Repetition
You’ve likely heard the rule in English that says you can’t use repetition.
They say that repeating the same word twice in a single paragraph stands
out and makes it sound like you couldn’t think of a good simile (different
word, same meaning). The following paragraph is an example of how you
can break that rule to good effect:
» They say you can’t use repetition in writing, but you can. You’ve heard
that you can’t use the same word twice in the same sentence or even
in the same paragraph. But you can. They say it sounds funny if you
repeat a word, that it shows an inability to think of a simile, and that
you can’t get away with it. But you can–if you know how to do it right.
Repetition is an example of breaking the rules for effect (more on
page xxx). Don’t repeat yourself for no reason. Use repetition carefully to
emphasize points that you want to stand out. Like the “but you can” and
“they say” in the above paragraph. Do it enough that it’s clear that you’re
doing it. If it looks like an accident, most readers will assume it to be so.
Keep in mind the magic number three. As soon as something appears
three times, it becomes a pattern, which usually works a lot better than
just a pair.