From WordPress today, a challenge to write a post without using a single three letter word.

I am never able to resist a tightly restrictive challenge!

As soon as I start, I find three-letter words wanting to jump into every sentence I write. I have to include them: not but and the who can are all (*numbers below refer to these outlawed words)

Is there a writing lesson in this challenge? What am I to do in my writing today if I want to keep to these designated guidelines?

• stay positive (#1*: “I do want to go….”)
• agree (#2: no objections)
• state things simply, in short sentences. Insert a period where this word might normally go (#3)
• give your writing a punch by omitting this word (#3 again). Instead, stack up clauses using commas.
• experiment with multiples (#4: some, several, those…)
•  be vague or personal (again #4: “I tripped over a…”  “I tripped over your…”)
•  go high-falutin’ (#5: “whomsoever aspires to write a post without using…”)
•  delete whenever it pops up (#6: is it actually necessary in your sentence?)
•  find those fancy verbs or employ (!) simple forms of verbs (#7)
•  divide (#8: “everyone except Marianne…”)