Ready To Write With Fewer Adverbs
Adverbs are the bad guys! Okay, I admit that statement is misleading. Adverbs are bad guys when they weaken my writing. Using them too often can dilute my writing turning a dynamic scene into a blah scene
Here's an example. The word "very" is one of the usual suspects when talking about adverbs. It's way too easy to slap "very" in front of a verb or descriptor to show it's more, but choosing a stronger word in the first place makes for better writing. What do you think of this: Maggie was very mad at Connor. Blah? What about: Maggie was irate with Connor. Better? Maggie was furious with Connor. Stronger? What Connor did incensed Maggie. Getting the idea? Last one: Connor's action ignited Maggie's fury. Woah! What the heck did Connor do?
When I search for a stronger word, I use a combination of a thesaurus and a dictionary to ensure the word I select fits what happened and what the character is feeling or experiencing. The sentence with the weaker word may need to be rewritten, but you readers are worth the effort.
There are times when the word "very" remains in my writing. Usually, this is in dialogue. Think for a moment how often you use "very" when describing how strong your feeling or reaction was to something or someone. You're describing the dessert you ordered. "The cake was very good." A friend asks about a movie you saw. "It was very funny." Sound familiar?
I want my characters' dialogue to sound realistic, so I use adverbs when they talk unless the character is a walking thesaurus. 😊 (What an interesting idea for a character. Hmm…)
I'm fortunate to have AutoCrit for my editing. One of its many reports is one identifying all the adverbs in my work. My dialogue can be highlighted which helps with the selection of adverbs to eliminate or keep.
Did I blow your mind regarding adverbs?