December 2016 - Word Counter Blog

Top Writing Blogs to Check Out in 2017

Writing is a solitary occupation, but that doesn’t mean you’re on your own! While you use 2017 to try to up your word count and write that first novel, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. There are plenty of sources to generate inspiration and helpful tips in the year to come.

If you don’t know the adage that says writers should be readers too, it’s time you made it your own, and since you love writing, reading about writing makes absolute sense. You can get tips, tricks and ideas and become part of a community of aspiring writers who share their daily challenges and inspirations.

Writing blogs come in almost as many genres as stories. Some are written by authors sharing their thoughts and experiences on the creative process. Some give you technical tips and tricks. Others offer writing prompts and exercises. Some are for novel writers while others focus on commercial writing. Whatever your interest in writing, you’re sure to find a good a match.

But how will you find really good writer’s’blogs? If you’re a blogger already, you’ll know that the blogosphere is full of aspiring writers and poets, and sad to say, few of them are any good? If you don’t want to end up biting your tongue after reading a very bad post or hitting “like” simply because you can see the writer’s trying hard, check out these fantastic writing blogs by writers for writers.

Goins Writer

Jeff Goins is a published author and writing coach with lots of great information to share. There are even a couple of downloadable e-books and papers which, regrettably, are punted through pop up advertising. It may seem a little annoying at first, but you’re sure to pick up some great tips and tricks from Jeff. He discusses novel writing, commercial writing and the road to publication, and if listening is more your speed after a day in front of the computer, you can always tune in to his podcasts.

Write to Done

Mary Jakcsh, chief editor of Write to Done, curates and creates content that’s aimed at giving writers lots of practice. She believes that anyone can become a good writer with a little practice. Posts like “How to be Insanely Creative on Demand” are sure to tickle your curiosity, and you should have plenty of fun trying to apply the handy tips and writing exercises you’ll find here.

The Write Practice

Joe Bunting gets endorsements from both Mary and Jeff, and sometimes guest blogs for Mary. He’s also a writing coach, and his blog has an up-to-the minute feel and plenty of tips on storytelling, character development, how to survive NaNoWriMo and more. He works with a team of professional writers to produce the blog, and you’ll get the benefit of getting the views of no less than seven writers. There are also loads of free exercises to sharpen your writing skills, so it’s a worthwhile subscription.

Writers Helping Writers

Here’s a blog that’s exactly what it says it is. All the contributors are published authors with a string of books under their belts, and they give you fabulous tips like “Dare to bad.” Dare to be bad? Yup, the first draft always is! At least when you know what’s bad, you can work on transforming it into something good. As for the blogs, most of them are wonderfully quirky and entertaining, so hit “follow” and enjoy the ride!

Smart Blogger

Jon Morrow and associates share the secrets behind a successful blog. And if you’re hoping to become a published author, your blog is going to be one of your top marketing tools – provided you have enough followers! Plus, great blogs attract paid advertising, sponsorships, and opportunities for affiliate marketing. Yup, it’s salesy, but if you want a popular blog, knowing how to sell it is essential! This said, you might decide that the one to two sentence paragraphs that permeate the site won’t do for your book. You’re right! But they will work well on your blog…

Live Write Thrive

Would you like to get a view of writing from an editor’s perspective? Susanne Lakin is both a published author and a writing coach who will shoot from the hip if you give her your novel to look through. Apart from her “day job” providing critique and training for writers, there’s also the blog, so you can benefit from her skills even if you can’t afford them.

The Wicked Writing Blog (aka Writers’ Village)

If you’d like to throw away your dictionary and punctuate as you please, you’ll love this anarchic, amusing, and downright entertaining blog. It has a point. Many famous authors who have made it into “Everybody’s idea of good literature” lists have broken the rules: some of them, or all of them. Discover the quirky side of writing here.

Helping Writers Become Authors

If you want the nitty gritty without the sales-pitch, you’ll enjoy KM Weiland’s blog. Yes, she writes books about writing, and she’s written a few novels too, but she isn’t going to market you to death. There’s some really useful content there, and despite browsing her blog for minutes (I’m being honest here), I didn’t see a single pop up ad, download or sign up invitation. Yes, she does promote her books, but it seems she’s quite happy to sum up what’s in them in her blogs. I found the posts I read insightful, and I believe I’ll be back for more.

The Creative Penn

Thriller writer Joanna Penn is a bestselling author who has also penned (Oh, the temptation to pun!) numerous “how to” books on writing and public speaking, and offers creative writing courses. As you’d expect, there’s a strong commercial element to her blog, but I didn’t find it too in your face, and there were some real gems among her tips and tricks.

