Craft & Style
Purple Prose
Detect overwritten passages — adjective stacking and weak verb + adverb combinations.
What It Does
Identifies two patterns associated with overwriting:
- Adjective stacking — three or more adjectives modifying a single noun
- Weak verb + adverb pairs — combinations like "ran quickly" or "said loudly" where a stronger verb would be more vivid
Why It Matters
Purple prose is writing that calls attention to itself through excessive ornamentation. A string of adjectives ("the big, old, dark, crumbling house") overwhelms the reader with description instead of creating a clear image. Weak verb + adverb pairs ("walked slowly") miss an opportunity to use a precise verb ("shuffled," "ambled," "trudged") that conveys both action and manner in a single word.
What Gets Flagged
Adjective Stacking (3+ adjectives)
Severity: Information
Example (flagged):
The tall, dark, ancient, crumbling tower rose above the small, quiet, peaceful village.
Why: Stacking adjectives dilutes the impact of each one. The reader can't visualize three or more modifiers simultaneously.
Suggested revision:
The crumbling tower rose above the village. — or distribute descriptions across sentences.
Weak Verb + Adverb Pairs
Severity: Hint
Example (flagged):
She ran quickly down the hall.
Why: "Ran quickly" uses two words where one strong verb would be more vivid and efficient.
Suggested revision:
She sprinted down the hall.
More examples:
| Flagged | Stronger alternative |
|---|---|
| walked slowly | shuffled, ambled, trudged |
| said quietly | whispered, murmured |
| looked angrily | glared, scowled |
| moved carefully | crept, tiptoed |
Configuration
No configuration options.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Line-level
- Method: POS-tag heuristic regex for adjective sequences and adverb+verb patterns