The Adverb Problem and Why Authors Should Care

I was asked about things like this recently and lo, this appeared in my inbox. An interesting post by Ryan Lanz about why adverbs (-ly words) can be an indication of a sign of weakness in writing – force-feeding (telling) the reader rather than guiding (showing) them.

Thanks, Ryan.

A Writer's Path

by Gary Smailes

In this article I will set out to explain why so many famous authors (Stephen King being perhaps the most vocal) warn other authors against the use of adverbs. In fact, King’s hatred of adverbs is so intense that he’s been quoted as saying, “Adverbs are evil.” You will discover the role of adverbs in fiction writing, and I’ll demonstrate why removing adverbs from your writing will make your book more enjoyable to read. In short, I’ll explain just why adverbs are evil.

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