While working on my new work-in-progress, I began to pay more attention to what I was doing. I thought more about sentence structure; the part it plays in my over-all writing. I've written long enough to realize if a person can't make a proper sentence, they have no business writing in the first place. It's like writing music. You write the intro for the piano and violins, but then these other instruments are going to come in. If you can write one good sentence, then you can write another, and another will follow. When I use the semicolon, the sentence just hangs independently for a moment, like the music of the piano and violins; waiting for the other instruments to join in.
When you're reading through your story and it seems limp and flat, take a couple of days to jazz up your verbs. Stronger verbs can make a huge difference. Replacing overused words in general can give your sentences more power--thereby, giving your entire book more muscle. Finding the right words can be a lot of work and consume a lot of time, but it will always be worth the effort.
Below is a list of strong verb substitutes I use. If you have more, please add them.
- Do--performed, executed, discharged, carried out, fulfilled, managed, brought off, negotiated, turned out, achieved, accomplished, conducted
- Came--approached, drew near, closed in, advanced, pressed upon, arrived, appeared, turned up
- Felt--had the impression, perceived, discerned, noted, understood, knew, bore, endured, sensed, and comprehended
- Filled--pervaded, penetrated, infused, charged, imbued, soaked saturated, rent, pierced, permeated, suffused
- Get--received, came by, realized, gained, won, achieved, attained, obtained, acquired, secured, procured, captured, seized, grasped, entrapped
- Gave--bestowed, presented, contributed, handed over, accorded, granted, entrusted, assigned, dispensed, offered, consigned, imparted, purveyed
- Held--grasped, clutched, clasped, retained, clenched, kept, maintained, embraced
- Knew--comprehended, realized, lay a hold of, discerned perceived grasped, sensed, recognized, ken, recalled, and discriminated
- Looked--glanced, glimpsed, studied, inspected, fixed one’s gaze, noticed, took in, gazed, peered, stared, squinted, peeked, glared, took in, regarded, surveyed
- Made--invented, concocted, fabricated, devised, simulated
- Pulled--drew, tugged, yanked, tore, ripped, rent, plucked, snatched, wrenched, dragged, extracted, lugged, and pried
- Pushed--propelled, wedged, advanced, pressed, drove, shoved, jostled, impelled, crammed
- Sat—eased into, settled, took, perch, plop down, relaxed into, sat astride, lolled, sprawled, settled, remained, rested
- Saw--perceived, beheld, discerned noticed, observed, inspected, scan, viewed, observed, visualized, gazed, peeped, and scrutinized
- Glance--He regarded her, cut a hard look, snapped her attention to, cast a glance, directed his gaze, his dark eyes traveled, his eyes swept over her, his eyes latched on to hers, his blunt gaze swerved to her
- Said--[WARNING be careful when substituting any of the following for a tag. You would be better off using 'said' for a tag.] uttered, pronounced, announced, spoke, mouthed, phrased, articulated, answered, responded, retorted, conveyed, declared, revealed, divulged, breathed, whispered, cried, told, imparted, betrayed, recited, reported, testified
- Set-- place, position, situate, plant, rest, deposit, tuck, lay down, stick, establish, mount, station
- Smiled--beamed, grinned, laughed, smirked, sneered, looked with favor upon, shined upon, blessed, favored
- Took--acquired, secured, obtained, gained, seized, gleaned, captured, removed, pilfered, stole, swiped, nabbed
- Walked--strode, paced, tread, strolled, sauntered, ambled, slogged, trudged, plodded, lurched, shuffled, slinked, tip-toed, advanced, staggered, scurried, traipsed, trooped, tromped, hiked, swaggered, rushed, scamper, schlepped, wandered, sprinted, stepped, strutted, tramped
- Watched--regarded, eyed, perceived, detected, beheld, scrutinized, surveyed, scanned, viewed, gazed, glimpsedWorked-toiled, slaved, labored, endeavored, travailed, strained, undertook, produced
