Writing Tip: Oh, those adverbs!

This month's writing tip is almost controversial, and I'll admit that not every writer agrees with me. But I'll say it anyway: Get rid of your adverbs! Here's why...

First, a quick refresher: Adverbs are most often used to describe or modify verbs and adjectives (or add fluff, in my opinion). You spot many of them ending in the letters "ly." For instance, instead of writing "she said," some authors choose to dress it up by saying "she said mysteriously."

There are a couple of problems with this. For one, it draws unnecessary attention to the casual verb "said," which otherwise would have almost gone unnoticed...which it should.

The other problem, and my chief concern, is that it tends to make a writer lazy. If your character really is saying something mysteriously, as the author it's your duty to use the proper words and phrases to make it sound mysterious, without telling us that it's so. Adverbs make it too easy to take vocabulary shortcuts.

I'm not saying you need to eliminate all of the adverbs; sometimes they add the perfect touch. Be careful, however, that you don't overdo it. Trust me, with fewer adverbs sprinkled in, your writing will come across as much more professional.

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