How To Make Your Writing Less Stiff 6

How To Make Your Writing Less Stiff 6

Part 5

Part 1

Adverbs

Gasp! Oh no. Dare come yet more writing advice burning adverbs at the stake? Vindictively, gleefully, manically dancing in the ashes?

No.

This is not about whether or not you should use them, but their frequency and obvious places to replace them. Most bad adverbs are the common ones that could be replaced by verbs we all know.

“She ran quickly” // “She sprinted”

“He said angrily” // “He snapped” “He chided” “He chastised”

vs.

“He ate voraciously”

“She swayed solemnly”

“She laughed sadly”

Bonus if you can add in some alliteration like ‘swayed solemnly’

If you can come up with an obvious verb to replace your verb + adverb combo, do so. If it would take more words or the closest applicable verb doesn’t hit the same vibe, then leave it. Adverbs should enhance the verb, not be redundant. Verbs shouldn’t be pretentious just to avoid them.

“She smiled happily” — most smiles are happy. Happily is redundant.

“He ran quickly” —a run is, by nature, quick

vs.

“She smiled sourly”

“He ran erratically”

Also!

The adverb need not always be after the verb.

“C accepted gladly” // “C gladly accepted”

But also

“Glad, C accepted”

“A shook their head resolutely” // “Resolute, A shook their head”

“The child skipped excitedly away.” // “Excited, the child skipped away.” // “The child skipped away, excited.”

English is flexible like that.

Which is what I mean with managing your adverb frequency. As most end in the -ly, too many in succession, on top of the repeat syntax of Subject - Verb - Adverb looks boring and dull (and so does beginning every sentence with the subject). It helps with your cadence and flow if you don’t have entire paragraphs at a time all starting with “He [verb]” or “She [verb]” or “They [verb].” We don't speak like this in natural conversation.

But at the end of the day, there are some juicy adverbs that have no equal without busting out the thesaurus for some obscure lexical nugget that no one would understand anyway.

More Posts from Rae-iin and Others

1 year ago

i cried for 20 mins becuz of this😭

Bros, Bros, Bros!
Bros, Bros, Bros!
Bros, Bros, Bros!
Bros, Bros, Bros!

Bros, bros, bros!

2 months ago
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Here we are again, cooking herbs on fire because of famine and lack of cooking gas the cycle of hardships continues, when will we break free from this suffering? I have no other words. We're done, our life has lost all meaning. Any help, no matter how small, would ease our suffering ❤️‍🩹 Donations makes difference, and reblogging this message can help too. 🙏

🌟 Our campaign is vetted by 🇵🇸 @/gazavetters List at #291

Donate to Help my family rise from the ashes, organised by Tahir Awad
gofundme.com
Hello Everyone, I am Nour Al Madhoun, 30 years old, a computer engineer from gaza, my h… Tahir Awad needs your support for Help my family r
1 year ago

BABY RAPHIE

A Quick Family Portrait ;)

a quick family portrait ;)

I wanted to thank everyone for their kindness and support, it seriously means a lot to me <3 All of your lovely comments have made this a ton of fun and I can't wait to keep exploring this idea :) :)

(also! I have a big update coming this weekend that I'm super excited to share--see you then! :) )

1 year ago

HOW DER U MAKE ME CRY🥹😭

Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
Part 22!
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Part 22!
Part 22!

Part 22!

I know it would make more sense for Leo to roll up or tie this empty sleeve. But I like how it flaps haha

Part 1

Previous

Also~ Yes. It’s Donnie’s clothes

Part 22!
1 year ago
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.
A Mouth-watering Fuck-ton Of Hand Angle References.

A mouth-watering fuck-ton of hand angle references.

By Shadowcross on DA.

3 years ago

CUTEE😭😭

You are one of the most feared villainesses in the world. Evil armies, dark powers, you have it all. Your husband on the other hand is the exact opposite, being truly kind and mild mannered. He is still supportive of your endeavors, even trying to be a villain himself to…varying results.

