#Description

[the-unicorns-of-nienna]

[Image Description: a photograph of a spider web made out of wire and brass beads, decorated with a variety of metal insects. End image description.]

Ann Carrington.

[chic-a-gigot]

La Mode illustrée, no. 31, 30 juillet 1882, Paris. Toilettes de Mme Bréant-Castel. 6 r. Gluck. Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Netherlands

Jupe en faille bleue couverte de volants en dentelle blanche. Sur chaque côté tombe un lé de même faille plissé perpendiculairement. Corsage en même faille à pointe devant, à basque de dentelle par derrière. A la pointe un nœud de ruban bleu à très-longues coques. Très-grande collerette en étamine garnie de dentelle.

Skirt in blue faille covered with white lace ruffles. On each side falls a length of the same faille pleated perpendicularly. Bodice in the same faille with a point in front, with a lace basque at the back. At the point a bow of blue ribbon with very long shells. Very large collar of muslin trimmed with lace.

—

Petite fille de sept ans. Robe en mousseline de laine rose plissée sur son bord inférieur. La partie supérieure de cette robe retombe comme une blouse sur les plis. Grand col marin. Chapeau coulissé en batiste rose.

Seven-year-old girl. Pink wool muslin dress pleated at the bottom. The top of this dress falls like a blouse over the pleats. Large sailor collar. Pink batiste drawstring hat.

—

Robe en soie brochée bronze et vieil or, composée de trois jupes courtes, superposées sans aucune garniture. Sous le bord inférieur trois volants (deux bronze et le dernier vieil or). Gilet en satin vieil or. Grande veste de même étoffe que les trois jupes.

Bronze and old gold brocaded silk dress, composed of three short skirts, overlapped without any trim. Under the lower edge three ruffles (two bronze and the last old gold). Old gold satin waistcoat. Large jacket of the same fabric as the three skirts.

[writing-chats]

COLOURS in DESCRIPTION

colour is the lifeblood of a scene. here are ways not to over-use it.

Red: cardinal, coral, crimson, flaming, maroon, rose, wine, brick red, burgundy, carmine, cerise, cherry, chestnut, claret, copper, dahlia, fuschia, garnet, geranium, infrared, magenta, puce, ruby, russet, rust, salmon, sanguine, scarlet, tition, vermilion, roseate, rubicund, ruddy, rubescent, florid

Orange: apricot, tangerine, merigold, cider, ginger, bronze, cantaloupe orange, clay, honey, marmalade orange, amber

Yellow: blond, chrome, cream, gold, ivory, lemon, saffron, tawny, xanthous, sandy

Green: grassy, leafy, verdant, emerald, aquamarine, chartreuse, fir, forest green, jade, lime, malachite, mossy, pea green, pine, sage, sea green, verdigris, willow, spinach green, viridian

Blue: azure, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal blue, sapphire, teal, turquoise, ultramarine

Purple: violet, indigo, lavender, lilac, mauve, periwinkle, plum, violet, amethyst, heliotrope, mulberry, orchid, pomegranate purple, wine, amaranthine, perse, violaceous, reddish-blue

[lenbryant]

Describing fabrics.

Writing Notes: Clothing Textures

When you think of textured clothing, you might imagine a scratchy wool sweater or a soft fur coat, but every clothing item has some kind of texture. The texture of fabric is often determined by the type of weave, so it’s a good idea to get to know the 3 major weave types:

Twill: The distinguishing characteristic of the twill weave is its diagonal rib pattern. Twill weaves have a distinct, often dark-colored front side (called the wale) and a lighter back. Twill has high thread count, which means that the fabric is opaque, thick, and durable, making it perfect for chinos, upholstery, and bed linens. Denim is a twill weave fabric, as are tweed and houndstooth.

Satin weave: The satin weave creates a fabric that is shiny, soft, and elastic with a beautiful drape. Satin fabric has a lustrous surface on one side and a dull, matte surface on the other side. Satin is perfect for haute couture-style dresses and clutches.

