MetaFic

Weasel word is the informal jargon for words and phrases that are ambiguous or create the impression of fact without substantiating or clarifying the statement. Weasel words are very common in journalism where they can be used to imply one meaning while actually meaning another.

E.g. (the candidate's) new round of advertising seem to indicate that (he) may have underestimated the fallout of the Bail-Out plan currently in front of Congress.

In a news story, the sentence portrays the candidate in a tight spot and as reacting negatively to the Bail-Out plan, even though the sentence says the same thing as "(the candidate's) new round of advertising indicates nothing and has no connection to the fallout of the Bail-Out plan currently in front of Congress."

You see, Weasel Words are about obfuscation and creating unclear impressions. Unfortunately, they are a common part of our everyday speech. Any time you use passive voice, subjunctive mood, euphemisms, vague generalizations, and non sequitor arguments you are deliberating speaking in a manner to mislead someone because you cannot, or do not wish to, back up your statements.

Grammatically, Weasel Words are above the board. They are part of the very nature of the English language, but simply because they can be used does not mean that they should be used, especially in fiction.

To be blunt, fiction is about what is told and what is not told, what is and what is not. The author is weaving a tale as surely as a pattern on a loom. Each word and phrase is a thread, and it has its place in the narrative. When an author uses weasel words in his prose then it is as if he left that thread out, leaving a hole in the tapestry.

Why a hole? Because when the reader is on a journey through a story and comes across a weasel word it creates a vague and unformed impression. The reader is not sure whether the writer intended A or B or if perhaps E was the better option. In most cases, the weasel word is not damning, but even at the best it sows confusion and uncertainty.

Some examples:

1. Harry had to go to the back of the line.
2. Dumbledore seemed to be in a towering rage.
3. Entering the room, they saw what appeared to be a giant chess set.
4. The locket had been well-hidden and Harry could not find it.

Each of those examples is a weasel word. They are unclear on points and are should not be in the narrative of any story. But why are they problematic.

1. Harry had to go to the back of the line.
This is the subjunctive move. The sentence lacks both direction and response. Why did Harry have to go to the back of the line? Did he go? I see this phrasing regularly in fanfiction, and it is often due to laziness more than anything. The author forgot a detail or is ending a scene and thus leaves the entire action hanging.

The proper sentence is:
Harry went to the back of the line.

2. Dumbledore seemed to be in a towering rage.
Seem, appear, look like, and any other phrasing that creates an either or status needs to b avoided. Unless a character says this in a dialogue, Dumbledore is either in a towering rage or not. Most authors use this type of phrasing because they are being to true to their POV. They think, well Harry is not sure if Dumbledore is in a towering rage, so I'll just say he seem to be. The problem is, the reader is not Harry and even limited POV needs to make assumptions. In writing you need to state what is.
It does not take much to fix these mistakes.

The proper sentence is:
Dumbledore was in a towering rage.
Dumbledore stormed across the hall in a towering rage.

Now if you wanted some ambivalence, build it into the character.
Harry watched the anger burning in Dumbledore's eyes, and, although Harry expected him to erupt into a towering rage, he remained calm.

3. Entering the room, they saw what appeared to be a giant chess set.
This is similar to #2. Appeared asks the question of whether the chess set is a chess set. The problem is that it is a chess set or it isn't. This phrasing is most often used when the author is attempting to build suspense and wants to be ambivalent. It appeared to be a chess set, but as they drew closer they realized it was rows of stone soldiers. You might as well have written, "IT appeared to be two dragons fornicating, but as they drew closer they realized it was rows of stone soldiers." Both sentences say the same thing.

The proper sentence is:
Entering the room, they found a giant chess set.

Now if you want suspense, move the narrative in closer.
They entered the room and the door closed behind them leaving only the thin slivers of light filtering in from the windows high above. Shadows filled the vast room, and hulking figures lurked in the darkness. Glancing at his friends, Harry lit his wand and lifted it. He let out a relieved breathe as the light revealed a giant chess set. But then, the pieces moved and Hermione screamed.

4. The locket had been well-hidden and Harry could not find it.
This sentence contains numerous errors, however the one I want to focus on is the the passive voice in the first phrase. Who hid the locket? If it is hidden, how does Harry know it is in this room? The problem with this sentence is that the author is over simplifying a more complex scene into a short summary. It avoids the entire process of the search and cuts to the conclusion trusting on the reader to fill in the gap.

The proper sentence (or paragraph in this case) is:
Harry searched the house from basement to attic. For hours he dug through the dusty cupboards and battled back infestations of doxies and cursed objects before he finally admitted defeat. Either Kreacher had hidden the locket, or it was no longer in Grimmauld Place.

Fixing the Problem

You will use Weasel words in your writing. Every writer does it unintentionally. The fix is that you need to be aware of them and your beta team needs to watch for them. You may not get all of them, but that is okay. The more you become aware of your writing, the more you will catch these issues as you write.

To keep track of the issue, I suggest the following:

1. Search your document for the following words: seem, look, appear, apparently. Read the context around the word and change it if it is a weasel word.
2. Search your document for the following verbs: were and "had been". Both are common in the passive voice. Read the context around them and if passive, fix it.
3. Re read your story after a day away from it.
4. Ask your beta team to watch for Weasel words.
5. Lastly, trust your gut instinct.

Good luck, and keep writing.

-Jonathan