by Damon Suede
dam, damage, damn, dampen, dare, daunt, debate, deceive, declare, decry, deface, defeat, defend, defray, defy, delegitimize, deliver, demand, demarcate, demote, denounce, depopulate, deprive, deputize, -desert, designate, -despise, despoil, detain, -deter, devalue, develop, devote, dichotomize, diffuse, dig, dirty, disband, discard, disconcert, discover, discredit, disenfranchise, disfavor, disfigure, dishearten, disjoint, dismantle, dismay, dismiss, dispatch, disrupt, dissolve, distract, distress, distrust, disturb, dole, domesticate, donate, double-deal, downgrade, downplay, draft, drag, draw, drill, drown, dub, dull
ease, eliminate, elucidate, emasculate, embroil, emulate, enclose, encompass, encumber, end, endear, endure, enforce, enfranchise, enlarge, enlist, enrage, entertain, entitle, entrust, equalize, erect, escalate, -escape, -eschew, escort, establish, esteem, estimate, eulogize, even, exact, exalt, examine, exasperate, -exclude, excoriate, excuse, execute, exhaust, expand, expect, expel, expiate, explore, extend, extinguish, extol, extort, extract
fake, fallow, famish, fancify, fancy, farm, fashion, fatigue, favor, faze, fence, finance, fix, flag, flannel, flatten, -flee, fleece, fluster, focus, foil, forge, forgive, -forsake, fortify, found, fracture, frame, free, -frustrate, fulminate, furnish
gag, garble, garner, gauge, gladden, glorify, gore, gouge, govern, grade, grapple, gravel, griddle, grill, grip, guarantee, guide, gussy, gut
habituate, hamper, handle, hang, harass, harbor, harden, harm, harness, harshen, harvest, hassle, haul, head, heat, heave, heckle, help, hire, hitch, hoard, hogtie, hoist, hold, holster, honey, honor, host, hound, humbug, hump, hunt, hurl
ignite, implicate, impoverish, imprison, improve, impugn, inaugurate, incarcerate, inconvenience, increase, incriminate, incur, indict, inform, ingratiate, inhibit, initiate, injure, inspect, institute, instruct, insult, insure, interrupt, intimidate, intoxicate, inundate, invade, invest, investigate, invite, involve, irritate, isolate
jail, jerk, jilt, join, jostle, judge, jumble, jump
keep, kick, kidnap, kill, knife, knock, knot
lame, lament, lasso, launch, leave, lecture, legalize, legislate, lessen, license, lift, limit, link, liquidate, litigate, load, loan, locate, loosen, loot, lowball, lug, lumber, lynch
maim, maintain, manage, manhandle, mark, mask, master, mature, mediate, mellow, memorialize, meter, milk, mind, mine, misconstrue, misdirect, misjudge, mismanage, misplace, mock, modernize, mollify, mooch, moralize, mortgage, mortify, motivate, mount, mourn, muffle, muster, muzzle
nab, nag, nail, -neglect, negotiate, nettle, niggle, nitpick, nock, nominate, notarize, notch, notify, nourish, number, nurse, nurture
obligate, observe, obstruct, occupy, offend, officiate, operate, ordain, order, organize, orientate, orphan, -ostracize, oust, outbid, outgun, outlaw, outrage, outrun, overextend, overload, oversee, overshadow, overthrow, overturn, overwork, owe
palaver, pamper, panic, pardon, parent, patrol, peddle, peel, pelt, permeate, perplex, perturb, pester, petition, pigeonhole, pile, pilfer, pillory, pilot, pinion, pioneer, pity, place, plan, plaster, pledge, plow, poach, poison, polish, pooh-pooh, post, praise, preach, prepossess, preserve, prime, profane, promise, promote, prop, propitiate, propose, prosecute, protect, provide, provoke, prune, pulp, punch, punish, purchase, purge, pursue, puzzle
quarantine, quell, quench, quiet, -quit
raid, raise, rally, ram, rankle, ransom, rattle, ravage, rawhide, raze, ready, ream, rear, -rebuff, rebuild, reclaim, recover, recruit, rectify, redeem, reduce, refine, reform, refresh, refund, regain, regard, regret, regulate, reimburse, rein, reintegrate, -reject, release, relieve, remodel, remove, renegotiate, renovate, rent, repair, repay, repent, replace, replenish, repress, reprovision, -repudiate, requisition, rescue, resent, reserve, reshape, resign, resolve, restimulate, restore, restrict, restructure, retire, retrench, retrieve, reunite, revenge, revere, revile, revitalize, reward, ride, rifle, rinse, roast, rob, rock, romanticize, root, rope, rototill, roughen, rout, rule, rumple, rustle
sack, sacrifice, sadden, saddle, safeguard, salt, salvage, sanctify, sanction, save, scam, scant, scare, scatter, scavenge, scent, school, scold, -scorn, scourge, scout, scrape, screen, scrounge, scrub, sear, search, season, seclude, secrete, separate, sermonize, settle, shackle, shame, shape, share, shave, shelter, shepherd, -shirk, shock, shoot, shortchange, shoulder, shrivel, shuffle, -shun, shut, signify, silence, simplify, skimp, skin, skunk, slice, slur, smooth, snaffle, snare, sneak, snitch, snow, soak, soap, sober, socialize, soften, soft-sell, soothe, sorrow, sour, source, span, spark, splinter, spread, spring, spur, squire, stable, stake, stalk, stampede, startle, starve, staunch, steady, steal, steel, steer, stifle, stigmatize, stint, stockpile, stomach, stonewall, store, stow, straddle, strip, stultify, subdue, subtract, sucker-punch, sue, sully, supervise, supply, support, surrender, surround, survey, swallow, sway, swear, sweeten, sweet-talk, swipe
