Discussions At The Garden Bench

Lesson Three Discussion Question

Google "use of adjectives and adverbs in writing" and see what some experts say about their use.

1. “…misplaced adjectives can do as much damage as botched-up syntax. If the adjectives are there only to prettify the prose, they should be eliminated. The key is, adjectives should be used only when they highlight something the noun can’t highlight.” by William Noble on http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapte...

2. “For the most part, if you’re using too many adjectives, you’re not choosing a strong enough noun. If you’re using adverbs, you’re not choosing a strong enough adjective or verb.” by Sarah Chauncey on https://www.sarahchauncey.com/adjectives-adverbs/

3. “The very first time in my life I showed my work to a professional playwright, he took a red pen and scratched out every single adjective and adverb in my writing. “Now read it,” he said. I had to confess there and then that it was day and night. Since then, I have never used an adjective or adverb in my writing unless it was absolutely vital to express what I was saying.” by Tessa Schlesinger on https://hobbylark.com/writing/Why-Beginner-Writers-and-Adjectives-and-Adverbs


Research what other writers of creative writing have to say about the usage of adjectives in our writing.

1. “Adjectives and adverbs are like dressing up a new outfit with accessories. Sometimes less is more. Like any other part of speech, adjectives and adverbs have their place and can help explain and drive the plot. Used correctly, they can help to create a picture in the reader’s mind.” by Teacher Gone Blogger on http://mycreativepalette.com/writing-services/tips-for-writers-stephen-king-on-a...

2. “Be generous and loving with adjectives and adverbs. These words give specificity to the narrative; they make it vibrant.” https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2017/10/09/anne-rice-writing-technique/

3. “I opened up an e-copy of The Game of Thrones by George R R Martin, and searched for ly. Note that this only traps one possible class of adverbs. Many adverbs do not end in ly, but since my point here is to show that GRRM uses adverbs, I think the -ly ones would suffice.” by Antariksh Bothale on https://www.quora.com/What-happened-to-the-adverb