A Whopping Wad of Winning Words

The world is chock-full of words. By most accounts, the English language contains well over a million words when slang, technical terms, and neologisms (newly invented words) are included. When I was a kid, I was fascinated by an enormous dictionary that my mother kept on a wooden stand to showcase its importance. It was filled with the most amazing words. From the front cover to the back, the tome was about twelve inches thick and thousands of pages. Within its sturdy spine lived short words, long words, words to tickle your funny bone, solemn words, antiquated words, common words, words with pizzazz, obscure words, fancy words, inspiring words, and words that have fallen off the grid entirely.

Whenever I asked my mother the meaning of a word or how to spell a word, she would direct me to her prized dictionary. As a child in elementary school, the teacher tasked my class with an interesting homework assignment. The next day we were to come prepared with a new and different word to share with the class. It was the perfect opportunity to scour the humungous lexicon for just the right word. I longed for one that was not yet in my vocabulary, a smooth-sounding and captivating word to impress my classmates. I randomly opened the book and landed on a page of L words. I closed my eyes and pointed. Boom, my finger touched down on the most fantastic word, ta-da, — loquacious – an adjective meaning talkative, but it sounded so much better than the dull talkative.

That’s the day I fell in love with words.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because choosing the right words for your story is just as crucial as ditching busy words. I want you to fall in love with the written word, fall in love with phrases, terms, designations, and descriptive language. I want you to fall in love with your manuscript enough to compose your scenes with words that suite your story. While simple is usually best for most narratives, I say, if a word fits consider using it.

I’m working on a fantasy novel with characters like fairies, shape-shifters, and other alien beings so words, phrases, and jargon that fit that genre and setting such as merry morning, halloo, mayhaps, cosmic shenanigans, galactic travel, elixir, teleportation, kerseymere, doldrums, maidenhair, and vespertine hour are some of the ones I chose.

Since so many possibilities of words exist, for so many genres, settings, and characters, for the purpose of this article we will break it down by seasons. Use these words to get started and let them spark creativity.

SUGGESTIONS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER

Whether you’re writing a holiday romance, a winter tale, or adding a few scenes to mark the passage of time in your novel, Wordy has a plethora of winter words to choose from. As long as you don’t go overboard or use a ton of clichés, these can add depth, richness, and a fresh spark to otherwise dull prose.

icy	tundra
biting cold	frostbite
numb fingers and toes	icy chill
exhale a breath of frosty air	snuggle
runny nose	grey sky
inky sky	bare trees
frosty	winter wonderland
icicles	blanket of snow
frozen	arctic wind
freezing	iridescent snowflakes
white powder	snowball fight
shoveling	winter blues
the sweet scent of Christmas cookies	Christmas
snowball fights	Chanukah
snow flurries	colorful lights
snowman	hibernation
snowballs	patch of snow
igloo	Valentine’s Day
blizzard conditions	starry night
snow squall	glowing full moon
snowy sky	fierce winds
snowboarding	blizzard conditions
ice-skating	cold and flu season
arctic air	food that sticks to your ribs
cold that settles in bones	hot buttered rum
shivering	sleighride punch
sloshing	jingle bells

If you’re stuck with the winter writing blues and looking to spring ahead, reflect on the words below and choose the best ones to integrate into your narrative. Telling the reader that it’s spring is boring and so fifth grade, instead, dazzle readers with words that transport them into the passage. Don’t be afraid to mix and match words and phrases to express your thoughts.

April showers	bees
blossoms	sunny
bloom	transformation
spring fever	reawakening
spring break	rejuvenating
butterflies	Easter  ~  Easter bunny ~  Easter eggs
metamorphosis	nesting birds
dragonflies	days get longer
fireflies	nights get shorter
spring ahead	mild temperatures
vernal	setting sun
verdant	harmonious
plant a garden	spring scents
buds	frondescent
crocus	honeysuckle
sprout	fledgling flowers
spring fling	flower power
gentle zephyr	flower petals
spring rain	springtime
balmy breeze	new birth
raincoat	efflorescent
new beginnings	fragrant
renewal	flourishing
pollen	ambrosial
umbrella	burgeoning
puddles	picturesque
rainbow	incalescent spring evenings
planting	spring allergies
vegetable garden	hay fever
seeds	birdsong
ladybugs	kitten season

Ready to get your tan on and segue into summer fun and sun? Review the list of descriptive summer words below and do your best to bewitch readers as they devour your story. Don't forget the five senses. Make sure they feel the heat, savor the tastes, hear the crickets and creatures, see the colorful blooms, and get a whiff of suntan lotion or burgers sizzling on the grill.

frozen cocktails	sand and sun
turquoise water	sand squished between toes
seashells	beach blanket
barbeques	tan skin
sizzling steaks	bikini days
humid	sunburn
flip-flops	tan skin
the slapping sound of flip-flops	lounge chair
heatwave	heatstroke
sweat on upper lip	salty air
a cocktail with a little umbrella	sea breeze
hotdogs	scorching hot
juicy hamburgers	blazing sun
grill	splashing
crickets chirping	sun and fun
frogs croaking	fun in the sun
long summer walks	ripe August tomato
the scent of suntan lotion	clambake
beach days	fireworks
serenity	hurricane season
summer romance	poolside cocktails
Independence Day	chatting poolside
beach waves	outdoor concerts
surfs up	sprinkler fun
hanging ten	ocean breeze
the taste of salt on your lips	summer wind

Onward and upward to the changing leaves of autumn. It’s time to savor the final warm days of summer and pivot to the season that ushers in cooler air. Dive into the descriptive list below to create a picturesque scene of autumn beauty. Deliver readers straight into the passage by letting them take a brisk walk with your character who is dressed in a jacket and boots. Show them fallen leaves of gold and crimson that scatter lawns and sidewalks or convey the crunching sound of brown and brittle leaves that crunch beneath your character’s feet.

back to school	fireside chats
fall fashion	crescent moon
sweater whether	harvest moon
warm cider	pumpkins
firepit	everything pumpkin
golden sky	pumpkin spice
root vegetables	pumpkin pie
autumnal	hooting owl
chilly	screech owl
chestnuts	Halloween
gold and crimson leaves	spooky
apple picking	eerie
apple crisp	cozy
apple pie	witches
fall foliage	Witches’ brew
hot cocoa	jack-o-lantern
nippy	Trick-or-treat
butternut squash	Thanksgiving
flannel shirt	turkey
autumn colors	all the sides
candy apples	brisk air
scarlet	crisp air
s’mores	brisk walk
harvest	mittens
hot apple cider	blazer
crockpot meals	hoodie
hiking weather	earmuffs
someone lit a fire	Fall soups

There are so many more descriptive words and phrases to describe the seasons. See how many you can come up with. Try combining some of the above words or using them in character dialogue. Whatever genre you’re writing in, make a list or words associated with that genre that you’d like to include. Writing a romance? Feel the love with a compilation of passionate and sexy words. Doing this can keep you on track and focused. Consider creating a list of words for characters and settings as well. For example, if one of your characters is from the south, research jargon from that area and add it to the list. If your story is set in the 1920s, compose a list of the lingo from that time. You get the idea. Write and have fun!