In the first article on this topic, we discussed a few essentials of good writing. We went over some pros and cons of repetition, one's strange yet necessary partnership with the muse, the bland feel and ineffectiveness of one- or two-dimensional description, and the need for developing good reading habits.
This article goes with the last one; you really shouldn't see one without the other. For one article (or two, honestly) can never cover it all. But I've learned a few things that I can summarize into what I hope are a helpful few paragraphs.
Don't fall in love with adjectives. Adjectives describe, yes, but their trap is an easy one to fall into. Since they describe, a beginning writer may think that he/she has written good description because he/she used an impressive phrase with colorful words. Use them, certainly - I believe in using every tool you can - but don't overuse them.
In a story, it's what a character does that keeps everything moving. Verbs give action, and this doesn't have to be physical action; it can be thoughts, or even dialogue. If you start modifying everything, you'll wind up with a thesaurus. And I don't believe a comparison of your work to Roget would feel very nice. Concentrate on nouns and verbs, and then add a little zing to it. A burger isn't a burger without the meat.
The same goes for adverbs: don't fall in love them. In fact, I'd advise you to stamp out as many as you can. Often, a sentence is weaker because it has an adverb. “He eyed her alluringly.” It seems more direct to say, “He eyed her.” Everything that comes before and after that sentence can show the reader what's happening, and the word “alluring” needn't be used at all. (And if you have done that, the adverb becomes redundant anyway.)
For those who aren't sure about the mechanics of adverbs, they describe adjectives, verbs and other adverbs. They normally end in -ly (I just used one), though there are exceptions, such as “very.” Using this nice little word can become addictive, too. If you've used “very” ten times in a piece, you might want to cut nine of them. Like most adverbs, it can get annoying after a while.
The thing about adjectives and adverbs is that they're like rabbits. Sure, one or two equals cute and cuddly. But in no time, one or two has become a truckload and you're going insane, screaming for your dear life, because you are completely, totally, absolutely overrun with these little, furry, cute, breeding monsters.
If you have an adverb (or two) in your sentence, try rearranging it so that it says the same thing without the adverb. Sometimes, though, you can't do this; after all, the English language has limits. If you find that the original meaning is lost without the adverb, no matter how you restructure the sentence, or if you absolutely must keep the original flavor, go ahead and leave it in. Just be careful; too many adverbs make a passage weak.
Also, give your work a careful proofread to check for double adjectives. Such as: “She has a dirty filthy mouth.” Which is it? Dirty or filthy? Pick one, according to the characteristic of her language. Filthy is a lot worse than dirty. Using both is redundant.
When you write dialogue, try to stick to the basic “he said/she said.” I've already mentioned how an added adverb can be redundant, if you've described the situation well enough before and after the adverbial sentence. What I said earlier (in the “alluring” example) applies to dialogue, too. Sometimes, though, it's almost necessary to tag an adverb onto the end, especially if you're trying to focus more on their words and tone of voice rather than facial expressions or such.
Always ask yourself if you really need that adverb or that adjective. Think of the reader when asking yourself this, as well. Chances are that your reader isn't stupid. And take comfort that no reader will interpret it in the exact same way that you do. Of course, you want your meaning to come through (and adverbs and adjectives can clutter that meaning, if you're not careful), but the fact that different readers will see the same passage differently is part of the magic of writing.
Let me put it like this, and then I'll hush about it. If you're talking to someone, and they use flowery language, it's bound to get on your nerves. Approach your writing the same way. When you write, think of how you would want to hear the story.
