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Why the passive voice is hated by me
If you're not sure what the passive voice is, the title of this blog post should give you an idea.
In the active voice, someone or something is doing something to someone or something.
- I opened the door.
- She murdered him.
- He sang the song.
In the passive voice, something is being done to someone or something.
- The door was opened by me.
- He was murdered by her.
- The song was sung by him.
Passive voice is bland, weak, and annoying. It's even more annoying when there is no attribution to the action being done. For example:
- The body was carried upstairs.
- The speech was viewed as a disappointment.
- The day was remembered fondly.
Who carried the body? Who didn't like the speech? Who remembered the day? I want to know the answers to these questions! Too much passive tense means too much unaccountability, which will eventually bore your readers.
Compare the following two paragraphs. Which one do you think is stronger?
Her excitement woke her up before her alarm. She enjoyed a long, hot shower, then prepared breakfast. Over a plate of eggs and toast she read the newspaper, then headed to the closet to select the perfect interview outfit.
-OR-
She was woken up by her excitement before her alarm. After a long, hot shower was enjoyed by her, breakfast was prepared. Over a plate of eggs and toast the newspaper was read, and then she headed to the closet so the perfect interview outfit could be selected.
Yikes. Which one of these women would YOU want to hire?
Whether you're writing a book, a speech, or even an email, make sure the passive tense is avoided by you. You could also just avoid the passive tense.
-Maria
Maria Murnane is the best-selling author of the romantic comedies Perfect on Paper, It's a Waverly Life, and Honey on Your Mind. She also provides consulting services on book publishing and marketing. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.
This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2012 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Comment
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Comment by Dawn Novotny on July 27, 2012 at 9:53am -
Hi Maria.
At times, I struggle with passive/active voice. I found your article quite helpful. Thanks, Dawn
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Comment by LeTeisha Newton on July 18, 2012 at 4:46pm -
LOL!!! I agree with some of the points, but I must say there are times when the passive voice is viable. There are times, especially when you are looking for a more archaic sound, when it does work. Everything in moderation basically. Anything can be used if it's used in the right way lol. But your point was very funny to read
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Comment by PrincessFitzgerald on July 17, 2012 at 11:02am -
I agree with your general point, but I find it extreme. We writers shouldn't view the passive voice as a fault but as a tool. While very narrow in scope, and overused by many, it still has a purpose. Sometimes the object of an action needs to be the subject in a sentence, if the subject of said action is unknown, vague, or far less important.
Strunk and White, although wary of the passive voice, provide a good example, to the effect of "Italian renaissance artists are admired by modern viewers," versus "Modern viewers admire Italian renaissance artists." They convey the same meaning but have two very different emphasizes, and hence, purposes. The first concerns the artists; it would start a paragraph about said artist's reception in other eras. The second concerns the viewers; it would start a paragraph about their tastes and preferences.
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Comment by Maria Murnane on July 17, 2012 at 10:10am -
@Maria Olivia- I'm glad you found it helpful! You can read about all my novels (romantic comedies) at www.mariamurnane.com/books. The third one in the series comes out a week from today- yahoo!
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Comment by Maria Olivia Perez Patiño on July 17, 2012 at 9:56am -
Hi, Maria. This blog on active vs. passive voice is great! Beginning with the title of your post, I find it concise with excellent comparisons. I look forward to reading more about your work.
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