Newer authors struggle with writing technique, and long time writers still find elements in writing that are their nemesis. Being aware of problem areas in your writing can help you move ahead as a writer when you focus on them and find ways to improve those techniques. Here are a few tips on become a better writer.
• Write active. Passive voice has a place in writing, but passive writing is a negative element. The most telltale clue to passive writing is the “to be” verbs: was, were, is, are, be, been, and being. One of the main problems with these verbs are they tell rather than show. She was beautiful. Can you picture this? Not really. But can you picture this? Her long raven-colored hair hung down her back in thick waves, brushing against her slender arms and contrasting with her eyes, the color of a Caribbean sea. Now you can get a picture of this woman.
• Avoid phrases that tell rather than show, such as felt and seem. I felt sick. Why not show the feeling through more vivid language. Nausea roiled in my stomach, burning its way to my throat with the stench of the decaying body. This sentence is far more dramatic and makes an impact on the reader. Avoid those words, such as: I felt, He believe, She seemed and In my opinion. You want your narration to come to life more fully with description and emotion.
• Redundancy of phrases and description slows down a novel and makes readers wonder if the author thinks they’re stupid, otherwise why would they keep telling them the same thing over and over? If a character has an experience or if a telephone call is heard by the reader, don’t retell what happened to another character. Use transitions, such as: After telling Joe what she’d seen, Allie pulled up her shoulders and waited for his response. Or forming the awful words in her mind, she related the horrible situation to Joe. Now the author can move along with new information—a discussion on what happened, possible solutions to the problem or if in the other character’s POV, you can show that character’s emotion over the situation.
• Don’t overuse words. Authors tend to have favorite words. Run a “find and replace” check on those words that you seem to overuse and find a synonym that means the same or similar. Not only words but phrases can cause a problem. Romance writers tend to use phrases, such as: her heart fluttered or her pulse hammered. Find new and more interesting ways to express those feelings. This happens in all genre so all authors need to keep an eye on repeated phrases. Even something as simple as repetitive nouns: John invited her in and motioned toward a chair. She crossed the room and sank into the chair. Instead, use cushion or seat. This can also happen with verbs. He looked at her. He gazed at her. He eyed her. He studied her. He searched her face. Make sure you use a variety of verbs. In a long novel, you will find some of these words will be used over and over.
• Avoid adverbs. Adverbs trigger weak writing to an editor and many readers. Instead of using adverbs, select the most dynamic verb possible. For example: He said loudly . . How do you say something loudly? He bellowed. He yelled. He screamed. He roared. He hollered. You have many choices so don’t show weak writing by adding adverbs to said and asked. And don’t use tag words other than said and asked. “How have you been?” she queried. That’s almost laughable. Obviously she’s asking or querying by the nature of the sentence. Words like: replied, noted, responded, queried, questioned, and all those other tags jump out at the reader. Said and asked are words readers gloss over.
• Look for compound and complex sentences. Sentence that are two long and too complex can lose a reader. If he has to stop and reread a sentence, you have pulled the reader from your novel and broken the spell of your story. Keep sentence length fluid but be careful of making them too long. Longer sentences work best with quiet moments in a novel during introspection or sometimes romantic descriptions. Short sentences work well for drama, suspense, thrillers and adventure.
• Avoid $$$ words. If readers don’t know a word, they stop and look it up or ponder what it means. Although you might like using a “million dollar” word, you put the reader at a disadvantage. Keep the vocabulary in the POV character’s tone and verbal style. Vocabulary ties to your character’s education, experience and career. Make sure your vocabulary fits your character. Use language that most people can pronounce and understand.
• Avoid predict nominatives and predict adjectives. It’s the same as she was beautiful (a predicate adjective). The word “was” or any other form of the “to be” verb tells rather than shows. She was a ballerina (predicate nominative). Instead, describe her entrance into the room. She glided across the floor, her slender arms as fluid as music, as if she worn her tutu for the evening. Another example: He was a cowboy. Instead use description that shows he’s a cowboy. His Stetson sat cocked on his head like a rooster’s comb, reminding everyone he not only managed the ranch, he owned it. Much more vivid and showing.
Although this list could go on and on, tackle one these problem areas that affects your writing, and once you’ve strengthened that element, move on to a new one. Trying to change too many weak areas causes frustration. Improving one element at a time works best6, and you’ll make good progress polishing your writing and developing a quality style.
Showing posts with label Active Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Active Writing. Show all posts
Friday, May 6, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
What To Avoid To Be A Better Writer.
A while ago I read an article on my favorite topic---avoiding adverbs. Stephen King once said, "The road to hell is paved with adverbs," and I believe him. Adverbs as with adjectives, can weaken good writing for numerous reasons.
