What sort of things do you feel that you overuse in your writing? Sentence structure, phrases, verbs, types of figures of speech, anything.
For example, I think that I overuse dashes. I love the way they look and the character they add - ( ) but yeah, I'm afraid there's just too many of them. And then the verb "demand". I find that it fits so many instances, and gives just the connotation I want. Still, there isn't an excuse. Overuse is just overuse. And I probably overuse so much more that I don't even realize I'm overusing. I mean I just overused overuse. What a hypocrite. But seeing what other people overuse should definitely help.
So open my eyes - what do you overuse?

*shudders* There are several words in the English language that suffer from BushMaid overuse. Chief among them would be "suddenly" and "however". There are times I simply cannot construct a sentence without one or the other.

I probably overuse dashes too. And the word "just." And "though." I also overuse "however," too.

*Shudders, then decides to plunge in anyway*

Overuse? You have no idea... The main culprits appear to be "immediately" and a lot of adverbs and adjectives. They're so totally indescribably { } helpful! And yet... not.

What do I do to combat them? Well, I love having a word limit - which works best on short stories. In those cases, I'm forced to prune away my not-so-lovely adverbs and adjectives, and replace them with stronger nouns and verbs! *applause* For other overuses, I read through the work carefully and see where the repeats are really obvious, or I might do a "find" on the document to highlight the particular word.

I combat mine with checking to see I didn't use it in the same paragraph more then once. Not a very brilliant strategy...

Anyhow and however are definitely mine! Dear oh dear, it's quite shocking! I tend to edit them out after, you see once I start writing I can write reams and I don't really stop to think! So after I re read it and edit out anything that I see I have used too much.

I overuse different words every story. It seems that once I get to not overusing one word I overuse another...but the main word that I use too much is "then" or "than" *shudders* I have to go back and take out all the unnecessary ones once I am done writing.

I tend to overuse adverbs

eru

Evenstar - I like the "find" idea!
I also overuse "somewhat" "rather" and "quite." Strange.

I think I overuse this sentence structure: "ed", and then "ing". Example:

She leaned her head against his chest, inhaling the scent of his leather jacket.

Get what I mean? I do that an awful lot.

Aemi: I do that a lot! I need to watch for that...

I overuse "though/although" a lot. I start and end sentences with it!

Example:
1.) Although he was tall he couldn't reach the switch.

2.) He couldn't say for sure that he would be able to reach it though.

After everything is on paper I edit unnecessary words out.

I tend to overuse many simple words instead of using stronger verbs or adverbs that could add more impact to the story. That's also something I work though when I edit. ^^

~Calen

I use the ; too much, and like in real life like I like say the word like, like too much (Ok not that much lol)

Like! It is the scourge of my speech! Once me and my sisters tried to began avoid saying it - that was a joke. Like - like its really hard to stop saying it like all the time.

Like lol like I like tried like that like and like it like doesn't like even like work???

My characters use direct address too much. I've noticed that especially in times of trouble they suddenly start using each other's name in every sentence.

I do that too, but all my characters shouldn't have all my speech patterns.

In trying to avoid using "said" I started using "commented" and "remarked", but now that has gotten out of hand. It's a juggling act trying to figure out what to put at the end of the characters' sentences.

Also, there are many scenes that start out with my characters waking up. I just noticed this yesterday while working on a story. They sleep too much!

Erm ... every book of literary criticism or English usage, or about writing, I've read has strenuously recommended exactly the opposite: that you avoid "said-bookism", the use of synonyms for "said" when "said" will do, and to use nothing at all when you can make it work. Sometimes you have to use a different verb, or add an adverb, to convey information that the context and the dialogue itself can't---for example, "'Come here,' she whispered." But I would try to use nothing at all when you can and "said" when you must use something.

Oh, yes, I agree. Reading something like this:

"I'm so glad you came!" she welcomed.
"Thank you for having me," he responded.
"Would you like some lemonade?" she questioned.
"No, thank you," he replied politely.

Versus this:

She opened the door wide, and a smile broke over her face. "I'm so glad you came!"
He smiled, glancing quickly down at his brightly polished boots. "Thank you for having me," he said. He followed her inside.
Her eyes flitted nervously. He noticed she was trembling. She stammered through the common courtesies, offering him a seat, some refreshments. He stared past the small talk, the polite refusals coming automatically from his lips.
Finally he strode nearer to her, and carefully took her hand.

The answer is not always to replace every "said" with an alternative word. Do the authors in your favorite books do that?

And understand, Kayla, we're not trying to smash you. We're trying to help you. We want to help you just as much as you want to improve.

Agree!
I love "said".

It's also good to avoid things such as that at all, such as this;

Tommy walked towards her, "where is it!"
She cowered, then sat up straight as looked Tommy in the eyes, "you will never have the pen! You will never have the power! It is the Lord's and the Lord's alone! And he has chosen me!"
Tommy looked at her scowling face and her hand that neared the hilt of her blade "chosen... for what?"
She looked at him and smiled evily, "Chosen to kill you."

So basically in that you see that I never used any gruntings, saidings, mutterings, commentings, retortings, sneerings, snortings, or any such things.

Right, but I think you could have easily used a few "said"s in there.

That was a very good example, Aemi.

Instead of saying like all the time, try saying: Akin to, People will look at you funny and it'll spice things up a bit.

My characters shrug and cross their arms waaay too much.

I think my characters nod too often... I have noticed this was an issue in the first draft on the second book in my Trilogy. I'm working on rectifying that in the second draft.

The hint is well taken.

Glad I could make you chuckle.