Even when using active verbs, sentences still may sound flat. More than likely, those active verbs are also overused.

An overused verb is one that’s commonplace and dull. Among the many active verbs that tend to be overused in our daily language and writing are sat, looked for, felt, enjoy, gave, and became.

Using such commonplace verbs amounts to inefficient writing and hence inefficient storytelling. Such words don’t give you the most value for your writing dollar.

Instead, invest in verbs that reveal mood. For example, replace a word like sat with slumped or flopped.

____

My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.