Thanks to Deborah O’Toole, who pointed me to a helpful article by Pat Holt on the ten mistakes writers often make in their writing without being aware of it. Here the she talks about a particularly irksome "empty adverb" —
The word "actually" seems to emerge most frequently, I find. Ann
Packer’s narrator recalls running in the rain with her boyfriend, "his
hand clasping mine as if he could actually make me go fast." Delete
"actually" and the sentence is more powerful without it.
The same holds true when the protagonist named Miles hears some
information in "Empire Falls" by Richard Russo. "Actually, Miles had no
doubt of it," we’re told. Well, if he had no doubt, remove "actually" –
it’s cleaner, clearer that way. "Actually" mushes up sentence after
sentence; it gets in the way every time. I now think it should *never*
be used.
Good advice. Now I’m afraid to go back and look at the book I’m writing…
While we’re talking tens, educate yourself on the ten things an author shouldn’t do, courtesy of prolific novelist Lynn Viehl. My favorite "don’t"…
7. Post messages on Internet discussion boards where you pretend to
answer a writing question while pimping your books. Every single time
you post.
You have no clue how often I see this. While pimping my new book, NORTHCOAST SHAKEDOWN (ISBN 0975587185. Due out this month from Quiet Storm Publishing. http://www.jamesrwinter.com), I’ve seen writer after writer get up and say things like, “In my new book, ASSES OF FIRE: THE RECKONING…” and totally ignore the real reason we’re all here, which is discussing my blog. (http://jamesrwinter.blogspot.com)
I’m working on a story and I actually started to use the word actually twice so far today.
Thanks, Lee. I didn’t have enough to think about!
:p