⚡ Use Active Verbs

And specific nouns.

June 10, 2024

Today’s Writing Tip:

Use active verbs and specific nouns to describe things in your story.

Explanation:

Verbs are useful for more than just motion. They can also be used to describe the placements of static objects. Active verbs make the description more specific and paints a better picture. For example:

  • Passive description: “The cat was on my bed.”

  • Active description: “The cat sprawled on my bed.”

Similarly, using specific nouns will also help you paint better pictures. A vague noun can mean many things. A specific noun conjures a specific image. For example:

  • Vague noun: “At the center of the table, there was a large wooden bowl filled with fruits.”

  • Specific noun: “At the center of the table, a dough bowl was overflowing with oranges and apples.”

Also notice how “overflowing with oranges and apples” is a much better descriptor than “filled with fruits”.

How to Write Great Fiction (by Copying):

For centuries, people learned to write by copying great fiction. This is called copywork. It’s how Jack London and Ben Franklin learned to write.

How? It's simple: you type out great fiction, word for word, to learn all the hidden skills and techniques.

In the 12-Day Copywork Masterclass, you'll study and copy 19 world-class authors. This is exactly how I learned to write an award-winning novel that sold over 13,900 copies.

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