Word Choice & Economy
Word Economy
Flags removable filler words and wordy phrases that can be cut without losing meaning.
What It Does
Scans narration for filler words ("just", "really", "basically") and wordy phrases ("began to", "in order to", "the fact that") that weaken prose. Suggests concise alternatives. Skips dialogue — filler in speech is intentional character voice.
Why It Matters
"Kill your darlings" starts with killing filler. Critics on r/DestructiveReaders flag wordiness in 16.2% of critiques. Every unnecessary word dilutes the ones that matter.
What Gets Flagged
| Severity | Example | Why | Suggested Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hint | "She just stood there" | Filler word rarely needed | "She stood there" |
| Hint | "He began to walk" | Delay construction | "He walked" |
| Hint | "In order to leave" | Wordy prepositional phrase | "To leave" |
| Hint | "The fact that she left" | Padding phrase | "That she left" / cut entirely |
| Hint | "She was able to run" | Circumlocution | "She could run" |
Configuration
No configuration options. All flags are per-instance, not density based.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Sentence-level (skips dialogue)
- Method: Regex-based word/phrase matching with replacement suggestions