The Holy Grail of Writing—Finding the Right Word

by Edie Melson

We’re writers, so it’s a given that we’re word people.

For most of us it goes way beyond just a love of words. Writing is the way we process the world around us. As a matter of fact, I was having a discussion with someone who was bemoaning the fact that I’m nearly as nice in person as I am on paper.

Unfortunately she’s right. I’m not.

It’s not that I don’t try, I really do. But I need the opportunity to filter my words through the act of putting them on paper first.

And that brings me to the point of this post. How do we find that perfect word when we’re trying to convey something on paper? Today I want to share how I go about searching for that elusive holy grail of writing.

Thursday Review—The Emotion Thesaurus

by Lynn H. Blackburn

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard the phrase Show Don’t Tell I could afford to take all of us to a writers conference. Where we would, again, be reminded to…

Show Don’t Tell!

Telling is so easy though. If I say, “Caroline was so angry when they fired her” you know she’s mad.

Unfortunately, telling is also lazy writing. It takes a lot more of our creative juices to say, “Caroline turned toward the window and took a slow breath. Then another. Heat coursed through her limbs as she considered her options. If they thought she would be willing to go quietly, they had underestimated her. Again. She drove her heels into the floor to stop her legs from shaking…”

You get the idea.