Write better knowing what words to avoid
I offer editing and development services for first-time authors. When one of these authors first approaches me, I ask them to send me the first three or so chapters to review.

The amount of effort required on my part doesn't affect how much I charge, but I can get a pretty decent picture of how the potential client can best benefit from what I am able to offer. I can also make the recommendations of editing only or editing and development, which are at different price points.
If I determine that the client won't benefit from my help, I'll tell them that, too, and why.
But there is something universal among all my author-clients: word choice.
They don't all use the same words in a way a seasoned writer might, but sometimes a writer needs to avoid certain words they are accustomed to using in everyday life.
These are "words to avoid."
I worked with one author recently, who presented a book of historical nonfiction. He wrote most of it in the conditional past tense instead of a simple past tense. His hero "would go on to" or "would have seen" rather than "went" or "saw."
His No. 1 word to avoid was "would."
When I compile these lists of words to avoid, or sometimes phrases to avoid, most of the time, the writer isn't aware of what they're doing until someone points it out. Many are often-repeated, so much so that it distracts from the context of that portion of the story.
Yes, there are times when repeating a word provides emphasis. Yes, there are times when repeating a phrase provides emphasis.
In those cases, when well-placed, I give kudos to the writer.
The words to avoid can be as simple as "if," "then," "and" or "just."
Repetitive words in a sentence becomes monotonous to the reader, and they make sentences longer than they need to be. As a journalist, we're taught to take out any unnecessary words, which include "that." We use "that" only when it's needed for clarification. By reducing the number of words used, it leaves more room for the author to be more eloquent, more interesting and more detailed.
If you're a writer and are unsure if this is a habit you picked up in your writing, there are two things you can do to check that won't cost you any money:
Read aloud. When you read your story out loud to yourself, you're likely to pick up on repeated words. It also has the benefit of helping you to make sure your sentences make sense.
Have someone else read it: While it can sometimes be a source of anxiety, ask someone else to read it for repetitive words with the express goal of finding them.
Challenge yourself to replace your words to avoid with more interesting ones, where appropriate. Writing, "It was a simple mouse," can become, "It was a mouse with clean lines, a smooth surface, and it lacked its tail."
("Simple" is on my personal list of words to avoid.)
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