tabulate, taint, tally, tame, tangle, tarnish, task, taunt, tax, tear, tease, telegraph, temper, terrify, thank, throw, -thwart, tidy, tie, tire, tolerate, tool, tote, tout, train, trample, treat, trouble, truss, trust, tuck, tug, tutor
unbuckle, unburden, uncover, undercut, underestimate, underwrite, unearth, unhorse, unite, unnerve, unsettle, untie, upgrade, uplift, uproot, upset, usher
validate, vandalize, venerate, venture, vet, vex, victual, vilify, vindicate, vow, vulgarize
warm, warn, warrant, waste, weary, weather, weed, welcome, whittle, win, winnow, withdraw, wither, withstand, woo, worsen, worship, wrangle, wreck, wrong
yank, yield, yoke
Part III: Directions
“A story’s energy comes from the degree to which its characters are warring elements, complementary aspects that illuminate each other by contrast and conflict. The only practical reason for a particular character’s existence, in fact, is to interact with other characters.”
Alexander MacKendrick9
A character who sticks with a single tactical mode gets old fast, and so writers instinctively change the tune to keep readers paying attention. Verbs move, so we can add texture and drama to any character arc by considering direction.
Character transformation requires a tactical cocktail that mixes it up. Yes, your characters will pursue their singular actions, but their tactics need to cover a range of possibilities in order to be fully realized. Contrast creates opposition and friction.
Transformation and escalation don’t happen in straight lines.
If we treat any character as a distinct point of view, then energy moves along one axis in relation to a character and another in relation to the external world. Because energy moves, the direction of that movement will shift and evolve in response to context.
From the character’s POV, their energy can either move away from or toward them, either Push or Pull. This division includes actions and tactics that give/take, repel/attract, command/request, and threaten/persuade. You can think of Push/Pull as the forces of will and desire, (or brawn and brains, viz Achilles vs. Odysseus, for any Homer fans). With these verbs, ask yourself: Is this character’s action moving to or from? Does Muhammad go to the mountain or the mountain come to Muhammad?
Of course, not all verbs involve the character personally. Often a character does stuff to or with the world that changes external things and people.
With verbs affecting the world outside the character, their energy unites or divides people, things, ideas, relationships: either Join or Split. These modes also include actions and tactics that heal/harm, create/destroy, protect/attack, and teach/confuse. You can think of Join/Split as the forces of love and war (or Eros and Eris, for the mythologically minded). Ask yourself: Is this character’s action moving things together or apart? Is their energy a spoon that gathers the food or a knife that cuts it?
At core, what I’m describing is essential direction, and many verbs hybridize them. It may help to visualize them like so:
Most verbs fall somewhere between both axes. When it comes to directions, being “right” is less important than
changing the tune meaningfully. The goal is contrast. By revealing and contrasting the different directions, you provide a dimensional portrait of a character.
All writers get into ruts. Deadlines, bad days, and intense pressure can leave us regurgitating the same stale stories or scenes over and over, but once you focus on shifting the trajectory of a character’s action and tactics, you stave off redundancy and monotony.
The purpose of this section is not to split hairs, but to offer easy options for variation on the fly so that you don’t get yourself into ruts and trouble. Please don’t feel you need to agree with the directions I’ve assigned to these verbs. As with anything in genre fiction, voice is choice and your mileage may vary.
Keep things escalating, important, and entertaining. The critical element is meaningful variation: keep changing the tune to build a satisfying emotional ride for your audience. Let the energy of the characters flow through the story and spill off the page into your readers’ imaginations.
Move them!
Push (→)
“Push” verbs extend out, up, and away from the subject, moving objects farther or emitting energy into the surrounding environment. Because they direct a character’s efforts outward, they tend to include behaviors that appear authoritative, assertive, energetic, public, decisive, and instructive.
