Why? Simple. Search and find.
Search and find what? After the first draft, after the second draft, after the third draft, when you w.i.p. is almost ready to go out, then:
Search and find all those annoying words that creep into writing:
But
And
As
-ing words
-ly words
As you write, keep a list of your favorite words that you use over and over and over.
Some of my favorites are: whirled, possessed and glanced. What are yours?
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4 comments:
I have so many. Looked, gazed, just. I keep a list to seek and replace, but it's hiding right now.
I find that sometimes the words are not everyday ones, but personal favorites that will drive the reader crazy when they occur again and again. For example, how many times do you think I can get away with serendipitous?
My personal favorites: plonked, which isn't even a word (yet) and ubiquitous, as in "plonked is ubiquitous in my writing."
"Just" sneaks in everywhere for me, too. "Already" is another one. And I seem to love "careened."
The Tameri Guide for Writers has a list, not a long list, but a beginning:
http://www.tameri.com/edit/words2kill.html
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