Tyranny of words

Writers, do you ever start to hate words that you just can’t help using over and over again? Last week I finished polishing my synopsis and draft letter for my submission. This week all I am doing is referencing a plethora of thesauri as I strive to cut down on the usage of these words which seem to pour forth from me at alarmingly frequent intervals. Last night it was “comfort” and it’s derivatives: uncomfortable, comfortable, discomfort, etc etc. I couldn’t believe how many times I’ve used it in my manuscript. And I have a list of about 15 other offending words. Pleasant, easy, glad, anxious, amiable…. where will it all end? If it takes me about 5 hours to fix each word throughout my script, I’m going to be here all year.

I’m getting quite impatient to submit the darn thing. Feedback from friends hasn’t been as comprehensive as I had hoped, and I just kinda want to get it out there to see what happens. The other option I have is to apply for the Writer in Libraries programme which runs May-July (the deadline for applications is this Friday). This is a one-on-one mentoring opportunity. Do I still want to be working on my novel in July though? NO! My goal is to send if off by Easter.

P.S. It’s our second wedding anniversary on the 20th. We’re taking Monday and Tuesday off, and spending a long weekend in the Rotorua region. There’s a jazz festival on Saturday, so that should be cool. Can’t wait for Friday afternoon.