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Got a critique on a forum that made me rewrite my whole opening scene

Someone pointed out I started three paragraphs in a row with "The" and I didn't even notice until they said it. Now I check every sentence opening for repeats before I hit post. Anyone else had a nitpick that actually helped?
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3 Comments
jade517
jade5171mo ago
Yeah but phoenix246, repeating "The" isn't rhythm, it's lazy. I've seen people do that and it kills momentum because every sentence feels the same. That nitpick was actually useful because it made me notice other patterns too, like starting with "He" or "She" a bunch. Now I mix it up with time words or action phrases, and my openings flow way better. It's such a small thing but it makes a big difference in how professional the writing looks. You don't have to obsess, but ignoring it completely is a mistake.
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phoenix246
phoenix2461mo ago
Starting things the same way builds a rhythm that keeps readers moving. Obsessing over tiny word patterns just slows down your writing for no real payoff.
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robin628
robin6281mo ago
My friend tried that and ended up with three paragraphs all starting with "the".
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