I'm back with another fun Round Robin Blog Fest! This month's question is:
Do you have any character habits or favorite words that always crop up in your writing?
Since I've been writing a non-fiction writing book lately, my thoughts went a totally different way to words and habits I tend to overuse.
I had to laugh when a friend read one of my earlier books and commented how there was a lot of nostril flaring. Nostril flaring and eye rolling are two of my biggest, most overused reactions for characters. Apparently, I must do a lot of both in real life.
Sighing is another reaction I tend to overuse. In one of my books I was doing a first edit on, I gave up counting the number of sighs. I should have done a search when I plugged my edits into the computer. I think there would have been at least three per page.
I’ve also had characters groan several times on a page. Some of the time I plug them into a rough draft with the intention of going back and replacing them with something better and…sometimes I forget.
Just and very pop up often, too. So does A LOT, which I’ve already used three times in this blog!
Speaking of overused, I went back and did a quick edit and got rid of four exclamation marks. I did leave one for effect, but the others were far from necessary. One of my first editors used to constantly rap my knuckles for using them more than once per book. I have snuck a couple more in there lately when the situation calls for them.
Nice. “It’s a nice day.” What does that mean? Nice is one of those words that can be used by a character but really doesn’t say anything. I try hard to elaborate while going through edits.
We all tend to do comparisons and sometimes like can get a real workout. “The puddles were like tiny oceans to the bugs that bounced with every raindrop.” If you’re writing those sorts of comparative sentences several times a chapter, your readers will start to notice. One way to get around that is to add more description of the item instead of likening it to something else.
Actually, I think I overuse actually a great deal, too. The good thing is this is one word I actually delete when I go through my first round of edits. Unless it’s actually needed by a character, I automatically cross it out.
One issue I tend to have lately is dialogue tags. I’ve gone from many “said” and “asked” to action tags. And I got called out for it by a big league author. I’ll be much more careful going forward.
Being an author there’s a real learning curve. Just when you think you’ve figured things out and are following the “rules”, someone points out a bad habit that you never even noticed. That’s when we roll our eyes and sigh before we actually make a lot of changes…
If you haven't seen my newest release, introducing:
An explosion leaves a gaping hole in the streetscape where the Nine Lives Consignment Shop and the former martial arts school once stood. When police find remains of a bomb inside, Gilda Wright needs to track a killer before her suspects scatter like debris.
Check it out at: https://books2read.com/Dead-Without-Remorse
Also be sure to check out our wonderful authors:
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-2ow
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com
