Describing Dialogue and Actions (Verbs, Adverbs, Appositives, and Stuff)

NatAberdeen 2020-06-21 21:30:25 UTC #1

There's no denying that we all have our own style. One thing we can't get around as novelists is how to further describe characters' actions and words. Some writers like to use strong and different verbs ("I can't do this!" she sobbed), some like to use adverbs ("I can't do this!" she said sorrowfully), and some like to use longer phrases, ("I can't do this!" she said with a tear in her eye.")

It's obvious that we should always mix it up and never stick to only one method, but let's discuss. What are your favorite (or rather, go-to) ways to further describe and expand on characters' actions? What are some tips you might have for other authors?

I personally use strong verbs the least out of any of them at the risk of sounding like J.K. Rowling when one of Dumbledore's exclamations was described as "ejaculating." Plus, unless you're Lemony Snicket and define every big word you use, it's good to be simple and clear to keep the story readable and understandable. As for my favorite method, I have a small gag scattered throughout the story where instead of any of that, the narrator just describes an action by saying what the character would have said ("Vivian looked over at Natalie and politely smiled in a way that meant Oh hey, I remember you from a couple minutes ago."

nostalgicroxas 2020-06-21 22:59:41 UTC #2

I mix up my wording. Some scenes use "higher" education words, while most is easily a 9th grade reading level iirc. Wordcounter.net can define up a section for you.
One of my favorite things besides tossing in some "more expensive" words that fit the scene without yanking the reader out, if they know the word, is to toss in greek or latin - specifically with names of animals or something. It's been a long term thing of mine to toss in if they're interacting with a plant, the latin or scientific name of the plant. I try to make it so that if they google it, it should pop up with the correct thing.

DogshitJay 2020-06-21 23:11:35 UTC #3

I come to creative writing from marketing/communications (which is my career work), and in both cases, I always refer back to Orwell's 6 rules:
1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Rule six would have saved us all from Dumbledore's ejaculation smh smh

I like to step back now and then and look for ways to take out "he did thing", by restructuring the sentence, but also obeying the rules above. That helps me mix it up so it isn't too repetitive in form.