Steven Pressfield Online

Steven writes historical fiction with a warlike flavor. Chances are, you’ll have heard about his books or read them at one time or another, and he writes like a true warrior. He hosts several bloggers, but the overarching theme is a gritty tone. As an example, the blog header image currently reads, “Nobody wants to read your sh*t.” If you’re looking for writers who write about writing without pulling their punches, this is the place to be!

Make a Living Writing

Carol Tice is hardworking freelance writer who doesn’t believe we should be swallowing content mill rates. I like her already! Her blog is full of tips for those who want to make a living through their writing and actually get a fairly decent wage out of it. As a freelance writer, I can vouch for her tips. Follow her for inspiration and ideas that will help you to earn decent money for your writing.

Brain Pickings

It’s ad free and interesting. The blog features a lot of information and advice from the greatest writers of our time, and several who were before it. Who is behind it? Maria Popova who says the blog “is my one-woman labor of love — a subjective lens on what matters in the world and why.” There’s plenty of food for thought. Don’t choose it for an easy read, though. The prose is pretty highbrow.

Jody Hedlund

Here we have another busy, bestselling author. Much of what she shares is sheer inspiration rather than technical tips, but hey, sometimes inspiration and the will to get up and go on in the face of adversity is what we need most. Jody didn’t have an easy path to publication, but today, she’s so busy that her blog posts are rather irregular. Still, when she finds the time to write, her posts have value to writers who hope to emulate her success.

The Writers’ Alley

As long as you aren’t expecting anything too secular or irreverent, you might enjoy the Writers’ Alley. The blog is administered by a group of 11 published authors who are also dedicated Christians, and the blog combines spirituality with emotion and tech tips. If you’re not into spirituality and emotion, it isn’t for you, but if you are, you are going to love it!

Writers in the Storm

Three published authors, one blog. They write about what it’s like handling deadlines, tackling author branding, juggling kids and writing and more. You may find it entertaining, interesting and useful if you are already a published author or want to read about the thrills, spills and challenges of being one.

Be a Freelance Blogger

Here’s blog runs by a freelance blogging company, and Sophie Lizard ready to tell you what it takes. As someone who has been there, done that, and is still doing that, I approached her blog with skepticism, but she’s offering some quality information. Even if you don’t choose to use her as an agent, she’ll give you some useful tips. She shoots from the hip, and yes, it sounds a little rough in places, but that’s just how it is.

Men with Pens

If you’re starting out as freelance writer, you’ll find this blog inspiring. If you’ve been at it for a while, it may raise an eyebrow. I didn’t agree with everything I read here, but I thought overall it gave relatively good advice. There’s some good stuff on landing new jobs, but also an assumption that you NEED them. Um. I can’t agree there. Sell more time than you have and you end up subcontracting. Believe me, that way madness lies! Still, it’s a good blog for those who aren’t writing their magnum opus but would like to make some money from writing.

Writers Write

Yes, it does sell writing courses. No, it doesn’t hide all the good stuff till you pay. There’s a lot of good technical information on the blog, and the writers have done their best to keep it entertaining. Even if you don’t sign up with the courses, it’s worthwhile following the blog because it addresses a lot of the “how to” questions that plague writers!

Terrible Minds

I love it! It’s cynical, hard hitting and unconventional. That’s just what you want when following a published author with a blog called “Terrible Minds.” Chuck Wendig writes like a true genius, so even if you don’t agree with his blog posts, you’ll find them stimulating, and against his will, inspiring. Enjoy a good rant complete with colorful similes and vent under comments.

The Courage 2 Create

Enjoy a mixed bag of thoughts on everything from story development to general musings. Follow Olin Morales on his fiction writing journey – you’ll probably find you have a lot in common with this likeable blogger with a touch of the spiritual. Whether you really believe he speaks to angels or not, his posts are highly readable.

The Edublogger

Ronnie Burt provides blogging inspirations for students and points them towards other blogs that could be helpful in schoolwork. Even if you aren’t a student, you’ll find plenty of blogs about blogging, and maybe some new ideas you can apply to your own blog.

Creative Writing Now

Are you looking for creative writing prompts and ideas? This blog goes all out, and the free downloadable e-book with its “30 days of inspiration” is super-tempting. The site is full of writing challenges that will give you all the writing practice you need to sharpen up your creative writing skills. There is a commercial element, but the free stuff is great!

Advice to Writers

A small bite of inspiration every day will keep you writing, and Jon Winokur has consulted the greats to compile a long list of quotes from famous writers about being a writer. Some are thought-provoking, others are funny, and it’s a quick read if you’re in a mad hurry to make your next deadline.

Daily Writing Tips

Technical tips really improve our writing. All of us have our pet writing failures, and by taking in one writing tip a day and making it your own, you can grow much faster as a writer. It’s not a light read, but it’s interesting. From common grammar and punctuation tips to discussions on related words and their origins, you’re sure to learn something valuable when you follow this blog.