2 years ago

wait i dont get it howww??

i took 3 years of film classes and i still don't fucking understand how the camera obscura works. thats magic to me idc

2 years ago

Baby mutant turtle thoughts

Whenever I read about the guys, especially the Rise and bayverse turts having mutant turtle children of their own with a human, I think back to how fucking tiny they were as baby mutants, which I believe were already fully mutated.

Like.

Your coochie girl, you are lucky bebé's to tiny.

Baby Mutant Turtle Thoughts

Baby Mutant Turtle Thoughts

Otherwise, a c-section.

OR.

And my lil' WrITer'S brain likes this for the possible angst it could bring to the new parent couple in a fic:

About two to three months in, the baby has to be incubated and monitored 24/7 for months until it's born, because the female human's uterus isn’t meant for reptiles. Like, wifey gets an actual c-section to remove a thin-membraned egg/sack with the baby in it, then put it in a device built by Donnie to ensure the baby's survival.

1 year ago

I like to think that the turtles (any version really) all have an off switch, like what you see with cats. But more from how HTTYD did it, with Hiccup scratching a certain spot just under Toothless' jaw that made the dragon slump forward all happy and such. So imagine doing that with one of the turtles. You scratching under their chin similar to a cat, and the turtle happily leaning into your touches with soft churrs resonating from their throat. You go along the underside of their jaw and lightly pinch a certain point just along the curve point of the mandible- and suddenly the turtle's eyes widen. They make a funny noise, before slumping forward into your arms like their bones suddenly turned into jelly. Their pupils are blown, and suddenly the soft churrs they were making earlier were nothing to the jet engine sounds that were vibrating within their chest. Strong arms wrap around your waist, and the turtle is burying their head into your stomach- a happy chirp coming from them. You look down and see the dopiest grin on their face, they look almost drunk. You chuckle and pet their head lovingly. Storing away the newly acquired information for later. Once the turtle snaps out of it, they are beyond flustered about it.

1 year ago

💖AEON BLOODLINE: A TMNT MASTERLIST💚

note:

💟technically my fics are character/sxoc(becuz tbh i cant be bothered writing y/n or reader am i the only one annoyed writing it especially when dialogue is mentioned??)

💟i only write fem!ph mc’s becuz its rare to see books with mc’s that are of filipino heritage or having filipino/southeast asian features in general, so thats whyyy if nobody wants to do it then ill do it myself! but anyone can read it as a character/sxreader/self-insert cuz i mostly write on second pov so everyone can interact with it.

💟 also english is not my native tongue so correct me or gimme some tips to improve my writing! warning tho im a sensitive betch so spare me ur rage✨

PUBLISHED:

DESPERADO • the last ronin (future! mikey x reader)

After being saved by one of your clients, you're life as a prostitute changes to a journey of motherhood.

EUPHORIA • rise!tmnt (various x reader)

The turtle brothers visit April at the wrong time — oh no! She has some family over. Quickly boys! Find a good place to hide before they spot you!

COLLIDE • bayv!tmnt (various x reader)

What's it like being the spoiled daughter and the only child of New York's most influential scientist?

UNPUBLISHED:

DRINK COFFEE, EAT MY PIE • bayv!raph x reader

In a world where humans and mutants coexist, your family clan and the Hamato family clan are well-known for their status and money. An arranged marriage contract between you and the Hamato’s second son. A story of one-sided love, or is it one-sided?

DEAREST, NUMBER SIX • 2012!donnie x reader

six years. six months. six weeks. six days. six hours. six minutes. ...but it took you nothing to toss me aside.

PART OF YOUR WORLD • bayv!leo x mermaid!reader

Your love for him was like the ocean, vast and beautiful. But like the ocean — it was blue and like a salty wave...it has it’s limits.


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rae-iin - ୧ ׅ𖥔 ۫ bebelat ⋄ 𓍯
୧ ׅ𖥔 ۫ bebelat ⋄ 𓍯

💗“ i have a 2hr cry sesh, where i find a song to make fake scenarios in my head or read an angst fic that makes me sob with snot&lt;3 ” she/her

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