Plain weave: Plain weave fabrics, including canvas, taffeta, and muslin, are made by overlapping the warp and weft (vertical and horizontal threads) at right angles. This forms a criss-cross pattern that looks the same on both sides of the fabric.

Common Fabric Textures

The types of fabric you’ll encounter when looking for different textures include:

Denim is a strong cotton fabric with a twill weave that gives it a subtle diagonal ribbing pattern. The diagonal ribbing is what makes denim fabric different from canvas or cotton duck, which are also sturdy, woven cotton fabrics.

Broadcloth is a plain-weave fabric that is traditionally woven from thick wool yarn—the fibres of which felt together as the cloth is made. Broadcloth is sturdy, stiff, and resistant to wind and water.

Seersucker is a type of thin cotton cloth. The way it is woven causes the threads to pucker and bunch, creating crinkles. Seersucker often comes in narrow white and blue stripes and is popular in summer fashion.

Corduroy is a soft, durable fabric. It is distinctive for the tufted cords—called “wales”—that run in parallel along its surface. Corduroy is typically made from cotton, but it can also be made from wool.

Leather is any fabric that is made from animal hides or skin, with cowhide being the most popular.

Suede is a type of leather made from the soft underside of an animal skin. It is softer, thinner, and more delicate than traditional full-grain leather. Suede is ideal for footwear, jackets, and accessories like belts and bags.

Brocade is a particular style of jacquard fabric that uses additional threads to create a raised pattern, resulting in an embossed or embroidered effect. Due to the technique used to make it, brocade fabric is not reversible, and it may appear rough or unfinished on the underside.

Silk is a natural fiber produced by the silkworm. Silk is incredibly durable, with a shine and softness that are unmatched. Silk fabric is used for formal attire and accessories like pocket squares.

Cashmere is a type of fabric made from the wool of cashmere goats and pashmina goats. Cashmere is a natural fiber with an extremely soft feel and great insulation. Cashmere is significantly warmer and lighter than cloth made from sheep’s wool. Often, cashmere is blended with other types of wool, like merino, to give it added weight, since cashmere fibers are very fine and thin.

Jersey is a soft, stretchy knit fabric that was originally made from wool. Today, jersey is also made from cotton, cotton blends, and synthetic fibers. The fabric is usually light-to-medium weight and is used for a variety of cotton clothing items, such as T-shirts.

Flannel is a soft woven fabric typically made from cotton. It is a common material for plaid shirts.

How to Mix and Match Clothing Textures

Texture is an easy way to add visual interest to an outfit. By layering different textures, you can create a distinct look.

Identify neutral textures. Mixing and matching textures is similar to mixing and matching patterns and prints. In the same way that certain classic prints appear neutral, simple textures can serve as a neutral base for wilder textures. Denim, cotton fabric, leather, and suede are some of the most basic textures that play well with other textures. Neutral textures that are smaller and less visible to the naked eye—like merino wool—pair well with more attention-grabbing textures.

Consider a texture’s typical context. Textures evoke specific moods. Silk lends a luxurious vibe to any outfit. A plaid flannel shirt can look cozy with corduroy, but it becomes more serious when paired with a black leather jacket. Denim is a casual texture you can use to dress down other fabrics: Pair a satin tank with jeans—rather than something like brushed wool trousers—for a relaxed yet stylish look. Think about the context in which you might wear a particular material, then pair that material with other textures to subvert expectations.

Mix textures, match colors. Sticking to a more limited color palette will give you free range to play with different kinds of textures. That doesn’t mean you have to dress in monochrome: You can use neutral colors to anchor your look, or choose two or three solid colors that work together.

