Activate: a thesaurus of actions & tactics for dynamic genre fiction

by Damon Suede

Fiction is action. Activate is an author’s thesaurus of dramatic possibilities that will galvanize your characterization and dramatization. Verbalizing any narrative requires specific juicy language with the vibrancy readers crave. This handy writing reference focuses on language’s powerhouse: VERBS, featuring 5,300 potent options sorted into three useful contexts.
~ ALPHABETICAL: an A-Z catalog of actions and tactics, including antonyms for each to supercharge character chemistry.
~ CATEGORICAL: verbal options especially suited for the twelve most popular book types and their tropes.
~ DIRECTIONAL: sections sorting verbs by vibe to help you shape the emotional flow of a story for maximum mojo.
…and for anyone new to verbalizing a story, a quick intro and overview to kickstart your process.

No other genre resource of this kind exists. Unlike other thesauri, Activate gets down to the brass-tacks of telling a tale: actions that matter and tactics that fascinate.

Plug into the source! Whether you’re only planning a project or deep in revisions, this Live Wire Writer Guide comes loaded with vibrant, interactive language to amp your voice, blast your blocks, and energize your genre fiction at every stage.

(n.b. The ebook includes over 190,000 dynamic hotlinks to maximize utility and ease navigation)

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

1015 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2019

About the author

Damon Suede grew up out-n-proud deep in the anus of right-wing America, and escaped as soon as it was legal. He has lived all over and along the way, he’s earned his crust as a model, a messenger, a promoter, a programmer, a sculptor, a singer, a stripper, a bookkeeper, a bartender, a techie, a teacher, a director... but writing has ever been his bread and butter. He has been happily partnered for over a decade with the most loving, handsome, shrewd, hilarious, noble man to walk this planet.

Beyond romance fiction, Damon is an award-winning author who has been writing for print, stage, and screen for over three decades, which is both more and less glamorous than you might imagine. He's won some awards, but he counts his blessings more often: his amazing friends, his demented family, his beautiful husband, his loyal fans, and his silly, stern, seductive Muse who keeps whispering in his ear, year after year.

Damon would love to hear from you... you can get in touch with him here.

 Email
 DamonSuede.com
 Facebook
 Dreamspinner Press
 Amazon
 The Romance Reviews

Reviews

[Mageela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish it.

[Justin L Shaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best writing resource!

An excellently organized thesaurus that's relevant for building characters. I love that there is both an alphabetical lookup and genre groupings so I can quickly find what I'm looking for. Plus explanations. This is going to be on hand whenever I'm working on a project.

[Dave Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable story engineering reference

I'll be referring back to this book constantly for the rest of my career as a novelist. There are few craft books that I can say that about. (It's even better when you've taken enough of Damon's writing courses that you can hear his "dulcet" voice read it to you like a naughty bedtime story.)

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent source for writers of all genre. Having met Damon, and after attending a couple of his workshops, I can hear his enthusiasm and relate to his deep understanding of good storytelling. This book allowed me to assimilate even more of the information because I could reread and highlight the points I needed most, at my own pace. 😀

[Geraldine Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Handy Guide

Want to ensure your writing is action-orientated? Then get this book; it lists all the action verbs you'll ever need to raise your writing from 'Duh' to 'Dazzling'.

[RK Wallis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous tool

A fantastic tool for any writer who wants to ignite their work with movement. Better than a Thesaurus because this is focused on verbs. Well set out.

[Cage Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is great, but as an eBook, there needs to be a bit of space (that isn't hyperlinked) to be able to turn the pages!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for your "writing shelf." I attended a conference where Damon Suede presented this book with wonderful advice on how to use it effectively in writing.

[Ezekiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this as a reference.

[Lyla Bellatas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best writing resources!! If u get a chance take a class w Damon suede he’s an amazing teacher and writer!

[Cyndi L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just started wading through this incredible writing resource. It feels like I’ve been given a little pot of gold to keep close at hand for those moments when the perfect sexy verb is out there but my brain isn’t cooperating. Damon Suede has really gone the extra mile putting together this 754 page thesaurus of actions and tactics to boost your writing and give you that perfect verb. If you are a writer stuck in a rut (me) and need to jolt your writing with energy and excitement, this is the reference book to have on your shelf. If you are a new writer this book will keep you from getting into that rut in the first place. I recommend you buy it as a printed book and not an eBook. It's one of those guides you want to just grab, look up what you need, and keep writing.