As I’ve gone through the editing process with Secrets of a Wolf, I can assure you that a GOOD editor is more valuable than any precious gem. Worth more than twice their weight in gold! Always be willing to improve your craft and a great editor can help you do that. They will enhance your voice!
I digress. My topic in this entry is about Showing vs. Telling, another one of my weaknesses and a very easy trap to fall into when writing any story. It is SO SO boring to a reader. I’m just going to deal with one word here that has turned into a crutch word for me, and for those of you with more experience in the craft, this may be old news, but for me it’s been a true learning experience.
The word is…Felt! This word sucks you right into the “telling” trap. Allow me to share a few “out takes” from my recent editing experience.
My Sentence: She didn’t know if she felt relief or terror.
My Editor’s Comment: Describe what she is feeling – don’t tell us
My Revision: Relief flooded her. The door latch held firm, but eventually she’d have to face him. There was no other way out of the room. Sweat trickled down her back and dampened her palms. Her heart raced. She had no other options.
My Sentence: I got dizzy and felt sick
My Editor’s Comment: “Felt is telling. Revise”
My Revision: My world spun out of control. The car rolled over and over, rattling my brain against my skull, and churning my stomach. I fought the nausea but lost.
I think you get the idea. No more “felt” show us!
Author Kelly Abell 
Oh boy. “Felt” is a crutch alright. I try to reframe it as a place holder until I go back to edit. 🙂
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Good idea, Jennifer.
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This goes for most of the other senses. Once you have established the POV character in a scene, it’s not longer necessary (or advisable IMO), to write “he or she saw . . .” “he or she tasted,” “he or she heard,” etc… you get the idea. I suppose there are exceptions but if you have a lot of this type of narrative, cut it and try without . . . it is much smoother and tighter.
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Great points, Jack. I totally agree. Good reminder to watch out for that. I’m telling you, I’m so blessed to have a good editor. 🙂
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ah yes, I have this problem but thanks to posts like yours I am watching carefully for the dreaded felt word appearing. Another word is “like” it was like, I have to watch out for that one too.
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Oh yes!! Like is another no no. I have another post on my series called Sittin on the Porch with Kelly and Jack Strandburg gives an entire list of words to avoid. I’ve found it very useful. I’ll post the link.
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Here’s the link.
https://writewithkelly.wordpress.com/2015/02/14/sittin-on-the-porch-with-kelly-author-jack-strandburg-setting-up-a-macro-in-microsoft-word-to-target-weak-words/
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Thanks Kelly
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I like using these crutches in my draft to get me into the mindset of the characters, but once I start editing, I do a search for these telling words and eliminate most of them.
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Hi Paula. Thanks for stopping by. I agree. I use them too in what I call my “word vomit” draft. LOL. Then the trimming begins.
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Great advice, Kelly – particularly about having a good editor!
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Your revisions are pretty fantastic! That’s all I feel I can say right now 🙂 (No, but seriously, the rewrites are amazing!)
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Thanks for stopping by Sandra. And thanks for the nice comment. Glad you “felt” it. LOL
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Wonderful tips I cannot begin to tell you how many ebooks I have read that have used the lazy sentences. Thanks Kelly
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Thanks for stopping by! I work hard to avoid lazy writing. I find it makes my writing so much more interesting and challenging.
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And we readers can spot good writing in an instant too.
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