Source ⚜ More: Notes ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs ⚜ How to Describe Clothing

[the960writers]

Lincoln Michel Dec 12, 2024

I’m using “TV” as a shorthand for any visual narrative art from feature length films to video games. A lot of fiction these days reads as if—as I saw Peter Raleigh put it the other day, and as I’ve discussed it before—the author is trying to describe a video playing in their mind. Often there is little or no interiority. Scenes play out in “real time” without summary. First-person POV stories describe things the character can’t see, but a distant camera could. There’s an overemphasis on characters’ outfits and facial expressions, including my personal pet peeve: the “reaction shot round-up” in which we get a description of every character’s reaction to something as if a camera was cutting between sitcom actors.

[...]

My theory is that we live in the age of visual narratives and that increasingly warps how we write. Film, TV, TikToks, and video games are culturally dominant. Most of us learn how stories work through visual mediums. This is how our brains have been taught to think about story. And so, this is how we write. I’m not suggesting there is any problem in being influenced by these artforms. I certainly am. The problem is that if you’re “thinking in TV” while writing prose, you abandon the advantages of prose without getting the advantages of TV.

[...]

When I talk with other creative writing professors, we all seem to agree that interiority is disappearing. Even in first-person POV stories, younger writers often skip describing their character’s hopes, dreams, fears, thoughts, memories, or reactions. This trend is hardly limited to young writers though. I was speaking to an editor yesterday who agreed interiority has largely vanished from commercial fiction, and I think you increasingly notice its absence even in works shelved as “literary fiction.” When interiority does appear on the page, it is often brief and redundant with the dialogue and action. All of this is a great shame. Interiority is perhaps the prime example of an advantage prose as a medium holds over other artforms.

[fawnaura]

Charles Baudelaire, from Modern Poets of France: An Anthology; “Hymn to Beauty”

[literaryvein-reblogs]

How to Describe Faces in Writing

A human face reveals a lot about a person.

In creative writing, describing a character’s face can uncover information about who they are and how they feel.

Writers can zoom in on individual features, like the eyes or mouth, or describe a face in its entirety to paint a picture of a character.

Develop a character through their most telling attribute—their face.

Tips for Describing Faces in Your Writing

Use figurative language when describing a character’s face. When you’re introducing a character for the first time and want the reader to create an image in their mind, use figurative language to describe the character’s face instead of just stating the obvious qualities. For example, you can use similes and metaphors. It’s okay to simply say, “She has blonde hair,” but you could also use a simile: “Her hair was golden like the sun.” In Great Expectations Charles Dickens uses a unique metaphor to describe a feature of a character’s face: “His mouth was such a post-office of a mouth that he had a mechanical appearance of smiling.”

Create facial expressions that reveal emotions. How a character’s eyes, eyebrows, nose, forehead, mouth, and chin move in unison can let a reader in on their emotions. A character can have a facial tic when they get nervous. Whether it’s raised eyebrows and a mouth curved into a smile or a furrowed brow and an upper lip curled into a scowl, you can use a character’s expressions instead of dialogue to reveal their feelings about a situation.

Frame your character’s face with a hairstyle that reflects their story. A crewcut might signify a military soldier or someone who likes to be in control. A ponytail or pigtails might indicate a young character. Describe a character’s hair color—black hair, dark hair, brunette, redhead, blonde, gray, or white—in interesting ways instead of just stating the shade. It makes a difference whether your character dyes their hair or keeps it its natural shade. Describe the length of their hair. A confident businesswoman might have short or shoulder-length hair. A musician might have longer hair. Match your character’s hairstyle with their personality.

Make facial hair an element of a character’s style. How a male character keeps his facial hair is telling. If he’s constantly clean-shaven, he might go to a regular corporate job. A bit of stubble can signify a more casual career. From a beard to sideburns to a goatee, facial hair helps paint a picture of a male character and can help represent their life and what they do.

Realize that eyes are windows to the soul. There are endless ways to depict eyes. Describe obvious characteristics like eye color—green eyes, blue eyes, brown eyes, gray eyes, or black eyes. Highlight their shape—round, almond, narrow. Think about the entire orbital structure, from eyelids to eyelashes. Illustrate how the eyes are placed in relation to the character’s face—deep-set, wide-set, or close-set. Give eyes their own movements to tap into a character’s feelings. Let a character’s eyes twinkle, squint, gaze, or glare.

