Language Guide

Word Choice

• Avoid words the typical audience member may not know the definition of

• If knowing a slang term in dialogue is critical to following the plot, explain it or eliminate
it

• If knowing jargon in dialogue is critical to following the plot, explain it or eliminate it

• Avoid cliches

• Minimize adverbs

• First, try to make a point with nouns and vivid verbs (if not feasible, add adjectives)

• Avoid repeating distinct words close together (in general, the more distinct a word, the
longer till it should appear again)

Sentence Structure

• Avoid many long sentences

• Avoid starting consecutive sentences with the same word

• Avoid the passive voice

• Feel free to use sentence fragments for effect, but avoid frequent use

• Tighten sentences by removing words that don’t add meaning (ex, “A car speeds past us”
instead of “There is a car that is speeding past us”)
Paragraph Structure

• Avoid many long paragraphs, in particular, consecutive ones

• Vary the structure and length of sentences within a paragraph

• Feel free to use a sentence fragment as a paragraph for effect, but avoid frequent use

Literary Devices

• Avoid frequent similes and metaphors, and space out any included

• Avoid frequent alliteration, and space out any included

• Avoid frequent rhyming, and space out any included

Grammar

• If a character would make grammatical mistakes while talking, feel free to make
grammatical mistakes in the character’s dialogue and close POV, however, avoid
excessive mistakes

• Avoid semicolons

• Avoid exclamation points