Do you ever check your manuscript for over-used words? Some editing software will do this for you. Otherwise, think of words you may use too often. One I used more than I realized was massive. We all have our favorite adjectives and adverbs. Make sure you don’t wear it out.
Don’t worry about this during your first draft. That can slow down your creative flow as you get your story on paper. However, when you get to your first edit, watch for them. When one stands out, search on it so you can replace its repeated usage with as many synonyms as possible.
Marcha's Two-Cents Worth 
Which editing software would you recommend for finding overused words?
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I just use Word so I’ll ask an author friend who uses something that uses that. Stand by…
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There is one called ProWritingAid. If you need an editor or know someone who does, let me know. I have a friend who does it and when I’m not up to my eyeballs in my own work I do, too. 🙂
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Thank you!
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When editing my first manuscript, I realized I was using too many adverbs, so I used finder to search out ‘ly’ … then substituted stronger verbs. It was a very good improvement.
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It’s very common for new writers to do that since it’s how we speak. So much of good writing isn’t intuitive but takes study, objectivity, and discipline.
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In my experience, good writing is mainly about good editing.
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Definitely! And being humble enough to learn. I’m amazed at how many poorly written otherwise good stories are out there.
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