I Like __ A Lot
Favorite Words
In past conversations, Blake and I have talked about the kinds of words we most often rely upon in our writing, and whether or not we should break from them or embrace them, or both. For example, I noticed Blake seems to like rhythmic -ed words, like ‘befucked’ and ‘squidged’ and so on, and he uses them quite a lot in his writing.
Then, while reviewing SAT words with a high school student the other day, I thought of how I should make a list of words I like to use when I write, or a list of words I would like to use in another story. I went through a bunch of my past stories and reread them for words I remember liking as I wrote them into the text. I’ve listed them here with a few sentences of explanation.
What words do you like? Do you have words you use too much? Words you want to use more? Do you maintain lists of these words? Is it possible to talk about words this way? I think much of this depends on context and how the word is used, so know that I’m speaking directly from how I use these words when I write.
Five random words I have used before and like a lot:
facsimile: I prefer this to the shortened fax. I like the stressed second syllable, how it sounds like an ‘x’ but looks weird on the page; should a ‘c’ ever come before an ‘s’ in a word? Are there other words that look this weird? I like how the last syllable feels on my tongue/in my head when I finish reading the word aloud or to myself.
navigate(d): I like to use this verb a lot. I like to try to figure out what things can be ‘navigated’; therefore, I tend to use it more often in its transitive form. In the past tense, this verb really sounds good in my head because of the final syllable. I think that extra bit makes me put even more stress on the third syllable, which helps me sometimes work out a sentence’s structure, figure out where the most interesting textures occur and what I need to cut in order to bring that out.
kind: I like this word because it is so simple, but it feels unique to me because I like to look at the letter ‘k.’ I like to use it in a sentence to replace ‘nice’ and also in phrases like ‘some kind of’ or ‘a kind of’ and so on. I think of it as a little word to use when I want to build rhythmic phrases.
rudimentary: Something about the end of this word makes me feel like I am tapping my fingers on the desk in a pleasing way. I think the ‘-ary’ of it oddly extends the syllables, like, oh, it’s over at the ‘t,’ but wait there’s more!
gather(ed): I associate this word with children, though I don’t know why. This word seems childlike to me. I think it has origins in ‘fellowship’ and ‘community,’ which might explain the positive feelings I feel when I read it. I like about it the softness after the hard ‘g’ sound. And can ‘g’ ever be all that hard of a sound?
BONUS – Here is a word I usually do not like:
kept: I have too often read this word in verb phrases like ‘kept going’ and ‘kept trying’ and so on. For some reason, I have a hard time liking those verbs, partially because I think they are a little clumsy sounding to me. This has unfortunately ruined my appreciation of the adjective ‘kept,’ which I think could lead to some neat noun phrases.
–adjective
| 2. | having the expression of principles, ideas, etc., controlled, dominated, or determined by one whose money provides support: a kept press; a kept writer. |
According to that definition, I am a ‘kept writer.’
(Just kidding, dear wife! Love you!)
So what are some of your favorite words?
I use ‘ephemeral’ and ‘Disraeli’ way too much.
I use ‘ephemeral’ and ‘Disraeli’ way too much.
I use ‘ephemeral’ and ‘Disraeli’ way too much.
i always get ethereal and ephemeral confused
i always get ethereal and ephemeral confused
i always get ethereal and ephemeral confused
i am determined now to use the word ‘befucked’ soon
i am determined now to use the word ‘befucked’ soon
‘sensual’
‘rejuvenate’
‘sensual’
‘rejuvenate’
i am determined now to use the word ‘befucked’ soon
‘sensual’
‘rejuvenate’
i coulda sworn ive read that word in a thing you wrote
i coulda sworn ive read that word in a thing you wrote
i coulda sworn ive read that word in a thing you wrote
‘juvenile’
‘juvenile’
‘juvenile’
haha, entirely possible. i cant remember, but i hope so.
haha, entirely possible. i cant remember, but i hope so.
haha, entirely possible. i cant remember, but i hope so.
father, mother, blood, stone, gravid, river, omnipotent, fire, swerved, knuckles, red, born, space, my, head, face, light, well, window, wall, room, door, water, ash, city
father, mother, blood, stone, gravid, river, omnipotent, fire, swerved, knuckles, red, born, space, my, head, face, light, well, window, wall, room, door, water, ash, city
father, mother, blood, stone, gravid, river, omnipotent, fire, swerved, knuckles, red, born, space, my, head, face, light, well, window, wall, room, door, water, ash, city
In Andy Devine’s book, WORDS (forthcoming PGP 2010), there are lists of words never to use in fiction, and I think “rudimentary” might be on there.
