Quick Tip: Cutting the Smallest Words Makes a Big Impact
See ya later, extra adverbs!
Every word of your story should serve a purpose. Yikes! That sounds like a big ask. Here’s a tip for how to cut a purposeless word: Get rid of tiny, unnecessary adverbs. Does your character need to “look up at the stars” or simply “look at the stars”? Must their gaze “fall down to their shoes,” or can it “fall to their shoes”? You don’t need “up” or “down” in either case. Something teensy to keep in mind when you enter the sweat-the-small-stuff stage of revision.