The #1 Fix to Write Engaging Prose

How do you keep from writing bland, boring prose the puts your reader to sleep?

There's a simple fix for this, and I walk you through how it works in this video along with lots of examples and how you can practice.

[indiegamechris]

I've known of the idea of strong words for a long time, but I've never heard it described as the author having an opinion before. I think this is going to be immensely helpful!

[wildflower.blooming]

This is writing smarter, not harder. Wonderful examples. This video makes me want to open up my drafts!!

[chelseyummali]

"The man sat down in the chair.
1. The large man reached his seat on his flight from Miami to Germany. One small child daydreamed out the window, a mother nursed her baby on the isle seat. He took a deep breath in, "I'm A12." He said to the woman.
2. I didn't know that cancer would hit me like this...Before I knew it I was popping an oxy every time I needed to move. Once the leather of my couch surrounded me, I was afraid I may never get up. Oh well, Id die soon anyways.
3. Standing by his desk, his computer screen radiated words, worlds, feelings, he couldn't explain. His body shook as he snatched his chair and threw himself into it. "One more hour...ahh maybe two." he said as his fingers moved hastily above the keys.
4. "I didn't do it!" his voice roaring off the cell walls. The guard grabbed him by the arm and threw him into the chair next to him. The guard bent over and calmly glared into the prisoners eyes. "Shut up, or I will beat you with my stick."
5. I'll never forget the day I walked into the Doctors office, my palms were sweating, I was one anxiety attack away from throwing up the turkey sandwich Grace forced me to eat earlier. I cant even remember saying hi to him. "Your daughter wont survive her injuries, Mike. I'm sorry...." He kept talking. The room spun around me. I grabbed a hold of the chair and fell into it. My daughter was dying and there was nothing I could do.

Ok heres 5. Im trying too hard and its taking me too long haha.

[GreenWillow]

Thirty year career as a therapist and I can tell you, no one can MAKE another person "change". And that's not even remotely my goal as a writer. I just want my readers to have fun. *I* just want to have fun.
On the other hand, good info for writing stronger, more effective prose.

[tnbaldwin]

I have mixed opinions on this. The main concern (aside from a couple of errors) is that to me, some of these examples so overwritten they impact the flow. There also seems to be a fair amount of 'treating the reader like an idiot'. Repeated modality to 'give the author's opinion' can be overdone as it uses several words to say the same thing, which is what we see in some of these examples. Additionally, sometimes a simple sentence does what it should while the sentences surrounding it do the heavy lifting.
That said, vocabulary choice is critical - and strong, specific verbs should be one of the most important tools in your kit. The advice on writing for a specific audience is also invaluable.

[MaryWhiteWrites]

He dropped, exhausted, into the chair.
Observing the reverence of the moment, he lowered himself onto his throne.
Alert to the tension around him, he sat with a straight spine.
He fell, laughing, into the chair's overstuffed cushions.
He took a seat, perched on the edge of the chair.
With one hand, he leaned on the seat of the stool, trying to speak through his laughter.
With a purposeful breath, he pressed his helmet against the seat's headrest.
Grandpa eased himself into the wing chair and patted his knee for me to join him.
With all eyes on him, he sighed and took the seat at the head of the conference table.
He collapsed, unbelieving, into the dining chair.

[L_Martin]

He was oozing sour emotion as he sank down into the chair, and stuck in the corner, watching the party with hateful eyes, he looked small and marooned.

^That was my favourite one I came up with! Cool exercise. It definitely makes me think more about putting a slant on everything I'm describing, rather than going with bland auto-pilot description.

[VideoGames]

Honestly one of the best videos on writing i've seen

[outsidersongs]

I was to never ever introduce my opinions on events in prose. Rather, I want to present moral dilemmas, possibilities, injustices, secrets etc that create mindful moments when the reader develops their own views on events and characters. I employ anthropology and mythology to anchor in on what catches people's engagement.

[yowaikemen]

Thank you for this video! I was just in a section of my scene that is a bit talk-heavy and the tags were getting too neutral -- like a report just as you say. I needed this!

[ElioraYona]

Thank you so much for this invaluable information! All this hits home, right on the nail!

[Dawn]

Thank you for making me think; so write more clearly

[WholesomeCherryPie]

for the first sentence!!

His mind was crumbling under the weight of his own expectations.
His mind was drowning in a sea of agony.
He couldn't *not* focus on the event; as if the memory itself were trapped in a slide and placed under a microscope.
The events played in his head, over and over, like a horror film on repeat.

[Lady-Deer]

That is how you create youtube Videos. Thank you! It was a really helpful lesson for me!

[viraljaques]

I'm overly curt in my writing, so this video was helpful.

My sentences:
The interrogated slumped in the chair.
The distinguished man carefully placed himself in the offered seat.
The man jumped at the free seat.
The man seated himself in an armchair.
The late student ran to take his assigned seat.
The portly man parked himself in the small chair.
The young man hesitantly grabbed a seat in the overembellished seat.
The elder slouched as he sat in an antique as old as him.
The director took his righteous spot at the top seat.
The scarred man shoved himself on the heap of a chair.

[corrita]

Easily understood, loved the examples!

[feruspriest]

Listened to Shadow of the Wind on a trip. 100% a great example of opinionated writing. Gormenghast does this really well, too.

[boyboss]

1. The man swiftly plopped down in the chair.
2. The man straddled his legs across the kitchen chair.
3. The man sagged, distraught, in the recliner, head in his hands.
4. The old man sprawled out on the couch, each leg a cushion for his grandkids.
5. The man lazed back in his seat.
6. The man positioned himself in the chair, posture like that of an arrow.
7. The man propped himself up on the chair.
8. The man sat anything but the right way in the chair, legs reaching toward the ceiling fan, hanging limply over the backrest like a pair of old clothes.
9. The man promptly sat back in the chair, hunched over and defiant.
10. The man sat down cross legged at his seat, drumming his fingers on the armrest.

[chrissys]

11/22/63 is such a great example of how good King can be.

[dianabnorcross]

Can I just say, holy freaking crap this is amazing. I can't wait to go back to my work with this in mind. Thank you!