Crutches. (As opposed to crotches, I suppose...)

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Published by: CJ on 5th Oct 2011 | View all blogs by CJ

"She stood up and stepped forward, something, quite possibly panic, or maybe terror, coursing through her. She stepped again and glanced to the sky, glancing up at the stars, whilst glancing and looking. That feeling, panic or terror, coursed through her, and she stepped back this time, and glanced over to her companion, who glanced back to her and stepped back, too. Indeed, panic coursed through him, as well. 'Hell!' she thought. 'What the Hell is going on?', and glanced up to the sky again. And took another step, this time forwards, whilst her companion stepped back. 'Hell!' he thought, as fear coursed through him, threatening to suffocate him. "What the Hell is she playing at?'. So they stepped together, glanced at the sky together, and THEN GOT THROWN IN THE BLOODY BIN FOR BEING CRAP!!!"

Oh, and don't forget 'ing ing ing ing ing ing ing ing ing... standing, stepping, listening, running, jumping, kissing, fretting, glancing, panicking... bloody inging everywhere!

Tee hee - okay, it's an exaggeration, but as you might have guessed, I've been identifying my crutch phrases - and that just about sums it up. Stepping, glancing, panicking, coursing and hell, uh, ing. What does that say about me, I wonder?

So - anyone else got any crutch words or phrases that crop up everywhere in their writing? Willing to share any tips (apart from find and replace - done that!) to go into writing physiotherapy to get yourself off those crutches?

Comments

14 Comments

by stephenterry 7 months ago

Recently I've edited out all the passive 'there was/were' and replaced them with active comment.

In every chapter I have tried to balance exposition/scene setting, dialogue/action, and reflection/background.
by Joanna 7 months ago

I write in the first person usually and am making a determined effort to weed out all 'I think's and 'I wondered's.
by Kate7 7 months ago

My little bad habit is using words like 'slightly' or 'almost' or 'quiet'. Instead of saying 'Jack was happy.' I say 'Jack was almost happy', 'Jack was quiet happy.' None of my characters ever seem to feel a full emotion poor dears lol.
by Gerilyn 7 months ago

Involuntary.

My main character can't do anything assertive- it's all involutary. She shuddered, involuntary. He took an involutary step backwards. I involunatrily slapped them both about the head for not being assertive enough.
by AlanP 7 months ago

I start sentences with "So," far to much. I have a special edit cycle solely for deleting the damn things. Most of them anyway.
by Spangles 7 months ago

For me, it's 'clearly'. And also characters checking their watches. They are always doing it and soon I'll have to take those watches away from them altogether.
by Old Fat Prop 7 months ago

I watched a John Wayne western where someone dubbed "fuck" in place of "shoot" or "kill".

One of the funniest things I have seen.
by Malcolm 7 months ago

I don't have a crutch, however I'm sure many do. However, when I write reports for work, as opposed to my fiction, I might. However, I'm not sure I know what it is. However you might be able to identify it if you ever read one, however.
by CJ 7 months ago

I found my crutches after I read my work through and noticed I'd used a few phrases / images a couple of times. So I got my highlighters out and highlighted each incidence... rather like keeping a food diary and being surprised at all the biscuits I really ate, I was horrified at the number of times I had used these terms. It's an interesting exercise - I'd urge anyone to do it (just be prepared when your ms all of a sudden turns into a rainbow of shame! XD)

I used to 'seemingly' do everything. My characters also 'turn' a lot (although I am knocking that one on the head), and they used to quirk one eyebrow all the time (I think they did this because I can't, and I'd love to be able to!). Honestly, I have no idea how I am going to replace half these terms... it's a bit of a nightmare all round!
by Wrathnar the Unreasonable 7 months ago

Good idea, Elysia, I totally should go through my stuff and look for such things - but I'm a bit scared to do so!
by CJ 7 months ago

It is a bit scary, Wrath, but it's all for the Greater Good in the end... annoying, but for the Greater Good!
by stephenterry 7 months ago

yeah, raising one eyebrow, both eyebrows or anything in between is becoming a 'showing cliche' that should be buried. how to replace it is the question. Any ideas?

BTW there's an auto-crit editing wizard on Internet that saves a lot of yellow highlighters.
by John Taylor 7 months ago

I've taken out the word 'sorry' in quite a few places, because characters were using it with a different sense attached on the same page. (As in, 'I've planted a nuclear device.' 'Sorry?' AND, 'Sorry, darling, it was me who ate your hamster.') One of my narrators has a repetitive voice by nature. It takes a lot of editing to walk the tightrope between seriously annoying and something more fruitful. The other tends towards this formula... 'I had a headache and felt sick. And I was late.' Putting in another 'AND' for emphasis. It isn't easy to spot when I'm editing, because I hear the words in her voice, and it is a trait she uses.
by EzBloke 7 months ago

My worst one is "y'know... you'd think I would." According to John Jarrold, it's ok the first time, noticable the second then bloody annoying from then on...! :o)