“Push” verbs move away from the subject toward the object and the environment beyond, e.g. donate, attack, flaunt, manhandle. These are verbs of authority and order that impose a POV upon the world by asserting internals and extending energy. Vibe-wise, these verbs especially center on the kind of will and brawn that makes Achilles such a formidable force in the Trojan War.
Along the POV character’s internal axis, “push” verbs give, extend, repel, threaten, and lead. In these instances, Muhammad goes to the mountain, the stick threatens the donkey from behind.
accelerate, accent, accentuate, accost, accuse, ace, achieve, address, administer, advance, advertise, advise, advocate, afford, aggrandize, agitate, aim, alarm, alert, allege, allocate, allot, amaze, ambush, amplify, apply, appoint, apportion, apprise, approach, arm, arraign, assail, assert, astonish, astound, auction, -avert, -avoid, award
backhand, badger, -balk, ballyhoo, ban, bandy, banish, bankroll, bat, beam, beat, belch, beleaguer, bellow, belt, bequeath, besiege, best, bestow, bet, better, bias, blab, blitz, bludgeon, bluff, blurt, boast, bombard, boost, boot, bother, bounce, box, -boycott, brand, brandish, breathe, bribe, brief, broach, broadcast, broaden, brush, buck, buff, bug, bulldoze, bulletin, bump, buoy, burden, butt, buttonhole, buzz, -bypass
cant, captain, caress, caricature, case, cast, catalyze, caution, chair, challenge, champion, chance, charge, chase, choreograph, churn, circulate, clear, climb, clobber, clock, clout, club, clue, coat, coerce, cold-call, colonize, command, commercialize, commodify, communicate, comp, compel, compensate, concuss, condense, confer, confide, confront, congest, conk, conquer, contact, contest, contour, contribute, contrive, control, convince, convulse, cork, corner, counsel, counter, counterpunch, cover, cram, crest, crisp, cross, cross-examine, crowd, cudgel, cue
dare, daunt, dazzle, decant, declare, decree, deepen, defray, delegate, deliver, demonstrate, dent, depict, deposit, deputize, describe, -deter, devote, dictate, diddle, direct, disallow, discard, discharge, discipline, disclose, disgorge, dish, dislodge, dismiss, dispatch, dispense, display, dispose, disseminate, disturb, divulge, doctor, dog, dole, dominate, domineer, donate, dose, douse, dower, dragoon, dramatize, drench, drill, drive, drizzle, drop, drown, duel
edify, eject, elaborate, elbow, elect, electrify, elevate, -elude, embed, emphasize, empower, encourage, encumber, endow, enforce, enrich, enthrone, entrust, equal, equip, escalate, -escape, evacuate, -evade, evangelize, evict, evince, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, exceed, excite, execute, exert, exhibit, exhort, exile, expand, expel, expend, explore, expound, express, extend, externalize, exude
fan, fast-forward, fast-track, father, feature, feed, fill, finance, finger, fire, flabbergast, flatten, flaunt, -flee, fling, flip, flog, floodlight, floor, flout, flush, flutter, foist, follow, foment, force, force-feed, forecast, foresee, foretell, forewarn, forfeit, frogmarch, froth, fudge, fuel, fund, furnish, further, fusillade
gamble, gate-crash, give, goad, gobsmack, govern, grace, grant, grope
hammer, hard-sell, harpoon, hasten, haunt, hawk, hazard, head, heat, hedge, heighten, helm, hex, highlight, hock, hoke, hound, hunt, hurl, hurry, hype
illustrate, immerse, impale, impart, impel, implant, implicate, imply, impose, impregnate, incense, incite, infest, infiltrate, inflame, inflate, infringe, inject, insert, insinuate, instigate, intensify, interpenetrate, intersect, intimate, introduce, inundate, invade, invest, iron
jab, jam, jar, jettison, jimmy, jog, jolt, jostle, jump
kick, kick-start, knead, knife, knock
label, lance, lather, launch, lavish, leak, lecture, lend, leverage, lick, limn, load, loan, loose, lower, lumber
magnify, mainline, manage, mandate, maneuver, manhandle, manifest, march, marinate, market, massage, master, mastermind, maximize, mentor, micromanage, mislay, misplace, mobilize, moisten, molest, monetize, motivate, mount, mug, muscle
nag, nail, navigate, needle, nock, nominate, notify, nudge
obligate, occupy, offer, offload, one-up, operate, -ostracize, oust, outbid, outclass, outdistance, outdo, outgun, outlay, outmaneuver, outplay, outrace, outrank, outreach, outrun, outsell, outshine, outstrip, overcome, overcrowd, overdramatize, overemphasize, overfeed, overhaul, overindulge, overload, overpay, overpower, override, overrule, oversee, oversell, overshadow, overspend, overstuff, overtake, overwhelm, overwork
