Writing resource #14

So, today I want to spread the resources that I've recently come across that go by "The death of thought verbs!" Not quite what these three sources call them, but it's pretty accurate. To sum them up, thought verbs are short cuts or word padding. They should be eliminated and replaced by showing the reader what those 'thoughts' actually were.

Writing Excuses — the episode that talks about it in the latter half.

Chuck Palahniuk — the original thought verb article (for me).

Seek and destroy — an easy to access list of thought verbs.

With these three resources, I've been able to show more in my writing and help convey more feelings than ever before.

One thing I did learn though, you should still tag thought paragraphs. Not with an introductory sentence using a thought verb — that's padding. But with a quick: Images of xxxx, or In his thoughts/mind, xxxxx or When he closed his eyes, xxxxxx. Something to show the reader that it isn't actually happening around them.

Then, the rest of the paragraph can display that thought. The next few paragraphs can continue the thought, but if you do that, you should tag when the character comes out of the thought. Like: Then, he opened his eyes and xxxxx or Once reality returned, xxxxx or Back in the present, xxxx or anything that actually would bring your character back out of his thoughts.

I hope this resource helps you as much as it did me.

Thank you for reading,
Travis


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