Describe your character’s skin. The tone and texture of a character’s skin can provide insights into a character’s life. A child’s face might be freckled. A sickly character might look pasty. An old cowboy might be good looking and rugged with craggy skin.

Give your character unique facial features. Set a character apart with distinguishing facial features. Give them dimples, freckles, or unique markings on their face. Give them poor vision so they need to wear eyeglasses. Maybe they wear heavy makeup or have piercings. Think of different ways you can create unique facial features that help define a character.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[aquaiznet]

[image id: image one. tweet by @brickscentral.

Paige Beuckers to the ref:

"do you need my glasses?" crying emoji, skull emoji.

image of Paige Beuckers, wearing glasses.

reply by @DGlaucomflecken:

"Nobody asked, but she's a -1 maybe a -1.5.

reply by @thisappisnotok:

And you're dying alone so what.

Image two. tweet by @DGlaucomflecken:

Ok I probably should've phrased this a little better.

Image three. screenshot of tumblr tags from @pointnclick :

#he was so excited about identifying her prescription for one beautiful moment online guys who rate women

#on a numerical scale with graphs and shit did not exist. a peek into a better world

end ID]

this is, as the kids say, frying me (a glasses wearer)

[writingwithcolor]

The protagonist of my story is pressured into killing, should I refrain from making her Jewish to avoid stereotyping?

@run-remi-run asks:

Hello, I'm developing a teen character living in Michigan and have been considering making her/her family Jewish; however I'm worried they'll fall into the evil Jewish person stereotype. The teen is the protagonist of her story, but she is pressured into killing at least one person. I understand that villains in media being portrayed as Jewish or with Jewish features has furthered antisemitism, and I understand my character isn't exempt from this just because I see her in a positive light. Should I refrain from making her Jewish?

This doesn't fit the stereotype

If the whole idea is that she’s pressured into doing bad things, that doesn’t fit the stereotype or trope at all because the trope has us as evil masterminds but in your scenario she’s the one being manipulated. The negative trope isn’t just “Jewish person does something bad” it’s a lot more specific than that. -Shira

Any Michigan influences?

Commenting strictly as a Michigan resident: is there any reason why you included the character’s Michigander origins in your question? Is there something about Michigan that’s influencing how you think a Jewish character might be depicted or viewed by others in your story? I’m asking not to be interrogatory, but out of curiosity and need for clarification.

–Jess

Evil Jewish person stereotype

Shira’s answer speaks directly to this and a lot more concisely, but I wanted to take a minute and go deeper into the phrase “Evil Jewish person stereotype,” for the sake of helping break down what’s actually happening and why it works the ways that it does.

There are two forces at work here, not unrelated to each other but not identical either. One is the portrayal of evil characters using tropes that suggest Jewish coding, and the other is a cultural suspicion of Jewish people’s motives and actions. They’re two sides of the same coin, perhaps, but I’d like to look at them separately, since the difference--that one refers to fictional characters and the other to actual people--matters in the context of reading and writing fiction.

Jewish coding in Villain characters

There are aspects of a character’s physical appearance that can suggest Jewishness even as we acknowledge that Jewish individuals don’t necessarily match those looks. Those might include a hooked nose, hair that is curly or red, a sallow complexion, an angular face. These attributes are not inherently bad: a text portraying them is antisemitic when these attributes are a visual signal of bad motives or are only present in bad characters and not good ones. Although not at issue here, it’s worth noting that these attributes can also raise questions in settings where all Jewish characters have them, because the flip side of these attributes being used to denote Jewishness is the erasure of Jewish people who don’t have these looks. 

 There are also aspects of a character’s personality that are repetitions of historical accusations against Jews, justifications for violence or persecution rather than reflections of genuine events. These might include greed, arrogance, bloodthirstiness, and a willingness to hurt or kill children for personal gain. These tropes have accrued over centuries in spite of the fact that every single one of them runs counter to any genuine Jewish values because ultimately, they’re not based on real-world actions by real-life Jewish people, but a product of leader after leader over time riling up their followers into dehumanizing a minority population, for the usual reasons people have for dehumanizing minority populations. 

