Some writing advice clicks immediately.
Some of it takes a little longer.
For me, sticky sentences and glue words fell into that second category.
The first time I heard the term, I understood the basic idea, but I did not immediately know how to see it in my own writing. It sounded useful in theory, but in practice, I had to train my eye to recognize when a sentence was carrying too many unnecessary words.
Once it clicked, though, it became one of those self-editing tools I could not unsee.
And that is why sticky sentences are worth understanding. Because once you know what to look for, they become much easier to find.
What Is a Sticky Sentence?
A sticky sentence is a sentence that gets bogged down by too many unnecessary words.
The meaning is there, but the reader has to push through extra wording to get to it. Instead of moving smoothly, the sentence feels slow, cluttered, or weighed down.
Sticky sentences often happen when we use too many “glue words.”
Glue words are the small, common words that hold a sentence together. Words like:
of, to, in, that, it, was, for, with, on, as, by, about, from, had, have, there, is, are
These words are not bad.
You need them. Every sentence uses some glue words. The problem happens when the glue words start doing too much of the work and the sentence becomes padded instead of precise.
Think of it this way: Glue words are like mortar between bricks. You need enough mortar to hold the wall together. But if there is more mortar than brick, the wall gets weak.
In writing, the “bricks” are your meaning-bearing words: the nouns, verbs, images, and specific details that actually carry the sentence.
A Simple Example of a Sticky Sentence
Here is a sentence with too much glue:
There was a feeling of fear in her chest as she made her way toward the door.
The meaning is clear enough, but the sentence is padded with extra wording: there was, a feeling of, in her chest, as she made her way toward.
A tighter revision might be:
Fear tightened in her chest as she approached the door.
Or even:
Fear tightened her chest as she reached for the door.
The revision is clearer and stronger because it removes unnecessary scaffolding. The sentence gets to the image and action faster.
The goal is not always to make sentences shorter only cleaner. (This is where I was confused for a long time too, so don't worry if this isn't making sense just yet)
Glue Words Are Not Automatically Wrong
This is important: glue words are not mistakes.
A sentence with glue words is not automatically a bad sentence. Sometimes those small words are necessary for rhythm, clarity, voice, or meaning.
The goal is not to delete every common word, but to notice when your sentence is using too many words to say something that could be said more directly.
For example:
She looked at the box on the table.
That sentence uses glue words, but it is not necessarily a problem. It is clear and simple.
But this sentence may need attention:
She looked at the box that was sitting on top of the table in front of her.
Unless every part of that sentence matters, it can probably be tightened:
She looked at the box on the table.
Or, if the box itself matters emotionally:
The box waited on the table in front of her.
That second revision does more than shorten the sentence. It gives the object weight and presence.
Why Sticky Sentences Weaken Prose
Sticky sentences can create distance between the reader and the story.
When a sentence carries too much filler, the reader has to work harder to understand the point. That extra effort may be small, but over the course of a page, a chapter, or a full manuscript, it adds up.
Sticky sentences can make prose feel:
- slower than intended
- less confident
- more vague
- overly wordy
- emotionally distant
- harder to follow
They can also weaken otherwise strong moments.
For example:
It was the sound of his voice that made her realize she had been wrong about him.
This sentence works, but it takes a winding path to reach the emotional point.
A cleaner version might be:
His voice made her realize she had been wrong about him.
Or, with more emotional weight:
Then he spoke, and everything she had believed about him shifted.
The best revision depends on the scene. But in both cases, removing the extra wording helps the sentence land with more clarity.
Sticky Sentences Often Hide in First Drafts
Sticky sentences are very normal in early drafts.
When we draft, we are often figuring out the thought as we write it. We reach for phrases like:
there was
she felt
he began to
it seemed like
in order to
the sound of
the feeling of
was able to
made her way toward
None of these are forbidden. But they are worth checking during revision because they often signal places where the sentence can be stronger.
For example:
He began to walk toward the gate.
Could become:
He walked toward the gate.
Unless the beginning of the action matters, began to may not be necessary.
Another example:
She was able to see the outline of the house through the fog.
Could become:
She saw the house’s outline through the fog.
Or:
The house emerged through the fog.
Each revision creates a slightly different effect. That is why line editing is not just about cutting. It is about choosing the sentence that best serves the moment.
A Practical Self-Editing Pass for Glue Words
Once you understand sticky sentences, this can become a very useful self-editing pass.
You do not have to catch every issue at once. In fact, it is often easier to make one pass specifically for cluttered sentences.
Here is how I would approach it:
1. Look for sentences that feel slow
Read your work out loud or use text-to-speech. If you stumble, lose the thread, or feel like the sentence takes too long to reach its point, it may be sticky.
2. Look for common glue-heavy phrases
Search for phrases like:
there was / there were
it was / it is
that was / that had
in order to
began to / started to
was able to
made her way / made his way
the sound of / the feeling of / the sight of
These phrases are not always wrong, but they are useful flags.
