Writing Tips & A Game of Roasts

Adverbs and A Game of Roasts update

“I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs.”

‒ Stephen King

Hi Hamanites!

In my continuing effort to promote liberty through culture, this week’s newsletter is another installment in my series of writing tips for the fiction author. Even if you’re not a fiction writer, these writing tips will be useful in your every day business communication as well so there should be something of value for everyone.

For our paid subscribers, the rewrite of chapter one of my liberty-themed fantasy novella A Game Of Roasts will post this weekend so keep an eye out for that. The first chapter remains free to anyone so if you haven’t checked it out you, click the link below. If you like what you read, consider upgrading your membership to continue the Kaffa clan’s battle to conserve their way of life against multiple threats from men and magic. Enjoy!

WRITING TIP: AVOID THE ADVERB NOID

When I first began writing, I used a lot of adverbs thinking I was being clever and a good writer: He spoke rapidly. She jumped excitedly. Blah blah blah.

It took me a while to learn that adverbs are to be avoided when possible. Why? They’re used to support weak verbs, but don’t convey much imagery. They are telling and not showing. When writing first drafts, don’t worry about using them, but consider them to be kind of a placeholder note for you to go back during revision and replace with stronger verbs. 

Now sometimes an adverb is the only thing that will do. And sometimes you don’t want to show for the sake of pacing or something not being that important to show so the occasional adverb can be a good thing. You have to decide, but make sure you know why you’re using the adverb.

In liberty,

Tyrone the Porcupine Hobo