Read the Dictionary

Go read the dictionary. I'm not kidding. Go pick up a dictionary and read it. Treat it as a book in its own right, not just a reference, and go from A to Z. Pay attention and actually absorb the information in it. Do it today, right now even. It's good for you.

Whether you're a writer, reader, or just someone who speaks the language reading the dictionary for its own sake is worth it. It gives you a chance to encounter new words, collect them, and build your vocabulary. Every word you know, each atomized fragment of language you absorb, gives you a greater understanding and appreciation of the language as a whole. Revel in them.

As a speaker you can express yourself more completely and easily. As a reader you get more enjoyment from your reading because you can pick up and understand more of the nuance in what's written. As a writer you have more tools.

I've talked before about how a writer's most important skill is their ability to choose the right word for a job. Your words are your tools. As a writer you have to be able to convey your meaning precisely, using words that carry the right feel and nuance. That match the spirit of what you want to say, not just the basic concept. You can get by with a small assortment of basic words, a limited palette, plenty of people do. Some actually make it work, but more often it produces flat lifeless writing. You need variety to write something that has weight and juice and life. There are words for everything you want to say, but to use them you have to know them first. You need enough words so that when you have to choose which to deploy you can choose right every single time.

You get that by seeking and collecting and hoarding words until you have a dauntingly massive vocabulary to select your tools from. The larger your vocab the more options you have and, if you're learning and appreciating the words as you collect them, the better you understand how and when to use them. The goal is always to learn and absorb as many words as possible for the mental storehouse, and you do that by going to where the words live and reading the dictionary.

Do it. Trust me, you'll love it. Words are fun.

Go find a really big one, a hefty desk reference copy with plenty of space to spare for unusual and obscure words that might not make it into a more portable version. And an old one, one with a binding that's falling apart and includes the disused archaic terms that may be dropped from newer editions. Grab several. Thesauruses too. And if you can find a good combination dictionary-thesaurus, get it. Cherish it. Keep it forever.

I make a point to pick up a dictionary and at least read a section every few months for a refresher and it truly does help. Every time I come across a word I like but haven't used in a while it's like running into an old friend. So go read the dictionary. Really. Your brain and your craft will thank you.