Writer Beware

If you’re on the verge of publishing your first book, you need to be very careful of scams, intellectual property theft, contractual eye-waterers and more. Blog owner A. Crispin hasn’t posted anything since July, but the blog holds a serious collection of articles that could save you from getting ripped off. Check it out.

The Writing Reader

I love writing prompts that come with a picture, and the Writing Reader gives you thousands of prompts in words and pictures. Ready to write but not sure what to write about? You’ll really get your creative juices flowing with this cool blog for writers!

The Passive Voice

Here’s a blog with a difference! It’s a borrower, in that it quotes some of the best work on any given theme. Until you realize that, it may seem rather a strange read, but once you get used to the compilation style, the penny drops. Because it credits its sources, you’ll find other websites and blogs worth visiting too. Most posts deal with the latest publishing industry news which allows you to stay on top of the latest trends.

Victoria Mixon, Author & Editor

Victoria Mixon has written what looks to be an excellent book on the art and craft on writing, but although she promotes it in her blog, she offers plenty of tantalizing tidbits for writers written in a unique style that’s never boring. Read and enjoy!

Fantasy Author’s Handbook

Fantasy author Phillip Athans doesn’t just cover fantasy writing, there are plenty of tech tips too. You’ll like the way he writes; it’s clear, to the point, and covers everything from bringing politics into your story to common writing errors. Contrary to popular belief, fantasy is quite a difficult genre, and you should find plenty of information to get you through the process of writing and editing your novel.

Erika Napoletano

Don’t read this blog if you can’t handle strong language and straight talk. Personally, I love it! If you need to get cussed out of bloggers block and set on the road to blogging fame again, Erika delivers the goods in an effective and entertaining way. It’s definitely a gutsy blog for gutsy bloggers! You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll think – it’s one of the best on this list.

Do a bit of your own hunting!

As you can see, you’ll have your work cut out trying to determine just who you should follow. Whether you like your writing inspirations from the fringe (Terrible Minds, Wicked Writing), from a commercial perspective (Be a Freelance Blogger, Make a Living Writing), a spiritual one (Writers’ Alley), technical (Writers Write) or a creative one (Writers Helping Writers), you’re sure to find the right writers’ blog for your needs!

Do you know of other writing blogs which should be included on this list? Let us know about them in the comments.

How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph

When you’re writing an academic essay, or any written report for that matter, you may be tempted to wrap things up as quickly as possible. You may even be tempted to just leave your reader hanging as soon as you’ve presented all the facts and arguments. If you do that, you leave your reader in a “Yes, so what?” position which is clearly not the intention of any piece of persuasive writing.

Your conclusion paragraph joins the dots between your introduction and all the facts you’ve just presented, showing your reader the “take home” message you’re trying to get across. How should you write it to achieve this goal?

I Already Wrote It!

You may argue, “I already told everyone what I concluded in my thesis statement!” That’s true, but at the time, you hadn’t presented the evidence. Now you have to show how the evidence relates to the thesis. Don’t just think it’s obvious and walk away. Your reader does not live inside your head. What is obvious to you may not be as obvious to everyone else!

However, your thesis statement does form the basis of at least part of your conclusion. You can restate it in different words, but now you will flesh it out by relating it to all the information you’ve discussed.

What Sub-Points Did You Make?

To support your thesis, you’ll have discussed several sub-points. What were they? Look at the sub-topics you discussed and determine how they contribute to the thesis. If they don’t contribute at all, or you can’t see the link, they shouldn’t be in the essay! Finally, you want to leave your reader with some food for thought, so your concluding paragraph needs to be good.

Did you know some people (including your teachers) will read your introduction, skip to your conclusion, and only then look at your body text? It’s a good way of seeing how a student has approached the information, so never think your conclusion is unimportant just because it’s at the end.

Let’s Look at an Example

In a recent post, we discussed how to prepare a thesis statement. We came up with this one:

“The United States entered the First World War because of German attacks on US shipping and to halt Germany’s rapid expansion and growing military power which presented a direct threat to US interests and territorial integrity.”

Let’s assume that in our essay, we discussed the practical reasons why the US entered the First World War. We also looked at the moral reasons, and theorized these were highlighted by president Woodrow Wilson to gain extra support for the war effort. They may have been real enough, but we argue they were secondary to the provocation and threats we mentioned in our thesis. Now we have to tie up all the points.

