Adverbs again

I've decided that contrary to everything you hear in writing classes, adverbs are our friends because they make me laugh. Like yesterday I had an e-mail from my funny friend Jamie, with a subject title that said "at last I can use the word HANDSOMELY in an e-mail." Or something to that effect. Anyhoo, Jamie! It made me laugh.

So today I decided to used an adverb in an e-mail and here's the one I chose: HALF-ASSEDLY. Which is how I run my life.

Feel free to list your favorite adverbs. In a sentence even!

Rethinking the -ly words

So if you go to a writers' conference these days you'll probably be told that ADVERBS ARE EVIL. Like, they're the Voldemorts of the Parts of Speech. Go through your manuscripts, your teachers will tell you, and ZAP THOSE EVIL ADVERBS INTO OBLIVION WITH YOUR HARRY POTTER WANDS.

And that's not such bad advice. Really, you should find a kickass verb to do the work for you and then you won't need an adverb. EXCEPT! Lately, I've been noticing how British writers still use adverbs. Quite a lot, actually. They just slather them on the way we used to slather on the baby oil when we went sunbathing back in the day before skin cancer was invented. And, people, the evil adverbs kinda work when people with cool English accents use them.

Here's another time when the adverb worked for me. Lisa B. sent me a link to a blog where the author remembers how her mother wouldn't let her eat some cake, so she went outside in a fit of pique to play with her toys "vengefully." Could there BE a better description? "Vengefully" carries the day.

Which means I have to re-think the whole adverb thing, I guess. So that's what I'm doing right now. Thinking. Thoughtfully.