase in it. If you want something done today, say it. Once upon a time, they were colorful, inventive phrases that framed ideas in a new and interesting way. And if you want to give the person on the other side of your outbox a bit of space, use alternative phrases. Im not very happy, Im elated. Some examples include: If you say that someone sells you down the river youre trying to say youve been betrayed or feel cheated. When your important message is competing with a hundred other important messages, youll have to come up with a term that stands out more. Tired of this old sporting analogy? With almost everything your audience reads, it brings that context. The usage of all overused words went down considerably, most by about fifty per cent. Interested in developing or refining a brand tone of voice that avoids clichs? No offense taken, Robert Earle Howellsyoure one of my favorite scribes (er, I mean wordsmiths), and Im always happy to experience feedback from fellow writerly folk . Yet another great idiom, originally from the world of sports, this phrase now describes every new product, business decision or political statement. Exotic locals dont exist. . While Im acutely aware of many typical clichs and overused words, too often they still manage to slither their way into first drafts of my writing! You have to describe what is going on, without spending the entire paragraph overusing the words hands and arms and fingers. - Jack Kerouac, in which I describe how often I use superlatives. The same applies to omitting it everywherethe more so because its omission can sometimes cause ambiguity. If you consistently spell out acronyms even when most in your audience are familiar with them you set a standard that your readers will silently thank you for. Do you agree with thislist of overused words in travel writing? Christoph Trappe shared a few phrases he frequently sees state of the art, industry leading, and customer centric.. If you have editors who frequently edit your content, ask them. Not only is this mathematically impossible, its an arbitrary figure. By swapping them for stronger, more precise terms, your writing will be more engaging and effective. And yet, they become clichs for a reason. , this phrase now describes every new product, business decision or political statement. This is the kind of phrase that should make a writer use their imagination: how else can this idea be explained? A lovely post I am guilty as charged your honour. Thanks for the motivation to get a touch more creative. The key to compelling writing is determining exactly what you want to say and choosing words that fit precisely. Oh no I pledge guilty with almost all those that are listed above , [] The Most Overused Words in Travel Writing hit my inbox in April. This was a great read! The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. I use more picturesque than quaint Im not really sure what quaint is supposed to mean. 5 Overused Words in Fiction. Its a challenge to find new ways to convey your message, but it can be done. The point is that people should stay at least 6 feet away from each other. When you use less-familiar words like these, your writing immediately becomes more distinctive. There are two ways to avoid these overused degree words. Youre right that was an adverb, not an adjective. The post above was written partially tongue in cheek. I wish I had more constructive criticism of my writing my Readers Digest editor was GREAT at that. Then it was hijacked by the tech industry and today it is used to describe business partnerships, co-working spaces or financial networks. If you notice the similarity between two items, state what they have in common. Now what I do after each blog post or article Ive written is a word search for words I know Im guilty of overusing. Actually, ive never used many of these (guilty of a lot of thesaurus googling, oops) maybe because i am not a native speaker and i am more guilty of directly passing my own language clichs to English than using the original ones! About me. What to use instead: Essential, Educational, Meaningful, Serious, Influential, Decisive. Any illusion she had of control dissipated. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Or do you tend to pad out your prose with filler words like just, then, and that? Wix has got your covered with thousands of design features, built-in SEO and marketing tools, that will allow you to scale your content, your brand and your business. 20 Overused Words and Phrases to Remove from Your Vocabulary, It happened to all of us before. The following guide lists some of todays most overused words, terms and phrases, and suggests a few alternatives (and deletions) instead. It was fun to read your post. