Just a light-hearted thread. It's probably been done before, but I can't find it, so here goes! I've been editing some passages I wrote a while back and a few pet phrases keep coming up. I generally try to avoid repetition while writing, but I seem to love these ones so much that they slip under the radar. Now that I've recognised them, I expect that to end! Mine are: A bitter edge entering someone's voice. Something being hardly surprising, or any variation on that you can think of. I've probably got many others that it will take beta readers to point out. What are yours? Or are you perfect?
People narrowing their eyes. People emerging or appearing into a character's line of sight or from another room or something. I think I might say grinning too much but, for me at least, it does mean something different from a normal smile. I'm sure I have others, too
To my recollection, People reaching out for [insert object] People clearing their throats People scoffing, licking their lips, reacting to things 'in a flash'.
I think if Jack rolls his eyes much more, they'll fall out. If he keeps smirking, his face will stay that way. How can he see straight if his head's always tilted? (This one is on purpose. He's cute, like a puppy!) Amused expressions and tones of voice. Dark everything - expression, tone, eyes, purpose. *buys self a thesaurus* SIGHING. Cue the supercut of every time a character of mine sighed.
My guys do a lot of gasping, and also a lot of being enveloped by things - haze, water, darkness... Nobody has been enveloped by envelopes yet but it's probably just a matter of time
I tend to drop pronouns. “When I say good morning, I expect a reply. A verbal reply.” Very tempted to give him one. Noir smiled. I might fix that second sentence in the second draft. But for now that's how it came out. I don't know if I have any pet words right now - maybe hobbled because the mc walks with a limp.
Characters that I write tend to furrow their brows and raise their eyebrows and set their chins and jaws a lot. And purse their lips.
My antagonist has a near toothless grin as I've referred to it on more than one occasion I've recently noticed. This has led to my employment of lesser known adjectives such as edentulous amongst others, so it needn't necessarily be a bad thing as long as you recognise and rectify the problem.
Expressions are often 'painted' on peoples faces. Peoples fingers seem to always be doing something. People's eyes are always sparkling or fearful or have a look of despair about them.
Oh, what a coincidence that we both had the same thread idea so close together! Great minds... (let's be optimistic )
It's tough. I mean, you can't just have your characters pingpong their lines; they have to be *doing* something. Eye rolls, frowning, scratching jaws, shaking heads.... And, as pointed out in another thread, it's realistic. People do these things, over and over again, repeating gestures, tics, phrases, whatnot. But, when you write it down, it looks ridiculous.
My characters always seem to be gritting their teeth and setting their jaws. I also use the word "shadow" way more often than anyone could possibly deem necessary. Always gives me a chuckle when I read through my first drafts.
