How do writers think of big words to put in their novel?

Question

Hi my cousin is writing a novel and I'm trying to help her as much as I can. So please try and help. Here is the full question: How do writers think of big words to put in their novel? Is it already with them (like part of their vocabulary), or do they get it from somewhere? Because the thesaurus on Microsoft Word doesn't show words that are 'big' in the synonyms section or the thesaurus itself (in Microsoft Word). If you can help in any way please do, thanks again!

Answer 1

thesaurus.com  does the trick for me

Answer 2

I think over time you learn big words and people like writers use them a lot keep them in the vocabulary.

Answer 3

Thesaurus.com is a lifesaver, but I also have a very extensive vocabulary so many of my "big" words come from that.  I've also found that looking at the list of words that the National Spelling Bee champions have had to spell is really interesting.  They have a lot of great words.  

Answer 4

You shouldn't be looking for 'big' words. 'Big' words don't matter; as long as they get the point across, they're fine. And they should come naturally, in an experiment my LA teacher did where we had to put 50 'big' words in every paragraph, it came out like gargling.

Big words aren't nessessary to sound smart! And there's no way to judge the 'bigness' of a word. Just let it come out.

The best authors-they don't need thesaruses. It just comes.

Cheers, rab

Answer 5

1. Read lots of books to improve one's vocabulary.

2. Reference Orwell's 'six rules for writing', below:

       1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

       2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.

       3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

       4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.

       5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

       6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything barbarous.

Good writers pick a word based on how well it expresses the specific idea that the writer wants, not on how long or exotic-sounding it is. It's fine to use a thesaurus, but don't trust the thesaurus blindly, and never use words whose definitions you don't already know (that often leads to misuse).

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

It's probably not necessary. Most good authors don't have to resort to using big words.

Answer 7

Most of the time i believe they have large vocabularies to begin with. When I'm writing and trying to find the perfect word i go to www.dictionary.com then go to the thesaurus and type in the word that i would use generally and normally it really opens my eyes to other ways of explaining that word.  

Answer 8

you should work out of your own vocabulary.

Answer 9

She should buy a thesaurus and keep it next to her when she's writing.

This way it will be easy to look up different types of words.

Answer 10

It's usually in their vocabulary. And most writers develop their vocabulary by reading! I'd encourage your cousin to read as much as possible and whenever she sees a word she doesn't recognize, look it up! She'll remember it later and it makes the flow of the book much more sophisticated. If she finds herself using the same word over and over but can't seem to think of another word that fits, I reccommend theasuras.com. It's a branch of dictionary.com and it's really great.

Good luck!

Answer 11

A good author simply pulls from her or his vocabulary.  On rare occasions, I turn to a thesaurus, but only when I'm not able to recall a word I already know.

Unless you are totally familiar with a word you found in a thesaurus, don't use it - while it might technically be a synonym, it could be out of place in the context in which you use it.

Good luck!

Answer 12

Authors don't try for "big" words.  They're looking for words that convey the nuance of meaning they're looking for.

Answer 13

I'm a published contemporary romance author and I am guilty of using big words.  More than the size of the words I like to use variety in my writing so that you don't read 'she said/ he said' over and over.  I also try to avoid cliches as well.  Having a thesaurus is always ideal, having a dictionary handy is ideal but I don't think the problem is the size of the word but that the perfect word is hovering in your mind behind a thousand similar words that don't quite capture the essence of what you're trying to say.  Personally I keep a journal of my favorite words or turns of phrases I find in other works in the genre I'm writing in.  I take them and re-write, re-work and come up with my own unique statements most of the time (because my parents always made me look up words) I can string together some really great phrases that make me original.  I challenge myself in trying to find new ways to describe the same boy meets girl scenario that every romance novel has to have.  I look for slang terms, unused words, old English, foreign languages.  These little nuances also give my characters their own personal feel while keeping my writing fresh for my readers.