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Written by Karen Gibson
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Monday, 28 January 2008 18:00 |
Set Your Timer:
Keep a notebook - or a section in your notebook - for words you come across that you love the sound of; words you'd like to use' words that simply impress you, even if you have no inclination to ever use them; and words you come across that you don't know. For a week, write down five words a day that you either read or hear spoken.
Read the works of authors who have splendid vocabularies - Cynthia Ozick, Jonathan Franzen, Michael Chabon, Don DeLillo, Kate Braverman - and write down words you either look up or simply love.
Experiment with using these words as freewriting prompts. Choose one ore more of them to write about for fiteen minutes, or incorporate them into your writing and notice how they alter the tone or voice of your work.
As you write more and continue to be attuned to words, you'll find the words you use enriching your writing and giving you farm more flexibility.
As Mark Twain once said, "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter - 'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning."
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Writer's Corner - Pen On Fire 
