Are Passive Verbs Always a No-No?

At a recent writers' conference, another author and I exchanged books and agreed to leave each other a review. She emailed me right after finishing my novel and said she'd started out by looking for passive verbs, as she'd learned in one of her sessions, but soon got so involved in the story she gave it up. This got me to thinking.

I agree that the use of passive verbs usually means there's too much just telling. Readers are drawn into the story and live it with the characters through active verbs and deep point of view. However, there are times when passive verbs might be okay. My readers like it when they get inside the main characters' heads and are privy to their thoughts. If the character is thinking back and analyzing things, some passive verbs may be necessary as they reflect. Just don't overdo it. If you can say it with an active verb, do.

I did see my new friend's comment of getting too involved in the book to pay attention to how many passive or active verbs I used as a compliment. That's what I strive for. I want my readers to get so immersed in the story, they forget everything else and live it with the hero and heroine. That's what the readers want and deserve, too.

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