Rookwood Editing

"rising up" —> "rising"

Keep your writing tighter and your tension higher by eliminating unnecessary words! In general, you can assume that "rising" doesn't need "up."

Similarly, consider "kneel (down)," "nod (yes)," "shake your head (no)."

What other unnecessary combinations have you noticed in books (or your own writing)?

#AmEditing #EditingProTips #WritingCommunity

Nov 7, 2022 at 1:32pmWeb
Show threadRookwood EditingNov 7, 2022

An addendum to the above #EditingProTip: Shaking one's head can have a lot of different meanings. In some cultures, shaking one's head doesn't mean no. We also shake our heads to clear our thoughts, wake ourselves up, etc.

However, if the context is:
—"Do you want to come with me?"
—They shook their head.
then it's clear what you mean without "They shook their head no."

#WritingCommunity #AmEditing #EditingProTips

Show threadKevin LacquementNov 7, 2022

@RookwoodEditing on the other hand, this could lead to an interaction where the asker assumes *shakes head* means "no", but it actually means something like "I am considering your offer".

Not that I've ever experienced something like that...

Show threadRookwood EditingNov 7, 2022
@lacqui Absolutely! A gesture with multiple possible meanings leaves lots of good room for miscommunication or misunderstanding. One person's welcoming gesture could be an insult to someone else; a responder's uncertain head-shake could be a definitive no to the inquirer.
Show threadKevin LacquementNov 7, 2022
@RookwoodEditing something that I've experienced first-hand several times. I've seen people be horribly offended by a gesture meant to honour them.
Show threadChristine BirchwoodNov 7, 2022
@RookwoodEditing I already love your content
Show threadRookwood EditingNov 7, 2022
@ChristineBirchwood Thanks, Christine! #EditingProTips are something I loved doing on The Other Site, and I'm excited to bring them to the community here! All of my examples come from books I work on (adjusted for anonymity and general application for a broader audience), and I love them as a way to educate concisely and accessibly!