Filler-Word Killer Editor Pack

# The One-Page Tighten-Your-Prose Checklist

Run this pass on any draft before you publish. It takes five minutes and it is
the difference between prose that drags and prose that moves.

## 1. Kill the empty intensifiers
Delete "very", "really", "quite", "so", "just", "actually", "basically",
"simply", "totally", "literally". They almost never earn their place. "Very
tired" is weaker than "exhausted". Find the stronger word instead of propping up
a weak one.

## 2. Hunt the hedges
"I think", "maybe", "sort of", "kind of", "perhaps", "it seems". If you believe
the claim, state it. If you do not, cut the sentence. Hedging tells the reader
you do not trust your own point.

## 3. Trade weak verbs for strong ones
Circle every "is", "are", "was", "were". Many signal a passive or limp sentence.
"A decision was made by the team" becomes "The team decided". "There are three
reasons" becomes "Three reasons stand out". The verb should carry the sentence.

## 4. Delete the redundant halves
"End result" is a result. A "free gift" is a gift. "Each and every" is either.
"In order to" is "to". When two words say one thing, keep the stronger one.

## 5. Cut the -ly adverbs
...

{
  "category": "jargon",
  "label": "Corporate jargon and buzzwords",
  "note": "Business filler that signals nothing. Say the plain thing instead.",
  "words": [
    "leverage", "synergy", "synergies", "synergistic", "paradigm", "paradigms",
    "bandwidth", "circle back", "touch base", "reach out", "deep dive",
    "low hanging fruit", "move the needle", "boil the ocean", "drill down",
    "take offline", "value add", "value added", "core competency",
    "core competencies", "best practice", "best practices", "best in class",
    "thought leadership", "thought leader", "game changer", "game changing",
    "disrupt", "disruptive", "disruption", "pivot", "scalable", "scalability",
    "actionable", "actionable insights", "holistic", "ecosystem", "empower",
    "empowerment", "streamline", "streamlined", "optimize", "optimise",
    "utilize", "utilise", "utilization", "operationalize", "incentivize",
    "incentivise", "ideate", "ideation", "granular", "mission critical",
...