Today, I want to talk about just one part of speech: adjectives. Unlike adverbs, these descriptors are more accepted in literature. However, some adjectives are better than others. Let’s get into three types of adjectives and how they should (or shouldn’t) be used in stories. First, we’ll talk about empty adjectives, and then we’ll cover explanatory adjectives and concrete adjectives.
Empty Adjectives
Empty adjectives are descriptive words that modify a noun but add no real meaning. For instance, white dress shirt doesn’t give any more meaning or significance than if it was just dress shirt. You may be thinking, “But I know it’s white in the first example.” True, but does that give you a deeper understanding of the shirt or who’s wearing it? Is it meaningful? If I said it was a blue dress shirt, would that change your viewpoint in a meaningful way? Probably not. Now, what if I changed it to a dress shirt streaked with black grease stains. That makes you wonder, right? Who’d wear a dress shirt if they were going to be near grease? Did the person have car troubles and have to do some unexpected mechanic work? That detail tells a story in itself, which adds depth to your overall story. So, when picking your adjectives, make sure they add meaning.
Empty adjectives can also be redundant, making them easier to identify and cut out than vague adjectives like the example above. For instance: furry goat, high mountain, and metal sword are repetitive. Goats normally have fur; no need to specify it. All mountains are high. Swords are generally accepted to be metal. If not, most people will then add the material for an adjective, like a wooden sword. If you feel the type of metal is important, you can use that as a descriptor. After all, a gold sword tells us a lot about the owner and their economic status. When selecting adjectives for a scene, make sure the descriptor adds not just meaning but new meaning to the noun.
Explanatory Adjectives
Explanatory adjectives are words that describe a word by labeling or explaining. They are generally vague and opinion-based. Some examples are: young, fun, beautiful, cozy, remarkable, enticing, odd, creepy, etc. Depending on the person, each of these adjectives can change meanings. A murder might be disgusting to one person and intriguing to another. Instead of using an adjective to pass a judgment, try making the descriptor more specific so every reader will understand its meaning.
While you want to avoid using lots of explanatory adjectives, these do have a place in literature. They can show interiority about how the character perceives things, but make sure these explanatory adjectives come with reasons. A character can describe a snake as creepy, but there should also be concrete descriptors about what makes it appear creepy to that character. One person’s creepy isn’t the same as another person’s. Make sure that reason makes it on the page so readers feel they understand the character and how that person perceives the world.
Concrete Sensory Adjectives
I’ve mentioned concrete details, so let’s talk about them. These are the best form of adjective to use in a story because it conveys a clear picture to readers. Concrete adjectives are objective and based on sensory details. These are the descriptors that make a reader see, hear, smell, taste, and feel what is happening in the story. They show the reader the details instead of labeling them.
Some examples are: sharp, bumpy, wrinkled, stained, musty, stale, hushed, frayed, etc. There is no need to explain how a character interprets these adjectives because they are concrete. An object is either sharp or dull. The bread is either stale or fresh. With concrete adjectives, writers can show what the world around the character is like and let the reader envision and interpret the scene. Seeing a scarf with frayed ends gives the idea of it being old without stating that judgment. Make sure you vary which sensory details you describe though. If you only use visuals, the writing won’t feel as full as when you use all five senses. By giving readers sharp sensory details, we pull them into the story and let them experience it themselves.
Final Thoughts
Adjectives help writers convey sharp images, but it’s important not to overuse them and overwhelm readers. Try to avoid empty adjectives, use explanatory adjectives sparingly (and always with interiority), and insert a few concrete adjectives into every scene. The result should be vivid scenes readers lose themselves in and never want to leave.
Thanks for reading!
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