Replace weak adjectives and adverbs.
Credit: John Carlton and Leah McClellan
Example: “A big dog barked loudly.”
Replace the weak adjective with something stronger and more descriptive:
“An oversized dog barked loudly.”
Use specific nouns:
“An oversized Doberman barked loudly.”
Replace adverbs with stronger, more descriptive verbs:
“An oversized Doberman leapt out, snarling and howling like a possessed canine with rabies.”
Use Action Verbs
Credit: John Carlton
Use “action” verbs. And never repeat a verb in a copy.
Example: “He walked down the street.”
Better:
He staggered down the street.
He lurched down the street.
He bolted down the street.
He raced down the street in blind panic.