NaNoWriMo Snacks: The Power of Positive Prosing

I know NaNoWriMo can be a disheartening, soul-crushing vortex of self-doubt, so I thought today would be a good day to remind you to be positive.

Don't worry, I'm not going all self-help cult on you. We're just talking about making your sentences stronger (with a little help from the perennial classic The Elements of Style.)

COMPARE THE TWO:

She did not think the Law of Attraction was a sensible way of obtaining what one wanted.

She thought the Law of Attraction illogical. 

In the second sentence, we're eliminating those wishy-washy negatives in order to plainly state that this girl thinks the Law of Attraction is just plain bullshit. It's stronger and ruder, and that's okay, because we are not at a dinner party with our in-laws. We are writing a novel. 

HERE'S ANOTHER:

Madison did not have much confidence in the laws of science.

Madison distrusted the laws of science.

If Madison is a blatant science-denier, just say so! The second sentence gives us a well defined idea of Madison's belief system, whereas the first sentence begs for examples of times when Madison doubted science. Do you really want to write a paragraph about Madison making one of those baking soda and vinegar volcanoes but substituting baking power accidentally, causing the volcano to lie dormant? 

AND FINALLY:

Human beings may avoid and cure terminal illnesses by thinking only positive, loving thoughts. 

Human beings will avoid and cure terminal illnesses if they think only positive, loving thoughts. 

By eliminating speculative language, we are strengthening and cementing this crackpot's point into a specific prescriptive sentence. If you want to sell snake oil, you've got to do with authoritative language. Save words like would, should, could, may, and can for situations involving real uncertainty. You know, like when you're writing about science! 

I'm planning on outsourcing my novel to the Law of Attraction and the general powers of the universe. It might look like I'm just marathoning old episodes of Dance Moms for the next 26 days, but no, totally manifesting a novel!

(For those in need of manifestation inspiration (read: acerbic bitches like me), there's nothing like a good parody video!)