It’s an editor’s job to remove them from the final manuscript. Writers tend not to write many chapters at once, or read through cover to cover so get “tunnel vision” when self editing. They might go back to an unfinished chapter and repeat words or phrases, forgetting they have just used that the day before. It’s incredibly common. Just like a musician playing their favourite lick, or drum fill.
They’re called “Echoes” or “Echo words”.
It’s an editor’s job to remove them from the final manuscript. Writers tend not to write many chapters at once, or read through cover to cover so get “tunnel vision” when self editing. They might go back to an unfinished chapter and repeat words or phrases, forgetting they have just used that the day before. It’s incredibly common. Just like a musician playing their favourite lick, or drum fill.
Source: wife is an editor