pack, package, paint, parade, parry, pass, patrol, patronize, paw, pawn, pay, peddle, peg, pelt, penetrate, perforate, permeate, pester, pierce, pigeonhole, pilot, pimp, pinpoint, pioneer, plan, plane, plant, plow, plug, plunge, poeticize, poke, polish, pomade, pooh-pooh, portray, posit, position, post, pound, power, preach, predetermine, prejudge, prejudice, prepossess, prescribe, presell, present, press, pressure, -prevent, prick, print, probe, proclaim, prod, profess, profit, project, prolong, promote, prompt, propel, propose, proposition, proselytize, prostitute, prostrate, provide, provision, prowl, publicize, pummel, punch, punctuate, puncture, pursue, push
quicken, -quit
race, raid, railroad, ram, ravish, reach, -rebuff, rebut, recommend, recompense, redirect, refill, refund, regale, reimburse, release, relegate, relinquish, relocate, remind, remunerate, -renounce, renovate, repay, repel, replenish, represent, retort, retrace, revolt, reward, ride, riffle, risk, rock, roll, ruffle, rule, run, rush
sacrifice, saddle, salt, sandbag, saturate, scale, scope, scour, scout, scramble, scrap, scratch, scrub, sculpt, sell, send, sensationalize, sentimentalize, sermonize, shadow, shake, shape, share, shed, shift, shill, shine, shock, shoot, shove, show, showcase, shuffle, -shun, shunt, sideline, -sidestep, sideswipe, signal, signify, silence, sink, situate, skewer, skipper, skull, slam, slap, slather, sling, slot, slough, slug, smack, smite, smooth, snipe, -snub, soak, soil, spank, spark, spearhead, spend, spike, spoil, spotlight, spread, spur, -spurn, squash, stake, stalk, stamp, stampede, startle, station, steam, steamroll, steamroller, steer, steward, stiffen, stimulate, stock, stoke, storm, strafe, strangle, stress, stretch, strew, strike, stroke, strong-arm, stuff, submerge, submit, suborn, subpoena, sucker-punch, suffuse, sugar, supercharge, supervise, supplant, supply, surf, surfeit, surpass, surprise, swamp, swat, sweep
tack, tackle, tail, target, task, telegraph, tender, testify, text, throw, thrust, thump, thwack, tickle, tilt, tithe, tool, top, topple, toss, touch, tout, trace, track, trail, transcend, transfigure, transmit, trespass, trigger, trump, trumpet, turf
unbalance, underwrite, unload, unspool, upstage, urge, utilize
vanquish, venture, verbalize, victual, vocalize, volunteer, vomit, vouchsafe
wag, wage, wager, wallop, warm, warn, warp, wedge, wet, whet, whup, wield, wind, wipe, witch, wow
Pull (�
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“Pull” verbs contract in, down, and toward the subject, moving objects closer or absorbing energy from the surrounding environment. Because they direct efforts inward, they tend to include behaviors that appear submissive, receptive, persuasive, private, flexible, and attentive.
“Pull” verbs move the object out of the environment toward the subject, e.g., borrow, lure, hamper, hog. These are verbs of influence and appetite that handle the outside world by attracting externals and assimilating energy. Vibe-wise, these verbs gravitate to the kind of skill and brains that bring Odysseus home safe a decade after the Trojan War.
Along the POV character’s internal axis, “pull” verbs take, retract, attract, persuade, and hinder. In these instances, the mountain comes to Muhammad, the carrot coaxes the donkey to advance.
abduct, absorb, accept, accrue, accumulate, acquire, admit, adopt, affect, aggregate, allure, alter, amuse, analyze, anesthetize, ape, apprehend, apprentice, appropriate, archive, arouse, arrest, arrogate, ascertain, assess, assimilate, assume, attain, attend, attract, audit, audition, authenticate, awe
baby, bag, bait, bamboozle, bare, beckon, befriend, beg, begrudge, beguile, bemoan, benchmark, bereave, beseech, bewitch, bid, bilk, blandish, bleed, blindfold, blindside, bogart, book, bootleg, borrow, bottle, bowdlerize, bridle, bring, brownnose, budget, bum, burglarize, burgle, butter, buy
cadge, cajole, calculate, call, candy-coat, captivate, capture, carry, cart, catch, channel, charm, charter, chauffeur, cheat, check, chill, choose, cinch, circumnavigate, claim, clasp, clip, clone, clutch, coax, cocoon, coddle, coil, collar, collect, comb, commandeer, commission, compare, con, conduct, confiscate, conjure, conscript, conserve, consider, constrain, constrict, construe, consult, consume, contain, contemplate, contract, convey, cool, coopt, cop, copy, cosset, cost, counterfeit, countermand, courier, court, covet, cozen, crab, crave, crib, crop, cuddle, cull, curb