Why Did You Do That?

31 Days In October

So again, writing a novel is like knitting if you compare how each pursuit uses words and pictures to tell a story.

Day 11-

We all make mistakes. Over and over again we make mistakes. Is it at all helpful to say to someone, "Why did you do that?"

• I did it to bug you.
• I did it because I thought I could get away with it.
• I did it because I lost my concentration.
• I did it because I'm stupid.
• I did it because I lost motivation.

A better way to pose the question may be, "Why did you do that? Let's figure out how it happened and how you can keep it from occuring."

A common mistake I make in writing is to use the same word in every sentence. If each sentence has the same words it gets boring and your writing will have lack luster sentences and words. Use varied words that have the same meaning in your sentence.

Yikes, why are you doing that? 

Did that annoy you? Here is the same paragraph with more variety.

'A common mistake in writing is to use the same word in every sentence. If your text uses the exact wording it gets boring and your work will have lack luster phrases. Use varied language that has similar meanings.'

Better? I love to use an online site called OneLook Reverse dictionary to come up with synonyms. 

 In knitting my favorite mistake is to make a knit stitch when I should make a purl. I wasn't able to see the difference in my work for a long time. My daughter would say, "The purl has a bump and the other stitch doesn't." Still I made that error, over and over. 

UNTIL.......

I had more experience. 

Mistakes happen. Be patient. You didn't do it on purpose.

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