So if some of the best writers use 'ly' ending adverbs, what's the beef? The beef is - it's still not good writing. Also, you have to look through many pages to find these examples. If I see one 'ly' adverb in a 300-word exercise, I don't mention it. However, the people I single out for over-use of adverbs often have two, three, even six or seven of them in a 300-word exercise. I've even seen two or three in one paragraph. You won't see the pros doing that. Even bad editors don't let that pass in most cases. (Erick Emert)I agree with what he says, so that's not where the problem lies. The problem lies in my own writing.
When I read the article, I had a suspicion my story - well, what's been written so far - would be sprinkled with 'ly' words. So I did what he suggested, which was to highlight the text and do 'control+f' (find) 'ly'. This took me through the first two chapters of my story one 'ly' word at a time. My heroine's name happened to have 'ly' in it, so it took a mite longer than it should have... But finally I had made every 'ly' adverb bold, so I could go through and manually count each one.
And the results were disheartening, to say the least.
7,229 words.
122 adverbs ending in 'ly'.
7,229 ÷ 122 = 59.25.
So I'm using an adverb every 60 words or so – or five adverbs every 300 words. How mortifying! I'm such a clumsy, lazy writer. I used the word 'suddenly' nine times, 'slowly' seven times, 'quickly' four times, and 'swiftly', 'softly' and 'eventually' three times each. What makes me even more ashamed is that they're such weak words!
I'm about to start working my way through the chapters, choosing stronger verbs to replace the 'weak verb + adverb' formula I've been relying on. And I have to admit, I'll be sad to say goodbye to some of these 'ly' adverbs. 'Furtively, morosely, stealthily...' they feel like such appropriate words! How will I ever make do without them?
