The Word ‘Somehow’

The word somehow is often just filler in a manuscript. Take the sentence

The statue was somehow not what Jane had expected.

Jane was obviously expecting the statue to be different from what she saw. But somehow doesn’t reveal what or why.

Everything happens somehow

Everything is or happens for some reason or other. Somehow becomes just another filler word. It adds nothing to the content. The reader doesn’t learn anything from the sentence in which it’s used.

The word some

The word some means “undetermined or unspecified”. If the goal in some part of your writing is to be vague, words starting with some may be appropriate.

The fix

Rather than deleting the problem sentence, enhance it. Add words, phrases, or sentences that tell the reader what the circumstances are or were. In the example above, say specifically why the statue was different. Was it bigger, more or less detailed? Here’s a possible rewrite: “The statue was much larger and bolder than Jane had expected.”

Other some words

Somehow isn’t the only filler word to watch out for. Others include somebody, someone, someplace, something, sometimes, and somewhere. Without careful attention these some words can make your work feel loose, when the goal is to make as tight a manuscript as possible.

When you use words like this, instead of using more explicit ones, you risk blurring the images you’re trying to create on paper. Imprecise words, especially when overused, can dilute the impact of your work. Effective word choice, on the other hand, guides readers toward the message you’re trying to communicate.

Conclusion

Search for and eliminate these filler some words. Replace them with specifics that reveal exactly what you want to convey and then rewrite with reader impact in mind.

Copyright © 2019 by Affordable Editing Services

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