It is a word that is used too often by people who try to emphasise an object, person or action within their work. When writing, it is difficult to try and avoid using the word ‘very’, but it can sometimes seem the right way to get your point across.
Using this word can appear lazy and amateurish, especially when there is a vast array of alternative words that mean the same thing. This is a collection of alternatives that I have put together and would encourage anyone to try and use where possible instead of their ‘very’ counterpart.
If you’ve ever hesitated before hitting “send” on an email, wondering whether it’s fewer or less, or paused mid-sentence unsure if it’s who or whom, . . .
The image of the starving artist has been romanticized for centuries—the tortured genius creating masterpieces in a garret, fueled by passion and desperation rather than . . .
There’s a reason why certain books become impossible to put down while others, despite being technically perfect, leave readers cold and disconnected. It’s not about . . .
Every aspiring writer has been there: staring at a blank page, paralyzed by the weight of creating something perfect. The cursor blinks mockingly. Hours pass. . . .