The Agonizing, Annoying, Yet Amazing Adjective by Pat Rullo
I love a good adjective or three. But sometimes, I find myself using too many. Adjectives add flair, color, and life to our sentences, giving readers a more vivid picture of the ideas we are trying to convey. However, there is a fine line between using enough adjectives to enhance our writing and using too many that ultimately ruin it.
Using numerous adjectives may seem like a good idea. After all, the more adjectives you use, the more descriptive your writing becomes, or so we thought. However, too much of a good thing can be bad. When a writer uses too many adjectives, it can make the writing appear amateurish and overworked instead of persuasive and compelling. In this sense, overusing adjectives can be considered the literary equivalent of over-seasoning. Pass the salt, would you?
One of the primary reasons why using too many adjectives is a problem is that it weakens the impact of each one. When describing an object, too many adjectives can detract from the object’s significance and true meaning. For example, “the tall, handsome, muscular, athletic, and charming man” is far less compelling than describing someone’s appearance with one or two well-chosen adjectives, such as “the dashing gentleman.” Choosing the proper adjectives is vital to impactful writing. Overusing them becomes counterproductive, and the writing loses its power.
Overusing adjectives can lead to convoluted or unclear writing. With so many adjectives involved, figuring out the meaning behind the words can be challenging. This can make it difficult for readers to understand the writer’s message and ultimately hurts communication. Overly descriptive writing may separate the reader from the point, bogging them down with too many words to sort through, thus slowing down the read.
Apart from these issues, excessive adjectives can make the writing seem self-indulgent and may come off as trying too hard to impress the reader. This may be the worst and the most obvious of all.
When used thoughtfully, adjectives create nuanced sentences and add color and flavor to the writing. Talking to myself here – avoid bombastic descriptions and choose adjectives to help move the plot along, enhance the message, and engage the reader.
When it comes to adjectives – less is more.
PR