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, unique means being the only one [.] ; distinctively characteristic. It would certainly be appreciated. The problem I have with this word is when it is used to describe something other than food. Hm. ; ), [] of his childhood and first forays into writing. Im glad you enjoyed the post, Karin. More often than not, these words serve no purpose other than to increase the word count. I honestly think you should go for the red sneakers sounds like youre telling the truth, but your listener might wonder about all the other things you said that weren't prefaced by honestly. Erin Wainwright offers up another inaccurate and overused word: unique. Adjectives like these are used to modify another adjective: The webinar will be very interesting. Do you want to improve your fiction or creative nonfiction writing? Some Native American tribes believe in spirit animals or totems, which serve to guide and protect them. Literally just sounds great, doesnt it? After all, you dont want to miss your big mezzo moment. More seriously, it could lack meaning and come across as lazy and unimaginative. Editing others also has made me notice a few of my own actually, in fact, just, currently, etc. Think about it: how often do you say the words amazing, cool, awesome, or brilliant? However, the word that is less straightforward because sometimes its needed for clarity. I know I will come back to this post from time to time to help with my own writing- thanks! Ilove writing blog posts. Cant wait for the book, Good thing I am not a travel writerI feel like I use the word amazing so much , Ha ha there are many words I say out loud that I can never actually write in an article! Have you noticed an author (or yourself) overusing words? But what does it really mean, and is your possible also my possible? And if there is an innovation at the heart of what you just presented? Completely and totally fall in the same category. But overusing, Theres nothing special about using the same word over and over again. We learn to stop overusing one phrase and learn a new one! Heres the deal: Youve been using literally the wrong way all along. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. What to use instead: Cool, Awesome, Wonderful, Pretty, Fun, Unusual. But yes, that should probably be toned down. Not to mention, it also wrongly assumes that all relationships have a male and female counterpart. Number 3099067. I never realised down was one of mine, although it was possibly because that book was set in the mountains There was a lot of down, And despite repeatedly referring to a thesaurus, if we stray too far with our lexicon it just sounds odd and takes the reader out of the story. I essentially used the program for a number of the points you described detecting overuse of adverbs, cliches, repetition of words and phrases, etc, as well as a few other reports, such as echoes (words that repeat too closely to each other) that I also find invaluable. He laughed as if he couldnt stop, ending up slightly bowed over, wheezing, and punctuating his laughs with, A bear! Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. if youre struggling to define the meaning. Sometimes I go back and read old blog posts for inspiration for the book Im writing, and once in a while I feel really proud of what Ive written. Fellow scribes, if you have any over-used words in writing, adverbs, adjectives, clichs, or weak phrases to throw into the ring (excuse the clich), I welcome you with open arms (excuse the clich). Big words dont equal great writing. But limiting your word choices to a handful of trusty mainstays can lessen the impact of professional writing. My pet hate (as an editor of business and technical writing) is the use of tautologies free gift, added bonus, raise up, universally loved by all. I would love to read On Writing and Smile When Youre Lying, Im sure I could learn a lot from those. Even simpler, take E.M. Rogers advice: If people could create a drinking game with the buzzwords it might be time to try something different., Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute. This is so true and I cant say Im not a part of it. If you want to sound credible, avoid using, Loves words, sentences, paragraphs and everything in between. 3 Answers. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The following over-used words in writing arent necessarily on the no-fly list in fact, writers can use them and get delicious results in many circumstances! She's a big fan of whisky and window seats. Unfortunately I think I use all those words too often..eekk. For the full disclosure/privacy policy, please click here. As an overused word, it describes bags, vacations, people, meetings, and forgotten rock bands from the 1990s. #CMWorld, 57+ Content Tools, Tips, and Examples to Make Your Writing Better, 5 More Exercises to Make Your Writing Powerful, Play dumb in your #writing and readers will silently thank you, says @AnnGynn via @cmicontent. Do you do something similar to your readers? I say it a lot but rarely write it. I HATE the expression must-see. It means one of a kind. . Readers should never have to reach for the dictionary, no matter how bodacious your writing! Foodcan indeed be very delicious. Breathe/breath Clenched Eyes Finally Gently Hand Just Looked/look Quickly Seemed Slowly Softly Quietly Strode/striding Walked It belongs on my over-used words andphrases in writing list? You can identify them a couple of ways. If you havent paid for a premium subscription on a music streaming app, the songs in your favorite album will play randomly. Please note that some links on This Battered Suitcase are affiliates (at no extra cost to you); I only recommend products I use and love. Or they can convey nothing. Like other the (And if your customer-centric content reflects the brand more than the customer, delete the phrase. But when you go on a road trip and stop by the first cafe you saw, its not a, It happens time and time again. Again, that doesnt really give me much to go