Repetitive Beginnings

A common mistake newer writers, as well as established ones, are guilty of is starting every sentence the same way; for instance, beginning with the word “I.” For me, it’s either “I” or “So” or any other transition word that I subconsciously type while thinking of what to write next. It’s that brief pause in thought before it clicks and I go back to furiously typing on the keyboard. That’s how all my first drafts go, and when I read it back to myself, I’m always shocked at what I thought was clear. A tip from my writing sister, GMTSchuilling, is trying not to have the same pronoun used more than once every paragraph. It smooths out the flow and helps abate repetition. If you haven’t read any of her stuff, hurry over to Wattpad and check out her profile. You won’t be disappointed;)

As far as first drafts go, mine can get pretty repetitive. What really helps me is using the “ctrl f” function to see how many times I used a word or phrase. It also really helps with my comma usage; I love commas. Setting where that pause should be in my writing helps me guide the reader through the story and makes me feel more connected to my audience. That, for me, is what writing is all about: connecting. We all have a story in us, and I think writing is a unique way of sharing those stories. There’s something transcending and truly versatile about it. The reader sees your story through their own eyes, hears it through their own ears. It resonates personally with each individual person.

Have you ever been in a book club and had each member describe their opinions about a scene or a character, or simply discussed it with a friend on the phone? You both can read the same story, and yet you have completely different interpretations. But the same author is talking to you.

Okay, now that I’ve gone on a rant, let’s get back to the subject, lol. Repetitive beginnings, they can be sneaky little ticks and they get all of us at one point or another. So I’ll open it up to you. What are some of your tricks of combating them?

#writingtips #writinginspiration #writerslife #authors #drafting