Tuesday Tip: Prudent Use of a Dictionary and Thesaurus

Using a dictionary and thesaurus might seem like a given for a writer but several recent reading experiences make me wonder (more wondering, heh) if that is the case. These books -- three to be exact -- stick in my mind for the wrong reason...a reason that has nothing to do with story or characters or entertainment and everything to do with lazy word usage. Because, argh!, I hate when I'm reading happily along only to stumble over incorrect usage or inconsistent description or a word that's just plain drag-me-out-of-the-story inappropriate.

Hence today's tip for the aspiring writer: don't resort to descriptive tags from The Book of Romantic Cliches. Make them specific to your characters, your setting, your season, your story world, your time frame (is ravished a word for the 21st century?) If you need an alternative to the ordinary and obvious, by all means consult your thesaurus. But before dropping that cool-sounding obsidian or those averted eyes into your manuscript, check their meaning.

Alternatives listed in your thesaurus are not all equal and exact; not all black and white. They are shades of grey from the softest mist to the hardest charcoal. Choose the appropriate term with a deft hand...and if this happens to be eye colour, unless your character is using tinted contacts then keep it consistent throughout the book.