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The Hemingway Trick: Write 500% Faster By Deleting These 3 Words

The Secret to Writing Like a Pro—Fast

John Edwin
2 min readFeb 12, 2025

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Ernest Hemingway was famous for his crisp, powerful writing. His secret? He stripped his sentences of fluff and got straight to the point.

Most writers—especially in the digital age—struggle with slow, bloated writing. They overthink, over-edit, and end up with weak, sluggish prose.

But here’s the good news: By deleting just three types of words, you can write 500% faster and make your writing stronger at the same time.

Let’s dive in.

1. Delete Weak Adverbs ("Very," "Really," "Actually")

Weak adverbs slow down your writing and weaken your message.

Example:

❌ He was really tired after the long meeting.
✅ He was exhausted after the long meeting.

Why it works:

Strong verbs replace weak adverbs, making your writing faster, clearer, and more impactful.

Hemingway’s Rule:

“Use vigorous English.” Instead of “She ran really fast,” say “She sprinted.”

2. Delete Filler Words ("Just,"…

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John Edwin
John Edwin

Written by John Edwin

Prolific writer, public health specialist, and tech enthusiast with 12 books on Amazon. I craft stories and insights that inspire action and spark conversations

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