Thoughts for revising creative writing (potentially academic writing as well):
- “And” and “The”
- Mark each one and consider its merits.
- Look out for dangling modifiers.
- Redundancy
- Watch out for inadvertent repetition.
- Diction (naming the world)
- Lay out each sentence as its own paragraph on the page and ensure that your sentences are in the most effective order.
- Circle each noun and verb and change flat verbs and dull nouns to stronger words.
- Weak verbs may have the wrong subject.
- Time check
- Verb tense consistency
- Ask yourself where you are in time.
- Wordiness
- Don’t say something you’ve already implied.
- Adverbs
- Make sure they’re in the right order in the sentence.
- Metaphors
- Look out for hidden metaphors
- Make sure they work all the way down
- Cliches
- Anything you’re used to seeing in print is cliche.
- Personification
- Don’t do it quietly. Use it for a strong, outrageous result.
- Dancing kitchenware
- Don’t do it quietly. Use it for a strong, outrageous result.
- Possessive pronouns (can be overly precise)
- Should it just be an article?
- Move around the order of different elements of a sentence, seeking rhythm, effectiveness, etc.
- Make sure that the subject is the agent
- Who are you?
- Who are we? (Audience)
- What can we not possibly know unless you tell us?
- Can your words and their implications pass a reality test?
Schedule an Appointment
Visit our scheduler.
Register for an account.
Book an appointment!
Contact Us