Jewish coding in villain characters is not necessarily the same as stereotyping Jewish people as being evil. It does however support and maintain unconscious antisemitic biases. That is to say, when you meet someone who is Jewish, you’re not necessarily thinking “Mother Gothel was coded with Jewish tropes so this Jewish person probably is evil,” but if someone shows you a picture of a person with a hooked nose and curly hair and says “this person is greedy and hurts children,” exposure to Mother Gothel and other fictional villains on the same model might make you less likely to say “That doesn’t sound right.” 

Meanwhile, back in Michigan

Like Shira said, your character is not the mastermind of the murder she’s being forced into. Rather, she’s a victim of whatever character or circumstance is forcing her into it. As long as that’s apparent in your narrative, you’re not supporting an existing harmful trope or stereotype. I would treat the concept differently if this were, for instance, a dark narrative of a remorseless killer. In the current climate I would also advise against any imagery of a Jewish person of any age or agency killing a child or person of color of any kind, as that is the latest iteration of the medieval blood libel in modern times.  I would even have pause in this situation, where she’s not the author of her own act but does commit it, if she does not experience remorse or if she enjoys doing it. What matters here is her motive. 

If this character is Jewish, then that’s going to affect her approach to the incident in certain ways. While Christian and Christian-influenced secular culture regard “good” and “bad” as the ultimate thing to worry about, even at the cost of martyrdom or murder, Judaism places life as the highest value. There are very few of the laws and customs of Jewish life that one is not expected to break in order to avoid death, but one of those is murder. Now, Jewish characters make choices that aren’t perfectly consistent with Jewish law all the time, so what I’m asking is not to not write this, but to write it on purpose.

What does it do to your character?

Who is she before and after?

How many of us could truly choose to die rather than kill in her situation?

Does she own perhaps a necklace or decor item with the word “חי” on it?

What does seeing it do to her?

In what other ways does her Jewishness make her interesting and relevant as a character?

If it’s just curly hair and matzah ball soup on an otherwise Christian character, why bother. But if you’re willing to put in the time to research Jewish attitudes toward life and death and how they differ--even and especially in a teenager’s schema--from the Christian and Christian-influenced majority conception, then there’s room for an interesting narrative here. 

-Meir 

[the-unicorns-of-nienna]

[Image Description: artwork depicting a black cat walking across iridescent water, beneath the stars and crescent moon. End image description.]

moon's companion

-

my shop | mobile wallpaper

[writers-potion]

Writing Weapons (2): Knives and Daggers

Dagger vs. Sword

In many situations, daggers might be more plausible than a sword fight.

Dagger are eaiser to carry and conceal, lighter, faster, good for spontaneous action, suicide bids, self-defense and assassination.

Dagger vs. Knife

No clear distinction; terms used interchangeably

Dagger is more for thrusting with 2 sharp edges

Knife is more for cutting (slashing) with 1 sharp edge

Concealment

Carried in a leather sheath on the belt

Can be concealed under a cloak, in a bodice (sheath sewn into the bodice), in a boot, behind hari ornaments

Bodice daggers (popular in the Renaissance) had no cross guards.

Connotations

Beside its combat value, the dagger has lots of emotional and sexual symbolisms.

The closeness need to attack with a dagger creates intense personal connection. They are often used in fights where emotions are running high: gang warfare, hate crime, vengeance.

Due to its shape and the fact that it's usually worn on a belt made it a symbol of virility in many cultures and periods.

Sometimes it was the hilt rather than the blade: like in the case of bollocks daggers with two...balls on either side of the hilt.

Fighting Techniques

Stabbing:-

The dagger with long, thin blades are made to stab a vital organ like the kidneys, liver, bowel, stomach or heart.

