Writing Hint #40: Use a dictionary
No Comments »13th January, 2008; Category: Writing Hints
This hint might be stating the obvious, but when I read some blogs on the internet, I wonder if the writers have ever used a dictionary in their lives. Perhaps they do not even know how to use one.
For a writer, a good dictionary is an essential tool. These days you do not even have to have a hard copy dictionary sitting on the shelf next to where you write. There are a number of very good dictionaries freely available in the internet.
I still prefer to have a good, reliable, solid dictionary in my hand. In fact, I have no less than four sitting on the shelf above my writing desk. I consult one or more of them frequently, sometimes to check my spelling, sometimes to check the meaning. I have learned to never trust the computer spell check. It is a guide only and it is often wrong. Do not rely on it.
My dictionaries:
- The Shorter Oxford Dictionary: I call it “Big Bertha” as it weighs in quite heavily. I do not use this one all that often and primarily only to check out the etymology (history) of words.
- The Penguin English Dictionary: I have used this dictionary frequently since buying it in 1965. I think it could even be a first edition. It has been a solid workhorse for me ever since. Its pages are yellow and tattered from frequent use. Being a paperback, I’m amazed it has held together over four decades of use.
- The Concise Macquarie Dictionary: This is the authoritative dictionary on Australian words, especially on those peculiarly Aussie idioms we love to use. It’s a bloody ripper, mate!
- The Collins Cobuild Learner’s Dictionary: This is my most recent acquisition and is the most modern of all of my volumes. I specifically bought it to assist me when I was still teaching. My wife has also used it when tutoring students. It has several features not found in most dictionaries (e.g. frequency of use of each word).
So there you go.
Good writing – and don’t forget to check your spelling.
Further reading:
- Writing hints – dozens more articles I’ve written giving writing hints to improve your writing.
Dealing with the drudgery of writing
“The drudgery of being a professional writer comes in
trying to make good days out of bad days and in
squeezing out the words when they won’t just flow.”~Benjamin Cavell
I know how this writer feels.
Sometimes the words just flow easily and on days like that it is the most wonderful thing in the world to be a writer. It is exciting when a piece of writing just works so beautifully that little or no rewriting is needed. It is exhilarating when you read something you’ve written and you are amazed that you put those words together in just the right way. It is wonderful when you get everything just right.
It isn’t always like that.
There are days when it is sheer drudgery, when you are feeling ill, or lethargic or just plain tired. Or there might be some life issue pressing in on your thinking and sapping the creative energies. In the bad days I’ve found a few solutions that work for me. Try them – you may well find that they work for you too.
Overcoming the bad days
- Take a break – even five minutes can help.
- Stretch – your muscles will love you.
- Look at the birds – stare out the window and observe the birds.
- Go for a walk – around the garden, the block or wherever.
- Write in your journal – it doesn’t have to be great literature – just let your feelings all pour out.
- Do the crossword in the newspaper – I find that the cryptic crossword so stimulating I try to complete it daily.
- Nap – sometimes the brain needs the refreshment of a short sleep. (Take note of the word “short.”)
- Read – the mental stimulation can be very beneficial.
- Laugh out loud – read some jokes – or watch a part of a funny DVD.
- Pray – I find that prayer focuses the mind on connecting with God and this often leads to renewed inspiration. Others might find meditation to be useful in calming the mind enabling it to refocus on the writing task.
These ideas work for me. I hope that you find techniques that work for you.
Good writing.
Further reading:
What I learned from 2007
In this article I look back over some of the articles I posted on my blog during 2007. This was in response to Robert Hruzek and his BLOGAPALOOZA Group Writing Project over at his blog Middle Zone Musings.
I am an Australian elementary school teacher who retired three years ago after 35 years of classroom experience. I have always been a writer but it is only since retiring that I have been able to concentrate on my writing almost full time. I’ve been blogging for a little over two years on my blog called Trevor’s Birding (mainly about Australian birds, including photos). For almost two years I’ve also been writing most days on another blog called Trevor’s Travels (about my travels in Australia, Thailand and Nepal – including a trek in the Everest region – and including many photos). My third blog called Trevor’s Writing is about writing, blogging, reading, books and all sorts of things, including some of my short stories and poems.
