We need to talk...
Are you using adverbs in your copy? Stephen King said "adverbs are evil" and here's how they could be hurting your copy.⠀
But first, what are adverbs? Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They usually end in "-ly". They are easy to spot in your text. It could look something like, "She typed intently."⠀
This is lazy writing.
You can easily tell your reader how she typed or you could SHOW them. I prefer showing instead of telling because it evokes emotion. It gets the reader interested and paying attention. They see the picture you’re painting in their mind like they’re watching a movie.
Try something like this, "She sat hunched over her computer with her thoughts racing a mile a minute. Her fingers moved with intention as she hit every key with precision. Her ideas were becoming a reality."⠀
Sometimes adverbs should be avoided because they provide no additional value to the sentence.
Take this sentence for example, "We gladly offer you next day service." OR "We offer next day service." Does "gladly" add any value to the sentence? It conveys the same message. Instead, you can SHOW the reader why you're glad to do it. "We enjoy giving you all the benefits of our service when you need it most." BOOM.
And then of course, go into detail of the benefits (not features) of your service. Let me know if you want more on this and writing a sales page. I’ll make a separate post on that. ⠀
Removing adverbs from your copy will give you the opportunity to show, not tell, your reader the message you want them to receive.⠀
Let me know if you have any more questions about writing or how to remove adverbs from your copy?⠀
I am so guilty of adverbing my ass off, lol its clearly a vice of mine, I will try to be more vigilant and kick the habit but ah it's so hard, Grammarly can only do so much
I'm always thankful for your writing tips and reflect on the way I write after reading one of your articles.
The Korean language is full of adverbs and this can make a long and boring self introduction. Also the verb comes at the end of the sentence so translated to English it goes something like this:
I listen to this all day waiting for a verb. I literally don't know who is doing what because the subject is often implied and when they do get to the verb I am distracted and miss it. On the other hand there are so many tastes and and feelings I can describe in Korean in one word that would take a whole sentence in English.
I think it is sometimes laziness or we are too busy. But also adverbs can cover up something maybe because it is a lie or maybe because we don't want to show the whole picture.
It’s so hard to get into good writing habits. I was an English tutor for years in college, and I still catch myself committing writing crimes. Love this article!