“Although president Woodrow Wilson highlighted the moral reasons why the US entered the war, these had always existed, and had only seen widespread support from certain sectors of the community. With German submarines attacking and sinking US commercial shipping, and even passenger liners such as the Lusitania, the need to enter the war became more urgent. The Zimmerman telegram, which offered support to Mexico should it embark on a war with the US confirmed that Germany did not respect US neutrality, and indeed posed a direct threat to US territorial integrity. Although there were other factors that contributed to the decision, it was these two issues that finally tipped the balance. The US entry into the ‘War to end all Wars,’ was a defensive move, and pragmatism outweighed morality in the final decision to enter it.”

Nothing New in the Conclusion, but Food for Thought

Our example is a little incomplete because I haven’t given you the body text, but you should assume the essay discussed all the reasons for entering the war in detail. Each subsection of the essay may have had a mini-conclusion of its own showing why the information was included and how I think it contributes to the argument presented in my thesis.

My concluding paragraph sums everything up and shows how the information leads up to a final thought, in this case, “pragmatism outweighed morality.”

Final Checks

As a semi-final check, I will consult my question. This may have been:

Discuss the primary reasons for the US entry into the First World War

Or it could have been:

Did the US enter the First World War for practical or moral reasons? Discuss.

Or simply:

Write an essay on the US entry into the First World War.

The last check is done to see if all the information I have included in the essay contributes to the conclusion. There should be a mention, however brief, of all the aspects that were discussed in the body text. You have compiled a lot of information, and it’s up to you to draw it all together into a powerful conclusion supported by the facts you presented.

How to Write a Thesis Statement (with examples)

When you write a paper or essay, you must have a thesis statement. What is it? It’s a statement of your position or point of view. You’ll use much of your essay backing this position up with supporting information, looking at counter-arguments, and generally explaining why you took this point of view. Remember, no thesis statement can be wrong as long as you have the evidence to back it up.

Do Your Research First

Choosing a stance can seem intimidating. How should you go about it? The trick is to do your research first. Don’t just choose a point of view and then try to manipulate the facts to fit it. Instead, look at the facts and see what you can conclude from them. You can then sum your findings up into one strong sentence that will tell your reader how you plan to approach the topic under discussion.

Where Do You Make Your Thesis Statement?

Usually, you’ll write a paragraph introducing your topic, ending your paragraph with your thesis statement. For example, if your essay is about the reasons the US entered the First World War, you might begin with a few sentences outlining the pivotal role the US’s entry in the war had and why it was so important. You might begin by explaining why the US was not eager to enter the war to begin with, and then you’ll end your opening paragraph with your thesis statement.

Be Sure Your Thesis Answers the Question

A thesis statement should be a concise sentence that shows how you’ll answer the question you have been given. As a result, your statement has to be a strong one rather than a vague one. For example:

“The United States entered the first world war for several reasons, some of which matched those of its allies, while others didn’t,” is a weak thesis. It doesn’t give any specifics, and it doesn’t explain what your essay is about other than saying it’s about the US entry into the First World War, which was presumably the question you are supposed to be answering.

If your thesis statement doesn’t answer the question you were given, you have gone off on a tangent, and you’ll receive poor marks for your essay. Test it by reading your question again followed by your thesis.

A Strong Thesis Statement Clarifies the Facts or Your Views

Sometimes, you’ll be asked to present facts, and at others, you may be asked to give a personal opinion. Either way, you absolutely must understand the subject matter before formulating your thesis. Once you know what you’re talking about, you can create a thesis statement that’s free of vagueness or ambiguity.

“The United States entered the First World War because of German provocation and for internal security reasons,” is somewhat better than our first example, but it’s still a little weak.

The former reason is the primary deciding factor, but American politicians also feared Germany’s expansionist policies. The Zimmerman telegram, an intercepted message from Germany offering support for Mexico if it went to war against the US, confirmed that being on a different continent didn’t make the US safe from German ambition. As you can see, our thesis sums these two primary contributing factors up quite neatly, and the rest of the essay can explore these two points in greater detail.

Your thesis statement should fulfill the following requirements:

Tell your readers how you have interpreted the subject matter
Sums up what will be discussed in the paper
Gives a direct answer to the question you have been asked
In most cases you would make a claim that is up for debate. For example, some may argue that the US’s intervention in the First World War was primarily for moral reasons. My thesis suggests that pragmatic reasons were the deciding factor, and I will support this argument with facts throughout my paper.
A thesis consists of one sentence, usually at the end of the introductory paragraph.

You may not be directly asked to formulate a thesis statement, but in general, you can take it as being an element that is expected.

Your Thesis Statement Will Undergo Several Drafts

As you analyze the information you have at your disposal, you may decide to change or expand on your thesis statement. That’s fine. Your first, second, or even third attempts may not be as comprehensive as you first thought. As one of the most important sentences in your paper, your thesis statement is worth reworking to make it as strong as you possibly can.