I found the blog on The Screenwrightist: Writing Tips on fictional storytelling for screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. The article titled, Why Good Writers Avoid Adverbs and Adjectives, covers the following topics: Lean, Powerful Prose, Specific Images, Actions, Being True to Character, Too Much Unnecessary Text, and Using Only Necessary Words.
This article is worth reading. Visit the website at: Click here: http://www.screenwrightist.com/avoid-writing-adverbs-adjectives
I found the blog on The Screenwrightist: Writing Tips on fictional storytelling for screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. The article titled, Why Good Writers Avoid Adverbs and Adjectives, covers the following topics: Lean, Powerful Prose, Specific Images, Actions, Being True to Character, Too Much Unnecessary Text, and Using Only Necessary Words.
This article is worth reading. Visit the website at: Click here: http://www.screenwrightist.com/avoid-writing-adverbs-adjectives
Friday, January 4, 2008
MAKING PASSIVE WRITING ACTIVE
***A Note to You: I will be in Sedona, Arizona for a week of vacation, hopefully enjoying some warm weather, so I will not be blogging during that time. I will post again when I return on Monday.***
MAKING PASSIVE WRITING ACTIVE
Suspense, mysteries, and westerns are not the only genres that need action. Keeping your story filled with action-packed verbs helps the plot to move and creates a "page-turner." Passive voice is only one kind of inactive writing. Selecting inexplicit verbs and "deadwood" sentence structure also keeps you from creating a moving, active plot.
PASSIVE VOICE
The English class definition of passive voice is exchanging the positions of the subject and the object in a sentence. In active voice, the subject is doer; it does something. In passive voice, the subject receives the action. The note was signed by him rather than He signed the note. In most cases, the subject should carry the action.
Notice the word "was" in the first example. The "to be" verbs, such as: is, was, are, were, be, been, and being are usually connected with passive voice. Still, writers should not totally exclude these verbs in their writing. The "to be" verbs are sometimes needed in predicate nominative and predicate adjective sentences, like, She was beautiful, He was quiet or They were soldiers.
CHANGING PASSIVE TO ACTIVE:
Different forms of passive writing can dilute a good story. The overuse of predicate adjectives and nominatives, using weak or general verbs, using "deadwood" phrases, and telling not showing are all forms of writing that keeps the reader from feeling the action of the novel.
Predicate Nominatives and Adjectives
Obviously, the showing is better than telling. When you use predicate nominatives and adjectives, use them when a description will not enhance the action or when descriptive language will slow the scene.
While predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives are useful at times, you can be far more affective and enhance the description by forgetting the "to be" verbs and creating word pictures that say even more. Let’s look at those three examples above:
Predicate adjective: She was beautiful.
Improved: Her angel face glowed in the sunlight while golden curls surrounded her cheeks like a halo.
Predicate adjective: He was quiet.
Improved: If she didn’t see him sitting there, he could have been a mouse in the corner, silent and cautious.
Predicate Nominative: They were soldiers.
Improved: They paraded into the room, their feet moving in procession, their uniform buttons glinting like their spit-polished boots.
Notice the lack of the "to be" verb (was and were) in each of the improved sentences. In each case, you can envision the person rather than just being told something about them. The improved version of these sentences are much more active than passive.
Explicit Verbs
Using explicit verbs is an excellent way to improve writing. Rather than saying she walked through the doorway, try a word that better describes her movement: bolted, dashed, charged, paraded, moseyed, sashayed, meandered, ambled, glided. Each of these verbs creates a different word picture than the unspecific action of "to walk."
Compare these two sentences.
She walked through the doorway with her nose in the air.
She sashayed through the doorway, her importance flagging her audience with every sway of her hips.
Which sentences paints the more lively characterization? Obviously by changed walked to sashayed animates the character and allows the reader to truly see this character in action.
Deadwood Kills Action
Another writing problem is using "deadwood" phrases. These are words that add nothing to the sentence except length. In Strunk and White’s, The Elements of Style, the authors use these examples: There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground compared to Dead leaves covered the ground." Notice fewer words, yet a more lively sentence. The reason the second sentence sounds better is because the words "there were" have no meaning. There isn’t the subject of the sentence. The subject and verb have been buried in the middle of the sentence. Look at this example:
It was not long before he was very sorry that he had said what he had.
Removing all the "deadwood" from this sentence gives a clear, concise meaning with the subject in the forefront and an active verb.
He soon repented his words.
Showing not telling
Most of the examples above illustrate the difference between showing and telling. We show when we use vivid words that brings the scene to life. When our descriptions create word pictures, emotion and emphasis action rather than only telling the reader. He was angry, for example, creates no emotion, we cannot see the anger nor the action his anger elicits, and again the telltale "to be" verb is the culprit. He sprang from the chair, toppling it to the ground, and smashed his fist against the tabletop. Now that’s anger. We see it. We feel it. We react to it.
