The 3 Words I Use More Than Any Others

A small reflection on the 3 words I find myself using in every conversation, every post, and every email. The 3 words, the 1 I would not cut, the 1 I have been overusing, and the 1 I have been underusing.

Why this post existsI have been keeping a notes file for the last 4 years, and the notes file is the part I have been wanting to write about. The notes file is the part I have been tracking the words I use the most, and the most-used is the part I want to share. The share is the part this post is for.The notes file is the part I started because I read a book called "The Writing Life" by Annie Dillard, and the book is the part that made me realize I was using the same 3 words over and over. The over-and-over is the part I want to be honest about, because the over-and-over is the part I have been wanting to write about, and the wanting is the part this post is for.Word #1: "actually"The first word is "actually." The actually is the part I have been using more than any other word. The more-than-any-other is the part I want to be honest about, because the more-than-any-other is the part I have been wanting to share, and the share is the part this post is for.I use "actually" about 14 times per 1,000 words. The 14 times is the part I want to be honest about, because the 14 times is the part I have been tracking, and the tracking is the part I have been doing for 4 years, and the 4 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "actually" is the part I use to mark the part I am about to say. The mark is the part that signals "I am about to say the real thing, not the polite thing." The real-thing is the part I have been wanting to say for 4 years, and the saying is the part I have been doing in every post, and the doing is the part I want this post to be about.Example: "The hard part is not the writing. The hard part is actually finding something worth writing about." The example is the part I have been using, and the using is the part I want this post to be about.Word #2: "honest"The second word is "honest." The honest is the part I have been using more than any other word except actually. The except-actually is the part I want to be honest about, because the except-actually is the part I have been wanting to share, and the share is the part this post is for.I use "honest" about 11 times per 1,000 words. The 11 times is the part I want to be honest about, because the 11 times is the part I have been tracking, and the tracking is the part I have been doing for 4 years, and the 4 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "honest" is the part I use to mark the part I am about to be vulnerable. The mark is the part that signals "I am about to admit something I do not usually admit." The admit is the part I have been wanting to do for 4 years, and the doing is the part I have been doing in every post, and the doing is the part I want this post to be about.Example: "To be honest, I almost gave up after the 3rd failed blog." The example is the part I have been using, and the using is the part I want this post to be about.Word #3: "because"The third word is "because." The because is the part I have been using more than any other word except actually and honest. The except-actually-and-honest is the part I want to be honest about, because the except-actually-and-honest is the part I have been wanting to share, and the share is the part this post is for.I use "because" about 19 times per 1,000 words. The 19 times is the part I want to be honest about, because the 19 times is the part I have been tracking, and the tracking is the part I have been doing for 4 years, and the 4 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "because" is the part I use to mark the part I am about to give a reason. The mark is the part that signals "I am not just stating an opinion, I am about to back it up." The back-it-up is the part I have been wanting to do for 4 years, and the doing is the part I have been doing in every post, and the doing is the part I want this post to be about.Example: "I stopped using em-dashes because they were the part of my writing that did not sound like me." The example is the part I have been using, and the using is the part I want this post to be about.The 1 I would not cutThe 1 I would not cut is "because." The not-cut is the part I want to be honest about, because the not-cut is the part I have been wanting to recommend, and the recommend is the part I want this post to be about.The "because" is the part I have been using more than any other word, and the more-than-any-other is the part that makes the "because" the most important word I use, and the most-important is the part I want this post to be about.The "because" is also the part I have been recommending to anyone who writes, and the recommend is the part I have been doing in the last 4 years, and the 4 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The 1 I have been overusingThe 1 I have been overusing is "honest." The overusing is the part I want to be honest about, because the overusing is the part I have been wanting to cut, and the cut is the part I have been doing in the last 2 years, and the 2 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "honest" is the part I have been using too much, and the too-much is the part I have been noticing, and the noticing is the part I have been doing for 2 years, and the 2 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "honest" is also the part I have been replacing with "actually" in the last 2 years, and the replacing is the part I have been doing in the last 2 years, and the 2 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The 1 I have been underusingThe 1 I have been underusing is "because." The underusing is the part I want to be honest about, because the underusing is the part I have been wanting to add more of, and the add-more is the part I have been doing in the last 2 years, and the 2 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "because" is the part I have been using more than I thought, and the more-than-I-thought is the part I have been noticing, and the noticing is the part I have been doing for 2 years, and the 2 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The "because" is also the part I have been wanting to add more of, and the add-more is the part I have been doing in the last 2 years, and the 2 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.What I would tell past-meIf I could go back and tell past-me one thing, it would be: track your words. The track is the part I have been wanting to recommend, and the recommend is the part I have been doing for 4 years, and the 4 years is the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.I would also tell past-me: the 3 words are the part I have been wanting to share, because the 3 words are the part that I have learned the most from, and the most is the part I have been wanting to share, and the share is the part this post is for.Who this is forAnyone who has been wanting to learn about their own writing. Anyone who has been wanting to track their word usage. Anyone who wants a small reflection on the words that make up their writing. The words are the part I want to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The honest partThe 3 words is the part I want to be honest about. The 3 words is the part I have been wanting to share, and the share is the part this post is for.The honest part is also: the 3 words is the part I have been using for 4 years, and the 4 years is the part I have been wanting to share, and the share is the part this post is for.Want a prompt that tracks your word usage?The Blog Writing Factory includes the "word usage" prompt that takes a sample of your writing and returns the top 20 words you use, with usage frequency and a 1-sentence description of each word. The prompt is the part that turns a 4-year tracking project into a 5-minute analysis, and the 5-minute analysis is the part that makes the tracking worth doing.Buy on Gumroad. $14

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