kristaphillips Have you ever been writing along and you fingers type a word that makes you stop and say, “Huh. The word fits… I think. But what does it mean????”
Okay, I’m probably the only one who does that, and maybe it means I need to sleep with the dictionary under my pillow a little more often so I can absorb some definitions via osmosis (a cool word in and of itself.)
So anyway, I was writing along and started writing this sentence… “But Jenny knew that beneath the subterfuge…”
And I did my whole “huh” thing.
Subterfuge? It sounds good there. And my fingers have typed it all by their wierd selves, because I really have no clue what the word means.
I looked it up on dictionary.com and was delighted to find out that it means EXACTLY what I’d hoped. “An artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.”
JACKPOT!
I LOVE finding the perfect word.
In this case, Jack and Jenny had been ignoring a huge truth in their lives. That they lived 9 hours from each other and neither wanted to move. So during their “meeting,” they played boyfriend/girlfriend. They both purposely didn’t think about the future, they pretended their lives where normal and that this problem didn’t exist.
In other words, they were practicing subterfuge.
Discussion:
For you writers out there, how do you keep your vocabulary “fresh”? Am I the only one who’s fingers are smarter than her brain when it comes to the ‘right’ word to use?
Note: In my example above, I fully realize that I used the word “knew” which is a tell-tale example of NOT being in deep POV. I am rushing to go change it right now!
We’re not suppose to use “knew”? Boy do I have some work cut out for me. Every day I’m learning new words were not suppose to use, eventually I wonder what will be left? (OK, sorry for that bit of sarcasm!)
And, no phone call for me. Not sure if I really expect one! I read yesterday on one of my writers’ groups chain emails that Camy was needing extra help with some aspect of the contest. So maybe they’ll be running behind this year.
I surprise myself with words too! I think when we’re avid readers, the words stick in our brains without us even realizing it! Then they pop out at the most unexpected times!
Have a great day!
LOL, Jody. I probably use it way to much, and it isn’t that you *can’t* use it, it’s that you need to use it very little.
Hmmmm… I can tell that there will be a blog post out of that particular writing rule (uh, I mean, guideline) very soon! Like, tomorrow?!?
No phone call for me either. My chest about dropped into my stomach yesterday when they announced the agent/editor of the year on the ACFW e-mail loop. I was sure all the phone calls had been made and the genesis finalists were about to be e-mailed out!
But they weren’t. I haven’t seen anyone else announce a *call* either, so I’m still twiddling my toes waiting!
Yeah, and I saw also that Camy is on book deadline too so ugh, I can’t imagine having to cope with ALL that at once. I’d send her an e-mail thanking her for her hard work… but she probably doesn’t need yet another e-mail cluttering her inbox!
Reading helps keep my vocabulary fresh. I think it’s important esp. when I’m with the kids all day.
Usually I come up with a boring word and have to thesaurusify it to find a better one. 🙂
Although, for sure, reading helps insert new wordage into my vocab.
Hey, Krista, I tagged you in a thingy. Come check my blog to see!