Suddenly!

Consider how this one word—suddenly—is the world’s most common shortcut for actual literary description.

Usually, it’s an obvious case:

“The bomb suddenly exploded!”

Hmm… Do they ever explode gradually!

The easiest solution (as is almost always the case with adverbs ending in __ly is to omit it. The sentence rarely suffers.

Otherwise, describe your reaction to the sudden event.

“To my astonishment, the door bursts open.”

or (better)

“The door bursts open. I nearly drop my coffee.”

Bring the reader into your head so they can see through your eyes and interpret what is perceived through your feelings.

Adverbs most often just set up a camera and mic in the room.

As Steven King so wisely said: “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”