Was Was Was Was Was

I love being able to "find" and "replace" words in a Microsoft Word document. Today I searched the overused word "was" and man oh man, it was everywhere!

It's impossible not to use the word "was" when writing. But when it's overused it makes for passive writing. And no one wants to read a passive story, right?

Sometimes you have to come up with something more active.
"Everyone at the table was staring at my face, including snobby Caroline."
to
"Everyone at the table stared at my face, including snobby Caroline."

Sometimes it's easy just to eliminate it.
"Her hair was in ringlets and her eyes were decorated in dark layers of eyeliner and mascara."
to
"Her hair in ringlets and her eyes decorated in dark layers of eyeliner and mascara."

I don't typically stress over this, but it's something to think about when you're on maybe your 2nd or 3rd draft. ;-)