3. Find the real subject and verb
Ask yourself:
Who or what is doing the action?
What is actually happening?
Then see if the sentence can be built more directly around that.
4. Replace vague wording with specific action
Sticky sentences often rely on vague constructions instead of precise verbs.
For example:
She made her way across the room.
Depending on the scene, this could become:
She crossed the room.
She drifted across the room.
She shoved through the crowd.
She crept past the sleeping guards.
She marched toward the desk.
Each option tells the reader something different.
That is the power of cutting glue words. It often forces you to choose a more specific verb.
5. Keep the sentence’s rhythm in mind
Not every sentence needs to be short and sharp.
Sometimes a longer sentence is exactly right. Sometimes repetition is intentional. Sometimes a slower rhythm supports the emotional state of the character.
So do not edit mechanically. Edit with purpose.
The question is not, “Can I make this shorter?”
The question is, “Can I make this clearer, stronger, and more engaging?”
Before and After Examples
Here are a few simple examples of sticky sentences and possible revisions.
Example 1
Sticky sentence:
There was a look of confusion on his face as he tried to understand what she was saying.
Cleaner revision:
Confusion crossed his face as he tried to understand her.
Stronger revision:
His brow furrowed, but he did not interrupt. He was still trying to make her words fit.
Why it works:
The revision removes extra wording and gives the reader a clearer image. The stronger version also adds emotional context.
Example 2
Sticky sentence:
She had the feeling that something was wrong with the house.
Cleaner revision:
She felt something wrong in the house.
Stronger revision:
The house felt wrong.
Why it works:
The strongest version is simple, direct, and more atmospheric. It removes the filter of “she had the feeling” and lets the reader experience the unease more immediately.
Example 3
Sticky sentence:
It was the memory of his brother’s voice that kept him from walking away.
Cleaner revision:
The memory of his brother’s voice kept him from walking away.
Stronger revision:
His brother’s voice echoed in his memory, and he could not walk away.
Why it works:
The revision brings the emotional force closer to the subject. Instead of building the sentence around “it was,” the sentence centers the memory itself.
Example 4
Sticky sentence:
She made her way through the market in order to find the man who had given her the letter.
Cleaner revision:
She crossed the market to find the man who had given her the letter.
Stronger revision:
She pushed through the market, searching for the man who had given her the letter.
Why it works:
“Made her way” and “in order to” slow the sentence down. “Pushed” gives the movement more energy and suggests urgency.
How This Helps Create Clarity
Removing glue words can make your prose clearer because it helps the reader reach the meaning faster.
Clarity is not about stripping all style from your writing. It is about removing anything that gets between the reader and the story.
Sometimes the clearest sentence is quiet. Sometimes it is lyrical. Sometimes it is sharp.
But it should feel intentional.
How This Strengthens Voice
A lot of writers worry that tightening prose will make their voice disappear.
But strong editing should not erase voice. It should reveal it.
When you remove unnecessary glue, the words that remain have more room to matter. Your images become sharper. Your verbs carry more weight. Your rhythm becomes more deliberate.
For example:
There was a silence between them that felt heavy and uncomfortable.
This is clear, but a little generic.
A more voice-driven revision could be:
Silence settled between them, heavy enough to bruise.
Or:
The silence between them had teeth.
Or:
Neither of them spoke, and somehow that was worse.
Each version has a different voice. The right choice depends on the scene, the character, and the tone of the story.
That is why line editing is not just about correctness.
It is about intention.
My Honest Take on Sticky Sentences
This one took me some time to learn.
At first, sticky sentences felt like one more technical thing to worry about. I could understand the examples when someone else pointed them out, but spotting them in my own work was harder.
That is normal.
We know what we meant to say, so our brains often smooth over the clutter. We read the intention instead of the actual sentence.
But once I started looking for glue words as part of a separate self-editing pass, they became much easier to catch.
Now, instead of trying to fix everything at once, I can ask:
Is this sentence carrying too much filler?
Can I find the real action faster?
Can I replace a weak phrase with a stronger verb?
Can I make this clearer without losing the rhythm?
That is what makes this such a useful tool. You do not have to master it instantly. But once you understand what glue words are, you can start training your eye to find them.
And with practice, it becomes one of the easiest ways to strengthen your prose.
Final Thoughts
Sticky sentences are not a sign that you are a bad writer. They are a normal part of drafting.
Most of us use extra words when we are still discovering the shape of a scene. The real work happens in revision, when we start asking whether each sentence is carrying the story as clearly and effectively as it could.
Glue words are not the enemy.
But too many of them can make your prose feel slow, vague, or distant.
Learning to spot sticky sentences gives you a practical way to tighten your writing, sharpen your meaning, and create a smoother reading experience.
And that is the real goal. Not perfect sentences.
Sentences that let the reader reach the heart of the story without getting stuck along the way.