Word choice is very important when it comes to writing. Using the wrong terminology can take a reader right out of the piece and can diminish the impact of the scene that you’re creating. This can be one of the reasons your readers aren’t falling in love with your work.
The solution to this is to consider the mood you are trying to create. Will the phrase you’re using turn off your audience?
An example for me is that I avoid using the word ‘giggle’ when I’m writing intimate scenes. The word is usually associated with children or childlike/girlish qualities and that isn’t something I want to bring into a scene that’s based around the things adults do behind closed doors. For this purpose the words ‘laugh’ or ‘chuckle’ fit better.
If I’m stuck trying to figure out the right word, it’s time to get on Google and type in the word alongside thesaurus for alternative options. It usually brings up options that I haven’t even considered and may be a better fit for the piece I’m working on.
Don’t get fixated on this aspect of your writing until you have at least completed a rough draft. This tip is for writer’s who are putting decorating the house, not laying down the foundations in which to build it.