Becoming publishable
Adverbs modify verbs, other adverbs, and adjectives. They often have the letters –ly at the end of the word. However, not all adverbs end in –ly, so it’s wise to practice recognizing them.
Allyson walked quickly to the park.
Quickly is an adverb, because it modifies (changes) the verb “walked.” Until you came to the word “walked,” you didn’t know how she walked. She might have walked happily, awkwardly, or nervously.
Adverbs were popular in the old days, and remain popular with beginning writers. Are you fond of them? Then you'll be sorry to know they are currently out of style. Yes, fashion counts in professional writing. Why? Why are they taking your adverbs from you?
Look at the word, “walk.” It’s a pretty boring word that doesn't tell you very much. What words could you use instead that would tell you more about how Allyson traveled from home to the park? How about skipped? Did she jog?? Might she have staggered? Brevity is the key to readable writing. Readers are in a hurry today. Few people read non-fiction just for fun. They want information and they want it fast. We can’t waste their time or our words. A skilled writer never use two words when only one is needed.
If you use strong verbs in your writing, you won’t need many adverbs to modify your verbs. Let the verb do all the work. This takes practice, but learning efficient, powerful verbs can be fun, and will give your writing an intensity it never before had. Consider starting a list of your favorite powerful verbs.
Many adverbial phrases waste words.
“Because of the fact that Martians prefer oatmeal to cold cereal, the cold cereal companies are leaving the planet.”
Replace the words “because of the fact that” with “because” and you have said the same thing in fewer words. The remainder of the phrase adds nothing of meaning to the sentence and isn’t needed. Removing those words leaves you even more words to use in imparting your wisdom, an important consideration when you’re writing for a publication with a tight word count.
Assignment: Go through your manuscript and mark all the adverbs. Then evaluate each one to decide if it’s necessary or if it could be eliminated by using a stronger word that doesn’t need modification. Keep only those adverbs that are essential in order to get the message across. How many words did you cut?
