PenPal says:
Here is one of the quickest and easiest ways to strengthen your writing:
1. Take a page of prose (or several pages at a time) and find how many times you used the word “was.” To do this on your computer, hold down both Control and the F key for a moment until a search box pops up. In that box, type the word “was” and then click the search button. Your computer will then highlight the word each time it appears in your manuscript. If you are handwriting or have printed out your page(s), take a highlighter and manually highlight the word “was” each time you find it.
2. Read through and choose an active verb to replace the word “was” in as many cases as possible (aim for replacing at least 50%, preferably about 90%).
Sometimes “was” is the best verb choice, but more often a stronger verb will help elevate your writing to a higher interest level. If getting rid of an unnecessary, boring “was” requires minor rewording, do it!
Examples:
A. The muddy dog was on his master’s clean bed.
B. The muddy dog sprawled on his master’s clean bed.
A. Behind the barn, there was a pile a leaves the children were jumping in.
B. Behind the barn, the children jumped in a pile of leaves.
A. Two thousand twelve was a very good year.
B. Two thousand twelve was a very good year. (Sometimes “was” really does work best.)
Keep writing and revising!
________
Cathy Kodra a/k/a PenPal
Cathy Kodra works as an independent editor in Knoxville, TN. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Roanoke Review, New Millennium Writings, Common Ground Review, Now & Then, Cavalier Literary Couture, Slow Trains, Still Crazy, The Medulla Review, Prime Mincer, Yemassee, and others. She is a contributing editor for New Millennium Writings and past guest poetry editor for The Medulla Review. She was first runner up in Prime Mincer’s 2011 Poetry Contest, judged by Rodney Jones, and took first place in the 2012 Old Gray Cemetery Poetry Contest. Cathy’s first poetry chapbook, Thin Ice, was published in 2011 by Medulla Publishing.
Cathy is a member of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild and of two local writing groups. An avid reader and writer, she is currently working on two poetry collections and a collection of short stories. Her hobbies include gardening and vegan cooking, and she lives happily with her husband Ron, two dogs, and a cat. She can be reached at www.cathykodra.com.
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