The Power of Words

Have you ever read a scene or passage from a book, website or leaflet and felt totally engaged with the text, transported to the location, the pain of the character or even inspired to make a change to your life.

Those writers have grasped the power of words.

 

Using the right word to express meaning or emotion adds strength to your writing. Avoid unnecessary adverbs or adjectives and your writing will come alive.

Consider the list below; the words are similar (though not the same) however they will incite very different emotions in the reader.

Change – transform

Gather - remove – harvest
Annoy – agitate
Send – dispatch
Speed – velocity
Essential – vital
Spiteful – malevolent
Tired - weary

Consider whether your text is description or speech, you may choose different words for different characters to show strength, weakness, their sinister side, or other characteristics.

Take a paragraph or two of your own writing. Remove all adverbs and adjectives. Arm yourself with a dictionary and thesaurus and replace nouns and verbs with the strongest and most powerful word you can find. Compare this to the original. Your work will have come alive and be closer to publication.

Repeat this exercise throughout your work; this will tighten your writing ensuring it draws the reader in until they are well and truly hooked.

 

Happy writing.