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warmth of a home

warmth of a home

I want to watch a house burn down someday.A mansion void of living beings,yet full to the brim with memoriesthat make it a treasured home.I want to watch the steel-grey smokeskim through pages of every book,each photo album and diary,the refrigerator’s sticky notesthat were long since lost in the white noise.I want to watch curtains burnlike they blew too close to the setting sunlast evening…

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I stand afar (a translation)

I stand afar (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Debata Jene Dure Roi Danraye (দেবতা জেনে ডুরে রোই দন্রযে) by Rabindranath Tagore] Knowing you as god, I stand afar,I do not show affection knowing you as my own.Knowing you as father I seek blessings at your feet,I do not take your hands knowing you as a friendWhere you descended as mine with your simple love,I did not hold you in my heart with joy and welcome you…

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I have known you (a translation)

I have known you (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Sukher Majhe Tomay Dekhechhi (সুখের মাঝে তোমায় দেখেছি) by Rabindranath Tagore] In the middle of happiness, I have seen you,In grief, I have received you with my entire soul.In secrecy, I have lost you,When I found you, I lost you again in the elation of meeting you. Throughout my life, on the strings of my veena,you have plucked tunes again and again.And so, in…

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glory to you (a translation)

glory to you (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Jaya Taba Bichitra Ananda Hey Kobi (জয় তব বিচিত্র আনন্দ, হে কবি) by Rabindranath Tagore] Glory to your wonderous joy, oh poet,Glory to your compassionGlory to your dreadful ferocity that destroys all tarnishGlory to your everlasting life, glory to your mortalityGlory to your grief, glory to your solace.Glory to your fully awakened lightGlory to your dark and…

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your song (a translation)

your song (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Pratidina Taba Gatha (প্রতিদিন তব গাথা) by Rabindranath Tagore] Every day I will sing your song melodiously.You give me the lyrics, you give me the tune,If you linger in my mind on your bloomed lotus seat,If you fill my soul to the brim with your love,Every day I will sing your song melodiously. If you listen to the song staying close before me,If your gracious…

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a garland of evening clouds (a translation)

a garland of evening clouds (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Tumi Sandhyar Meghomala (তুমি সন্ধ্যার মেঘমালা) by Rabindranath Tagore] You are a garland of evening clouds, you are my fervent devotion,the wanderer of my solitary skies.Blending the sweetness of my own soul, I have created you,You are mine, only mine, the wanderer of my solitary life. With the melody coursing through my heart and blood, I have stained your feet…

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the two river-shores (a translation)

the two river-shores (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Hridayer E kul O kul by Rabindranath Tagore] The two river-shores that line my heart are brimming, oh dear friend,and turbulent tears overflow.No matter where I look, dear friend,I recognize nothing anymore.It has drawn my soul in and flooded the brimming river;So fierce is the tempest today, my friend,No bindings can restrain now.Why did my innocent youth fall…

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treasure you (a translation)

treasure you (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Tomay Jatane Rakhibo Hey  (তোমায় জতনে রাখিব হে) by Rabindranath Tagore] I will treasure you, I will keep you closeI will enchant you with the fragrance of my flowers of loveI will decorate myself with my love for youCharmer of hearts, I will eagerly await youAnd you shall come willingly; how would you resist this offering?You shall bloom a sweet smile, and stay in…

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Are These Filter Words Weakening Your Story?

After putting my writing on hold for several weeks, I decided to jump back in. I expected to find all sorts of problems with my story–inconsistencies in the plot, lack of transitions, poor characterization–the works. But what began to stick out to me was something to which I’d given little thought in writing.

Filter words.

What are Filter Words?

Actually, I didn’t even know these insidious creatures had a name until I started combing the internet for info.

Filter words are those that unnecessarily filter the reader’s experience through a character’s point of view. Dark Angel’s Blog says:

“Filtering” is when you place a character between the detail you want to present and the reader. The term was started by Janet Burroway in her book On Writing.

In terms of example, you should watch out for:

To see

To hear

To think

To touch

To wonder

To realize

To watch

To look

To seem

To feel (or feel like)

Can

To decide

To sound (or sound like)

To know

I’m being honest when I say my manuscript is filled with these words, and the majority of them need to be edited out.

What do Filter Words Look Like?

Let’s imagine a character in your novel is walking down a street during peak hour.

You might, for example, write:

Sarah felt a sinking feeling as she realized she’d forgotten her purse back at the cafe across the street. She saw cars filing past, their bumpers end-to-end. She heard the impatient honk of horns and wondered how she could quickly cross the busy road before someone took off with her bag. But the traffic seemed impenetrable, and she decided to run to the intersection at the end of the block.

Eliminating the bolded words removes the filters that distances us, the readers, from this character’s experience:

Sarah’s stomach sank. Her purse—she’d forgotten it back at the cafe across the street. Cars filed past, their bumpers end-to-end. Horns honked impatiently. Could she make it across the road before someone took off with her bag? She ran past the impenetrable stream of traffic, toward the intersection at the end of the block.

Are Filter Words Ever Acceptable?

Of course, there are usually exceptions to every rule.

Just because filter words tend to be weak doesn’t mean they never have a place in our writing. Sometimes they are helpful and even necessary.

Susan Dennard of Let The Words Flow writes that we should use filter words when they are critical to the meaning of the sentence.

If there’s no better way to phrase something than to use a filter word, then it’s probably okay to do so.

Want to know more?

Read these other helpful articles on filter words and more great writing tips:

Filter Words and Distancing Point of View

The Reasons Editors reject Manuscripts

Filter Those words and Strengthen Your Writing

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your infinite blessings (a translation)

your infinite blessings (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Nitya Tomar Je Phul Phote by Rabindranath Tagore] Flowers always bloom in your floral forest. Why won’t you share their sweet nectar with my soul? Your assembly meets in your courtyard everyday. Yet, why won’t you let your worshipper sing for you there? The world blossoms as a lotus at the touch of your feet. It gazes up at you, wonderstruck.My heart blossoms as…

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those who seek (a translation)

those who seek (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Shunechhe Tomar Nam by Rabindranath Tagore] They have heard your name, the anguished and the forsaken,They have arrived at your door, may they not leave empty-handed. Those who cry from despair, may their tears be gently dried,May they find courage, the souls that tremble with fear. Countless are the poor, the unfortunate, and the homeless,The souls, weathered…

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Celebration of Light (a translation)

Celebration of Light (a translation)

[Translation of Bangla Lyrics – Aaloy Aalokmoy Kore He by Rabindranath Tagore] The dawn of light arrives, brightening all with its light.The darkness has melted away from before my eyes.All the skies and all the earth are full of laughter, full of mirth.And everywhere I look, I see goodness, all is good.Your light stirs the life in leaves of every tree.Your light wakes the song in each songbird’s…

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Good news: if you’re currently laying around and not producing anything, you are a credit to your species.

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long and detailed ao3 comments my beloved

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i want to be someone else’s safety. even nonromantically. i want to be “hey can i tell you something?” i want to be - i tried something new and i’m a little scared but i wanted to show you. i want to be “i knew i could trust you”. i want to be okay to hold the hand of, always ready to listen, always trying. even if i don’t get it perfect, you know? i just want to be a place other people can relax and be themselves and not worry for a fraction of an instant. 

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it's crazy how "adults should be mindful of kids in online spaces" is such a controversial topic and by that i mean that i hope that anyone that disagrees with that never interacts with any children ever

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Oh no, we just couldn’t have that now, could we?