The Write Verb

To tighten your writing and take it to the next level, evaluate and upgrade your use of verbs. 

Choosing the right verbs signals strength in your writing and creates a sense of urgency for your readers. 

When writing the first draft our focus, as writers, is getting words on the page, when the time comes for revision, step up your game and create a clear and concise visual picture. That means looking at your verb usage. 

Some things to keep in mind:

1. When you rely on "to be" and its other forms, your writing will be static. When you can upgrade to more dynamic verbs your writing will soar. Search your writing for the following words: to be, was, were, are, and is. Then work to remove them. Sometimes an easy substitution works, sometimes it means reorganizing your sentence structure, but whatever it takes, remove weak verbs.

2. When you rely on "to be" and its other forms, you may tend to also rely on the use of adverbs. You've probably heard before how the use of adverbs should be used only when you absolutely must. Let's try that sentence again: You've heard, don't use adverbs they are a crutch. Peruse your work and search for all words ending in "ly."

3. Work to remove gerunds. Gerunds are verbs that end in "ing" and act as nouns. An example: In writing, only choosing strong verbs is best. Which can be reworked to read: In writing, choose strong verbs. 

Now get out their and pump up your writing.

______________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, Flight from the Water Planet, Book 1 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.  

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

You're an Amateur Writer If

All writers want to look like experienced, sophisticated writers. We all rush to get that first draft down on paper, but then comes the time to self-edit and rewrite our manuscripts. There lies your opportunity to slow down, have another cup of coffee, and spruce up that first draft.

            The following points are things you might want to avoid because they make you appear like an amateur or a weak writer:

            1. Avoid the use of -ing and as constructions. They can sometimes make two

                actions seem simultaneous when they are physically impossible.

                Example:  Rushing into the house, I put on a fresh blouse and skirt.

                Should be written:  I rushed into the house and put on a fresh blouse

                                                and skirt.

                Example:  As I put the kettle on the stove, I turned to face him.

                Should be written:  I put the kettle on the stove and turned to face him.

   If you just have to use that -ing phrase, try putting it in the middle of the sentence.

   Then it is less conspicuous.

   .

            2.  Avoid the use of clichés. I do not even have to explain this one. There is nothing,

                 in my opinion, that will make you look more like a weak or amateur writer

                 than this.

            3.  And then there is the adverb, the -ly word. This, I have to admit, is one of my

                 biggest downfalls. I love them, so I struggle with myself to get rid of them.

                 Now do not get me wrong. An occasional one can be forgiven. When you use

                 a weak verb and an adverb, you are using two weak words in place of one strong

                 one.

           

                 Example:  Angrily she shut the door behind her.

                 Should be written:  She slammed the door behind her.

                 Now there can be an exception to the rule for the sake of affect.

                 Example:  She kissed him--slowly, longingly.

            4.  Avoid a lot of short sentences. Try stringing some of them together with a

                 comma. Just do not overdo it.

           

                 Example:  “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

                 Should be written:  “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

            5.  Using a lot of italics and exclamation marks should be used only to convey

                 your character is shouting. Otherwise, the writer appears very insecure. Just

                 let the dialogue and description convey all the emotion needed.

            6.  Another stylistic device that can make a writer come across as an amateur is

                 flowery, poetic figures of speech or metaphors.

            7.  Are your sex scenes too explicit? You may want to leave a certain amount

                 of details left to your readers’ imagination. They do quite well with this, you

                 know. No heavy breathing, please.

            8.  Profanity has been so over used that it no longer has any shock value and

                 can turn your reader off. Now if it is a characteristic of your character, then

                 by all means use it. Otherwise, it is simply a sign of a small vocabulary.

Faye M. Tollison

Author of:  To Tell the Truth

Upcoming books:  The Bible Murders

                              Sarah’s Secret

Member of:  Sisters in Crime

                     Writers on the Move

www.fayemtollison.com

www.fayetollison.blogspot.com

www.fmtoll.wordpress.com

www.writersonthemove.com