: Re: Where can I find lists of commonly used words to avoid? I have a theory that good prose style comes in part from avoiding complicated, abstract, and pretentious words. Are there any good lists

I suggest that you focus instead on critiquing your own writing with the question, "Could I say this more simply? More precisely? Can I potentially cut out any words?" You could also ask someone else, whose clear and simple style you admire, to look through your writing with these questions in mind.

Sometimes the "big" words are actually better, if they convey your meaning more exactly. It's only when they obscure your actual meaning or jar with your style that you want to eliminate them.

That said, Strunk and White does list commonly misused/overused words (although their selection of "commonly overused" words is written in reference to their own time).

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: Re: Where can I find lists of commonly used words to avoid? I have a theory that good prose style comes in part from avoiding complicated, abstract, and pretentious words. Are there any good lists

More posts by @Megan928

: The value of labeling book sections My wife is beginning a novel, and she's written four chapters in under six pages. I suggested that she consider using page breaks, or lowercase Roman numbered

: Does submitting multiple pieces to professional magazines (and being turned down) hurt chances of later stories that may be better-written? When I first started focusing on short stories, I submitted

: I'm not really good with poetry, and so I won't give you one solid firm answer you probably desire - maybe someone else will. Still, if you're writing humorously, you may enjoy a trick Edward

: How do I organize a paragraph that lists several steps after an introduction? I have a paragraph like below: A hypothetical solution is like this: first, we can use a table to record entries.

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