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Learn how to compress your thrillers and crime fiction writing with strong verbs that convey motion, emotion and pace.
What is a verb?
A verb is a word that describes an action or a state of being. For example:
Strong and weak verbs
There are different ways of classifying verbs from a grammatical point of view, but this article uses the terms ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ to describe stylistic impact.
Strong verbs Strong verbs carry the action all by themselves without needing help from other words to make the sentence convey energy and momentum. A precise, vivid verb can replace a string of modifiers. It makes a line faster and sharper, and can trigger a sense of immediacy, danger, tension or suspense in the reader. Weak verbs Weak verbs are vaguer or more generalized, and often rely on help from additional description to explain the action. They tend to slow the pace down. There’s room for both There’s no such thing as ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ when it comes to writing. Strong and weak verbs both have their place. Instead, the writer can make a choice based on the mood they want to create in the scene and how they want the reader to feel in that moment. A comparison of strong and weak verbs
Take a look at the following comparative examples of phrases. They show how a carefully placed strong verb can show rather than tell us something. For example:
In the first sentence, there’s a verbal phrase in play – ‘tried to pull open’. Those four words create a distance between the character and what they’re doing. We focus on the ‘trying’ rather than on the connection between the character’s hands and the drawer. The pace feels gentler, slower, less immediate.
By replacing that verbal phrase with a single strong verb – ‘yanked’ – the action is more immediate. But there’s emotion being conveyed in that action too:
And those emotional undercurrents imply that the character is under pressure, perhaps feeling frustrated, angry or fearful (depending on the scene’s context). In other words, the stronger verb shows the character’s effort through action rather than explanation.
Create immediacy by adjusting filler verbs
Look out for filler verbs in your crime and thriller writing. These act more like padding than action, and sit in the sentence without contributing much.
Common examples include: was, were, seemed, appeared, began, trying and started. These constructions add extra words without adding tension. Writers can create momentum in action scenes by making just small alterations. Here, we’re not talking about changing the verb to a different one, but modifying what we’ve got. Take a look at these examples:
In each of the three pairs above, removal of the filler verb in favour of a tighter revision makes the action feel as if it’s happening now. For the reader, that’s a more immersive experience.
Create impact by interrogating adverbs
Sometimes a writer will use adverbs to intensify the emotion or tension in a sentence.
Adverbs are words that describe or modify verbs (in the same way that adjectives describe or modify nouns). In these next examples, most of the verbs are weak, and it’s the adverb that’s doing the heavy lifting.
I’d never suggest obliterating every single adverb or adverbial phrase from a piece of prose – regardless of what genre the author’s writing in – but I do think robust editing requires us to consider whether those adverbs are creating momentum and energy.
This is particularly important in dramatic scenes, of which there are often plenty in crime fiction, mysteries and thrillers. We want the reader in the moment with the perspective character’s movement, not fighting with the words that describe it. Since the verb is where the action actually happens, it makes sense to interrogate whether readers are being distracted from it. In the examples above, the writer has the opportunity to consider whether a stronger verb might offer precision that shows what the adverb is telling – which means they can ditch the adverb. Here’s what that revision might look like when we use stronger verbs that combine movement and emotion:
Now the sentences are tighter and more engaging.
Making movement thrilling with strong verbs
Crime fiction and thrillers rely on movement – there might be pursuits, fights, discoveries and escapes. And in all those cases, verbs need to carry that movement in a way that captures emotion.
Instead of weaker neutral verbs like went, looked or moved, think about whether verbs that imply force, violence, emotional state or speed might be more effective. Compare the following:
Careful choices allow writers (or their editors) to capture an entire mood in a single verb.
Practise control with a verb-intensity ladder
One way to hone your verb-choosing skills is to build intensity ladders. These help you see how different words, which mean a similar thing, affect the emotional intensity and urgency of a scene.
To be clear, this isn’t about ranking verbs in order of what’s right or wrong or good or bad, but about controlling the impact you want to have on the reader. Here’s an example where the intensity level moves from calm to extreme. The action we’re considering involves the opening of a door.
Door-opening intensity ladder
Here’s another example. This time the action involves the act of moving away from a situation.
Moving-away intensity ladder
When you pick verbs that are lower in intensity, the tension will be quieter and the pace slower. When you choose verbs that are higher in intensity, the tension will be more acute and the pace faster.
What works best in any particular scene will depend on the context, but the point is that just one verb helps you turn up or turn down the dial and control motion, emotion and pace. A tip for editing verbs
If you’re a writer who’s self-editing, or a professional editor providing support for an author, try this exercise. Ask yourself:
Summing up
When looking at word choices in crime fiction and thriller writing, think about which verbs act as controlled triggers for motion, emotion and pace.
The power lies in choosing something that already carries the meaning, because then there’s no need to add adverbials and filler. About Louise Harnby
Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.
She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.
1 Comment
5/5/2026 11:03:19 am
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