What's wrong with using adverbs that don't change the meaning of the word?
"She grins happily". Sure, "She grins" also conveys the same thing, but the two sentences differ in word count.
I personally feel that reading has a rhythm to it, and adding more filler words just to make it coherent with the surrounding sentences isn't bad... fictions, at least...
One rule has worked well for me in all my writing: don't be lazy.
Put some effort into each sentence. Read it back to yourself. If something is clumsy, try rewriting it a few different ways. As Strunk said, "Rewrite and revise. Do not be afraid to seize what you have and cut it to ribbons."
Yes it takes longer, but for most writing, it is worth it. All of the other rules are just advice to consider, and perhaps reject.
>“Avoid adverbs” is a common advice in MFA programs
Words fail me, even adverbs seem to be of no help.
I am reminded of the "Tom Swifty"[1], a sort of pun involving an adverb. They gained infamy though the YA books focusing on the adventures of Tom Swift. Here's a few examples
> "If you want me, I shall be in the attic," said Tom, loftily.
> "The thermostat is set too high," said Tom heatedly.
> "Don't you love sleeping outdoors," Tom said intently.
> "I just dropped the toothpaste," said Tom crestfallenly.
I never understood general advice against adverbs. They're a valid part of language and can be very effective if used well. "Don't repeat yourself boringly or unthinkingly" seems to be the real advice here. But "angrily" conveys state of mind much more clearly than the more ambiguous "trembling, red in the face".
The thing I have noticed is that most US-English speakers drop the "ly" from the end of adverbs.
Is that grammatically correct for US English, or is it slang?
Essentially the advice here is "avoid redundant adverbs" but it takes the author a lot of words to say it.
I remember high school when I was taught that if you want your meaning to be clear, speak clearly...
Did I detect a hint of adverbialism in this title?
I would rather do so with conditional exuberance.
I upvoted just for the title :)
See also the excellent book "First You Write a Sentence" by Joe Moran.
The problem with all syntax-based writing advice is that it's an extremely poor substitute for taste, and taste has to be developed by years of sitting with prose, good and bad, and seeing what makes you cringe and what gives delight. If you closely read the expert writers and teachers of writing who purvey these rules, you find that none of them follow their own admonitions entirely. That doesn't mean the rules come from nowhere -- in this example, I have observed plenty of novice writers who use adverbs badly, so if you're trying to learn to write well, adverb-dense prose is a common sign of inelegant writing, and a sign that that prose might need some attention. But the solution is not "eliminate the adverbs at all costs" -- the solution is to read closely, feel it grate against your ears, and try revisions until it doesn't grate anymore.