Not alone: learned bad (and good) habits from a master. Accidentally.

[TheWritingGroup]

In one of my works in progress, I noticed last week that I had horribly overused "smirk". Various characters smirked probably a dozen times in 20,000 words or so.

Also, my protagonist comments that her retelling of certain past events is oddly polished because she has been forced to explain what happened over and over in the past several weeks. In another story, it's a supporting character who does that same thing.

Then I was re-listening to Lois McMaster Bujold's Assassin of Thassalon, in which people smirk constantly, and then Knot of Shadows, where protagonist Pen has to explain the same things over and over ....

I first read these stories long before I started writing about Liz, but I have to think Ms. Bujold influenced how it came out.

--Annie

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I noticed in my latest chapter that quite a few men were getting a ‘tug’ on their penises. It’s weird how some things get in our heads and we reuse them a bit too much, lol.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I've been reading Stephen Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
People bare their teeth with great frequency.
Phenomenal series though, most writers have a tick or two for things like that.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I've been reading Stephen Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

I’ve tried twice to get through that and can’t make it past the first book. Maybe third time’s the charm,

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I’ve tried twice to get through that and can’t make it past the first book. Maybe third time’s the charm,

There's definitely a lot going on, but I felt like the pacing is good inspite of that.

 

[ElectricBlue]

In one of my works in progress, I noticed last week that I had horribly overused "smirk". Various characters smirked probably a dozen times in 20,000 words or so.

A word cloud should pick up on the repeated use of one word. I use Worditout regularly during drafting and especially in final edit. It's the only tool I use other than spell check.

 

[dirk2024]

I am working on several stories (as I am inspired) and still trying to hone my first story for publishing. I write in Word and have Grammarly installed on my computer. I also rely on the online version of Thesaurus to help with repetition. It's definitely a struggle.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I am working on several stories (as I am inspired) and still trying to hone my first story for publishing. I write in Word and have Grammarly installed on my computer. I also rely on the online version of Thesaurus to help with repetition. It's definitely a struggle.

Don't use Grammarly to "correct" grammar. It's rubbish for fiction in the first place, and seems to be a common factor with folk who keep getting stories rejected for suspected AI.

 

[Areala-chan]

I noticed in my latest chapter that quite a few men were getting a ‘tug’ on their penises. It’s weird how some things get in our heads and we reuse them a bit too much, lol.

Nynaeve tugged her braid!

 

[dirk2024]

Don't use Grammarly to "correct" grammar. It's rubbish for fiction in the first place, and seems to be a common factor with folk who keep getting stories rejected for suspected AI.

Damn.

I did notice that both it and Word seem to be focused on making my writing efficient and not necessarily creative. So I don't accept every suggested repair.

Do you use anything? I would like to use an editor, but I haven't been able to get connected with one yet. I've had two people tell me they are too busy and many others simply not reply.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Do you use anything? I would like to use an editor, but I haven't been able to get connected with one yet. I've had two people tell me they are too busy and many others simply not reply.

I self-edit, use spell check to pick up dumb typos, and word clouds (Worditout.com) to pick up over-used words, but that's it. I'm from an era where grammar was taught at school, and I've been a business writer for decades, and fiction for a decade, so the rules of grammar and good spelling are part of the furniture.

 

[dirk2024]

I self-edit, use spell check to pick up dumb typos, and word clouds (Worditout.com) to pick up over-used words, but that's it. I'm from an era where grammar was taught at school, and I've been a business writer for decades, and fiction for a decade, so the rules of grammar and good spelling are part of the furniture.

Yeah, I'm not too worried about grammar. Mostly I just want to be sure my stories will be hot enough for Literotica readers.

 

[designatedvictim]

In one of my works in progress, I noticed last week that I had horribly overused "smirk". Various characters smirked probably a dozen times in 20,000 words or so.

Also, my protagonist comments that her retelling of certain past events is oddly polished because she has been forced to explain what happened over and over in the past several weeks. In another story, it's a supporting character who does that same thing.

Then I was re-listening to Lois McMaster Bujold's Assassin of Thassalon, in which people smirk constantly, and then Knot of Shadows, where protagonist Pen has to explain the same things over and over ....

I first read these stories long before I started writing about Liz, but I have to think Ms. Bujold influenced how it came out.

--Annie

Heh... I decided to check in my most recent story, A Week of Sunrises, because I knew my characters rolled their eyes quite frequently.

I checked and was actually surprised that, combined, they only did so a half-dozen times in 39K words.

 

[SkyBubble]

I noticed in my latest chapter that quite a few men were getting a ‘tug’ on their penises. It’s weird how some things get in our heads and we reuse them a bit too much, lol.

That's when I get a thesaurus.

 

[Dearelliot]

I love Grammarly for commas!

 

[SkyBubble]

I love Grammarly for commas!

I love commas.