List of describing words?

Is there a list somewhere of describing or descriptive words used when witting a book?
List of describing words?
They are called adjectives.





http://www.abcteach.com/abclists/adjecti...





http://www.esldesk.com/vocabulary/adject...





http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php...
List of describing words?
If they describe a noun, they are adjectives. If they describe a verb (action), they are adverbs.





NOW - here is the thing. Use them sparingly and wisely!!! "The road to hell is paved with adverbs" Stephen King. I am sure there are a good many adjectives there too.





NEVER substitute description for content. By that I mean, do not use a ton of filler by using all kinds of words to describe simple things. Do you know why people enjoy reading rather than going to movies? Because they like being able to use their imagination. Don't shove description down their throats. Your forest is not necessarily the forest I imagine. Allow your readers that luxury. It is a sign of amateur authors to dump tons of adjectives and adverbs into paragraphs to extend them. It's like adding water to a chocolate milkshake to make it last longer. It may last longer, but it will taste like hell. (I like that one!)





Remember what Shakespeare said in Henry V ...





Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them


Printing their proud hoofs i' th' receiving earth;


For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,


Carry them here and there, jumping o'er times,


Turning th' accomplishment of many years


Into an hour-glass; for the which supply,





In other words - it isn't necessary to describe a horse - everyone knows what a horse looks like. And while we're at it, you know what a king looks like and an hourglass, too. You aren't idiots - you are readers.





Stephen King discusses this at length in his masterwork On Writing. Amateur writers over describe. They fill pages and pages with adjectives and adverbs and purple prose thinking they are doing their readers a great favor when in fact they are doing their readers an injustice by taking away that wonderful part of reading a book that is called "using your imagination".





If people wanted to know exactly what everything looked like - they would go to the movies. Your story will be MUCH duller is people have to read page after page of vivid description of a horse than it will if you just say - it's a horse and move on. Shakespeare knew that. He knew to do otherwise was insulting to his audience. Plus - he couldn't always afford horses for his plays.





As for lengthy descriptions of what people are wearing, what color hair and eyes they have, and other physical features like perfectly chiseled jaws, Mr. King's answer is "Spare Me." It's called purple prose, amateur and completely unnecessary. People who read aren't stupid. They don't have to be led by the nose. They have imaginations, too.





He states that "The road to hell is paved with adverbs" And I am certain there are more than a few adjectives along the way.





Use your vivid descriptions to put emotion and character into your story, but focus more on your plot and characterizations. We don't need to know every single detail in nauseating detail. It is just amateur, bad writing.





Have you read On Writing? You really should. Pax-C
Reply:Listen to Persiphone. Get yourself a thesaurus, too. That lists words and alternative words. You also want to do crossword puzzles and play Scrabble (preferably with a computer opponent). Doing word puzzles and playing Scrabble builds your vocabulary, improves mind function in the language areas, and reminds you of words you've completely forgotten or never knew. Medical surveys have also shown that those who make a habit of doing crossword puzzles are less likely to get Alzheimer's, but they are sure why yet except that it stimulates memory.





Having said that, beware. Both crosswords and Scrabble are great time wasters and they will cut into your writing time. :D