This is the editing worksheet I use for all of my fiction books but before you run out and think you’ll have to spend hours looking for all of these words STOP. There is an easy way to use this. This is designed to be used after you’ve completed your first draft or a sizeable chuck of your manuscript.
For Word users follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Click Edit on the toolbar
Step 2: Find
Step 3: Click on the word “more” at the bottom of the dialog box.
Step 4: Click the word “Replace” across the top
Step 5: Type ‘was’ in the “find what” box [do not put in the quotation marks.]
Step 6: Type ‘was’ in the replace with box [again, no quotation marks]
Step 7: Put your cursor in the “replace with” box
Step 8: Click the word “Format” at the bottom of the page
Step 9: Click the word highlight
Step 10: Click replace all
Now do this with all the words on this list. It seems like quite a bit of work but truly it takes less than 1 minute for each word. If you have a problem with no color showing up make sure the highlighter on your tool bar has a color. I make each column a different color so it’s easier on my eyes. Likely your manuscript will look like a rainbow vomited on it but you can now go through and do meaningful edits.
Editing check sheet
Check for and eliminate:
Passive voice Was That
ing words adverbs [-ly]
became
to be to demonstrate to feel to experience
to be to demonstrate to feel to experienceto convey to seem to express to display to look
to seem to express to display to lookto show herself himself would exactly
herself himself would exactlysimply about finally to appear somehow
about finally to appear somehowactually here somewhat almost just
here somewhat almost justalready kind of somewhat like sort of almost like
kind of somewhat like sort of almost likesuddenl appears just then nearly then
appears just then nearly thennow there approximately basically practically
there approximately basically practicallytruly really close to utterly even
really close to utterly evenseems eventually were
eventually wereSentences beginning with it or there
As you read your manuscript through ask yourself these questions:
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What is at stake?
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Is it worth fighting for?
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Am I engaging the senses? See, hear, smell, taste, touch.
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Am I connecting physiological responses to physical senses?[Do I connect queasiness to seeing the bad guy on the other side of the window?
Take the time to give enough detail to let the reader see. Remind them often when you experience something. Again what it is they are experiencing.
Let the reader see the scene.
Do my characters need to do more? Talk more? Think more? Be described more? Do they exist in a vivid setting?
Is my purpose evident?
Do the readers have the information they need to follow the narrative or argument?
Is the narrative laid out in the clearest manner?
Is the tone appropriate?
Is there clear GMC and growth in the characters?
“Copyright Tiffany Colter. 2007. All rights reserved. For more information on Tiffany, her writing career coaching or editing services, or free online articles and lessons visit www.WritingCareerCoach.com”
