Repetition is a very powerful tool in the writer’s toolkit. Humans naturally seek out patterns in everything they encounter. Our ability to do so helped us to survive those hundreds of thousands of years as hunter-gatherers. Through pattern, we anticipate and plan.
Which also means that through pattern we can be manipulated.
At every level and scale of writing, repetition can be used to nudge the audience where you want. In dialogue it makes a powerful point. In action lines it makes for a smooth read. And for structure (you felt that broken pattern right? It should have been “and in structure”) you control the audience.
In fact, patterns form the cornerstone of both horror and comedy. Each uses repetition to train us when to anticipate something – and then by fulfilling or subverting the pattern elicit a response. Laugh or scream, both mark the relief of the pattern getting resolved.
So look for patterns in your work, and think about how they help or hinder your story. And by actively using them, you can better control the audience experience.
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