One Tiny Word That Makes Your Writing Lazy
3 Takeaways
Write with confidence without undermining your voice
Takeaway tool: Avoid the lazy word “very” and use this cheat sheet instead
Make every word count and say more with less
Stop Using This Word Today
Confidence is sexy. Write what you mean and mean what you write.
To me, there’s no sexier writer than the one who banishes the lazy route and makes every word count. “Very” makes your writing repetitive and unimaginative - it’s not only boring, it’s VERY boring.
For example, consider these two sentences:
Her face was very beautiful.
Her face was stunning.
Using “very” can come across as lazy, which we associate with being uneducated. Now, you’ve undermined the credibility and force of your message. Translation: Don’t be basic and dull.
The takeaway is that your writing voice can create negative perceptions in others’ minds. In an era where content engagement is king, can you spend a few moments to find an accurate synonym that crafts your message and resonates with your readers?
Lazy words to avoid: Very.
Say what you mean and mean what you say. You don’t need to overuse a thesaurus for adjectives to make you sound smarter. You are responsible for knowing the definition of any word you animate your writing with. Sounding impressive often leads to miscommunication, confusion, and (if you’re like me) frustration.
You can stay true to your writing voice without sounding lazy:
Her dog’s coat was very beautiful.
Her dog’s coat shimmered in the afternoon light.
Start small. Here’s a cheat sheet (tool) of alternative words to avoid “very” phrases and give your writing clarity:
Very clean = spotless
Very dirty = filthy
Very bad = awful
Very good = glorious
Very easy = simple
Very hard = strenuous
See Words To Use Instead of VERY | PDF | English Language | Semantics to view more words to replace “very” and make you appear more confident and competent.
I’m very excited I’m eager to see how your writing advances with this tiny change!