Active Writing
As you inject more action into your writing, remember that action is more than doing things and going places. If well-chosen active verbs are used to create vivid word pictures, internal thoughts can draw the reader into the story and create emotion as effectively as a car chase scene in a movie scene.
Improve your writing by avoiding the straight predicate adjectives, by removing the "deadwood" from your sentences, and by selecting the most vivid, descriptive verb to show action, but remember that active writing is more than using an action verb or filling the narration with descriptive passages. It is grabbing your reader by the hand and pulling them into your story with compelling and emotional narration and dialogue.
MAKING PASSIVE WRITING ACTIVE
Suspense, mysteries, and westerns are not the only genres that need action. Keeping your story filled with action-packed verbs helps the plot to move and creates a "page-turner." Passive voice is only one kind of inactive writing. Selecting inexplicit verbs and "deadwood" sentence structure also keeps you from creating a moving, active plot.
PASSIVE VOICE
The English class definition of passive voice is exchanging the positions of the subject and the object in a sentence. In active voice, the subject is doer; it does something. In passive voice, the subject receives the action. The note was signed by him rather than He signed the note. In most cases, the subject should carry the action.
Notice the word "was" in the first example. The "to be" verbs, such as: is, was, are, were, be, been, and being are usually connected with passive voice. Still, writers should not totally exclude these verbs in their writing. The "to be" verbs are sometimes needed in predicate nominative and predicate adjective sentences, like, She was beautiful, He was quiet or They were soldiers.
CHANGING PASSIVE TO ACTIVE:
Different forms of passive writing can dilute a good story. The overuse of predicate adjectives and nominatives, using weak or general verbs, using "deadwood" phrases, and telling not showing are all forms of writing that keeps the reader from feeling the action of the novel.
Predicate Nominatives and Adjectives
Obviously, the showing is better than telling. When you use predicate nominatives and adjectives, use them when a description will not enhance the action or when descriptive language will slow the scene.
While predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives are useful at times, you can be far more affective and enhance the description by forgetting the "to be" verbs and creating word pictures that say even more. Let’s look at those three examples above:
Predicate adjective: She was beautiful.
Improved: Her angel face glowed in the sunlight while golden curls surrounded her cheeks like a halo.
Predicate adjective: He was quiet.
Improved: If she didn’t see him sitting there, he could have been a mouse in the corner, silent and cautious.
Predicate Nominative: They were soldiers.
Improved: They paraded into the room, their feet moving in procession, their uniform buttons glinting like their spit-polished boots.
Notice the lack of the "to be" verb (was and were) in each of the improved sentences. In each case, you can envision the person rather than just being told something about them. The improved version of these sentences are much more active than passive.
Explicit Verbs
Using explicit verbs is an excellent way to improve writing. Rather than saying she walked through the doorway, try a word that better describes her movement: bolted, dashed, charged, paraded, moseyed, sashayed, meandered, ambled, glided. Each of these verbs creates a different word picture than the unspecific action of "to walk."
Compare these two sentences.
She walked through the doorway with her nose in the air.
She sashayed through the doorway, her importance flagging her audience with every sway of her hips.
Which sentences paints the more lively characterization? Obviously by changed walked to sashayed animates the character and allows the reader to truly see this character in action.
Deadwood Kills Action
Another writing problem is using "deadwood" phrases. These are words that add nothing to the sentence except length. In Strunk and White’s, The Elements of Style, the authors use these examples: There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground compared to Dead leaves covered the ground." Notice fewer words, yet a more lively sentence. The reason the second sentence sounds better is because the words "there were" have no meaning. There isn’t the subject of the sentence. The subject and verb have been buried in the middle of the sentence. Look at this example:
It was not long before he was very sorry that he had said what he had.
Removing all the "deadwood" from this sentence gives a clear, concise meaning with the subject in the forefront and an active verb.
He soon repented his words.
Showing not telling
Most of the examples above illustrate the difference between showing and telling. We show when we use vivid words that brings the scene to life. When our descriptions create word pictures, emotion and emphasis action rather than only telling the reader. He was angry, for example, creates no emotion, we cannot see the anger nor the action his anger elicits, and again the telltale "to be" verb is the culprit. He sprang from the chair, toppling it to the ground, and smashed his fist against the tabletop. Now that’s anger. We see it. We feel it. We react to it.
Active Writing
As you inject more action into your writing, remember that action is more than doing things and going places. If well-chosen active verbs are used to create vivid word pictures, internal thoughts can draw the reader into the story and create emotion as effectively as a car chase scene in a movie scene.
Improve your writing by avoiding the straight predicate adjectives, by removing the "deadwood" from your sentences, and by selecting the most vivid, descriptive verb to show action, but remember that active writing is more than using an action verb or filling the narration with descriptive passages. It is grabbing your reader by the hand and pulling them into your story with compelling and emotional narration and dialogue.
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