I was teaching an after-school creative writing class at Weston Elementary School years ago. Same day of the week, every week. Same time. Same kids. I had a wonderful ten-week program worked out. Every week I’d introduce a new writing concept, show an example from literature that demonstrated it, then give the kids an exercise to work on. We’d do it first as a class, then I’d give everyone ten minutes or so to write, after which we’d sit on the floor in a circle, and share.
Easy.
Fun.
It had worked well for years, until one day I was running late. Scratch that. I had completely forgotten about my class. I had been out somewhere, doing something, and by the time I remembered I had class that day, I had only enough time to drive straight to the elementary school.
I didn’t have my lesson plan, the books I would read from, nor my stash of perfectly sharpened pencils. I didn’t have the kids’ writing journals. I rushed into the building just in time, but empty-handed.
I took stock of the materials around me, hoping to find something I could use to fashion a last-second lesson plan. There was lined loose-leaf paper in the classroom, and a basket of not-so-beautifully sharpened pencils on the teacher’s desk. I gathered everyone and we sat at one of the long tables. I had no idea what to do.
Well, I thought. What interests me? That’s always a good place to start.
“Okay, how about everyone write down their ten favorite words.”
I mean, why not, right?
“Anything can make it your favorite word. Maybe you like that you can spell it. Maybe you like what it means. Or maybe you just like the way the letters look.”
I didn’t have to explain more, and remarkably these 4th graders had no trouble coming up with ten words they loved. Then ten they didn’t like. I was surprised how quickly and easily they filled their paper. (4th graders are great!)
After they were finished writing, they loved sharing their lists, talking about their words, and explaining why they chose them. Comparing, agreeing, being surprised, laughing. And soon, I was having one of the best classes I’d ever had.
These kids instinctively got it. They understood. Words are the writer’s toolbox.
Painters have color and brush strokes. Dancers have movement; they have their bodies. Choreographers have dancers. Musicians have musical notes and instruments. Photographers have a camera lens and the whole world. Sculptors have wood, or stone, or clay.
Writers have words.
We have the entirety of language. Because story, plot, character and conflict are only as good as the words you use to create them. Writers also need to dance and make music with the rhythm of their sentences. They need to labor (sometimes for hours) over the exact right word needed. They need to be excited to learn a new word, then struggle to make it a natural part of their vocabulary.
Writers need to be passionate about letters, about the words, sentences and paragraphs they form, the way they can flow together perfectly to create the exact scene, or mood, or feeling you want to depict. They need to love language.
Without further ado:
Here are ten of my favorite words (and why)
Believe (Because I got it right on a spelling test in 4th grade when I figured out it rhymed so beautifully)
Eviscerate (Because it sounds cool and has a perfect meaning for a specific thing)
Definite (Because I can never spell it correctly.)
Aisle (Also because I can never spell it)
Truncated (An interesting word to describe a pretty average concept.)
And (Even though I use it way too much)
Confluence (Because someone I know really hates this word and thinks it’s just a combination of combination and convergence, and there is no need for it to exist. I strongly disagree.)
Ambiguous (I’m not sure why.)
Blasé (Because when my teacher used this word to describe me in 7th grade I didn’t know what it meant and I thought it sounded pretty. Like ballet. Now I know better, but I still love it.)
Amorphous (Because I sound cool when I use it.)
I will be giving a six-week fundamentals course with The Hudson Valley Writers Center starting Saturday, Sept. 17th, from 10-12am EST. I am very excited about it. I’ve been working hard to make it both informative and interactive, and of course to emphasize how important language is in making your writing . . well, beautiful. I’d love for you to join me.
Click here find more details about the course here:
