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Spell check. You might also want to look over it and see if anything sticks out
in your mind.
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See if there's anywhere you could have showed instead of told. For example, if
you wrote "He was angry," try "His fists were clenched, his face like a time bomb"
or something like that.
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See if there are any places where you could have removed the word "and" and
started a new sentence. For example, if you wrote "He passed me a cigarette with
trembling fingers and then folded his legs to sit down beside me," try "He passed
me a cigarette with trembling fingers. His legs folded as he sat down beside me."
It is almost always stronger and hits harder with the reader.
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If a sentence ends with a preposition, see if you can rework it. We all do it,
but sometimes it sounds weak. For example, "I scanned the room for a chair to sit
in" could be changed to "I scanned the room for a place to sit."
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Take out all unnecessary words. If it doesn't forward the story, doesn't show
action and doesn't enhance the character, atmosphere or plot, it doesn't need to be there.
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Get someone you trust to read it and let you know what he or she honestly thinks.
Another good suggestion is reading it out loud to see if it flows. You'd be amazed
the snags you detect when you do this.
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Get rid of all unnecessary emphasis. Fan fiction tends to be littered with *stars
around the words* and CAPITAL LETTERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. Use a simply _ on either
side of the word to indicate italics. Italics should be used sparingly. If you find
your story marred with emphasis, find a way to restructure the sentence so that
the words work on their own without *stars* or CAPITAL LETTERS. CAPITAL LETTERS
ARE IRRITATING. JUST IMAGINE IF THIS WHOLE PAGE WERE WRITTEN LIKE
THIS. WOULDN'T IT FEEL LIKE SOMEONE WAS SHOUTING AT YOU? *YES*, IT WOULD.
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