NaNoWriMo Snacks: Get Active

I am so tired today. I know that that's no way to open a blog post, but what's point of having my own little corner of the internet if I can't use it to whine about sleep deprivation?

I suppose the point is to write about writing while yawning and eating cheez-its, so today we'll continue our trek through The Elements of Style. You're probably just as tired as I am, so you'll be happy to learn that there's a way to be active without actually getting off your ass.
It's called the active voice, and I like to think of it as that friend that tracks her runs on Facebook. She's good in some situations (like those trendy tutu and mud triathlons that everyone's doing now) but bad in others (like those less trendy nights of chain-smoking, wine and self-doubt.) You don't want to invite her to everything, but she can really swing things into motion when you need her to.

COMPARE THE TWO:

There were cheez-it crumbs encrusted in the carpet beneath her cubicle. 

Cheez-it crumbs crusted the carpet beneath her cubicle.

The second sentence does a much better job of conveying how disgusting I am. The first one almost makes it sound like it's not my fault. 

Whenever a sentence feels unwieldy, try switching it to the active voice. Just like the crossfit girl at the party, it isn't always the right choice. Active sentences tend to be stronger, but also shorter. They don't brood and muse; they get things done, sometimes kind of abruptly. Think Jillian Michaels. If you find yourself getting mired in the esoteric and your character hasn't even left his house yet, try switching to the active voice to get him out the door. While it isn't going to help your word count, it will propel things forward.