Strong verbs make your writing sing - Find your writing nerd

Strong verbs make your writing sing. Since verbs drive the action in your story, it’s important to choose them carefully. Walk, look, and turn are not strong verbs. Neither are talk, watch, think, or realize. Yet beginning writers use these weak verbs all the time.

What are Strong Verbs?

A strong verb is one that does double duty. It defines the action but it also describes it. Let me show you what I mean. We can write, “Ashley looked at the letter.” Look defines what she did, but doesn’t describe it. Some writers are tempted to solve this dilemma by writing, “Ashley looked at the letter longingly.” The verb, look, defines what she did and the adverb, longingly, describes how she did it. But see what happens when you convert look into a strong verb. “Ashley devoured the letter.” In this sentence the reader understands that Ashley didn’t actually eat the letter. She looked at it the way a hungry dog looks at a bone.

How do You Choose Your Verb?

First, determine who your character is. Then make a list of their likes and dislikes, occupation, and hobbies. Finally, tie your verbs to your character. For instance, if your character loves horses, use horse-related words when describing their actions.

Start by making a list of horse-related words:

Rein, halter, saddle, mane, fetlock, gallop, trot, corral, whip, arena, trail.

Can you use any of these words as verbs? Yes! Substitute rein for stop or hesitate; saddle for burden or weigh down; gallop for run; corral for contain; whip for beat; and trail for follow.

Let’s try a few sentences. Ashley corralled her emotions. Saddled with new responsibility, she knew it wouldn’t be long before . . . you get the idea.

Why Use Strong Verbs?

Using strong verbs gives added texture and voice to your writing. In the examples above, we gave Ashley more personality by incorporating verbs specific to her interests. She devoured the letter, she corralled her feelings, and she was saddled with responsibility. Isn’t that more interesting than looking at a letter, containing her feelings and being burdened with responsibility?

A Word of Caution

It is possible to overdo strong verbs. Don’t reach for your thesaurus to change every verb. Choose verbs that fit your story. Read your work out loud to catch pretentious prose and find a balance that suits your story.