When in doubt, remember that your teachers are there to help. If they feel that answering your question would be unfair to other students, they will say so. It never hurts to ask if they feel your statement is strong enough.

100 Words You Should Know

As an adult English speaker, you’re expected to have an extensive vocabulary that includes some words that are seldom used in conversational English. You should also be striving to improve your vocabulary. While all these lists are somewhat subjective, they’re a good way to see how good your current vocabulary happens to be, and work on some words you may not know. See how you measure up to this list of 100 intermediate to advanced vocabulary words every adult should know.

Just to make things more interesting, I’ve also peppered a few rather obscure words into the mix, and even though these may rarely be used, they’ll make you an even more dangerous Scrabble player, crossword whizz or other word game player than you already are. Enjoy!

1. Acquiesce

This word means that a person has agreed or assented either verbally or tacitly to something. Even when it is well understood, this word is often misspelled.

2. Aberration

Sometimes, it’s good to be different, but the word “aberration” describes an unwelcome oddity. So, if someone accuses you of aberrant behavior, they aren’t complimenting your originality.

3. Abjure

If you solemnly renounce something, you have abjured it. The word is used in baptism ceremonies in certain churches. The person being baptized declares that he or she abjures Satan and all his works.

4. Abrogate

Abrogation is a situation in which formal or legal measures are taken to do away with something. This would usually be a law or a formal rule that is repealed or temporarily suspended.

5. Acronym

This should have been an easy one for lovers of language. An acronym is an abbreviation consisting of letters. For example, U.S.A for United States of America.

6. Anachronism

I’m sure you will have encountered a few anachronisms during your life. An anachronism is something that is out of date and no longer relevant to the times. If you want to argue that something has lost its relevance by not changing with the times, you can describe it as being anachronistic or an anachronism.

7. Anathema

No, it’s not a rather nice sounding girl’s name. It describes something that you vehemently dislike to the point of total rejection. For example: “He is an atheist; all forms of religion are anathema to him.”

8. Antebellum

A thing that is described as “antebellum” was conceived or constructed prior to an important war. The plantation era before the American Civil War is sometimes referred to as the antebellum era, but the word can apply to anything that preceded a major war.

9. Anthropogenic

Anything that has been caused by human interventions is anthropogenic. The word is usually used in the context of environmental degradation and pollution. Climate change, for example, could be described as an anthropogenic phenomenon.

10. Antithesis

Something or someone that is the diametric opposite of something else. “He was the antithesis of the frivolous millionaire playboy,” would imply that the person was the opposite of what one expect from a happy-go-lucky millionaire. Perhaps he was very serious about current issues, or didn’t like wasting money on status symbols.

11. Assonance

This is the sound a donkey makes. Alright, I’m kidding again, but it does have something to do with sound. It is a technique often used in creative writing and poetry in which similar sounding (but not necessarily rhyming) words are used in close proximity to one another.

12. Benchmarking

Benchmarking involves selecting a certain state as being the norm against which other, similar things will be compared. For example, in vegetation surveys, undisturbed nature would be seen as the benchmark against which vegetation would be evaluated.

13. Bellicose

This is a lovely word for describing people who are aggressive and even willing to fight over an issue. As you can imagine, bellicosity and politics often go hand in hand!

14. Bowdlerize

This is a form of censorship that not only removes the portions of text some might consider risqué, but also weakens the work. The original Bowdler, published an expurgated version of Shakespeare. “Nothing is added to the original text; but those words and expressions omitted which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family,” he wrote, blithely unaware that his 1818 work would turn his name into a byword for literary slaughter.

15. Chicanery

“Chicanery” alludes to the use of dirty tricks in the financial, political or legal world. If you are ever accused of it, know that you are in deep trouble!

16. Chthonic

You really won’t see this word in everyday use, but it’s a killer if you’re into word games! It refers to caves or the underworld. It is a synonym for the more well-known “subterranean” .

17. Cerulean

You will no doubt have read about cerulean waters or skies and assumed that they were blue. You are right. Specifically, the word refers to a deep, sky-blue.

18. Circumspect

If you are behaving with circumspection, you are watchful, wary or unwilling to take risks. One could almost say it was an antonym or opposite for “bellicose”!

19. Circumlocution

Have you ever talked to someone who explains things in a roundabout way? They are guilty of circumlocution. They literally “talk around” a subject instead of being specific and concise.

20. Cogent

The person who is guilty of circumlocution, should try to be more cogent. In other words, they should be clear, logical and convincing. When you present arguments, you will strive for cogency.

21. Colloquial

This is the kind of language we use every day. It is the “spoken” form of a language, and is not appropriate when you are writing a formal text. That doesn’t mean that colloquial words are wrong or bad. They are simply informal.