You’re going to hate that book.
In Andy Devine’s book, WORDS (forthcoming PGP 2010), there are lists of words never to use in fiction, and I think “rudimentary” might be on there.
You’re going to hate that book.
In Andy Devine’s book, WORDS (forthcoming PGP 2010), there are lists of words never to use in fiction, and I think “rudimentary” might be on there.
You’re going to hate that book.
yeah i remember that list from the interview. i dont think i hated it. i liked reading what he said about it.
yeah i remember that list from the interview. i dont think i hated it. i liked reading what he said about it.
yeah i remember that list from the interview. i dont think i hated it. i liked reading what he said about it.
i use “shatter” a lot. probably too much. it just sounds so fuckingood. shit. i used it in my last poem.
also, whisper, honest, desperate, homely/unfortunate, verily, kaleidescope of power, and face.
i use “shatter” a lot. probably too much. it just sounds so fuckingood. shit. i used it in my last poem.
also, whisper, honest, desperate, homely/unfortunate, verily, kaleidescope of power, and face.
i use “shatter” a lot. probably too much. it just sounds so fuckingood. shit. i used it in my last poem.
also, whisper, honest, desperate, homely/unfortunate, verily, kaleidescope of power, and face.
i like ‘unfortunate’ a lot.
i like ‘unfortunate’ a lot.
i like ‘unfortunate’ a lot.
it’s a great word to use in place of “ugly,” “homely,” etc.
it’s a great word to use in place of “ugly,” “homely,” etc.
it’s a great word to use in place of “ugly,” “homely,” etc.
Well, as a matter of fact I do keep a running list of words and phrases I come across that might not come naturally to me and could possibly be useful or funny in some context or other.
Random examples from my list: leathery (for old people), eye-watering (smells), spindly, awash, ridonculous, mise-en-abyme, women’s beach volleyball, life-based belief system, muster, to be between situations, untethered, nuh-huh, uncountable, odd-colored, low-functioning.
Well, as a matter of fact I do keep a running list of words and phrases I come across that might not come naturally to me and could possibly be useful or funny in some context or other.
Random examples from my list: leathery (for old people), eye-watering (smells), spindly, awash, ridonculous, mise-en-abyme, women’s beach volleyball, life-based belief system, muster, to be between situations, untethered, nuh-huh, uncountable, odd-colored, low-functioning.
Well, as a matter of fact I do keep a running list of words and phrases I come across that might not come naturally to me and could possibly be useful or funny in some context or other.
Random examples from my list: leathery (for old people), eye-watering (smells), spindly, awash, ridonculous, mise-en-abyme, women’s beach volleyball, life-based belief system, muster, to be between situations, untethered, nuh-huh, uncountable, odd-colored, low-functioning.
“stuff”
“stuff”
“stuff”
word i use too much: discovered
word i want to use more: exonerate
word i use too much: discovered
word i want to use more: exonerate
For some reason I use Menachem Begin as a verb.
For some reason I use Menachem Begin as a verb.
word i use too much: discovered
word i want to use more: exonerate
For some reason I use Menachem Begin as a verb.
Ha, yes, I thought of Devine immediately when I read this post. Good call, Adam. Here’s an early version of Devine’s “Words You Shouldn’t Use in Fiction” list from a few years ago in the Avatar Review. Says you shouldn’t use the word ‘bottleneck’ in fiction, nor ‘chap’ nor ‘caress’ nor ‘fart’. Just don’t do it.
Ha, yes, I thought of Devine immediately when I read this post. Good call, Adam. Here’s an early version of Devine’s “Words You Shouldn’t Use in Fiction” list from a few years ago in the Avatar Review. Says you shouldn’t use the word ‘bottleneck’ in fiction, nor ‘chap’ nor ‘caress’ nor ‘fart’. Just don’t do it.
