Choose Your Words

Word choice can make or break a piece of writing. When you find the perfect words, they will convey the exact tone, expertise, and information you want your reader to have.

Tone

Word choice can set a serious or humorous tone. Consider the following:

Ricky puffed out his chest and flexed his arms

Ricky thrust his chest forward and struck a strongman pose

The first example shows preening where the second paints a humorous caricature.

A tear slid down her cheek

A tear coursed down her cheek

One is a trickle the other a torrent. Or consider

Spoiled children

Spoiled brats

Two distinctly different vibes emerge by changing a single word.

The English language has a wealth of words and synonyms with infinite nuances. When you pick the right word, you can often eliminate adverbs which in turn tightens your prose.

Expertise

Say you’re writing for quilters. Identifying quilts by name demonstrates that you know what you’re talking about. Using common sewing terms like thread, needle, stitch, and remnant in the body of your article will resonate with your readers, and give you credibility.

On the other hand, if you’re writing for educators, terms such as interventions, curriculum, and standards will be more appropriate. Scholarly language demonstrates your competence and level of understanding in specialized fields. This is especially important to establish your level of expertise in nonfiction.

Information

In order to convey information, you must consider your audience. Quilters may or may not hold advanced educational degrees. Play it safe, and use common words when communicating to this group.

Conversely, educators have a specialized language rooted in their college education. While simple is often preferred, scholarly language will go over better with this group.