22. Conundrum

A conundrum could simply be a riddle, but it is also used to describe any puzzling or difficult question.

23. Crepuscular

This lovely word is used to describe things that resemble or relate to twilight. In its simplest form, it is used to describe creatures that become active at twilight, but I’m sure you know a few people like that too!

24. Deleterious

If something has harmful effects, they can be described as “deleterious effects.” You’ll often find this word being used in medical texts and in psychology. “Harmful” is just as good, but this word is ever so much weightier!

25. Depredation

My mom used to use this word to describe my brother’s activities in the pantry. It describes an act of attack or plunder. Judging from the state of the grocery cupboard once my brother was finished, my mom described what he’d been up to very well.

26. Didactic

In its simplest context, this word describes something that was designed to teach a lesson. For example, a didactic story would have a strong lesson to teach. However, the word can also be used negatively to describe someone who is preachy and patronizing.

27. Egregious

Think of all the words that mean “terribly bad or shocking;” that’s what “egregious” means. Never did a difficult-seeming word have a simpler definition!

28. Enervate

If you are feeling drained, weakened and tired out, you have probably been through some sort of enervating experience. There are good types of tiredness, but this is not one of them.

29. Enfranchise

This means giving people freedom or the right to vote. Nowadays, we worry about disenfranchisement, a situation in which rights or freedoms are taken away.

30. Entomophagy

This word is quite rarely used, but if we were to have a famine, or if certain exotic dishes became popular, we might need it. It means “the eating of insects,” and although it generally applies to animals and birds, there are plenty of people who eat insects as a matter of course! Any word with the suffix “phagy” or “phagous” refers to what an organism eats.

31. Epiphany

An epiphany is an “Aha!” moment, but the word comes from the Christian festival celebrating the revelation of Christ to the magi. If you have a life-changing realization, it could be described as an epiphany.

32. Epitome

A perfect example of something epitomizes it. “Her life so far is the epitome of the American Dream,” makes me think, “Wow, I want one just like it!”

33. Eschatology

A lot of people discuss this quite heatedly without knowing the right word for it. It is a religious doctrine that deals with death, judgement, and what happens to the soul after death. And in case you were wondering – I didn’t know this word before I researched this article, but I thought we needed a few challenges.

34. Eschew

Here’s a useful little word that says more than it seems to. For example, you could say someone doesn’t exercise, but if you say, “He eschewed exercise,” it implies a stronger and more deliberate aversion.

35. Evanescent

If you have literary ambitions, this beautiful word is worth having in your vocabulary. It refers to something that is transitory, or that disappears or fades rapidly.

36. Existential

The word structure says it all. It describes something to do with the nature of existence. If you’re into philosophy, you probably use this word a lot.

37. Exponential

There is a mathematical description of exponents and what can be regarded as “exponential.” I’m not going to go into it here. We more often hear of it in a context that implies rapidly increasing growth. When you hear it, don’t just trust it. Ask for the figures.

38. Facetious

This is one of my all-time favorite words, and I have frequently been accused of facetiousness. It means making inappropriate jokes or taking serious situations too lightly. I wouldn’t say it’s always a good thing, but sometimes, it helps, because there are times when we are way too serious about unimportant things.

39. Fascism

What is it? It sounds great in political arguments, and the word is often bandied about. It is a type of nationalism that sprang up in Europe in the 1920’s, and it led to some pretty authoritarian governments that were known for their right-wing views and intolerance. If you want to know more about the deeper implications of fascism, read some history.

40. Fatuous

A fatuous comment is silly, inane, or just plain stupid. Save this remark for someone who really deserves it, and serve it up cold.

41. Fiduciary

If you encounter this word, it will be in a legal context. It is the term used to describe a trustee who takes care of assets on behalf of one or more beneficiaries.

42. Filibuster

The filibuster is a person who uses a dirty, time-wasting trick to hold up a legislative decision. Without breaking any rules, the filibuster speaks at great length without saying anything useful. The word comes from the old English for “pirate,” and it is not a good thing to be.

43. Fulminate

Let’s use an example: your teacher tells the class that the holiday assignment is a 10,000-word essay. After class, everyone discusses how furious they are, how unfair it is, and so on. They are, in fact, fulminating.

44. Hegemony

Ever since people first got together to live in cities, there have been groups of citizens with differing cultural or social backgrounds. When one group politically dominates all the others, it is called a “hegemony,” and the term can be applied to any form of government that fits the description.

45. Heuristic

If someone once helped you to work something out for yourself, he or she used a heuristic teaching method. You could call it “hands on” learning, but nobody shows you what to do. They just show you how to figure it out, and you get to feel great when you get it right.

