Overused Words

One benefit of rereading your journals is how you pick up your own annoying writing habits. Overuse of certain words is one of my annoying habits. While it’s easy to roll your eyes at your repetition and read on you might want to investigate why you’re using those particular words so often.

Is it sheer laziness? Could you find a better word to describe precisely what you’re writing about? Or does the word have some significance for you?

During a rereading session note the words you repeat often. In your next journal writing session make a concentrated effort not to use any of those words, at all. You will feel some resistance. Force yourself to become more creative. Dig into what it is you’re writing, describing or emoting. Find another way to write it. Perhaps you will get at the truth more effectively.

Make a list of the words you’re overusing. Over the next week think about what those words really mean to you. Look them up in your dictionary, thesaurus, investigate them. What significance do you assign them?

I hope this entry gives you something to think about this week.

Heather
Journaling Tools – Go deeper and reach higher with hundreds of journal writing resources.

Life Journal Software