The following tips will make any writing you do more efficient, clear and compelling.
Tip # 1 – Avoid Using Weak Verbs
Once you finish your first or second draft, go over every sentence and try to replace every occurrence of the verb to be with a more descriptive verb. This will make your writing more vibrant and dynamic.
The girl was in the doorway
The girl stood in the doorway
The beach went left and right for more than a mile
The beach stretched left and right for more than a mile
The man was sitting on the deck
The man slouched on the deck
The verb to have is the second weakest verb. Try to replace it with a stronger verb as well or eliminate it altogether as shown in these examples:
The failure of GM could have significant impact on the economy
The failure of GM could significantly impact the economy
I had to wait in line for an hour to get the tickets
I waited in line for an hour to get the tickets
Read the previous sentences out loud and you’ll see (or hear) the subtle difference.
The combined effect of these tiny changes will improve your prose and help keep your readers engaged.
2) Add More Action to Your Verbs
Choose verbs that describe an action and are visual to speed up the pace and pack more punch into your words.
I walked fast to the exit
I hastened to the exit
The man was hiding in the shadows
The man lurked in the shadows
The crew decided to disobey orders and went to Algiers under enemy fire
The crew refused to obey orders and fled to Algiers under enemy fire
We ate some delicious lobster
We feasted on delicious lobster
3) Be Specific
This technique is effective whether you’re writing a short-story or a how-to technical manual. You can usually spot lying or dishonest people from the lack of details in their stories. Details make your prose authentic and engaging.
He caught a large fish
He caught a 15-pound black grouper
We left very early in the morning
We left at 5:00 am
4) Use Fewer Words
Train yourself to tell a story or communicate your key message in as few words as possible.
The following are less-known, highly recommended spots which will give you a glimpse of the real Sicily.
For a taste of authentic Sicily, I suggest you visit these little-known spots.
It might be a good idea to eat prior to attending a wine tasting party
You should eat before you go to a wine tasting party
A final note: Don’t try to use these techniques on your first draft or you may stifle your creativity. Just get all your ideas out on paper first. Then go over your first or second draft and weed out the weak verbs and superfluous words.
Obviously, it is not always possible to eliminate the verbs to be or to have from every sentence but even if you only replace half of them with stronger verbs you’ll greatly improve your writing.
“Baby shoes. For sale. Never used.” – Hemingway’s poignant six-word short story.
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