46. Holistic

The simplest definition for this would be to say that holism considers various factors that influence each other, and not just one factor, influence or symptom in isolation. The term is most commonly used in philosophy and medicine, but it is getting quite commercialized, and is sometimes used elsewhere too.

47. Homonym

When two words are spelled the same, are pronounced the same, but have different meanings, they are homonyms. For instance, “The man standing beside the pole is a Pole.”

48. Hubris

In Greek mythology, hubris was a state in which mankind defied the gods or thought itself better than the gods. Dreadful consequences predictably followed. Today, it means excessive pride or confidence that could lead to terrible consequences.

49. Incisive

Have you ever tried to explain how you feel about something at length only for your listener to sum it all up in a sentence or two? That’s incisive thinking. It gets to the heart of the matter quickly, showing great insight.

50. Incognito

Are you mysterious? Then you may like being incognito – using another identity or concealing your own identity in some other way.

51. Inculcate

This means teaching someone a principle or habit in such a way that the lesson is fully ingrained and adopted.

52. Interpolate

Interpolating something means inserting it between fixed points. The word is often used to indicate that something has been added to a book or text. Perhaps there are images, or perhaps a third party has added information. It can also be an interruption when someone is talking.

53. Irony

Too easy? Nevertheless, this word is often incorrectly used. Irony means saying the opposite of what you mean for effect. Sometimes, events can be ironic for the same reason: they seem to contradict each other. Many people confuse it with sarcasm.

54. Juxtaposition

When two contrasting situations or thoughts are compared for effect, we have a juxtaposition. It’s a useful technique in both creative and factual writing.

55. Jejune

If someone presents you with a naïve point of view, seems to be oversimplifying, or has only superficial knowledge, you can use this word, both to describe their efforts, and to baffle them.

56. Lionize

When you treat someone as if they were a celebrity, then you are lionizing them. Sometimes, we do this out of genuine respect for what they do, but sometimes, people do it to gain favor.

57. Lucubration

The word “lucubration” could be used to indicate something that has been given a lot of study and deep thought, but it’s also a rather rude way of describing a piece of writing that seems terribly pedantic and overelaborate.

58. Malapropism

The word “malapropism” was coined thanks to a 1755 play by Richard Sheridan. Mrs. Malaprop would often replace words with similar sounding ones with amusing results. If you talk about having “danced the flamingo” you are guilty of a malapropism.

59. Magnanimous

When someone is very generous or forgiving to someone in a less powerful positon, you can call him or her “magnanimous.” It’s a form of generosity that isn’t really necessary, but that shows kindness.

60. Mnemonic

When you use a combination of letters, a rhyme, or a set of associated things to remember a list of names or facts, you are using mnemonics.

61. Motif

A motif could be something as simple as a design on a Tee shirt, or it can be a theme in writing or music. A leitmotif is a “leading motif” that is one of several motifs, but is dominant. In music, it could be a theme tune associated with a particular character.

62. Moiety

In anthropology, this term relates to the groups into which people are divided during important rituals, but it has also come to mean a share, particularly a lesser one.

63. Nihilism

“Nothing matters, everything is trivial, even existence is questionable and could be an illusion. There is no God, and nothing has any importance.” If this depressing philosophy appeals to you, you are a nihilist.

64. Nomenclature

A nomenclature is a system designed for naming things. It could be a set of terminology, a term, or it could refer to a scientific naming system such as that used to identify all living things with two Latin names.

65. Nemesis

You don’t want to meet this person or circumstance. It is an “inescapable agent” that leads to your downfall.

66. Obfuscate

Scenario: you have just been to class. Your teacher has explained something at length in terms that have left you totally confused. Scenario two: you ask a friend why they did something you don’t quite approve of, and they give you a long story that leaves you feeling baffled. Words can be used to clarify, or they can be used to obfuscate facts.

67. Obsequious

People are bowing and scraping and offering every possible tribute to someone in power. You have a feeling they’re being obsequious because of the servile degree of attention they are giving.

68. Oligarchy

A small group of people with very similar interests have absolute control over the destiny of a country or an institution. Does that sound scary? Now you know what to call it!

69. Onomatopoeia

“Bang! Crash! Zoink. Kerflabaflabaflaba!” Words that are meant to imitate sounds are examples of onomatopoeia.

70. Ontology

What is the metaphysical nature of being? Do you have an opinion? That’s ontology! Don’t even ask me about mine…

71. Orthography

How are words spelled? That’s orthography right there!

72. Oxymoron

I’m sure you know a few phrases that are contradictions in terms. Some say that “military intelligence” is one of them. Which oxymoron is your favorite?

73. Paradigm

If you go into business, you will hear this word rather a lot. It means a model that governs the way things are done, and they’ll usually be telling you that you need to shift it, or that there is a new one.

