I'll go ahead and do some examples, using yours.

He leaned into her touch, watching her with a content smile on his face.

rewrite: A content smile spread over his face as he leaned into her touch.
rewrited: Contented now, he smiled as he leaned into her touch.

He gritted his teeth slightly, pouring the hot water into his cup as he felt his cheeks heating.

re write:Pouring the hot water into his cup as he felt his cheeks heating, he gritted his teeth slightly.
rewrite: His cheeks warmed, and with a slight grit of his teeth he poured the hot water into the cup.

He raised an eyebrow at her, before slowing his pace a little, moving to step by her side.

rewrite: With an arch of his brow at her words, he slowed, moving to step by her side.

His breath caught in his throat, and he coughed a little, looking away.

rewrite: A breath caught in his throat, and he coughed a little, looking away.

He held the door for her, allowing her to pass through, before moving to follow her.

rewrite: Holding the door, he let her pass before moving to follow her.

As you can see, I'm using several forms of variance.

putting an ing after the verb and using that to start the sentence
starting with with.
Starting with A.
starting with the state of being. such as contented, footsore, sad, downcast...you get the picture.
Starting with "His" which is one of the variances you are already using.

Other variances

Adverb beginning

What I haven't done is any --ly work. You could start "He held the door" with a descriptive such as "Gently, he held the door..."

Body part beginning

You can also start with a body part: Lip twisted in a smirk, he slowed to meet her. Hands shoved in his pockets, he shivered in the cold. Shoulders slumped, he put an arm around her.

location in relation

There's also starting with placement--On his knees...Behind her...Under the marble archway..Through the door he strode...

---

(0)

Login to post a comment!