Do you use certain words and phrases over and over in your writing? Do you have pet expressions that you use when writing fiction or nonfiction? Have you checked your finished manuscripts\u2014even blog posts\u2014for repeats? You should do it. You might be surprised.<\/p>\n
You know that you probably shouldn\u2019t use an interesting and unusual string of words more than once in a manuscript\u2014unless it is the way of talking for a character, for example. But what about those connecting words we use\u2014words we choose to move our story along or to create transitions? Are you overusing some of them?<\/p>\n
My proofreader for the second in my Klepto Cat Mystery series suggested I reconsider my use of \u201cand then.\u201d When I began paying attention, I was astounded at how often I used this duo of words in my manuscript. They were invisible to me until my proofreader pointed them out. Now they stick out like–well, you know–a sore thumb. The last time I read through the manuscript, I wrote down other words, terms and phrases that appeared often. Yesterday, I searched for these to make sure I wasn\u2019t overdoing it with some of them. What a wake-up call! I had no idea that I had these habit terms\u2014phrases and words\u2014that I clung to as a way to hold my story together\u2014to move it along. This week, I will be working to eliminate and change them, thus, to streamline the story. <\/p>\n
I challenge you to do a search on your current project. Are there words you use over and over again? How do you introduce characters? Introduce their next line? Set up a scene? Give a character personality? Give a character an action? Transition from one scene to the next? Are you using fresh words and terms or is your manuscript filled with the same, tired phrases?<\/p>\n
When I write nonfiction, I tend to use, \u201cof course\u201d too often. I remember deleting dozens of instance of \u201cof course\u201d from one of my most recent book manuscripts. What are your habit words–your go-to phrases?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Do you use certain words and phrases over and over in your writing? Do you have pet expressions that you use when writing fiction or nonfiction? Have you checked your finished manuscripts\u2014even blog posts\u2014for repeats? You should do it. You might be surprised. You know that you probably shouldn\u2019t use an interesting and unusual string […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t