Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Wasteline test

I found this awesome writing tool and plan to use it on a regular basis!

Here's a little blurb about it, from the Writer's Diet website:

The Wasteline Test assesses whether your writing is ‘flabby’ or ‘fit’. The test works by counting percentages of words in five categories commonly associated with stodgy sentences: weak verbs, abstract nouns, prepositions, adjectives/adverbs and 'waste words' (it, this, that, there). For every writing sample you submit, you will receive an overall fitness rating ranging from lean to heart attack territory.

If you run the Wasteline Test often and keep its core principles in mind whenever you write something new, you will find your scores gradually improving over time. Please keep in mind, however, that the test offers a diagnosis, not a prescription; a heuristic, not an emetic. Sentences, like people, come in all shapes and sizes, and the world would become a very boring place indeed if we all wrote (or looked) exactly the same way!

3 comments:

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

Hi Laramie Group

I visited because Margo is following my blog. I saw "Laramie" and said..."Oh my." My recent YA paranormal is based in Baggs with a couple scenes in Laramie. (I guess I picked the area because my grandfather's brother lived in Laramie--James Wheeler...just an aside). Anyway...if anyone would like to read through my ms and recommend anything to boost my WY settings, and gain a betta reader in the process, drop by and visit my website.
http://home.roadrunner.com/~macwheeler/
Regards, Mac

Heidi-"Heidi in Real Life" said...

Hey--that's a great idea. I always want input into my writing, but I hardly ever put it up for "real" scrutiny. Happy new Year, by the way.

Anonymous said...

This is an interesting tool. Apparently, Dom's first few chapters are too lean. It actually makes me wonder if that may be what deterred agents. I might have to try this on my WIP too. Thanks for sharing!