Thank you for joining us in The Writer’s Playground series!
Here we run through writing games to spark imagination and sharpen your craft.
Today’s Exercise is
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.
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