PERHAPS.....MAYBE...PROBABLY

ROSEMARY: One day I will do a "find and replace" search in one of my books for the words maybe, perhaps and probably. I've weaned myself from a little, some and a few, but no matter how hard I try probably, perhaps and maybe keep cropping up on the pages.

I tell myself that because I write an amateur sleuth and the situations and crimes are not related to weapons of mass destruction (although a couple of maybes in that area probably wouldn't have been out of line..) or global destruction, and my characters are not law enforcement professionals - THEY'RE NOT SURE. THEY'RE AMATEURS FOR PETE'S SAKE.

Sometimes it's unavoidable. You don't especially want to telegraph a clue, but an amateur sleuth has to have the occasional lightbulb moment otherwise she's clairvoyant (not necessarily a bad thing, just not the character I'm writing these days.)
"OMG, perhaps Colonel Mustard wasn't really in the kitchen with a knife. Maybe it was. . ." I don't remember any other names from Clue so you fill in the blanks.

Does anyone else feel the pull of these qualifying words? Any other words or phrases you'd like to eliminate but can't? (No fair saying things like "baby bump" - most of us would like to see that go away.)

HANK: Miss Scarlet. That's who I always was. I always do an edit-find for "just." Just asking, just saying, just do it, just thought of, just wondering, just a little, AHHHHHH!!! I just use it so--ah, I mean, I use it so often.

I also edit-find for really, nodded and shrugged.

Maybe, perhaps and probably. Huh. You know, I never thought about overusing those words. Thinking back over my new ms, I just bet that--I mean, I bet that maybe is there pretty often. Hmm. I'll give you a full report.

HALLIE: Hank took my word. Just.

I agree, qualifying words are all suspect. Like really and very. (As in "he was really loud very often.") They're really waffle words. They add to your word count but otherwise contribute little.

And most -ly adverbs, she said sagely, do not survive my sniff test.

And just (oooh, it's hard not to do it) about any verb used in place of 'said' or 'asked' with dialogue has to go.

JULIA: I heartily agree with Hallie's stand on speedily eliminating adverbs. I've done an 'ly' search when my last two books were in manuscript form to check on all my adverbs. It took forever! But it enabled me to make sure if I used an adverb, it was intentional.

My other word problem? I tend to fall in love with one word and use it way too many times. In my first book, people were CONSTANTLY 'levering' themselves out of chairs. In one of my more recent ones (memory mercifully clouds) I used 'eviscerate' at least three times. And I'm not writing about Hannibal Lecter!

ROSEMARY: I'm pretty good (qualifying?) about said but I have been known to have someone whisper. C'mon...if they're hiding..?

RHYS: I have to stop my characters from smiling, grinning, chuckling and laughing. They keep wanting to do it and I have to keep reminding them that they must stay somber at all times! Oh and also guilty of adding qualifiers to the word said (sharply, sweetly, abruptly, angrily etc etc).
Not guilty about the use of maybe. My characters are somewhat cocky and believe in themselves,however misguided this is!

ROSEMARY: I feel better about maybe if Rhys says it's okay.

ROBERTA: I was always Miss Scarlet too, Hank. Not maybe or probably. And ditto, "just" is my downfall. "Just as she reached for the doorknob..." "Just as she crossed over the bridge..." For some reason, it seems like the perfect, perfect transition. If I went through and cut them all out, I'd be in danger of losing half my manuscript. Sigh...

JULIA: I'm always Mrs. White, just like I'm always the thimble in Monopoly. Typecast by my children.

DEB: I, too, suffer from just disease. And what about suddenly? I can USUALLY find something to replace just, but there doesn't seem to be anything that quite does the job of suddenly. "In that instant"? Oh, and that last sentence reminds me--I have a bad "quite" habit, too. Or as well . . . And my characters say bloody much too often. But it's JUST such a good expressive curse. I think it would be worth being British just to say bloody on a regular basis.

ROSEMARY: Any words you write or read a little too often for comfort?