Do you use redundancy in writing?When considering redundancy in writing, I always think of one of William Safire's "never-say-neverisms." It reads like so: "You may find on re-reading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing." Click for Free Writer's Block Help E-Zine and Free E-Book Obviously, the previous sentence could be made much more concise by saying, "Repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing." It gets the same point across, but does so in such a way that there is not the use of redundant words and phrases. Redundancy in writing is an example of hyperbole. Without even realizing it, your writing may be becoming repetitive, and you may be exaggerating the use of certain words and phrases until they have either lost meaning or have confused your reader. Clarity is one easy step to sincerity in writing. People are more apt to believe what you are writing, and to feel that you truly have a stake in it, if you make your writing clear-cut and thoroughly structured. Now, there are uses for redundancy in writing. For example, in hyperbole poems, limericks, free verse, haikus, or other forms of poetry, you may find it essential to use repetition to make certain words and phrases stand out. A pantoum is one form of poetry that uses subtle hyperbole to exaggerate words and phrases that are redundant, yet helpful, in the strengthening of each written verse. Pantoums require that the second and fourth lines of each stanza are repeated as the first and third lines of the next stanza. This pattern repeats itself throughout the entirety of the poem, except for the final stanza. The final stanza repeats lines from throughout the whole poem, making each stanza a bit redundant, yet the overall theme of the poem more elaborately defined through the repetition. There are, of course, proper uses for redundancy in writing, but there are also times when it is not appropriate. For example, read the following paragraph and decide how you might change it to avoid its repetitive nature: Lana was so happy when Mark asked her out for the first time. She was so happy about the situation that she happily called up her best friend to ask what she should wear on the date. Carmen was so happy to receive the call and share in this happy news with Lana that she said she'd come right over. She was happy to help Lana pick something out that would be perfect. In this paragraph, a form of the word "happy" is used six times. Once or twice might be acceptable, but the repetition of the word not only detracts from the flow of the paragraph and the sincerity of the happiness, but from a reader's belief in you as a writer who knows how to fashion words in ways that provoke little to no irritation from readers who want to be provided with more substance. You might change the paragraph to read something like: Lana was thrilled when Mark asked her out for the first time. She quickly called up her best friend to ask what she should wear on the date. When Carmen received the call, she happily told Lana that she'd come right over and help pick out the perfect outfit for the special night. Even though I changed the wording a bit, and didn't necessarily keep synonyms of the word "happy," the point of the paragraph is still intact. Not only has this paragraph done away with the overuse and redundancy of the word "happy," but it has also cut down on words, and made the writing clearer and more understandable for readers. Gauge the use of words and phrases in your writing. If you find that you notice redundancy in your writing, your readers are more than likely going to notice it as well. You want to come off as a writer who knows how to write well, and sometimes using repetition will promote this knowledge. However, know when to use repetition as a means of emphasis and when not to use it so you do not forfeit your readers' understanding of your writing.
To return from Redundancy in Writing to the
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