Every writer has a favorite word. Sometimes it's obvious, and sometimes it hides in plain sight. One of the most common crutch words I see while editing manuscripts is just. The word appears so frequently that many writers stop seeing it altogether. Yet once you start looking for it, you'll discover it's scattered throughout pages of dialogue, narration, and description. The surprising part? Most of the time, the sentence works perfectly well without it.

Why "Just" Feels Necessary

Writers often use just because it softens a sentence or makes dialogue sound conversational. Consider this example from Cinderella:

Cinderella just wanted one evening away from her chores.

Now read the sentence without the word:

Cinderella wanted one evening away from her chores.

The sentence still communicates the same idea, but it's slightly more direct.

The Many Jobs of "Just"

Unlike some filler words, just wears many hats.

• It can indicate time: The carriage had just arrived.
• It can suggest limitation: She was just a servant.
• It can soften a request: I just wanted to ask a question.

Sometimes those uses are appropriate. The problem comes when just becomes a habit instead of a deliberate choice.

"Just" Often Weakens Strong Statements

Many writers use just to soften what could be a confident sentence as in the example below:

The prince just needed one more clue.

Compare it to:

The prince needed one more clue.

The second sentence feels more decisive because it doesn't hedge. Unless the speaker is intentionally trying to sound hesitant, the extra word isn't helping.

Dialogue Isn't an Excuse

Some writers assume just belongs everywhere because people use it constantly in conversation. While it's true, people also say "um," "uh," and repeat themselves. Good dialogue captures the feeling of natural speech without copying every habit of real conversation.

Compare these two exchanges:

"I just wanted to thank you," Cinderella said.

"I wanted to thank you," Cinderella said.

Depending on the character, either version might work. The key is making the choice intentionally rather than automatically.

One "Just" Isn't the Problem

The issue isn't using the word once, it's using it twenty times in a chapter. Readers rarely notice a single occurrence. They absolutely notice patterns. A manuscript filled with just begins to sound hesitant, repetitive, and less confident.

A Quick Editing Exercise

Open one chapter of your manuscript and use your word processor's Find feature to search for just. Now review every occurrence and ask yourself:

• Does this word change the meaning?
• Does it reveal something about the character's voice?
• Would the sentence lose anything if I removed it?

You'll probably answer "no" more often than you expect. In many cases, you can remove just without changing the meaning of the sentence. Others may deserve to stay.

Sometimes "Just" Is the Right Word

Like every editing guideline, this one has exceptions. Sometimes just communicates something important. Here's an example where just establishes timing:

The clock struck midnight just as Cinderella reached the palace gates.

Here, the word emphasizes limitation.

She wasn't a princess. She was just a servant.

In both cases, just contributes meaning, so you should keep it.

Small Words Create Big Patterns

One unnecessary just won't weaken an entire manuscript, but fifty might. Writers often spend hours searching for stronger adjectives or more vivid descriptions while overlooking the tiny words that quietly clutter their prose. Those little words add up. They slow pacing, soften strong statements, and create repetition that readers notice. The next time you revise, search for just. You may discover that your writing doesn't need nearly as many as you thought. And the ones that remain will have earned their place.

What Are Crutch Words?

Crutch words are words and phrases that show up repeatedly in your writing out of habit rather than necessity. They aren't always bad words. In fact, many of them are perfectly useful. The problem is frequency. A word that works well once can become distracting when it appears twenty times in a chapter. Some common examples include:

• Just
• Really
• Very
• Quite
• Actually
• Suddenly
• Somehow
• Seemed
• Began
• Started
• Perhaps
• Maybe
• Literally
• Then
• That
• Even
• Still

Every writer develops their own list. Some writers overuse intensifiers. Some rely on filler words. Others repeat the same descriptive language over and over.

Why You Don't Notice Them

Your brain is focused on meaning. When you read your own work, you're concentrating on the story, the characters, and the ideas you're trying to communicate. Because you already know what you're trying to say, your brain tends to skip right over repetitive wording. Readers don't have that advantage. They see every "just." Every "really." Every "suddenly." And once they notice it, they start seeing it everywhere.

The Real Problem Isn't the Word

Most crutch words create one of two problems. They either weaken the sentence. Or they repeat so often that they become distracting. Consider these examples:

She was very angry.

The word "very" isn't helping much.

Stronger:

She was furious.

Even better:

She slammed the door hard enough to rattle the windows.

Another example:

He just wanted to go home.

The word "just" rarely adds meaningful information.

Stronger:

He wanted to go home.

The sentence says exactly the same thing. One less word. One less distraction.

Repetition Happens at the Sentence Level Too

Writers often focus on repeated individual words and overlook repeated sentence patterns. For example:

• She looked at the door.
• She looked at the clock.
• She looked at her phone.
• She looked at the floor.

Nothing is technically wrong. But the repetition becomes noticeable. A reader begins hearing the same rhythm over and over. Instead:

• She glanced at the door.
• The clock read nearly midnight.
• Her phone remained silent.
• The patterns in the wood floor were far more interesting than the conversation.

The information stays the same, but the repetition disappears.

How to Find Your Personal Favorites

The easiest way to find your personal favorite words is with a search function. Open a chapter you've written and search for words at the beginning of this post. You may be surprised by the results. Better yet, look for words you know you personally use a lot. Most writers already have suspects. I regularly see writers using these words, and I catch myself using the quite often in a first draft:

• Nodded
• Smiled
• Shrugged
• Looked
• Turned
• Realized
• Felt
• Actually
• Simply
• Quite
• Completely
• Totally

Your favorite word may be completely different. That's what makes this exercise so valuable. So keep an eye out for them and write them down for future reference. It's also helpful to examine each use individually and ask yourself these questions:

• Does this word add meaning?
• Would the sentence work without it?
• Is there a stronger, more specific alternative?

You don't need to eliminate every occurrence. You simply want each occurrence to earn its place.

Patterns Reveal Writing Habits

One of the most useful things about identifying crutch words is that they reveal larger writing habits. Writers who overuse "very" often need stronger word choices. Writers who overuse "seemed" may be distancing readers from the action. Writers who overuse "just" are often adding unnecessary filler. Writers who overuse "suddenly" may be telling readers something is surprising instead of making it surprising. The word itself is rarely the real issue. The habit behind it is.

Great Editing Starts with Self-Awareness

Every writer has favorite words, and professional writers are not immune. The difference is that experienced writers learn to identify their patterns and manage them. Because once you know your favorite weak words, you'll start seeing them everywhere. And that's when your editing becomes significantly more effective. Your manuscript probably doesn't need more words. It probably needs fewer of the ones you've been leaning on without realizing it.