Natalie and I are honored to welcome author Julia Asel Thomas to I'd So Rather Be Reading today. Julia is the author of Loving the Missing Link and is here today to talk about a very important writing technique: choosing your verbs. Welcome, Julia!
Choosing Your Words Carefully: A Guide to Finding
the Best Verbs for Your Purpose
There are two things a group of words must have to
be an honest-to-goodness sentence. Of course, they need a noun, even if that
noun is understood. Then, they need a verb – a word that will tell what that
person, place or thing is doing. Whether you are a beginning writer or you just
need a reminder, it is always a good idea to consider how you are using these
powerful words in your writing.
Did I say powerful? Well, some verbs are powerful
while others are little more than placeholders. What I call “power verbs” are
those that give a narrower definition to the given action. Let me give you an
example from my book, Loving the Missing Link. On the very first page of the
book, Cheryl narrates, “I
realized that Mom would hear about it, so I rushed home to tell her.”If I had
written the sentence using the verb ”went” instead of “rushed,” you would only
have a broad understanding that Cheryl moved from one location to the other. I
used the verb “rushed” because I wanted the reader to know Cheryl’s exact style
of moving. I wanted to convey a powerful emotion connected to her movement.
A carefully chosen
verb can eliminate the need for an adverb, too. Adverbs have their place, but
they tend to slow down the action of the sentence. Notice the difference
between these two sentences: “I stepped loudly on the floor.” And “I stomped on
the floor.” Stomped is a powerful enough verb that it does not need the adverb
“loudly.” If you stomped, we tend to assume you did it loudly.
Power verbs are
action verbs. Yet, not all action verbs are equal. Walked is technically an
action verb, because it shows that someone or something is doing something. Replace
it with a more precise verb, and boost the power of your sentence. Your
character may have walked, but your reader knows more about what is going on if
she sauntered, glided or trudged instead.
That is not to say
that a simple verb is never called for. If your purpose is to have your
character write a business report or a legal document, it is best to keep the
verbs simple in most cases. That is because power verbs tend to show an
attitude of some kind. Use verbs that are less flamboyant and more direct when
you want to be straightforward and unbiased.
Finally, when you
are writing sentences, it is not enough to choose powerful verbs. You need to
put them in a position of action. Instead of “The dog was groomed by the
attendant,” say “The attendant groomed the dog.” Use that power verb to the max
by keeping it in the action mode rather than the acted-on mode.
Power verbs make
your fiction more precise and also more concise. They insert the reader right
into the action of the sentence. If that is the effect you want, examine every
verb and make sure it is up to the task of driving your fiction forward. Your
plot, characters and settings shine when you ground them in powerful, active
verbs.
As a writer, I
constantly fight the battle to overcome weak verbs. As I write this, I am also
reminding myself to always choose my words carefully. Sometimes, I don’t choose
the right verb until the second or third draft, when I have a clearer
understanding of what is going on. As long as I get the job done, I don’t sweat
it.
Book Summary:
Loving the Missing Link is a fabulous
tale about love, success, hope and music. During the 1970's. Young Cheryl
Simpson feels trapped in her small Missouri town. As her mother tries to help
her find a way up and out, Cheryl begins to feel that it is all an impossible
dream. She sees herself living a boring and dismal life for the rest of her
days. Just at the moment when she is about to give up on happiness, she gets
the opportunity to join her high school band. The band promises a connection
with the world outside her town, but Cheryl does not see any future for herself
in music. It is just a tool to get where she wants to go. However, Cheryl’s
mother arranges for Cheryl to take private lessons with an accomplished
musician, who helps her realize the beauty and awesome power of music.
Still,
Cheryl feels that small-town inferiority and finds it too hard to believe that
she could ever be anyone special out in the “real” world. On the eve of a music
contest that could help her earn a music scholarship, Cheryl begins to panic.
Scared and feeling alone, Cheryl runs off with her high school sweetheart and
gets married, leaving the band behind.
During
the next years, Cheryl and her husband make a life for themselves. Cheryl meets
friends along the way who help guide her to becoming the woman she wants to be.
She becomes interested in the arts again. All the while, Cheryl and husband
Jerry face the challenges of homelessness, miscarriage and an extra-marital
affair before an unexpected disaster brings Cheryl’s life crashing to the
ground. Cheryl survives, with the help of her extraordinary friends and her
life-long love for music.
Author Bio:
Julia Asel Thomas writes stories with vivid
descriptions, authentic dialogue and revealing narration. Her debut book,
Loving the Missing Link, presents the engrossing and moving story of a young,
small town girl who grows up, lives and loves while trying to find a balance
between despair and hope.
Like the protagonist in her debut book, Loving
the Missing Link, Julia Asel Thomas knows small town life. However, Julia’s
experiences were quite different than Cheryl’s. Julia is the middle child of
seven children and the daughter of a church organist and a business manager.
Growing up in the small town of Hamilton, Missouri, Julia’s family enjoyed a
reputation as a bright and interesting family. Julia thrived on the quiet and
carefree life she lived in that gentle place.
When Julia was in high school, she earned a
scholarship for a trip to Cali, Colombia as a foreign exchange student. The
experience, although it only lasted a few brief months, had a profound
influence on the rest of her life. After her time abroad, Julia realized in a
very real way that, although customs may differ from culture to culture, the
substance of human emotions is constant. We all need love. We all need to feel
secure. We all have happy moments and sad moments. Back from Colombia, Julia
become ever more interested in capturing these human emotions through music and
writing.
After high school, Julia took a break before
going on to college. During this time, she married her husband, Will. Will
joined the Air Force, and Julia accompanied him to bases around the country,
taking college classes in each town where they resided. Their two children were
born in Las Vegas, Nevada, while Will was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base.
Married in 1976, Julia and Will are thrilled to celebrate each new anniversary
and look forward to staying together for life.
Julia began writing fiction at the age of ten,
when her 5th grade teacher gave her the assignment to write about “My Worst
Day.” Julia took the opportunity to concoct every possible disaster a young
child could face during the course of a normal day. The teacher loved her work
and asked her to read it to the class. From then on, Julia wanted nothing more
than to be a writer.
In 2007, Julia began earning her living by
writing articles, press releases and website content for a number of clients.
As she settled into a routine of working every day on her writing, the old urge
to write fiction resurfaced. In 2012, Julia started with a story she had
written in 1985 and continued it to create the story in Loving the Missing
Link. After Julia’s husband, Will retired from the Air Force, they moved back to Missouri and now live in Kansas City, Missouri. Find out more about this author by visiting her online:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter
Page: https://twitter.com/
What a smart post. Great points. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Juju! Glad you enjoyed my post.
ReplyDeleteAnd Kelli - thanks for hosting me on your blog!