What I learned from 2007
January – Setting writing goals for 2007 – I believe in the importance of setting goals and have done so for many years, sometimes successfully and at other times quite dismally. That’s life – which tends to get in the way as a matter of habit. I get over it – and get on with life.
February– Looking for inspiration – writing can be a lonely and frustrating pursuit. This is one way I have found that has helped me overcome a lack of momentum with my writing.
March – Strategies to keep you writing – sometimes the words just do not flow. It is then that I need to fall back on some proven strategies to keep me pounding those keys and churning out the words.
April – The potential of blogging – I sometimes get discouraged about the few readers I have on my three blogs. When I stand back and take an objective view of the internet, the enormous potential of blogging is truly staggering. We ain’t seen nuttin’ yet folks!
May – Top 5 Writing Hints – some very useful and valuable hints on improving one’s writing. Now – if only I could apply my own advice to my own writing.
June – Life sucks – writing on the bad days – setbacks, crises, illness or disabilities can severely hinder one’s writing. This year, more than any other before it, has taught me a valuable lesson time and time again (I’m a slow learner). I am learning to roll with the punches. Use the good times, get over the bad times.
July – Writing through the storms of life – struggles are a part of life. I am learning to let the storms of life strengthen me. The strongest trees are those that resist the tempest and survive.
August – How to have 250,000 blog visitors a day – my most controversial article of the year – by far. It drew many visitors seeking an instant success formula. Many were encouraged and challenged by it, some were disappointed because they missed the point entirely – or didn’t want to face up to the reality of what I was saying. I am slowly learning to apply the principles I wrote about in that article.
September – Poem #36: “Raindrops” – I occasionally feature a short poem or short story on this blog. The poem will never win a literary competition, but the post features one of the best photos I have ever taken. Through my photography I am learning that even the simplest objects can be things of great beauty.
October – A very significant day – from this very special day I gained a new understanding of the importance of family and my amazing heritage.
November – Happy birthday to me – I was all primed ready to have a very relaxing 60th Birthday. It all went very wrong but turned out okay in the end. I learned from this little incident that life doesn’t always go according to the script you have written.
December – How a little ant taught me about writing – the title says it all. We need to be aware of how even the simplest things can teach us important life applications.
Opinion: where do I buy a six-pack?
2 Comments »8th January, 2008; Category: Opinion
A few days ago I wrote about a you beaut Christmas present I received – a wonderful label maker. I also grizzled a little about the fact that batteries were not included. Imagine my annoyance that I didn’t buy the right sized batteries, so now I have a big pack of AA batteries that I don’t really need at present; sure they will get used over the coming months for various things like clocks. I didn’t take all that much notice and didn’t realise that the label maker needed 6 AAA batteries.
Went shopping this morning. I went to buy some AAA batteries. No problem, you’d think. Wrong. The store only stocked packs of four or eight – I needed six. Why do they do that? Now I have two useless batteries. I can’t think of anything else in the house that needs AAA batteries. (I have a sneaking suspicion that something takes AAA batteries but can’t think what it is. Is it one of the remotes? Must check.)
The Good News
So on arrival home I installed the six batteries and stored the two spare batteries in a place I’ll probably forget about. I fired up the label maker. Now here’s the good news – it does a fantastic job. All I need now is plenty of time to go and label everything in sight.
Ha ha – just let me loose.
Now – if only I could get it away from my wife; it was a combined present!
A new group writing project – the BLOGAPALOOZA
Listen up everyone.
Christmas is over. The New Year has well and truly started (is it REALLY a week old already???).
Time to get on with another Group writing Project.
Robert over at Middle Zone Musings is launching the new year with a special group writing project called BLOGAPALOOZA. It promises to be a fantastic way of getting your writing going for the year of 2008 – by looking back at 2007. That’s the way Robert operates – by going backwards in order to go forwards.
Have a look here for all the details.
Note to self:
Get cracking and get your own entry finished. There’s only a week to go.
Good writing.