Marjorie Turner Hollman helps authors self-publish their books. She is also a disability advocate, sharing information about Easy Walks (not too many roots or rocks, relatively level with firm footing, and something of interest along the way) in open space. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
LISTEN:
Have you noticed when an author has used lots of different words? Hmmm, maybe you didn’t notice. Most likely it simply sounded interesting, and the writing felt like it moved along at a good pace. Maybe you noticed that the author noticed everything in their path. Say they are walking along a city street. They notice this, then draw your attention to the cracks in the sidewalk. Then they say, “Hey, I just noticed that the traffic is slowing down.”
Ahhh. I bet you noticed (there it is again) that the word “notice” was used repeatedly. There is nothing wrong with the word. It’s a fine word. It’s the repetition, however, the lack of variation, that makes the writing mundane. It’s sort of like our use of the phrase, “you know” or the word “like.” Using “you know” or “like” in speech turns these perfectly good words into placeholders, pauses that we use to allow us think of what we want to say next.
Inserting pauses in spoken conversation can be annoying, but mostly they’re verbal “tics” we use by habit. Not many of us are professional speakers. We simply converse, expressing our thoughts or feelings. Varying word choice, in the conversational world, is not a big deal. Say what you want, then clarify (if needed) what you really meant.
Writing doesn’t usually work that way. You can’t look over your reader’s shoulder, see their confusion, and say, “No, this is what I really meant to say.” You aren’t there to clarify your meaning. You also cannot stop your reader from putting your book down because they found the writing off-putting or even, sad to say, boring. (And yes, I used the word “you” repeatedly, so you understand that I am talking to you, my reader.)
So if you hope to keep your reader engaged, a simple strategy is to read back over what you’ve written, and look for words or phrases that show up again and again. It’s what I will do when I finish this article, and I hope you won’t find it boring. So, that first paragraph with all the “notices” in it? That was intentional, to make my point.
If you want to stress a concept, repetition can reinforce your message. Pastors, preachers, priests, and professional speakers all use this method. They will even say, “I’ll say this again…” then repeat what they just said. It’s not an accident. This restating of a concept is intended to make a point.
Another simple way to check for these sneaky written tics? Read aloud what you have written. Even if you cannot visually pick out those repetitive words that make your writing unenjoyable, your ear may flag it.
That flag, likely red, will shout, “Bor-ing.”
What I am hoping to draw your attention to is the inadvertent overuse of a single word. You may think the repetition is unavoidable. But I know you can do better. Your reader hopes you will do better.
Take the time. Check back over what you wrote. Read it aloud. Look for those words or phrases that are overused. Pick them out, then choose another word. There are more than a million words in the English language. You can find alternatives that will perk up your writing simply by searching for “synonym for….” A word of warning, though: If you aren’t familiar with the synonym, be sure to look it up in a dictionary to make sure your alternative isn’t transporting your reader to another universe, unless that’s where you intended for them to go.
Despite what some may say, diversity is not a dirty word. In fact, it is a concept we instinctively crave. Sameness, like having spaghetti seven days in a row, will provoke rebellion at the dinner table. Varying our menu is seen by most of us as “the way it ought to be.”
Paying attention to the words we use, and making a conscious choice in how we put them to work is an important step toward keeping our readers turning the page. And that is generally the whole point of writing. We hope that what we write will be read.
That is, unless you’re journaling. In that case, feel free to repeat yourself as often as you wish, unless you choose to publish that journal. When deciding that you want to share your private writing with the world, please, please, go back and read again what I just wrote.
I’ll repeat this. If you want to publish what you have written, go back and read what I just wrote. You’re welcome.
Marjorie
Marjorie Turner Hollman 