Don’t Be Afraid to Walk

As one English professor told me, if you want to become a better writer, read, read, read! Every book has something to teach us about writing. While reading, consider the writing. Ask yourself, why do I love this? Or, why do I hate this? What makes this author’s descriptions so vivid? Or, why do I feel like I’m going to poke my eyes out if I read about one more person “padding” across the floor? What happened to walking? 

Lately, I can’t seem to read a book without noticing that the characters only “pad” across floors. While “padding” can be very effective in conveying a sense of soft carpeted flooring or the cat-like movement of a character, sometimes a particular word choice can become overused and cliché. Worse, it can steal attention away from the intended focal point of your sentence. Do you want the reader to focus on your character’s penchant for walking like a cat across carpet? Is there something more important going on that is worth your reader’s attention? 

My encounters with excessive padding elbowed me to take a closer look at my own writing foibles. I discovered that I rarely use “said.” My characters gasp, hiss, and sigh their dialogue, but they rarely “say” anything. Being mindful of this aversion, I’ve resolved to take a deep breath and type “said” when appropriate. 

This month’s advice is: don’t be afraid to walk. In other words, it’s okay to write “he looked,” “she said,” or “they walked.” Occasionally, we need to write “he leered,” “she fumed,” or “they padded,” but not always. Sometimes, characters just need to walk.