I like that!

I like the word that. That is to say, I edited my manuscript using search and replace and it took me ten hours to look through all the times I used the word that. “What’s that?” You said, “Really, that long, wow!” So I decided to see how often that four letter word comes up in everyday conversations. Here’s what I found out. It is obvious that we as Americans like the word that. Not only do I like the words that, but others like me do to. It can be a valuable word and yet it is quite possibly highly over used. However, I have come to realize through editing my manuscript that I have a personal relationship with the word that. That’s crazy, I know, and it’s not enough that I’ve gone through every page and changed, deleted, and yes, sometimes left the word in. That’s because I like it. Somehow, it’s a four letter word that has become special to me, although, I do realize as a writer I’m just going to have to keep that to myself and try to keep it out of my manuscript. Sigh, that’s too bad, I think I might miss that.