Words to Leave on the Cutting Room Floor: OF
A polished manuscript uses strong, direct language, and vivid imagery, to convey its message. When editing, it’s easy to ignore common words like THE, A, or ON because they just blend into the background. But here’s one common word you should never ignore: OF.
OF has many valid uses. For example, it can convey relationships between people, entities, and objects:
“She was able to get out of the trap.”
“Big box stores are at the top of the retail food chain.”
“I’m one of the gang now!”
These sentences all use the word OF correctly, which means a lot of editors would notice, much less correct you, if spotted. They might even note that you used a lot of weak language in your manuscript, but not point their finger at the real culprit. They may not even know who the culprit is.
The culprit, often, is the word OF. I most cases, you can reword a sentence to remove the word OF, and come out on the other side with stronger, more active phrases and imagery. For example:
“She was able to get out of the trap” –> “She was able to escape the trap.”
Which sentence is stronger? ESCAPE is a stronger word than the phrase GET OUT OF. It is more active, and uses one word to replace three.
Another example:
“Big box stores are at the top of the retail food chain.” –> “Big box stores top the retail food chain”
Similar to the previous example, this revision uses one word to replace several while still making the same point. You might also, however, use the opportunity that OF presents here to completely rewrite the sentence with more vivid language. For example:
“Big box stores are at the top of the retail food chain.” –> “A mom-and-pop shop is the sugar in the big box store’s morning coffee.”
Yes, it’s a complete rewrite, but isn’t it more effective? It uses strong, subtle imagery to convey just how small and insignificant a little store is to a big one. Without the OF in the original sentence, you may never have even noticed that this sentence needed a lift.
Okay, what about the last example:
I’m one of the gang now? –> “I am Neegan.”
All joking aside, almost every time you use the word OF, there’s something else, something better, you can try. Train your mind to catch yourself using the word OF, and you’ll immediately notice the difference it makes in the outcome of a first draft.
Try it! Pick up your draft manuscript and read it. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you like it? Now, search for the word OF in the manuscript. How many times did you use it? Next, edit OF out as much as possible. Re-read. How do you like it now?
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