One of the quickest ways to elevate your writing is to cut the phrase “began to.” Writers often use it as a mental transition, our brains easing into an action. But on the page, it just adds clutter. Instead of writing “She began to run,” try “She ran.” It’s cleaner, more confident, and gets straight to the action. If you’re revising a draft, do a quick search for “began to.” You might be surprised how many you can cut—and how much stronger your writing feels once you do. #WritingTips #Editing #WritingCommunity #WritersLife #FictionWriting #AmWriting

This makes me curious: what's the most common 'fix' you find yourself making during the #editing process after applying this technique?

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Douglas Solvie

Founder of dougal-ish—Practical support for navigating language and daily-life challenges in Japan

7mo

Only five instances in 76K. A small victory, but I'm sure I'm guilty of plenty of others.

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I’ve been really trying to stop using “really” and I really can’t

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