On Writing: Use Your Words

Words are the tools of (what I want to be) my trade. Sometimes, tools get a little rusty, though. The edges dull, the handles break, the dog buries them in the yard. When this happens, I like to refer back to some simple tips on word usage. I'm going to share my favorites with you. 


1. Use the right word.


There are two excellent quotes from Mark Twain to the effect of this tip. The first comes from "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses" and states: "Use the right word, not its second cousin." The second is more illustrative. "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Don't use a word that you don't mean, and only use a word if you do mean it.


2. Look it up.

Even those of us with decent vocabularies can benefit from the use of a dictionary. Make sure the word you're using means what you think it means, and make sure that it makes sense in context. If you don't know how to use a word correctly, don't use it at all. (Unless it's the right word. Then you need to learn it.)


3. Keep it simple.

Clear and concise writing is the goal. You want to communicate your ideas effectively, "effectively" meaning "so the reader understands what I'm getting at." They won't understand if you don't use clear language. Don't overdo it. The reader won't think less of you for using language they understand.


4. Check yourself.

There are so many commonly misused and misspelled words in the English language that it's a wonder any of us manage to communicate with each other at all. I like to keep a list of those words at hand, and when I'm done with whatever I've written, I do a search for each of those words to be sure I've used the word I was supposed to use. I make mistakes. We all do. That's why beta readers and editors are writers' BFFs. But developing your own checks and balances makes their jobs easier.