Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Death to the Adverb!!!

Very Simply Shortly Barely Nearly Briefly Almost Really GONE. While we’re at it, to hell with perception!!! It seemed She felt He believed And kill those linking verbs! Is Am Was Were Are Be Being Been Looks Appears Seems Becomes (did I really have 60 of these memorized in grade school?) Oh, and those verb tenses!!! Ne’er again will past perfect be seen!!! EASY tenses! I suppose on the up side... strike that... The benefit (2 words, rather than 6)... it is forcing me to choose more precise verbs and take a stronger voice, so paring down isn’t all bad. And I suppose as a dedicated nudist, I should appreciate the story stripped to essentials. If I have to remove a limb though, I’m going to be mighty miffed (even though I can't suppose it and won’t be allowed to use mighty to express it)

3 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Good points here...and helpful, since I'm in the revision stage myself!

Repetition is also something to look out for. My characters seem to sigh a LOT.

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Hart Johnson said...

Yeah, I've got eye rollers (mostly the teen). Definitely am also eliminating a lot of telling ABOUT it and then TELLING it...

Unknown said...

This post was almost to painful to read. I wonder if I will have to do similar mutilation once I finish writing my first novel. It will be like re-writing the entire piece. I love you Tami. Not just for your diligence but for you patience and positive attitude.

*hugs*