on, kind of telling, like felt was above. Or maybe youve felt down in the dumps because youre spending too much time and effort weeding out the overuse of clichs in your content? Mike Myers saw someone use unchartered territory the other day. Generally, the use of that is optional: neither its use nor its omission are bad style. He leaned If you mean work together, collaborate effectively, or cooperate, then go for one those options instead. (I chuckled silently without correcting him.) ), Piet van Lier smartly points out a recent popular hashtag #InThisTogether. Readers are more likely to disengage when they come across tiresome and unoriginal means of expression. #CMWorld, The UX of Words: How to Make Your Content More Readable, Before you publish your words, make sure theyre accurate, says @AnnGynn via @cmicontent. For example, the Great Wall of China, or Catherine the Great, the fearless 18th century empress of Russia. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Play around. The second section is about the act of writing, and I found his advice to be invaluable often harsh, but invaluable. []. So unless you just finished all the alcohol in the bar the other night, or were in a near-death situation, try avoiding this word altogether. Its used to preface the speakers point or to highlight the most important aspect of the situation (Collins Dictionary). If you mean someone should focus or pay complete attention to a thing, then thats what you should say. Bustling marketplaces is one I feel like I see a lot (and am guilty of using too)! Subscribe to get the latest updates from This Battered Suitcase! The simplest solution to avoid overused words is to realize youre doing it and then take steps to use them less often. How about Dick Holster, Mommys Little Helper, The Claw, Her Majesty, The Archbishop? Probably not. The Best Craft Breweries in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Misc. Informa UK Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1072954 whose registered office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG. 2022 Acrolinx GmbH. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). What?! Great list. Shipping and payments. Laugh went from 118 instances to 61, and finger went from 123 to 58. Oh, and Im a bucket list hater. I once had an editor who frequently talked about flushing out a story. Whimsical??? Heres a paragraph from chapter one of Highland Games, when Zoe accidentally tells Rory she thought he was a bear. Yikes. Now, youre probably trying to be clever and look out for the overused words, but the chances are, if the story is good enough and youre completely caught up in it, you wouldnt have noticed them. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I am also not a fan of anyone calling themselves a guru, ever. so many great tips. "So" is also overused as a conjunction. A verb contains all the action: writing, editing, getting published, signing copies of your book for fans. Imagine theres a magic I recently wrote an article only to discover Id used the wordbeautiful six times in eight hundredwords. Overused Words Report This report helps you spot commonly overused words and sentence constructions that weaken your manuscript, including generic descriptions, passive voice, adverbs, and more. Great Post Brenna! Talk of the great resignation emerged from America early this year a term that describes how many Americans are leaving their , Continue reading The Great Resignation and D&I: What it Means for Your Business. A better alternative? What terminology do you use thats as unclear as social distancing? If you havent paid for a premium subscription on a music streaming app, the songs in your favorite album will play randomly. Accept. Ann Gynn edits the CMI blog. How do you know they are accurate? Its okay to include any of the words weve mentioned from time to time, as long as youre confident youve got the best word for the job. Interesting, funny post! I will enjoy perusing your site more and to read your articles! Dont you think, you should have added a few words like scenic, serene and tranquil and snow-capped? Ditch these boring words and phrases! I vow to never write that line or anything like it again. Follow the old mantra, Show me, dont tell me. Use your words to show how you are in this together and why something is state of the art, leads the industry, focuses on the customer, etc. (another tired old clichs. In fact, it might even sound like you have nothing better to say, or worse, think that your best friends newborn baby is ugly. It happened to all of us before. (Woops!). But yes, I should try to cut it back. Watch out for other unnecessary words like actually, honestly, and definitely. I still really love the word wanderlust, as I dont really know another way to describe what I feel (itchy feet isnt a favourite phrase of mine, either). I always imagine some snails when i hear meander, its some weird association I have. Whats the alternative? To put it gently, the Web allows a lot of autodidacts to run amok. Love Crane that would be the whole arm.. Can everything be so peachy all the time? Does it add anything to the meaning, the tone or the accuracy of your sentence? (And speaking of thanks, heres a shoutout to all who responded to my Twitter call for #overusedwords some of the replies are included below.). 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