The Writer’s Playground Series – Verb Swap Challenge

Verb Swap Challenge

Objective: To practice using strong, active verbs and elim-inate passive voice.

How to Play:

Everyone brings one printed page of their own prose to the group.
They pass the page to the person on their right.
Set a timer for 5-7 minutes. The reviewer’s job is to circle every passive verb (“is,” “am,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “be,” “being,” “been”) and suggest a more powerful, active alternative. They also hunt for weak verbs propped up by adverbs (e.g., “walked slowly” could become “shuffled,” “ambled,” or “crawled”).
The pages are returned, giving the original author a list of suggestions to strengthen their work.

Best for: Improving prose clarity, energy, and impact.

While there is a place for passive language in pacing, many writers struggle with the strength and high-energy areas.

Fantasy Coloring Pages

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