Write with Power: Use Strong Nouns and Verbs in Your Writing

Writers often reach for adjectives and adverbs to help describe a scene, action, or emotion. But if you want your writing to truly resonate with readers—whether you’re a poet, memoirist, novelist, or songwriter—it’s time to lean on the powerhouses of language: strong nouns and verbs.

At the Mississippi Writers Guild, we encourage writers of all levels to sharpen their craft with tools that bring clarity, energy, and purpose to their words. One of the most effective ways to do that is to strip away weak modifiers and let your nouns and verbs do the heavy lifting.

The Problem with Too Many Modifiers

Let’s look at a common writing trap:

“He quickly ran across the big, empty field, breathing heavily and looking really tired.”

This sentence isn’t terrible—but it’s bloated with adverbs (quickly, really) and adjectives (big, empty, tired). These modifiers are trying to tell the reader what’s happening instead of showing them.

Now, compare it to this revision:

“He sprinted across the meadow, lungs burning, his steps faltering.”

See the difference? With strong verbs like sprinted and specific nouns like meadow, the sentence becomes vivid, focused, and emotionally resonant—all without the fluff.

Replace This With That

Weak	Strong
Walked slowly	Creep, shuffle, limp, wander
Said loudly	Shouted, barked, growled
Big house	Mansion, cabin, duplex, bungalow
Looked really sad	Slumped, blinked hard, turned away

By choosing precise verbs and concrete nouns, your writing becomes more visual and visceral—exactly what readers crave.

Writing Prompt for All Writers

Create a scene in which a character receives unexpected news.

Here’s the challenge: Do not use the words shocked, surprised, stunned, happy, or sad. Instead, let the character's body language, actions, and environmental responses carry the emotion.

Whether you write fiction, essays, poetry, or songs, this exercise helps you focus on the kind of writing that shows rather than tells—something every genre benefits from.

Looking to sharpen your writing with other dedicated creatives? Join us at the Mississippi Writers Guild, where we celebrate all genres, all voices, and all stages of the writing journey. Visit our homepage to explore more prompts, articles, and events.

www.mississippiwritersguild.com