The best way to use residing verbs to carry your scenes to life
We have all been taught to show "don't tell". When describing something, appeal to the senses, describe every aspect of it and really let the reader see and feel the scene. Does it look nice, like the evening sun? Does it smell nostalgic like your grandmother's spices? Does it feel soft and smooth, like wind and silk?
The description, however, involves much more than just comparisons and adjectives. Have you ever felt that your font is flat, despite the number of beautiful words you use? Do you feel like you've described everything to death and yet the scene doesn't feel alive?
The problem is often an overuse of adjectives and adverbs. Fortunately, there is a simple solution: use living verbs instead.
The two step process to bring your scenes to life with living verbs
Verbs as descriptions? you could ask How do I do that?
Step 1: Decide on your message
The fact is that verbs have a lot to tell. Just as action speaks volumes in life, verbs speak volumes in a story. But you have to decide first what to say to your readers. Take the following:
The flower was a beautiful shade of red, its petals were full of dewdrops and reflected the light of the sun.
There is nothing wrong with this sentence? The flower is red and beautiful. But what are you trying to tell your readers? There is nothing else but the simple look of the flower.
Would you like your readers to openly admire the flower itself? Or do you see it as something more than a symbol of love or hope? Does it represent honest beauty or vanity? What is the purpose of this flower for your story?
First and foremost, decide on the message you want to convey.
Step 2: choose the correct verbs
People do their actions on purpose. Objects and plants do this in literature. Once you've decided on your message and how you want your object to contribute to the scene, it's time to choose the right actions. to take for it.
Imagine a scene where your character stumbles into an abandoned lot in an apocalyptic wasteland and is surprised to find live plants in it, including a shockingly beautiful flower:
The flower swung its rich red petals, which were adorned with sun-kissed dew drops.
Suddenly the flower seems to be alive. It's still red and full of dew, but now it's also proud to boast of its beauty to the beholder and stand out from the desolation around it. The dew drops were no longer just water, they were "decorated". like jewels, as if the flower was actively disguising and displaying. Even the sun feels more alive with the word "kissed".
Your character will be drawn to this surprising object from its normal environment, full of life and energy.
Now remember that your characters, a young couple in love, are sitting in a field fighting to confess their feelings. One of them discovers a flower that could be a nice spontaneous gift for the other:
The flower blushed under the sun, reddish petals hidden under a layer of dew.
Now the flower looks shy, reserved and gentle like a woman who consciously hides her face. The point is driven further home by using the word "rouge". that gets the image of makeup. Her characters are in love, and the flower is now a shy third entrant to offer herself as a symbol of her affection.
The magic of living verbs
The same object described with different living verbs produces very different impressions. In addition, they can add much more to the atmosphere of a story than adjectives. Using the description in this way can also add strength to your story within the genre of interest.
A hero going into battle in an epic fantasy novel could cross a mountain path lined with trees – bend over to acknowledge his power? and a breeze that separates grass and goes before it to make room.
In contrast, an old man mourning his lost youth on a morning walk might see trees bowed and tired under the weight of their leaves and being strangled by ivy. and hear the wind sighing its exhaustion and whispering secrets of days gone by.
?
Liven up your description with lively verbs. First, describe the message you want to deliver. Then choose the actions that bring that message to life.
A good way to understand the concept of verb description is to think of everything in a scene as a contributing character – objects included. Decide on its purpose and choose the appropriate action, and you have a living, breathing scene.
Do you use living verbs to improve the description? Let us know in the comments.
WORK OUT
To practice describing with verbs, select (or come up with) one of the following objects:
- A wagon
- A tube of lipstick
- A photo of a loved one
- Bottle of alcohol
- A telephone
- A flower pot
Write the object of your choice in two distinctly opposite ways, using verbs wherever possible. For example:
- Good versus evil
- Sultry versus innocent
- Courageous versus shy
- Beautiful versus ugly
- Youth against age
Take fifteen minutes to write. Do share your two versions in the comments and don't forget to leave feedback for your note-takers!
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