Ha, yes, I thought of Devine immediately when I read this post. Good call, Adam. Here’s an early version of Devine’s “Words You Shouldn’t Use in Fiction” list from a few years ago in the Avatar Review. Says you shouldn’t use the word ‘bottleneck’ in fiction, nor ‘chap’ nor ‘caress’ nor ‘fart’. Just don’t do it.
favourite sounding words: milk, talc, lupine, spatula, antediluvian (though kind of judeo-christian connotation which leaves a bad aftertaste)
most overused word: also
funniest word: wheels
word i fucking hate: mortgage
word toward which i am ambivalent – moderately dislike for no logical reason: very (kind of useless, doesn’t look real or appealing)
favourite sounding words: milk, talc, lupine, spatula, antediluvian (though kind of judeo-christian connotation which leaves a bad aftertaste)
most overused word: also
funniest word: wheels
word i fucking hate: mortgage
word toward which i am ambivalent – moderately dislike for no logical reason: very (kind of useless, doesn’t look real or appealing)
favourite sounding words: milk, talc, lupine, spatula, antediluvian (though kind of judeo-christian connotation which leaves a bad aftertaste)
most overused word: also
funniest word: wheels
word i fucking hate: mortgage
word toward which i am ambivalent – moderately dislike for no logical reason: very (kind of useless, doesn’t look real or appealing)
my sorts of words
my sorts of words
my sorts of words
i feel strangely compelled to write a story about an ubiquitous walrus in therapy. and his concubine.
i feel strangely compelled to write a story about an ubiquitous walrus in therapy. and his concubine.
i feel strangely compelled to write a story about an ubiquitous walrus in therapy. and his concubine.
i think i like words that sound like what they are supposed to represent, even though that doesn’t make any sense.
i think i like words that sound like what they are supposed to represent, even though that doesn’t make any sense.
i think i like words that sound like what they are supposed to represent, even though that doesn’t make any sense.
I use expanse a great deal. Also muscle, spine, stretch.
I use expanse a great deal. Also muscle, spine, stretch.
I use expanse a great deal. Also muscle, spine, stretch.
like, one, back, dad, little, just, went, never, father, home
most common words in HAPPY ROCK, it seems.
like, one, back, dad, little, just, went, never, father, home
most common words in HAPPY ROCK, it seems.
like, one, back, dad, little, just, went, never, father, home
most common words in HAPPY ROCK, it seems.
decoct———destructed——-we————fluvial———-cootie (i’ve used this twice. the second time it felt so great to finally use it and use it right)—————- broke’d ———— various combinations of everyday words written in bad grammar and put in -ed form, sometimes without the ‘e’.
words i want to use: morello, dissident, oilcake, faradism, inveigled, jeroboam——- and my favorite of all: onanism….
decoct———destructed——-we————fluvial———-cootie (i’ve used this twice. the second time it felt so great to finally use it and use it right)—————- broke’d ———— various combinations of everyday words written in bad grammar and put in -ed form, sometimes without the ‘e’.
words i want to use: morello, dissident, oilcake, faradism, inveigled, jeroboam——- and my favorite of all: onanism….
decoct———destructed——-we————fluvial———-cootie (i’ve used this twice. the second time it felt so great to finally use it and use it right)—————- broke’d ———— various combinations of everyday words written in bad grammar and put in -ed form, sometimes without the ‘e’.
words i want to use: morello, dissident, oilcake, faradism, inveigled, jeroboam——- and my favorite of all: onanism….
thought i posted this but it’s not there
overuse: solipsism/solipsistic, insofar
good words: abecedarian, shit, resonant
thought i posted this but it’s not there
overuse: solipsism/solipsistic, insofar
good words: abecedarian, shit, resonant
thought i posted this but it’s not there
overuse: solipsism/solipsistic, insofar
good words: abecedarian, shit, resonant
good: ew, ick, yuck, yikes, dang it, jesus, nosferatu, negligee, noxious, nomenclature, glow-in-the-dark, sidewalk, asscrack, shit sandwich, shit storm, jiggy-wid-it, chop shop, britney spears, gregory peck, hurache
bad: thong, nascent, nosehair, snodgrass, nimrod, nesbit, nuclear, fuckhead, dickwad, mars, buckwheat, colonel blimp, beyonce
good: ew, ick, yuck, yikes, dang it, jesus, nosferatu, negligee, noxious, nomenclature, glow-in-the-dark, sidewalk, asscrack, shit sandwich, shit storm, jiggy-wid-it, chop shop, britney spears, gregory peck, hurache
bad: thong, nascent, nosehair, snodgrass, nimrod, nesbit, nuclear, fuckhead, dickwad, mars, buckwheat, colonel blimp, beyonce
good: ew, ick, yuck, yikes, dang it, jesus, nosferatu, negligee, noxious, nomenclature, glow-in-the-dark, sidewalk, asscrack, shit sandwich, shit storm, jiggy-wid-it, chop shop, britney spears, gregory peck, hurache
bad: thong, nascent, nosehair, snodgrass, nimrod, nesbit, nuclear, fuckhead, dickwad, mars, buckwheat, colonel blimp, beyonce
i use the word ‘several’ with great frequency.
