On Overusing The Word “Fun”

Over the last couple months, as I’ve written or spoken about my weekly stories, I’ve noticed a nefarious trend: despite my honest efforts to be original and descriptive, I keep using the same, exact word over and over again.
One minor goal behind writing weekly stories is to sharpen my story pitching skills. It’s harder than it seems, to step back from your own work and not only capture the most compelling element, but also synthesize into one sentence!
To pitch, introduce or even tease these stories, I have to use words. That’s a given. No matter how thoughtful I am about penning these phrases, I keep turning to the same word, fully convinced it is the pinpoint *right* word: FUN.
Some excerpts:
This is a FUN one!
this could be super fun
wild means we can have some fun
This one really flowed and is fun
I thought it would be fun to break down the idea
I’m previewing some fun participation ideas
Will be fun!
A plot twist keeps you on your toes, changes the trajectory of a story, and, to me, inherently sounds fun.
Perhaps most convicting, my Cannes emails from 2005? They use the word fun 17 times. Apparently I’ve been overusing this word for at least a decade. It’s pervasive.
On one hand, it’s awesome that I’m having such a good time and feeling passionate about how amusing and entertaining these stories are.
On the other hand, I’m a writer for crying out loud!!! Find a freaking synonym!! Dig deeper to discover what kind of fun we’re having and describe that!
There are a few things going on here.
For starters, we all have crutch words, ie words or phrases we use habitually to fill pauses or to get us to the next bit of our thought - “um,” “like,” “so,” “you know.” Fun isn’t there to fill a pause, but it’s a crutch word in the sense that I’m being lazy and not fully flexing my vocabulary muscle because I’m propped up by this word.
Then there’s the fact that I’m an Enneagram 7, a personality type that is known for their enthusiasm and great vision. They are also primarily motivated by the avoidance of pain, seeking out new experiences and excitement to help them avoid pain.
It’s fascinating to turn that lens on my writing and reading habits. I would tell you that I love escapist reading, my go-tos being romance, sci-fi and fantasy. I cannot read anything World War II; The Alice Network was just too brutal of a tale for me and ruined me for the topic (and I’m supposed to be querying that author’s agent…). I’m seeking titles that are *FUN* and not hard and not painful. Interesting.
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with an escapist read. I personally love them and want to create them for others. Where I want to strike an appropriate balance, is that I don’t want to go tap-dancing and la-la-la-ing with my fingers in my ears into a fictional world that is a misshapen, super-ecstatic caricature of real life.
I want to write stories that are light, yet still substantive. They have to have a grounded-ness to them, if not in the topics themselves, then in the literary quality of the writing.
Some of my most painful moments in life are my most precious. I carry with them an odd fondness, I think because I was made vulnerable and was loved through it. How beautiful are those stories? I tear up now at the mere thought of someone in a weak spot who is cared for and supported.
Not all of my writing is FUN and glitter and rainbows. Too much of that can become garish. How can I weave fun and pain, to build to growth, to create stories that compel? It’s something to be considered.
Am I overthinking this? Yes.
But I paint with words. I need to keep my tools sharp and notice when one becomes dull from overuse. There is great opportunity in being mindful and noticing.
P.S. I wrote this piece of today’s newsletter last, and I am proud to say I didn’t use the word “fun” once below. Baby steps!
P.P.S. Wouldn’t it be fun if, in the future, when I use the word “fun,” you call me out for using the f-word? Yes, I used the word fun at the start of that sentence ironically, but it is also what my brain first spit out, so we have some work to do.
Plot Twists: The Group Chat
Dearest Subscriber,*
You are formally invited to join the exclusive Plot Twists chat, which is now active!
I’m excited about this because I finally landed on a true perk for being a subscriber. You know, beyond the free short stories and carefully curated content I’m sharing with you.
The Plot Twists chat is only accessible to subscribers (and subscription is free), and I want it to be your hub for more pointed reading conversations. Let me explain that vision further.
To get us going, I will host the follow regular items:
monthly ask of the best book you read last month, meant to give your fellow subscribers some new titles to consider. Here’s the April thread!
following the release of a new Plot Twists story, I’ll start a discussion thread, so we can all discuss the story, answer questions, ponder what the ending meant, etc.
an open call for writing prompts for what I’m now calling the Plot Twists writing challenge. That 2-hour, 1000-word short story challenge I’ve done a couple times. Now, instead of getting one friend to create prompts for me or opening this up on Instagram, this community will have the sole right to submit prompts. I’ve got one so far, and I could use more!
Finally, you can also start your own threads! For example:
you’re looking for a specific book recommendation and want to get some thoughtful group-think behind it
you want to vent about a popular title and how it’s gone off the rails. Say… how Onyx Storm is incoherent… Or how much you loved the adaptation of a book into a film. Say… The Hating Game, which is now newly on Netflix!
directions on how to add friends on Goodreads. Please, someone.
honestly, whatever you want. If you have additional ideas, please share in the comments here, or just get it going! I’m always open to your thoughts.
*read in your best Julie-Andrews-as-Lady-Whistledown voice
One Thing: How’d She Do That?
one quick recommendation
Listening to founders and creators sharing their stories on podcasts gets me fired up. It’s a straight shot of inspiration, lighting up the inventive part of mind, and all of the sudden, I’m channeling new ideas and viewing what’s possible from a different lens.
I’m a big fan of Emily Landers’ “How’d She Do That?” for a few reasons. She spotlights female founders, which I identify with, but moreover, these are lesser-known businesses - not the ubiquitous founders who are interviewed everywhere for the attention-grabbiness of their company name and don’t really spill anything; they simply recite the same story over again - so frustrating to me.
Emily is more intimately introducing us to the humans behind more soulful brands we may have heard of or are just discovering. I’ve been a fan for years, securing interviews for a number of my clients along the way. This week, I made my second appearance on the podcast, this time sharing the story of selling Golden Word, my PR firm. If you’ve ever wondered how that happened, I share the entire process, from making the decision to sell and listing the company, to integrating the new owners and moving on to my next chapter.
Here are a few favorite episodes, including my appearances:
Parting Shot
sharing some of my photography from over the years
🩵 If you enjoyed this post, please click the like button below.
💌 Or, I’d love for you to share this story with others! Use the share button below, or screenshot a favorite passage to post on Instagram. Tag me at @lisedelman - or follow me for more goodies.
Thank you for helping me get these stories in front of new readers!