A Writer's Tools: The Big Four

A Writer's Tools: The Big Four
by Glenn White

Good Tools, Good Work

There is a saying, “You can only work as good as your tools.” For example, if you have a dull knife, it is a chore and almost impossible to slice bread, vegetables, or cheese neatly. An unsharpened knife rips through a crusty loaf of sourdough bread and reduces it to crumbs.

The same is true if you lack good writing tools. You can have a wonderful story but when you don’t have the right writing tools then it becomes crumbs for the birds. There are basic good tools every writer needs to work well. Yes, these tools cost a few dollars but they are worth every penny when you are a writer. Whether you're a published or unpublished writer these are the tools you need to write well.

A Good Dictionary

The first basic tool is a dictionary. The best dictionary is always a matter of preference but the one widely accepted is Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Editon This is the dictionary many writers and editors accept as a standard good tool. If you have another dictionary, that’s fine. But why not invest in a new one with contemporary words and definitions? Words are always changing and it’s best to keep pace with the evolution of the English language.

The Thesaurus

The second tool you need is a thesaurus. A thesaurus is a reference listing words to use in place of other words.

Here’s how it works. Let’s say you keep using the noun “work” repeatedly. You want to find another word to use. For example; you can grab a thesaurus like Roget’s Thesaurus and look up “work”. Under “work” you’ll find: “labor, exert, toil, effort, struggle, drudgery” and so on. A thesaurus gives you ideas of what other words you can use to replace overused words.

Word of Caution:
When using a thesaurus avoid the temptation to replace one word with another word at random. If you do then your writing appears choppy (rough, stormy, wavy, violent, bumpy, turbulent, frothy, wild) or stilted (pompous, overly dignified, affected, wooden, pretentious, bombastic, stiff, pedantic, grandiloquent, mannered, formal).

The Writer’s Little Bible

I don’t like using the term, bible, to describe anything other than scripture. But, writers everywhere hold The Elements of Style in high esteem and it is like a bible for writers. It is referred to and quoted by everyone, it seems. This is a small inexpensive volume filled with priceless writing tips for grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary. I don’t know of any published writer who either doesn’t own a copy or at least has read it.

The Big Red Book for Writers

If there is one book referred to when there are questions about style it is The Chicago Manual of Style. Okay, let me warn you, this one is the most expensive of your Big Four. Relax, take a deep breath, buy a copy, put it out for everyone to see and start feeling like a serious writer. If there is one book that will give you the sense of being a serious writer, it is this book. It’s over nine hundred pages of style guidelines for writing books, articles, and virtually everything in print. The only other popular style manual is the AP Style Guide but it is for newspapers.

Own the Right Tools

That’s it, those are the Big Four reference books for writers. When you have these, you own the best tools for writing your best. Skimp on expensive paper, pencils, pens, and other writing necessities but don’t neglect adding these to your library. You’ll never regret having the right tool for the job when you need it. And when you do then you’ll write to inspire!