This exercise as short as it is, is designed to help you break free from troublesome writing habits. We all have them, and I’m no exception. When we’ve been immersed in a writing project for an extended period, it’s easy to slip into familiar patterns, repeating mistakes, and forming habits that hinder our creativity. In my case, two of my most persistent bad writing habits are overemphasizing physical movement in my narratives, often at the expense of storytelling, and an over-reliance on the word ‘glance.’ While these may seem like separate issues, they’re interconnected, and recognizing these crutches is the first step to improvement.

Writing is a challenging endeavor. We revisit the same settings, characters, and events, striving to capture their essence while avoiding the trap of monotony. It’s essential to identify the phrases, words, or descriptions we habitually fall back on. This exercise aims to help us break free from these patterns and invigorate our writing. It’s a process of exploring how we can tell a story without our habitual crutches.

The Exercise: The challenge is to confront your own writing habits head-on. Start by pinpointing your most problematic habit, your frequently used word, or the crutch you rely on. Then, for a brief writing piece, cast it aside. Write without it. This exercise forces you to reevaluate where you truly need it in your storytelling. Once you’ve gained this insight, reintroduce it selectively and purposefully. If you find that it isn’t essential, you’ve taken a significant step toward understanding your writing habits and improving your craft.

Identify Your Worst Writing Habit:
Identify Your Most Used Word:
Identify Your Writing Crutch:
Identify Glue Words:

What do you think of this exercise? Throw a comment at me down below. I would love to hear your thoughts.