We hear from writers such as Elmore Leonard and from editors to avoid adverbs. But that advice is too broad and simplistic to really put to work. And not all adverbs are “bad”—I’ve written about how they are quite useful in adding nuance to the descriptive powers of adjectives.
I think the bad rap adverbs has comes from their weakness as tools for description when they’re utilized with verbs. For example, this sentence:
Jimmy walked slowly across the cluttered room.
I see, fuzzily, a guy walking. Not very fast (but I can’t really picture it). No clear picture comes to mind.
So let’s ditch the verb/adverb combo and choose a verb that evokes a picture, at the least, and at best characterizes the action. If, for example, your story is suspense, then how about…
Jimmy crept across the cluttered room.
Better. Here are other possibilities, depending on the story. Choose the best verb for each scenario:
In a fight scene, Jimmy would have across the room.
If Jimmy is a dancer, then he .
Make Jimmy a burglar and he .
If Jimmy is in no hurry, then he .
If Jimmy is in a hurry, then he .
If Jimmy has been over-served at a bar, then he . Or maybe he, or, or, or, perhaps,.
For what it's worth.Ray
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I am not a fan of most writing books because they all seem to say the same things. "Show, don't tell." "Create believable characters." "Keep your plot interesting." Rhamey doesn't just tell you what to do, he shows you with concrete examples and a humorous touch. I learned more from this book than I have from all the other books on writing I've read so far combined. Writing Mom
© 2013 Ray Rhamey