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Darling Axe Editing @darlingaxe.com · 14/01/2025

5/ Gestures are sometimes called "beats." (Not to be confused with the plot beat.) Beats can also include thoughts, actions, and sensory details. Exercise: Describe a bustling city street as seen by someone who’s just lost their job. Don’t mention the job. The lens matters.

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a busy city street with a bus that says nyc on it

Alt: a busy city street with a bus that says nyc on it

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Darling Axe Editing @darlingaxe.com · 14/01/2025

6/ Beware of overused gestures and verbal tics. A character who repeatedly smokes a cigarette to the end or flips their hair might feel distinct at first, but it gets old fast. Instead, let their emotions subtly filter through their actions. Keep it fresh.

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a woman in a black dress is sitting in a chair

Alt: a woman in a black dress is sitting in a chair and flipping her hair

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Darling Axe Editing @darlingaxe.com · 14/01/2025

7/ What about all the "looks, gazes, and glances"? Skip them when you can. If a character picks up a knife, we’ll assume they’ve seen it. Overuse of “looking” is a weed that needs to be yanked out in revisions—trust your readers to connect the dots.

media.tenor.com

patrick star from spongebob squarepants is surrounded by pink hearts .

Alt: patrick star from spongebob squarepants is surrounded by pink hearts .

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