This Post is Really Very Nice, but Not Awesome!

In my creative writing class, our instructor forbade us to ever use the words really, very, or nice in any work we turned in. These are meaningless, lukewarm words that don't give our readers much information. Replace them with descriptive substitutes that paint a picture in your readers' minds.

Is it really, or is it absolutely, substantially, genuinely, undeniably?

Is it very, or is it exceedingly, perfectly, fundamentally, completely, unconditionally, immeasurably, essentially?

Is it nice, or is it savory, beautiful, pleasant, fastidious, attentive, detailed, kind?

Which sentence gives a better picture?

My mother-in-law is very nice.
My mother-in-law is exceedingly kind.

The dinner was really nice.
The dinner was absolutely delicious.

Here are examples of other lukewarm words that can be replaced with more descriptive substitutes:
Good: honest, kind, virtuous, excellent, satisfactory, functionable
Bad: evil, diseased, wicked, unhealthy, dangerous, defective, unfavorable
About: approximately, nearly, no less than, almost, approaching
Big: enormous, extensive, huge, massive
Small: minute, slight, trivial, insignificant
Quick: brisk, prompt, rapid, nimble, hasty

Don't give your reader the impression that you have a limited vocabulary. Every writer should have a thesaurus on their desk or in their bookmarks. No, a thesaurus is not a type of dinosaur! It is a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms that can help you replace lukewarm words with more descriptive ones. Not all choices have the same meaning, so choose the word that best suits what you are trying to say.

Another overused word that has become meaningless is "awesome." The definition of awesome is: fear mixed with reverent awe, something majestic. Your new shoes may be fashionable, stylish, impressive, or astonishing, but they are not awesome! Strike this word from your vocabulary unless you are talking about God or visiting the Grand Canyon.