So, we already experience the collective cringe when…
we hear someone misuse two, too, and to, or they’re, there, and their, or… you get the idea. Those are the equivalent to nails-on-a-chalkboard for writers, amiright??
That means I’m not even going to address them. We’re good. Today, I’d rather tackle something that is usually only consciously obvious to English teachers, editors, and seasoned writers. (For the rest of us, it’s more unconsciously noticed) It’s called Adverb Overkill, and it is real, my friends. How do I know? Because I, too, have been cursed with this dreaded addiction from which I am now in recovery.
All right, listen.
Enough of the dickish talk. Listen, the truth is, it’s super common to fill your manuscript with filler words (another time, another topic) and unnecessary (and even lazy, gasp) descriptors. We want so badly for our readers to see everything, not miss anything, understand everything.
First, I’ll tell you one of the best bits of advice I’ve ever been given:
Don’t underestimate your readers. You don’t have to tell them “The man was very fat,” or that “She ran quickly.” Why not? One: redundancy. If you’re telling us he’s fat, we understand that from the word FAT. Two: If he is so much more than average fatness, then using the word “very” is a lazy way to impress this upon your, ahem, very smart reader.
NO: The man was very fat.
Yes: The man’s immense thighs strained against the fabric of his pants. The chair beneath him groaned.
The same goes for “quickly.” If you’re saying “she ran,” then usually, the act of running is quick-paced. Plus, “ran” is boring. If she’s moving fast, why not use sprinted or dashed?
Almost all the time there is a better, more concise way to say what needs to be said. Luckily for us, there are programs that can help us spot lazy words. I use Pro-Writing Aid and it is a tremendous help in the self-editing process. Reminder: you don’t have to eliminate every single adverb! There’s a time and place for them. What you’re watching for is lazy usage.
There are five types of adverbs.
Time, Place, Manner, Frequency and Degree. This article is a thorough look at them. Here’s a sample list of words to look out for in your writing:
Very
Almost
Extremely
Always
Occasionally
Rarely
Often
Usually
Quickly
Terribly
Fast
As you can see, not all end in ly. Oh, and here’s an adjective and a pronoun that gets overused, too: Just & That. Make them GONE! 😉
Now – and this is important –
don’t read this and stop writing your manuscript mid-paragraph so you can go back and look for these things. Keep writing and save the self-edits for your finished work. If you’re mid-WIP, KEEP WRITING. It’s WAY more important to get the story out. Then you go back and dust, vacuum, and sweep!
Happy writing! xo Elsa
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