Welcome to the Big Reveal

I enjoy reading author interviews, but often times they don’t ask the kinds
of questions I wonder about. So I’ve assembled a group of writers at
all levels, from un-agented to published, and every week I will have
a new question for them.

What word(s) or phrases show up way too often in your work?

Jay Bendt, Un-agented Author
Then, that, sighed, so.

Lara Schiffbauer, Un-agented Author
Too many to list. The good news is I’ve moved on from “that.” It’s sad to do a word search and find that the word you thought you hardly used shows up every other page.

 
Mark Koopmans, Un-agented Author
Just.
Really.
Gosh.
And, (as in the beginning of a sentence.)
 

Eileen Cook, Published Author
Eye rolling. In my first drafts I people rolling eyes all over the place.

 
Kelley Lynn, Published Author
Ooo, good question. I don’t think this is ever the same across all stories. One story will be riddled with ‘that’. Others will have too much adverbs. Still others will have a phrase where I’m like, “Where did that come from?”
 

Chloe Banks, Agented Author
I’m having a real issue with ‘that’ at the moment. I use it way too much. I also use the words ‘just’ and ‘like’ too much. Oh, and my characters do a lot of ‘turning’!