Stabbing directly at the chest seldom works, since the blde may glance off the ribs. Position the dagger below the ribcage and drive it upwards, through the diaphragm and into the lungs. If the sword is long enough and your fighter is a professional, you can get to the heart.

If no professional, just keep going for the stomach and you'll get one of the vital organs eventually.

Slashing:-

When describing a slash wound, show a lot of blood streaming, or even spurting.

Slashing dagger fights are bloody - show your MC's hands getting slick with blood, grip on the weapon slipping.

The aim is to cut the opponent's throat or cut tendoms, muscles, or ligaments to disable. Slashing the muscles in the weapon-wielding arm is the most effective; insides of the writst or back of the knee is also critical.

Assassinations:-

Show good knowledge of the humna antatomy

Use a stabbing dagger

A single, determined, calculated and efficient stroke, probably below the ribs.

Self-Defense:-

Disable the attacker by slashing their weapon-wielding hand (elbow or wrist)

Quick, multiple stabs wherever the MC can get the blade to land; the attacker won't give time for careful positioning

If the blade is too short to do any significant damage, maek up for this by stabbing so ast that the pain and blood loss distracts the opponent.

Vegeance and Hatred:-

Someone who is motivated by raging emotions will stab the victim repeatedly, even after he is already dead.

The attacker may stab or salsh the victim's face, disfiguring it.

Contemporary street fights and gang warfare usually involves these.

Duels:-

If both fighters are armed with daggers, include wrestling-type moves as they try to restrict each other's weapon hand.

Show them trying to disable each other by slashing insides of writes, elbows, the back of the knees, etc.

Dagger + Sword

If the character is expecting a fight, they can hold a sword in their right hand, and a dagger in their left to fight with both

Sword + mace combination also common.

Blunders to Avoid:

Direct stabbing at the chest wouldn't work.

Hero cannot cut his bread with a stabbing sword

adapted from <Writer's Craft> by Rayne Hall

[chic-a-gigot]

Les Modes parisiennes, 6 juillet 1878, Paris. A. — Toilette de ville. B. — Toilette de promenade. Bibliothèque nationale de France

A. — Toilette de ville. — Ce modèle est en lainage havane et faille marron.

Jupe demi-longue, ornée dans le bas d’un volant froncé rehaussé d’une tête ruchée, et devant dans sa hauteur de petits plissés havane et marron alternativement retombant les uns sur les autres. Le derrière de ce jupon est recouvert par deux lés d’étoffe en lainage, lesquels lés se montent à plat sur les côtés et sur les hanches, puis en gros plis creux derrière; ce pli creux se relève un peu sur lui-même à mi-hauteur de la jupe, ce qui fait former un peu la pointe aux côtés. Des plissés de faille entourent cette demi-tunique, remontent sur les côtés et sur le milieu du pli creux.

Corsage cuirasse, ouvert en carré sur une guimpe en mousseline plissée; il est garni par un gilet en faille bouillonnée et des manches en semblable tissu, bouillonnées seulement sur le dessus.

A. — City dress. — This model is in tan wool and brown faille.

Half-length skirt, adorned at the hem with a gathered flounce enhanced with a ruched head, and at the front, along its height, small tan and brown pleats falling alternately over each other. The back of this petticoat is covered by two strips of wool fabric, which are set flat on the sides and over the hips, then in large box pleats behind; this box pleat rises slightly on itself halfway up the skirt, which slightly points at the sides. Faille pleats surround this half-tunic, rising up on the sides and in the middle of the box pleat.

Cuirass-style bodice, opening in a square over a pleated muslin wimple; it is trimmed with a vest of shirred faille and sleeves of a similar fabric, shirred only on the top.

