Using the thesaurus

[David]

To all writers out there: what's your take on looking up alternative words while writing? WHile I've heard a lot of arguments for letting the words flow for themselves, there's often the occasional term/word/expression that you've used that's ok but felt that you could have done better. What would you do in such an instance?

[Kelly]

I do it all the time. A lot of readers notice when the same word gets used all the time. I look it up for another word just to avoid the monotony and if it works and the words dance well together, I use it!

[David]

yes...to avoid monotony I definitely agree..the question is, if you're merely looking to improve your vocabulary, is it advisable?

[Kelly]

I can see your point. I don't use it for that. I could see it coming of as inauthentic, so probably not. But I suppose every instance is different. After all, we are writing as different characters and those characters can't possibly all speak like we do. Interesting question. I think I read somewhere that Stephen King says "absolutely not!"

[David]

ah thanks...thats what i was wondering..if it'd make me sound more inauthentic.

[Geoffrey]

There is a perfect, let's say "magical" word for every use. Sometimes it matters little, sometimes though it matters a lot. The Thesaurus permits a search for that word; a search that reaches beyond the poor limits of memory and custom. Think of it as a microscope that allows you to see deeper into the meaning.
As far as improving your vocabulary, something that facilitates that is a good thing, don't you think? Personally I don't think there is anything particularly "authentic" about a lack of words :)

[A.L.]

I do use it. Sometimes I want a better, more interesting word than the one I used a paragraph ago.
I think it depends on the word chosen, if you pick a word the reader is unlikely to have ever heard of or used and will have to stop and look up then you risk seeming pretentious and breaking the flow. However if you are using a more common synonym it gives a broader use of language.

[Kelly]

Look what I found :)It's kind of pricy, but I think I might not be able to live without it.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Describers-...

[Ubiquitous]

I use it occasionally. If I find myself repeating the same word or phrase, I'll look up alternatives. I agree that a character's word choices should fit the character. As an author, I also have a voice. If I can add some color or nuances to the narrative without detracting from the flow of the story, then I believe that adds to the pleasure of reading the story. I'm not interested on showing off a large vocabulary, but I do want to use the tools at my disposal to create just the right tone.

[John]

I use it, but only if its a word I already know, to avoid repetition. I would never use a word that didn't fit the narrative or the character.

[Robert]

I use the thesaurus if I feel I need it. Occasionally there's a word I can't think of so I use it to jog my memory. I wouldn't use it to try and appear smarter than I am though.

[John]

Robert wrote: "I use the thesaurus if I feel I need it. Occasionally there's a word I can't think of so I use it to jog my memory. I wouldn't use it to try and appear smarter than I am though."

It's impossible for me to appear smarter than I am. (joking)

[Ubiquitous]

John wrote: "Robert wrote: "I use the thesaurus if I feel I need it. Occasionally there's a word I can't think of so I use it to jog my memory. I wouldn't use it to try and appear smarter than I am though."

It..."

I frequently appear smarter than I am. I'm not setting the bar very high.

[John]

Ubiquitous wrote: "I frequently appear smarter than I am. I'm not setting the bar very high."

I would think someone named Ubiquitous lives inside a thesarus.

[Oela]

Kelly wrote: "I do it all the time. A lot of readers notice when the same word gets used all the time. I look it up for another word just to avoid the monotony and if it works and the words dance well together, ..."

hey!
yes,i think readers do notice when words are repeated several times.
personally,i don't think i have much problem with that.to name one i'd name the Harry potter series.
but i din't find it bothering!
in fact,there's several good books which has the same thing.

what i feel is a problem is, when one uses the same word often but keeping different angle or different meanings.
its not only confusing but also a lil' irritating(oops!rude!)

cheers!

[Jay]

There's a great quote from Mark Twain:

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

I think I have a pretty good memory for words, but when I don't feel that the word I'm using is right, I don't hesitate to use a thesaurus. I also find that looking at 'similar' words sometimes triggers a completely different 'slant' on a description that I hadn't thought of before.

[Tim]

When I'm writing the first draft, or a new scene, I don't worry about word choice; I just bang out the story as it comes. When I go back and edit, I'll think more about the word choice, but so far I haven't resorted to a thesaurus. Which isn't to say that I wouldn't, just that I haven't.

When it comes to repeated words, I think Jasper Fforde summed it up nicely:

“Item seven. The had had and that that problem. Lady Cavendish, weren’t you working on this?’

Lady Cavendish stood up and gathered her thoughts. ‘Indeed. The uses of had had and that that have to be strictly controlled; they can interrupt the imaginotransference quite dramatically, causing readers to go back over the sentence in confusion, something we try to avoid.’

‘Go on.’

‘It’s mostly an unlicensed-usage problem. At the last count David Copperfield alone had had had had sixty three times, all but ten unapproved. Pilgrim’s Progress may also be a problem due to its had had/that that ratio.’

‘So what’s the problem in Progress?’

‘That that had that that ten times but had had had had only thrice. Increased had had usage had had to be overlooked, but not if the number exceeds that that that usage.’

‘Hmm,’ said the Bellman, ‘I thought had had had had TGC’s approval for use in Dickens? What’s the problem?’

‘Take the first had had and that that in the book by way of example,’ said Lady Cavendish. ‘You would have thought that that first had had had had good occasion to be seen as had, had you not? Had had had approval but had had had not; equally it is true to say that that that that had had approval but that that other that that had not.’

‘So the problem with that other that that was that…?’

‘That that other-other that that had had approval.’

‘Okay’ said the Bellman, whose head was in danger of falling apart like a chocolate orange, ‘let me get this straight: David Copperfield, unlike Pilgrim’s Progress, had had had, had had had had. Had had had had TGC’s approval?’

There was a very long pause.

(From The Well of Lost Plots)

[David]

You think so until that critical moment when u print the word and u feel liek there must be a better one out there....