Time for another Writing Tip Wednesday. I’m sure you all have missed a grammatical post.

Today, we’re going to talk about adverbs. What is an adverb?

To me, an adverb modifies the action. Technically, it can modify a verb, an adjective, or an entire clause or sentence.

We think of words ending in “LY” as adverbs, such as “she washed the dishes quickly.” There are other words, however, like “fast” as in “She drove the car fast.” There’s “often” as in “she often goes to the grocery store.” Ironically, the word “never” in the title is an adverb. The chart below provides clear examples of different types of adverbs.

A graduate writing professor I had coined the phrase, “Adverbs are for never,” as a way for us to pay attention to our overuse of them. Stephen King, in his famous memoir/writing book, On Writing, also said, “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Richard Osman of The Thursday Murder Club fame, in an interview, quoted Stephen King about not using adverbs.

Full confession: I do use them sparingly. Even King has admitted that he uses them himself. His advice is to avoid an overreliance on them.

The real key, and why they are discouraged, is that a writer should be able to convey in the writing, through description, a more complex and rich way to say the same thing. Creating a piece that doesn’t use adverbs to prop up weak verbs makes it a more enjoyable read, adds depth to a character, and, overall, adds vitality or specificity to the writing.

Writers who limit adverbs find that it pushes them to:
—choose stronger verbs
—use concrete actions
—improve pacing
—trust readers to infer emotions and motives

See if you agree.

With adverb:

“Get out!” she said angrily.

Without adverb:

“Get out!” She slammed her fist on the table.

Don’t you think the second sentence is stronger and better?

Here is another example.

With adverb:

He walked slowly across the room.

Without adverb:

He shuffled across the room.

One more for emphasis.

With adverb:

The dog barked frantically.

New and improved without the adverb:

The dog yelped and threw itself against the door.

OR The dog, straining at the end of its leash, barked until it was hoarse.

As this post is nearly done, I hope you will happily agree with me.

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Allison Keeton writes the Midcoast Maine Mystery series. Arctic Green, Book Two, is now available. She can be reached at http://www.akeetonbooks.com. Check out the event tab on her website to see where she’ll show up next!