shirewalker:

ngl I’m tired of those posts making fun of  “she let out a breath she wasn’t aware she was holding” and all that kind of sentences. sure it’s been used and used and used, but it’s there for a reason, just like describing characters’ clothes at times is there for a reason. letting out a breath tends to be there to show the character had been so wrapped up in whatever’s happening that they weren’t even aware they had been holding their breath. has no one ever done this in real life? really? you really expect me to believe you’ve never been so wrapped up in something you didn’t realise you were or weren’t doing some basic things?

to any writers out there feeling bad for writing this sentence or any variations: do it. write the thing. make your characters let out those breaths at those important moments. if it’s your favourite way to show how important a thing/moment is for your character, then by all means, use it! editing and rewriting drafts will eventually tell you if you need to change it or cut down in its uses but don’t let the haters keep you from writing your story