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Is Passive Voice Sabotaging Your Story?

(Originally published April 18, 2022)


Hey, Storyteller!


Has your critique partner, a member of your writer’s group, or your editor ever pointed out that you are using too much passive voice in a scene? You might be asking, “What’s wrong with that? What even IS passive voice, why is it bad for my story, and—more importantly—how do I fix it?”


Passive writing creates a sense that characters are reactionary instead of active, and that risks boring your readers. In this week’s wrier coaching session, we’ll discuss why that is the case, how to recognize passive voice in your work, and how to correct it.


Watch the video to discover:

  • What passive voice is, and how it differs from active voice
  • Why we should avoid passive voice in our stories
  • How to recognize passive voice in our work
  • How to correct it


I Have a Gift for You!

Click this link to download The Ultimate Guide to Dialogue Punctuation.

Video Timestamps

  • 0:01 Introduction
  • 1:13 A Gift for You
  • 2:11 Examples of Passive Voice
  • 3:39 What Is Passive Voice?
  • 5:43 Why Should We Avoid Passive Voice?
  • 8:29 How to Recognize Passive Voice
  • 10:34 How to Eliminate Passive Voice
  • 14:49 This Week’s Power-Up

Polish Up Your Story:

Check out the Polish Up Your Story category for more tips on grammar and self-editing to make your story publishable.

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