—

B. — Toilette de promenade. — En tissu laine et soie uni couleur gris tourterelle, garniture de rubans algériens.

Robe princesse, d’une seule pièce, agrémentée dans le bas et régulièrement tout autour d’un plissé surmonté d’un bouillonné, lequel est enrichi par des flots de ruban algérien posés de 20 en 20 centimètres de distance. Le devant de la robe est drapé par quatre plis réguliers et se fixe aux lés de derrière qui sont plissés en long. Des rubans algériens enserrent ces plis et retombent en nœuds flots; le même ruban cache sur les côtés la ligne de jonction, tourne en formant l’angle et recouvre la naissance des lés de derrière; il remonte en double dans le dos, puis passe sur les épaules en dessinant une pointe qui se répète devant. Col rabattu fermé devant par un nœud ainsi que l’extrémité de la pointe dont je viens de parler. Manches ornées de mêmes nœuds.

Chapeau en gros paillasson couleur naturelle, illustré de feuilles et de plumes nuance corail.

B. — Promenade dress. — In plain dove-gray wool and silk fabric, trimmed with Algerian ribbons.

One-piece princess dress, embellished at the hem and regularly all around with pleats topped with a ruffle, which is enriched with waves of Algerian ribbon placed 20 centimeters apart. The front of the dress is draped in four regular pleats and is attached to the back lengths, which are pleated lengthwise. Algerian ribbons encircle these pleats and fall in flowing bows; the same ribbon hides the junction line on the sides, turns to form the angle, and covers the base of the back lengths; it rises in double fashion in the back, then passes over the shoulders, forming a point that is repeated in the front. Turned-down collar closed in front with a bow, as does the end of the point just described. Sleeves adorned with the same bows.

Hat made of large natural-colored straw mat, decorated with leaves and feathers in coral shades.

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Heya! Lately, I've noticed that almost every description I give has "-ly" tagged onto it. I feel like my writing is a sea of description ending in -ly. Is there a guide to explain how to get away from this?

Obligatory disclaimer: You do not have to delete all your adverbs in writing. There is always going to be a case when throwing in "quickly," "angrily," "sharply," etc will be fine. It's entirely up to you to decide what works when.

However, you will often see the advice to get rid of them, because they can be used as crutch words - they weaken your chance to use more descriptive writing, and that's always worth thinking about. Some places to pay particular attention to adverbs:

In Dialogue Tags

The biggest overuse of adverbs are in dialogue tags, but often you can more strongly convey emotion in both the dialogue and the description attached to it. Consider:

"What are you doing?" Jane asked angrily.

Versus:

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jane asked, her expression twisted into a scowl.

Simple stuff, but I've conveyed that Jane is angry by adjusting her words and describing her body language. This gives me the chance to reveal more about Jane in the vocabulary she uses when angry, and also in her body language. You can also swap some "said _ly" tags with clearly words like "snapped, yelled, whispered, hissed, etc" (but don't overdo that either.)

Weak Description Words

Really, very, barely, almost, kind of, etc - there's a lot of adverbs that get in the way of being more clear about the action and weakening the intent of the sentence. They're filler words that don't give you range to convey what you really want to convey. Consider the following:

Max almost reached out to comfort her.

Versus

Max could've wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer as she cried, but he couldn't work up the courage, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

Again, not the best example, but the second shows us more emotion from Max, and that's going to help your reader connect more to the character.

Should you always avoid adverbs? No, sometimes they're fine. But there's often a better word out there that makes your sentence stronger. "Sarah ran quickly" could become "Sarah sprinted". More specific words can paint a clearly picture. Galloped, crawled, dragged, and skipped are better than a -ly adverb.

When in doubt, try two versions of the same sentence. Does "Jake moved quickly" work better for a fast-paced action scene? Would "Chen lingered by the door, dragging himself forward as if forced" work better than "Chen reluctantly entered the room" for a slower scene? Fiddling with the language can often get you the right amount of adverbs to use. Trust your instincts!

[the-unicorns-of-nienna]

[Image Description: a photograph of an orange-and-white tabby cat curled up, asleep, atop a stack of assorted fabrics. End image description.]

[lucasgarcete]

Black swans, Art by Lucas Garcete {via Instagram}

You leave, taking the sun with you...