also the phrase ‘such as’ has been popping up a lot.
and bird[s]
also darkness
said
and
i use the word ‘several’ with great frequency.
also the phrase ‘such as’ has been popping up a lot.
and bird[s]
also darkness
said
and
i use the word ‘several’ with great frequency.
also the phrase ‘such as’ has been popping up a lot.
and bird[s]
also darkness
said
and
I thought of more:
good: anger, ankara, angkor wat, watts, wattle
probably in my top five: mascara
bad: nugget (especially when describing something found in or just outside a body orifice)
so bad they’re good: clusterfuck, circle jerk
agnes – good, angus – bad
go figure
I thought of more:
good: anger, ankara, angkor wat, watts, wattle
probably in my top five: mascara
bad: nugget (especially when describing something found in or just outside a body orifice)
so bad they’re good: clusterfuck, circle jerk
agnes – good, angus – bad
go figure
I thought of more:
good: anger, ankara, angkor wat, watts, wattle
probably in my top five: mascara
bad: nugget (especially when describing something found in or just outside a body orifice)
so bad they’re good: clusterfuck, circle jerk
agnes – good, angus – bad
go figure
I have difficulty writing anything that doesn’t involve the word “fester”
I have difficulty writing anything that doesn’t involve the word “fester”
I have difficulty writing anything that doesn’t involve the word “fester”
i came across circle-jerk the other day and am attempting to write a poem titled just that, about a literal circle-jerk and the consequences and celebrations of such an act.
i came across circle-jerk the other day and am attempting to write a poem titled just that, about a literal circle-jerk and the consequences and celebrations of such an act.
i came across circle-jerk the other day and am attempting to write a poem titled just that, about a literal circle-jerk and the consequences and celebrations of such an act.
made me laugh
made me laugh
made me laugh
Navigate is real nice to use when referring to the self because of all the tiny words that make it up and their various resonances: OED-wise it refers to a vessel (body), navi- is similar to naval (i.e. naval gazing, etc), and obviously -gate is a gate and/or boundary barrier, navi- also comes from ‘nave’ i.e. the nave of a church and what, I might ask, do we think of as more holy than ourselves.
Navigate is real nice to use when referring to the self because of all the tiny words that make it up and their various resonances: OED-wise it refers to a vessel (body), navi- is similar to naval (i.e. naval gazing, etc), and obviously -gate is a gate and/or boundary barrier, navi- also comes from ‘nave’ i.e. the nave of a church and what, I might ask, do we think of as more holy than ourselves.
Navigate is real nice to use when referring to the self because of all the tiny words that make it up and their various resonances: OED-wise it refers to a vessel (body), navi- is similar to naval (i.e. naval gazing, etc), and obviously -gate is a gate and/or boundary barrier, navi- also comes from ‘nave’ i.e. the nave of a church and what, I might ask, do we think of as more holy than ourselves.
‘navel’ not ‘naval’
‘navel’ not ‘naval’
‘navel’ not ‘naval’
A literal circle jerk or a literary circle jerk?
A literal circle jerk or a literary circle jerk?
A literal circle jerk or a literary circle jerk?
literal.
literal.
literal.
I use words that let me sneak in hard uptempo t-sounds too much. Words like ‘tiny,’ little,’ etc.
I use words that let me sneak in hard uptempo t-sounds too much. Words like ‘tiny,’ little,’ etc.
I use words that let me sneak in hard uptempo t-sounds too much. Words like ‘tiny,’ little,’ etc.
I am partial to the word FORMICATION. Which hath little to do with shagging.
I am partial to the word FORMICATION. Which hath little to do with shagging.
I am partial to the word FORMICATION. Which hath little to do with shagging.
seedy
seedy
seedy
Defenestrate
Defenestrate
Defenestrate
so… i wrote that circle jerk poem. and i got to use the word ‘onanist’ without being an complete asshole.
so… i wrote that circle jerk poem. and i got to use the word ‘onanist’ without being an complete asshole.