Verb Your Enthusiasm

Sarah L. Kaufman's 'Verb Your Enthusiasm' explores the central role verbs play in clear, engaging writing, especially the rich set of English manner verbs.

The book combines literary examples, linguistic research, and practical exercises to show how verb choices shape perception, emotion, and narrative force.

Kaufman highlights how stronger verbs can replace adverbs, enliven interiority, and even influence real-world responses such as evacuation behavior.

Written for writers and readers alike, it offers accessible advice for making prose more direct, dynamic, and emotionally resonant.

Throughout, Kaufman draws on her experience as a journalist and dance critic to illustrate verbs' power to convey movement and feeling efficiently.