What
is the greatest tool a writer can possess?
Some
might say it is their imagination. Others may point to their computer. Some will say it
is their ability to research, question, and explore. All of that may be true, but
to be a strong writer you certainly need to have a mastery of a great vocabulary.
1200
Words You Should Know To Sound Smart: Essential Words Every Sophisticated
Person Should Be Able To Use, by Robert W. Bly, is a good place to start
if you want to build a great command of the English language.
The author
of over 70 books and labeled “America’s top copywriter” by McGraw-Hill, Bly was
the recipient of the American Writers & Artists Inc’s. 2007 Copywriter of
the Year Award.
The
book jacket copy promises this:
“Complete
with clearly written definitions and examples for using these words in a
sentence, 1200 Words You Should Know to Sound Smart is your sublime guide
to a superlative vocabulary.”
Who
is to say which words are more important or impactful than others? The author believes
that those who embrace his book will be seen as smart, perhaps smarter than they
really are.
“People
who have a good vocabulary come off as confident, intelligent, and motivated,”
says Bly.
Here
are some words contained in this breezy read:
Amorphous – without definite
shape, substance, or form; lacking definition and boundaries
Assiduously
–
diligent, and persistent, especially in an effort to help others, achieve a
goal, or deliver on one’s promises
Beatitude – being is the
highest possible state of happiness, good humor, and contentment
Benighted – to be lost,
ignorant, or unenlightened
Chimera – an object, place
or combination of things so strange, odd, and improbable that it logically
should not exist in the real world – and yet it does
Cloying – sickeningly sweet,
sappy, or sentimental
Denigrate – insult, put
down, demean, belittle
Gamut
–
the full spectrum of choices
Nettle
–
to provoke, irritate, or annoy
One
thing that I notice about writing is that we tend to return to the same words
over and over. Even those with a wider vocabulary, they tend to recycle their
favorites, in part because they write for readers who tend to circulate the same
few thousand words.
But
good writing starts with a diversified vocabulary, one that we all need reminders
for. Keep expanding your mind and how you present your thoughts, experience,
and emotions. A strong vocabulary contributes to strong writing. A great vocabulary
is salubrious to a writer.
Look
it up!
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Brian Feinblum’s
insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are
his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should --
follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him
at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in
the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2020. Born and
raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often
featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.
This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and
recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also
named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted
a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.
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