Georgia Heard has a book "Writing Toward Home" in which she gives advice to novice writers. She has a chapter on words that I love. This is an excerpt:
I collect words like shiny red tomatoes, picked from the vine, ripening in my notebook. When I read a word I like in a newspaper or book, I write it down. I collect words for their music, their poetry, ther possibility, their surprises.I haunt used-book stores looking for books that contain unusual words. "Elementary Seamanship" has a glossary of sea terms: scupper, bulwark, winch, windlass, scuttles. The book is a cup of possibility for those days when I'm thirsty for words. Gwendolyn Brooks, a poet, says "Collect Words!" Buy your own dictionary. Circle exciting words. The more words you know the better you will be able to express yourself, your thoughts. I collect words because I love them, and as a writer I need to be able to pepper my writing with words from everywhere.
For this blog post I'd like you to listen to words around you. Notice them on menus, signs, books, newspapers - the more you become aware of the words possible to you, the more abundant your writing will become. Post at least 5-10 words that you find beautiful or new or exciting. Comment on each other's posts as well.
Some of my favorite words include: Serendipity, Seaglass, Ethereal, Luminous, Celestial...
Luminescence, ripple, crystalline, lullaby, sapphire.
ReplyDeleteI love the word sapphire, it is very nice to say and hear out loud.
DeleteThanks mar lol!!
Deletesupercalifragelistikexpialadocious
ReplyDeleteI bet you used this word on a daily basis
Deleteyou say it when you dont know what to say monica which for me is a lot !!
Deleteiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious! If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIADLIDOCIOUS!!! Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay
Deletesoliloquy
ReplyDeletestark, mercurial, rhyme, troupe, memory, quibble.
ReplyDeleteAll of your words are strong and powerful and meaningful sounding!
DeleteTalk about vocab!
Deletepitter-patter
ReplyDeleteserengeti
ReplyDeletei like that word too!
Deletepneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
ReplyDeletewhat does this word mean?
Deleteits refering to a lung disease
Deleteso beautiful
Deleteserendipity, serene, reminisce, dream, lavender.
ReplyDeletethat's so funny that you and Mrs. Zuba have one of the same words! Lol!!
Deletewe're basically the same person
Deletei like serendipity too!
DeleteLOL....I'm letting Katie take over class this week :)
Deleteelloquent, phantasmagorical, cataract, flittermice, zenith, rue
ReplyDeleteThese are some fun words!
Deletediscombobulated, droplet, eloquence, lagoon, meander
ReplyDeleteI like the word "lagoon" too!
DeleteDalliance, Ebullience, Glamour, Harbinger, Halcyon, Mellifluous, Onomatopoeia, Opulent, Panacea, Ratatouille.
ReplyDeletei like the word glamour
Deletefuzzy, ripple, serendipty, collide, rush, ringlet
ReplyDeleteexonerating, convivial, alabaster, blithe, cohere, countercharge, trite
ReplyDeletecoloquial, zeal, contempt, kinship, blaze, glacial, cesspool, somber
ReplyDeletemonotonous, monotone, monopoly, monogamy and serendipity
ReplyDeleteI like mono words idk why
Deleteseems like a lot of people like the word serendipity
Deletesnool, mugwump, maverick, filibuster, bubbles
ReplyDeletegallimaufry, turophile, festschrift, oolert, lascivious
ReplyDeletewhat do all these words even mean?
Deleteyou really think i know?
Deleteremedy, boutique, sanguine, reminisce, tranquil, cordiality
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Ms Zuba
ReplyDeleteThank you Peter!
Deletelanguid, jolly, fantasy, escape, barbecue, lavish, picnic
ReplyDeleteLanguid and jolly are awesome words
Deleteluscious, soliloquy, ravishing, pulchritudinous, angelic, statuesque, exquisite
ReplyDeletemyriad, scorch, flow, ebb, bay, harbor, exist
ReplyDeleteantique, reminisce, sacred, memory, nostalgic
ReplyDeletefragrance, umbrella, Eloquence, allusion, tranquility, snuggle
ReplyDeletewhat do all these words even mean?
Deleteetiquette, champagne, reminisce, serendipity, engulf
ReplyDeletejibber-jabber
ReplyDeleteChampagne, Ridiculous, Aurora, Xylophone, Silhouette
ReplyDeletezeitgeist, elated, effervescent, omnipotent, vagabond, crystallized, psychedelic
ReplyDeleteantithesis, eternal, singularity, benevolent, monochromatic
ReplyDeleteAntidisestablishmentarianism, Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism, honorificabilitudinitatibus, hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian, hepaticocholangiocholecystenterostomies
ReplyDeletenautical aquatic adrenaline incinerated chronicle
ReplyDeletesignature, universal,monopolize,laughable, abhorrent, robust
ReplyDeleteKodak, cashmere, mist, gorgeous, lagoon
ReplyDeleteNice lists everyone! Check out the new blog!
ReplyDeleteNeon, sprite, new, feather, tongue
ReplyDelete