Well, hullo, my faithful friends. I
apologize for my neglect of this little blog. . . Writing my fun
little posts, publishing a variety of names and their meanings,
attempting to share some helpful writing tips—that's what I want
to do. I've found a yearning to write and share all the things I've
learned, what I'm learning, and maybe cause you to laugh in the
process. You could say this blog is a passion of mine. And now, for
a little over three years (last December), I've been doing just that
(less so the past two maybe. . . [But in all actuality, I've been
blogging for FAR longer. First, a wee bit on me mum's blog, then on one I shared with my two younger sisters, and now here!])
Just this morning, I was re-reading a
post I'd written sometime in 2014 entitled, “Lawfullness, Hip Bones, & Palabras”. And, while I'm almost always a very
humble person *wink wink*, I couldn't help
but feel a wee bit o' pride. I mean, it was actually funny.
And helpful. So, that made me smile and then wonder,
“What HAPPENED?? I have a knack for this stuff, WHY did I STOP???”
Aaaaaaannnnnddd, here I am.
Attempting once again! Are ya ready? You could say, I was inspired
by my own post. . . Hahaha! (Really?)
Okay, okay, enough babbling and boastieness—er,
boastfulness.
For the most part, those of you who
[still] read this blog are writers of sorts, am I right? So, if I
actually succeed in typing sense, then there's a good chance you'll
learn something. (I hope. . .)
-
ALWAYS
HAVE A DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS HANDYI usually prefer the physical copies of both, but with our technology as advanced as it is, mayhaps it is far more convenient to grab your smart phone, as I have done on occasion. (Nothing wrong with that! I'm sure the majority of people do not carry a copy of a dictionary on their person.)When you come across a new word—mind you, one that is new to you—jot it down and/or grab your phone/dictionary and look it up immediately. Such little tidbits can be lost in the memory quite easily and if you do not take care to write it down, it will become lost. That is, until it randomly resurfaces at 3:00AM. . . *ahem* This is an excellent way to gain knowledge, aaannnnd expand your mind. That said, don't forget to jot it down! Reading and researching is great, but making the effort to write it down (in your story/misc. notebook or even the notes app on your phone!) will be a huge step to remembering. And you'll always have that reference.Note: If you have a smart phone, download a free dictionary app (I have the Merriam-Webster for my iPhone) and check out the Word of the Day. You will easily discover new words that way!
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WHEN WRITING, SUBSTITUTE YOUR WEAK WORDS FOR STRONGERThis is an amazing habit to have. And one I learned in my senior year of high school, thanks to a writing class my siblings and I took with my husband's mother (I had NO idea she would become my mother-in-law! Don't you love our God's sense of humor?).Through the IEW curriculum we used, she taught us to strengthen our words. For example, instead of “help,” use “assist.” “Excellent” instead of “good.” “Recall” instead of “remember.” Got the idea? Excellent! (See what I did there??) Soon, it will become second nature—believe me!
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USE IT! APPLY A NEW WORD EVERY DAYAdd the words into your daily vocabulary. A great way to start [begin *wink wink*] is to check out whichever dictionary app you downloaded/have or look online at dictionary.com at the word of the day and make a point to use that word at least once. Some words may prove to be quite a challenge, but it could be great fun!Today's word on that website is portmanteau, meaning “a case or piece of luggage, particularly a leather trunk or suitcase that opens into two halves.”
Here's my attempt:
Somewhere
a clock tower struck three bells just as the great train pulled into
the bustling station.
Right
on time, he thought, pushing his grandfather's watch back
into his pocket. He stood, grabbed his briefcase and leather
portmanteau,
and exited with the rest of the crowd.
On
the platform, he adjusted his hat with his free hand, then froze.
There
she was. And no woman ever looked so beautiful.
His
luggage fell to the ground as he threw off his hat and opened his
arms to the small blur of honeysuckle and brown curls.
“I'm
home.”
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See? Not that difficult. Have at it! And make it fun!
Until next time,
Sarah
I HAVE SO VERY MISSED YOUR POSTS. This was spectacular!
ReplyDeleteThesauruses are my life's blood. XD I actually keep Thesaurus.com opened at all times when I'm writing/editing, because I use it at least once for like...every paragraph.
I LOVE your tips on applying a new word every day to continuously expand your vocabulary. I NEED TO DO THIS. For a writer, I have a pathetic vocabulary. XD
Your snippet was so cuuuute!!! An awesome way to use that word!
Thanks for sharing with us, girl. This was great!
Love that little comic there!
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain pleasure in speaking like an Oxford professor- but all things in moderation, even vocabulary. I can't stand the word 'exquisite' anymore. A certain book scarred me when it was used a tad too lavishly.