A-Z Blog Challenge: R

R is for Repeat…again.

Sometimes it’s obvious when we repeat a word in a sentence, paragraph, page, or scene.  We, or our critique partners, can find them when we edit.  But there are times redundancies aren’t quite so obvious because they are phrases we use everyday without thinking.  If we want to tighten up our writing and make it shine, weeding these out will be a great help. 

Below is a list of several commonly used phrases that, when you take a closer look, you’ll see are completely repetitive.  When I first saw these, I had to laugh.  Some are just way too obvious.

Advance warning

And etc

Assemble together

Bald headed

Best ever

Brief moment

Closed fist

Combine together

Drop down

Disappear from sight

Each and every

Exact time

Final end

Follow after

Gather together

Head honcho

Hoist up

Incredible to believe

ISBN number

Join together

Kneel down

Lift up

Live witness

Mental telepathy

Mix together

Never before

None at all

Old adage

Over exaggerated

Pair of twins

Past memories

Plan ahead

Pouring down rain

Pursue after

Reflect back

Rise up

Safe haven

Sum total

Tall in stature

Temper tantrum

Tuna fish

Twelve noon (or midnight)

Unexpected emergency

Visible to the eye

Warn in advance

You can find a larger list here.  I had fun looking over these.  It was a bit of an eye-opener to how often I use them without realizing it.

How many of these look like familiar phrases you’ve used in your writing?  Would you go back and change them?

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