Loving Your Word Crutch

Crutches Are Super Useful Until They Aren’t

I n the midst of writing a piece on finding and eradicating my word crutches, I discover in that I’ve used the word “midst” in a previous story no fewer than five times.

Five. Times.

And, of course, I’ve already used it once in this story, so maybe I’m doomed.

But Not Really

Of course I did that on purpose. Sort of. Because I really did start by using that crutch, then I removed it, then put it back to prove a point.

Maybe you’re asking: What’s a “word crutch?” Here’s how I define it: It’s a word (or phrase) you use repeatedly to get from one place in a piece of writing to another, like a raft that is consistently tied up at one side of a body of water that you frankly do not want to swim across so you use the raft every time.

Honestly. I think the word “frankly” is one of my word crutches. Also “honestly.” Damn.

Everybody has word crutches. They’re handy. Sometimes we may use a word crutch just because it makes us feel comfortable when we would otherwise feel at sea. Sometimes they might make us feel fancy (as in my overuse of the word “midst”). Sometimes a word crutch just might be a handy device that you probably overuse in speech, but nobody cares because speech is speech (my overuse of the word “honestly” fits into this category). But writing is writing and that’s different. Yeah, go ahead and write like you talk, but beware of too many “verbal” crutches that are just going to seem awkward in on the page or screen.

Actually I Love ’Em

Don’t get me wrong (dammit, I write “don’t get me wrong” all the damn time), I love word crutches. Just like real crutches, they can be super useful in the right situation, and I am in no way recommending that writers eradicate them altogether. But just like real crutches we can become too dependent on them, and they will lead to clunky, awkward writing. So I am recommending that you discover your word crutches, be aware of them, and set them aside in the final draft whenever possible.

Probably the hardest part of avoiding your crutches is going to be determining what the are. The best way I’ve found to suss them out is by reading my story aloud. I bet you’ve heard this advice before because it’s really common advice. But it’s really common advice because it’s really good advice. There is no better way for me to “hear” how many times I’ve used the word “midst” than by actually hearing the word midst as it comes out of my mouth for the third time in a single paragraph.

So every time I write something I read it aloud at least once. Sometimes I read it aloud several times.

Many many times.

Just one more time before I hit “Publish.”

And the more times I remove my crutch, the more I’m able to figure out better ways of writing without that crutch. Indeed, the more often I have to accomodate for a crutch, the better writer I become (I hope).

And that’s the point. I don’t ever think I’ll stop using word crutches, at least not in early drafts of my writing. But I do hope that my final drafts will become stronger so they seem smooth and effortless. I can do this, I know I can. And so can you. But I can’t do it without practice.

Hey. So do you mind holding my crutches while I take a lap around the track?