A first draft is very hard to write, and sometimes you just need to get words on the page in all their glorious messiness.

But when it comes time to revise, you’ll need to polish things up so they read smoothly. One crucial area of focus: your verbs.

Verbs are the cornerstone of novels. When verbs are clear, well-chosen, and unimpeded, books tend to read smoothly. When they’re ill-chosen, buried, and cluttered with unnecessary filler words, books feel muddled.

Wipe away the grime around your verbs. Here are some tips:

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