If you needed reminding of the 23 state-of-boring verbs, here you go... 

am is are was were be being been have has had do does did shall will should would may might must can could 

Still awake? Ok, let's continue...

Why avoid them?

• They're boring: State-of-being verbs are as exciting as watching paint dry. They don’t paint pictures or create movement. They sit there, being dull.
• They weaken your writing: These verbs make sentences passive and weak. Instead of "The cake was eaten by John," try "John devoured the cake." See? It's much more dynamic.
• They kill pacing: Overusing state-of-being verbs slows your story to a crawl. You want your readers on the edge of their seats, not nodding off.
• They hide the action: In thriller and horror, action is everything. State-of-being verbs hide the drama and tension. "The door was opened" vs. "The door creaked open." One tells you something happened; the other makes you hear it, feel it, and live it.

But there is hope. Here's how to survive without them...

• Use action verbs: Swap out the limp verbs for their stronger, more exciting cousins. Instead of "She is happy," go with "She beams."
• Get descriptive: Flesh out your scenes with sensory details and active descriptions. "The sky is blue" becomes "The sky blazes with cerulean hues."
• Show, don’t tell: Rather than telling us "He was tired," show us with "His eyelids drooped, and he stifled a yawn."

So there you have it. Ditch those state-of-being verbs and inject some life into your writing. Your readers (and your editor) will thank you. Now, go forth and conquer with verbs that actually do something!