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Describe them once, as that character's standard approach, or usual caution, or something similar to that, a specific word or few words that identifies this whole thing that will be repeated often....
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#4: Attribution notice removed
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/32075 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/32075 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Describe them once, as that character's standard approach, or usual caution, or something similar to that, a specific word or few words that identifies this whole thing that will be repeated often. So the reader knows, when you use those few words, what you are talking about. Perhaps on the second use you can summarize what "usual caution" means: > Alice proceeded with her usual caution: slow movement, no flashlight, peeking from cover before making any move. Then for the third and subsequent usages, just say "usual caution." > Alice proceeded with her usual caution. 1) Long description when it will be new to the reader, with a label. 2) Summary description of the label, when reader has seen it once. 3) Just the label, thereafter.