Prefer Active Verbs
Active verbs express meaning more emphatically and vigorously than their weaker counterparts—forms of the verb be or verbs in the passive voice. Forms of the verb be (be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been) lack vigor because they convey no action. Verbs in the passive voice lack strength because their subjects receive the action instead of doing it.
BE Verb A surge of power was responsible for the destruction of the
coolant pumps.
PASSIVE The coolant pumps were destroyed by a surge of power.
ACTIVE A surge of power destroyed the coolant pumps.
When to Replace BE Verbs
Not every verb needs replacing. The forms of “to be” work well when you want to link a subject to a noun that clearly renames it or to an adjective that describes it: History is a bucket of ashes. Scoundrels are always sociable. Also, when used as helping verbs before present participles (is flying, are disappearing) to express ongoing action. Derrick was plowing the field when his wife went into labor.
If using a be verb makes a sentence needlessly wordy, however, consider replacing it. Often a phrase following the verb will contain a word (such as destruction) that suggests a more vigorous, active alternative (destroyed).
Burying nuclear waste in Antarctica would be in violation of an international treaty.
Burying waste in Antarctica would violate an international treaty.
Violate is less wordy and more vigorous than be in violation of.
Escaping into the world of drugs, I was rebellious about every rule set down by my parents.
Escaping into the world of drugs, I rebelled against every rule set down by my parents.
Rebelled against is more active than was rebellious about.
More examples:
Max Ernst was sixty-three and knew madness and death were before him.
At sixty-three, Max Ernst saw only madness and death lying before him.
The sun was setting. The few clouds that were on the horizon were orange.
The setting sun turned the few clouds hanging over the horizon orange.
Hemingway's "The Killers" is a story that is dominated by the feeling of impending violence.
The feeling of impending violence dominated Hemingway's "The Killers."
Now these sentences are direct and clear; moreover, they read quickly and carry more punch. I am not recommending that you restructure every sentence with a form of to be in it. However, I do suggest that you restructure the ones that use it unnecessarily.
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