{"id":7479,"date":"2019-12-19T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/contentwriters.com\/blog\/?p=7479"},"modified":"2023-10-23T11:31:32","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T15:31:32","slug":"the-quick-n-dirty-guide-to-great-word-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/contentwriters.com\/blog\/the-quick-n-dirty-guide-to-great-word-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Quick \u2019n\u2019 Dirty Guide to Great Word Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you wish your words commanded more attention? Are you concerned that your words aren\u2019t understood the way you intend? Do you feel self-conscious about your \u201cjust okay\u201d writing chops?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve found that people can solve these problems almost overnight, simply by improving their word choice. Here\u2019s how I recommend doing that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Commit to clarity.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In his short but remarkable essay called \u201cHow I Write,\u201d Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell wrote, \u201cI do not find that I can improve a sentence when I am satisfied with what it means.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That sentence conveys the number-one purpose of writing and, by extension, word choice: getting your point across! This means that great word choice is not about using fancy words, using a bunch of different words, or using weird words just for the heck of it. Great word choice is about making yourself clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My emphasis on committing to clarity stems from my personal experience as a writing coach. For most people, poor vocabulary is not the biggest hurdle. More often, people get themselves into the habit of using such complicated language that they themselves lose sight of what they\u2019re trying to write down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trust me, hiding behind long words doesn\u2019t make you seem smart. The best way to seem smart is to focus (really focus!) on being clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"writing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paul Graham<\/a>, a brainiac who co-founded Y Combinator, puts it neatly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething comes over most people when they start writing. They write in a different language than they’d use if they were talking to a friend. The sentence structure and even the words are different. No one uses “pen” as a verb in spoken English. You’d feel like an idiot using “pen” instead of “write” in a conversation with a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I couldn\u2019t have said it better! The first and most important step to choosing the right words is not getting distracted by the act of writing, and instead keeping your main idea in your sights, whether you\u2019re writing product descriptions<\/a>, creative fiction, or anything in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Choose your rules of thumb.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One cool thing about writing in the twenty-first century is that you don\u2019t have to figure it out by yourself. In fact, many celebrated writers have openly disclosed their personal \u201crules of thumb\u201d for writing. Thanks to them, almost anyone can become a better writer within a few days by applying what they\u2019ve already figured out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George Orwell\u2019s rule of thumb: Use short words.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

George Orwell’s<\/a> rule of thumb for word choice was, \u201cNever use a long word when a short one will do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I find that even if everyone knows a long word, it still has a shorter sibling that\u2019s clearer. It\u2019s better to \u201cuse\u201d than to \u201cutilize\u201d; a \u201cplan\u201d or \u201cproposal\u201d is better than a \u201cproposition\u201d; and \u201cbut\u201d is (usually) better than \u201chowever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Orwell\u2019s
Source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Stephen King\u2019s rule of thumb: Beware of adverbs.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stephen King<\/a> wrote, \u201cThe road to hell is paved with adverbs.\u201d (Adverbs describe actions, and they usually end in -ly). King even provided examples, showing what happens when you add adverbs to dialogue that doesn\u2019t need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without adverbs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019Put it down!\u2019 she shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019Give it back,\u2019 he pleaded, \u2018it\u2019s mine.\u2019  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019Don\u2019t be such a fool, Jekyll,\u2019 Utterson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With adverbs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019Put it down! she shouted menacingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019Give it back,\u2019 he pleaded abjectly, \u2018it\u2019s mine.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019Don\u2019t be such a fool, Jekyll,\u2019 Utterson said contemptuously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you find yourself using a lot of adverbs, consider removing 80% of them. You might be surprised by how much more streamlined and less bulky your writing will seem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rule of thumb for sounding more interesting: Use sensory words.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Okay, you might be thinking, what if I\u2019m comfortable with my overall clarity, but I feel like my writing sounds boring?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a handy rule of thumb for that, too: look for words that are tied to the five senses. Research suggests that language associated with sound, taste, and touch engages different parts of the brain.<\/a> I recommend finding a list of sensory words<\/a> to play with while you\u2019re writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Use the best word choice tools (no, it\u2019s not cheating).<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If I asked you to multiply 183 by 46, would you use a calculator?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people would, and they wouldn\u2019t consider it cheating. Yet, some people feel like using online word choice tools is cheating. I\u2019m not sure why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019re looking for the perfect word, there are some super-sophisticated tools out there, above and beyond a typical thesaurus. Use them. They can help enormously at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are my favorites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n