Energize Your Writing with Dynamic Verbs

Here’s a revising strategy to help your writing stand out:  get rid of unnecessary “be” verbs swarming around your writing.  Overusing the verb “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) will suck the life right out of your prose. 

“Be” verbs indicate state of being.  Boring! 

Why not replace them with vibrant verbs that breathe life into your writing – writing others want to read. 

Here’s the challenge: go through your writing and circle all the “be” forms and see if you can inject action instead by replacing many of them with dynamic and descriptive verbs.  You will improve your writing immediately. 

Below is a verb makeover I performed on a student’s writing sample after she said, “I tried and just couldn’t find other verbs that would fit.”  Here’s a tip: in the process of finding better verbs, you will be forced to write better sentences.  Revision is more than removing dead wood and inserting pretty foliage in its place.

Before

A big grin appeared on my face as I was stepping out of the airport and seeing the Land “flowing with milk and honey” with my own eyes for the first time. Hopping onto the Tour Bus and finding my seat, I knew that this was going to be an awesome ride. Our first stop and our destination for the next seven days was the Holy city of Jerusalem. The City where God Himself has “placed Watchmen on her walls that will not keep silent day or night until her righteousness shines out like the dawn and her salvation like a blazing torch.” And all of a sudden, there it was . Coming up over the hills, we all caught our breath, and we knew what was before our eyes. The bus stopped. We wanted to march into the city of Jerusalem singing!  Our hotel was just around the corner, so the bus dropped us off and we began our march into the city and around the corner to our hotel. Several times, as we were walking the streets, I wanted to pinch myself just to make sure I was not dreaming. “Ouch!” Nope, not a dream, I am really here!

After

As I stepped out of the airport, a grin transformed my face at the sight of the land “flowing with milk and honey.”  I knew, the minute I entered the bus and found my seat, that an unforgettable ride awaited me. The Holy city of Jerusalem welcomed and embraced me for the next seven days. There I stood to capture the City where God Himself “placed Watchmen on her walls that will not keep silent day or night until her righteousness shines out like the dawn and her salvation like a blazing torch.” And suddenly, coming up over the hills, it greeted us; we paused to catch our breath to behold the sight before our eyes. The bus stopped-we wanted to march into the city of Jerusalem singing! The bus dropped us off at our hotel just around the corner, and we began our pilgrimage into the city. Several times, as we strolled the streets, I pinched myself just to make sure I stood in this glorious place and not in the confines of a dream. “Ouch!” Nope, not a dream, I am really here! 

Now you go and energize your writing .

Maria Keckler
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