LY - WORDS

Guffyowl

Hi All

I know it is a unwritten rule taht once your first draft is done and you start the editing process that all words ending in ly should be deleted, however I amazed at home many published books contain ly words. I think a piece is far stronger without these words and find it quiet lazy using them. I have been reading the latest Peter James Roy Grace novel and there seems to be at least five or six ly word per chapter and he writes very small chapters. My question was how do these established authors slip these passsed editors/agents/publishers

neil

They don't.The rule, whether unwritten or not, is quite simply ridiculous. And anyway, who is supposed to have made it?

Amanda

Guffyowl, a good question indeed, i suppose if you are accepted then anything goes - but why can't we use 'ly' words and why is it lazy?

boredrobots

I think the key is to not overuse them, I never believe rules that say never use this or that.

Jay Mandal

It's not just adverbs that/which people hate nowadays, it's adjectives, too. Fashion? Although too many, and your reader starts watching out for them.

Amanda

perhaps i should go and have an ogle at some of my last work and see how many 'ly' words have snuck in!

boredrobots

I think this 'rule' came about from writing such as:

"I hate you," she screamed angrily.

Now, not only is it pretty obvious that she's angry already but the scence lacks emotion. Show not tell helps to eliminate the need for such adverbs.

dora

[quote=bored_robots] I never believe rules that say never use this or that.[/quote]

what about when about to drive under a bridge, behind a huuugemongously tall lorry and a double decker bus, and there is a sign on the bridge saying "never use this bridge if you're driving a high sided lorry or a double decker bus"?

boredrobots

Don't believe 'em, Dora! It's all lies!!

dora

Okay

"walks off wearing the top of a double decker on me 'ed"

Carol

I go by the rule less is more. There will be times when you need ly words, as long as you don't have them littering the page then the odd one or two is okay IMHO.

heather

A very good blog post from a well-respected and prize-winning writer on this very subject (although focusing mainly on adjectives) at
http://susannahrickards.blogspot.com/2011/02/gorgeous-pink-rag.html

Mrs Bear

The English language is a rich and varied one, and for the rule to be that you can't use parts of it when they come naturally to you (that's an LY word) is nonsense. Just be careful that you aren't using them unnecessarily.

LadyRenate

I think it mostly applies to tags, anyway. It annoys me when people do that for every line of dialogue.

kado

Spot on, MadeiranMermaid, that is lazy writing!

Lolli

I believe 'ly' words are frowned upon as the English language is rich in descriptive verbs. Why write 'he went quickly', which is weak, when one can say 'He hurried away' which is much stronger and implies a greater urgency. same as 'he said loudly' (weak)
whereas 'he screamed/yelled/ shouted' (all strong)

Phots Moll

I think it's fine to use any kind of word. What's not so fine is to overuse, or misuse words.

Jenthom72

I think the most important thing about the words you use is that they are the most effective ones. Often words ending in ly that are adjectives aren't. Saying someone slunk away is far more effective than saying they walked away slowly.

I find that when I go through my work for words ending in ly that I can come up with better words to replace them. Not all the time, but most of the time.

dora

me too jenthom