Lights, Camera, Action Verbs!

“Lights, camera, action verbs!”

Oh, wait — you don’t know that saying?

Let me tell you, it’s taking off in writing coaching circles. Well, at least in this writing coach’s circle.

Some of the best advice I’ve received as a writer is to focus on my verbs. Clear away the extra adjectives and adverbs, and find just the right verb. After all, verbs are what make everything happen. Literally.

Take a look at this:

Sidney walked out of the room angrily.

Now, try this:

Sidney stomped out of the room.

The second sentence really helps you picture Sidney and how he left the room.

Action verbs make writing more vivid and precise. With a well-chosen action verb, you can quickly paint a picture in your reader’s head and keep them excited to hear what you’ve got to say next.

Here are a few more action verbs in motion:

Ronald wolfed down his breakfast.
Bernice chugged up to the curb in her old Volkswagen Beetle.
Horace ripped up the contract and flushed it down the toilet.

See what I mean?

Are you using action verbs in your writing? Or are you relying on adjectives and adverbs to do all the heavy lifting?

If you want your writing to be ready for the bright lights, reach for the action verbs.