I thought I was finished editing my latest book. That was, until I remembered my writing mentor's advice: Don't repeat words and phrases and don't write BLAH. (Okay, he didn't say "blah," but that's the easiest way I can remember it!)
So, I read my draft with fresh eyes. What did I see? Something like this: "She turned around and looked up at him with questioning eyes. Then she turned and walked away." Talk about your BLAH! I used "turn" twice in the same paragraph. Did she swivel, rotate, circle? Did she look up, or did she glance, gaze, or stare? Did she walk away, or did she stomp, trudge, saunter, or wander? See what I mean?
Then I noticed everyone rubbed their temples. Didn't anyone have pain anywhere else?
Everyone chuckled. Didn't anyone snicker, chortle, guffaw?
Everyone cleared their throats. Surely, there are other nervous habits, say, biting one's fingernails, cracking one's knuckles, twirling one's hair (if you're a girl).
You probably understand it now. Learn from my mistakes, folks. Find the exact word. Mix it up. Add a little spice to your prose. Go ahead, you can do it! (accomplish, achieve, etc.....)
I'd rather eat a fresh apple, wake up feeling fresh, and breathe fresh air so your advice is well taken to read a draft with fresh eyes and delete stale words. Jerry Jenkins says that a writer writes but an author edits! Here's one more: "I try to leave out the parts that people skip." Elmore Leonard
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