WinR MK Johnston brings you Part 3 of her tutorial, "Learning the Basics "Chapter One" at a Time. MK is a former print and television journalist and served on the board of the Alameda Writers Group. She is a current member of that group as well as Sisters in Crime and WIWA.
PART 3 - ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
We want our writing to be expressive, to come alive with imagery and detail. But how much is enough and how much is too much?
Many novice writers tend to overuse adjectives and adverbs. We think if a verb or noun is descriptive, attaching modifiers will make the words more precise and visual. However, using too many weakens rather than strengthens your writing.
o Using multiple modifiers distracts the reader; by the time you get through all those words, your point is lost
o Attaching one modifier to each noun or verb can create a sing-song rhythm to the sentence, like a nursery rhyme.
o Filling in all the blanks can be boring because it leaves little to the reader’s imagination.
o Familiar pairing of adjectives and nouns (or adverbs and verbs) is often cliché.
o It can be lazy; you couldn’t find the exact word so you settled for a multi-part series.
Noah Lukeman, author of “The First Five Pages”, suggests removing every adjective and adverb from your first page and then reading it aloud. Does it read as well or better than before? Has it lost any of its meaning?
Go back and read your first chapter with an eye on your modifiers. Highlight every adjective in one color and every adverb in another. How colorful are your pages now?
• If you need an adjective, try substituting something unusual rather than the standard word - Duracell (copper topped) instead of redhead; driftwood hair instead of mousy brown.
• Eliminate modifiers by strengthening your verbs and nouns whenever possible.
• Many celebrated authors ignored this advice, if you want to emulate them, read their pages again and evaluate how they made it work.
Next week, we’ll examine the meaning of SHOW, DON’T TELL
All great reminders, even for more advanced writers--we do love our words!
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