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- ⚡ Use Active Verbs
⚡ Use Active Verbs
And specific nouns.
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”.
Want more in-depth writing advice? Join my 12-Day Prose Masterclass today!
First, you will learn the 6 building blocks of prose:
Show, Don’t Tell: How to paint a picture with your words.
Description: How to describe scenes and characters.
Narration: How to control story dynamics and manipulate time.
Dialogue: How to write realistic and interesting speech.
Action and Behavior: How to create movement in your story.
Rhythm and Flow: How to make your writing flow smoothly.
Then, to put what you learned to practice, I’ll teach you:
World, Setting, Tone: How to write believable settings.
The Narrative Question: How to keep readers interested with hooks.
Pacing: How to control the speed of your story.
Inner Journey: How to share your characters' thoughts and feelings.
Setup and Payoff: How to deliver satisfying endings.
Story Patterns: How to recognize and use common plot patterns.
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