Look It Up In The Dictionary

I think dictionaries are ridiculously entertaining ~ just flip the pages and point to a word. Did you know that word before? Do you know how to pronounce it? Is its meaning curious or does it make you laugh? My grandma used to tell me to “look it up in the dictionary” when I used to ask how to spell something. I didn’t like that. I was a kid. I thought that was a chore. But not now. I love words. Words. Words. Words. Sometimes I make them up in my writing and can’t believe they aren’t in the dictionary when I edit my work. I might start leaving some of them in my books instead of correcting them. My little secret. See if anyone notices.

Go flip the pages of the dictionary. What was your word?

I’m a nerd. I know things.

So, if you don’t have one of these, you aren’t scoring all the nerd points. And we should all really want to be the best nerd we can be. You know?

This is my vintage spell checker (it’s a Franklin). I’ve had it for decades. I asked for it for Christmas as a kid. True story. I love this thing.

Writers, let me tell you why you want one. Yes, you have spell-check on your program. No, it won’t catch everything. Sometimes my instinct and a fast type into this magical instrument (faster than dictionary online, or thumbing a real dictionary – both which I also regularly do) and you have your answer.

I may do a future post listing the 50 reasons why you need this thing. But for today, just trust me. I’m a nerd. I know things.