Crutch or filler words are commonly used words or phrases that can hamper or help writing. Crutch words are words that we use to give us time to think about what we want to write or say. Crutch words can make our witting more originally us, show off how human we are, or they can clutter up the page and make the reader want to tear their hair out. If you want to find out how to manage your crutch words, use them to better develop characters, and learn to love them, check out Crutch Words, The Um, So Actually. Crutch Words Aren't Evil, So What Are They?
A list of commonly used crutch words to look out for in your own writing:
A Bit
A Little Bit
Absolutely
Actually
Almost
Anyway
Appears
As Though
At some point
Awesome
Basically
Beginning to
Certainly
Decide
Definite
Definitely
Er
Essentially
Fantastic
Got
Great
Honestly
Hopefully
I guess
Just
Like
Like I was Saying
Literally
Look
Nearly
Nevertheless
Obviously
Often
Particularly
Positively
Quite
Rather
Realize
Really
Right
Seems
Seriously
Shrugged
Slightly
So
Somehow
Super
Totally
Um
Very
Well
Wonder
You get the idea
You know
Or grab this cheatsheet of Crutch Words
