Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Verb is the Word


There are so many vivid verbs out there… And I spend a lot of time pondering them. I meditate. I consider. I evaluate. And then I splatter a bunch of ideas on the page. I stop and wonder. Did I make the best choice?

Take this line from the first page of my manuscript:

“Tura leapt from his desk and opened the bottom drawer."

Believe it or not (and I’m sure many of you will believe it), I spent a few minutes pontificating on that one little verb I put bold. Here are some other considerations:

Tura jumped from his desk and opened the bottom drawer.

Tura sprang from his desk and opened the bottom drawer.

Tura hopped from his desk and opened the bottom drawer.

Tura slid off his desk and opened the bottom drawer.

Tura scooted off his desk and opened the bottom drawer.

To me, each of these has a totally different image. I think leaping has the best, and possibly strongest image I can paint with this simple phrase.

Alas, just a glimpse into the madness that stirs in my mind.

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