74. Paucity

When there is too little of anything, you are suffering a paucity of it. It’s most often used in relation to facts, but it works just as well and even more uncomfortably with funds.

75. Pecuniary

How remarkable that this word should follow my last incisive remark! Pecuniary considerations are about money. Please do not use them as the sole basis for choosing a career. You will be unhappy, but will have achieved pecuniary gain.

76. Pedantic

Sometimes, it’s good to be fussy or finicky about the way you present information, but if you go too far with it, people will call you “pedantic.”

77. Pedagogy

Pedagogy is teaching, and a pedagogue is a teacher, but this old-fashioned word is often used negatively to describe someone who teaches rather boringly.

78. Pejorative

If you’re inclined to disapprove or disparage something, you are being pejorative. Pejorative words express disapproval.

79. Phonemes

Phonemes are letters that distinguish very similar words from one another. For instance, “pad, pat, bad and bat” are distinguished from each other by phonemes.

80. Plagiarism

As a student, you need to understand plagiarism and know how to avoid it. If you were to copy whole passages from someone else’s work, that’s plagiarism. Of course, plagiarism is something to be avoided whenever you are supposed to be producing original work.

81. Proletariat

If you are an average working class person, you are a member of the proletariat. The word was extensively used in Marxist philosophy, but now it’s fair game for anyone to use.

82. Prolix

When someone calls your written work “prolix,” you should not congratulate yourself. It means you have presented it in an overly complicated, wordy, or rambling fashion. It’s also a great scrabble word. Just imagine the score if you hit “triple word score” with it!

83. Pusillanimous

Cowards, the lily-livered and the generally timid may be deserving of a suitably disparaging adjective. This is it.

84. Quotidian

You could use this word to describe something that is mundane or that happens every day. If you’re looking for a synonym, try “everyday” for size. In medicine, it is used to describe a particularly nasty form of malaria.

85. Reify

Never let it be said that we only looked at long words. This one means turning something abstract into something more real and easier to understand.

86. Rubric

There are three meanings for this word. It could be a statement of purpose or function, a simple heading at the top of a document, or a note in a liturgical book indicating how a ceremony should be performed.

87. Sanguine

I like people with a sanguine disposition. They are upbeat and optimistic. You can, for example, be sanguine about the future, your economic prospects, and so on. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are being realistic!

88. Scurrilous

Being scurrilous could mean everything from being humorously insulting to being downright libelous and spreading nasty rumors.

89. Sesquipedalian

What could be better than a really long word to describe the use of long words? I have to admit, this is one of my favorites, simply because it seems so appropriate, and rather funny.

90. Soliloquy

Nowadays, if you were to talk to yourself about what your thoughts and feelings, people would think you had gone mad. Nevertheless, the soliloquy has been widely used in drama to give audiences an insight into the character’s thoughts.

91. Tautology

There are two ways to use this word. A tautology could be an unnecessary repetition – repeating the same idea using different words. It could also be used to describe logic that is undeniably correct and proves a truth.

92. Temerity

When you need a word to describe an action that is outrageously cheeky or audacious, this word is perfect for the job, “He had the temerity to decide I wouldn’t mind him copying my work.”

93. Ubiquitous

Anything that is everywhere to be found or seems to be so is “ubiquitous.” “Text speak is becoming so ubiquitous that it may soon be accepted in business letters.”

94. Umami

Your tongue can identify a number of flavors. Umami is a meaty flavor that is not sweet, sour, or salty.

95. Vernacular

The language you speak at home, or the one spoken by a specific group of people in a country or region is its vernacular language. It also refers to architecture that focuses on what is functional.

96. Verisimilitude

Is something real? Is it true? Are you unsure? Then you are doubting its verisimilitude. This word is handy because it combines the concepts of truth and reality.

97. Vitriolic

When people are vitriolic, I either find it very funny (which they don’t intend) or annoying. Vitriolic speech or writing is bitter, caustic and acerbic.

98. Ultracrepidarian

Do you know someone who always has advice for you no matter how little knowledge he or she has? Now you have the right word to describe this person!

99. Unctuous

It’s usually very nice when people admire you, but sometimes you get the feeling that a person is being oily or insincere, and just wants to get into your good books. When this happens, you have just been the object of unctuous behavior.

100. Uxorious

When a man is overly submissive towards his wife, he can be described as “uxorious.” Of course, she might just say that’s just how it should be!

And here are four bonus words:

101. Vacuity

“I admire your vacuity,” he said. “Why, thank you,” she replied, proving the point. Vacuity is empty-headedness and a lack of intelligence.

102. Xeric

Generally, when we see the prefix “Xero” or “Xer” we can associate the word that it introduces with something very dry. A xeric life form can tolerate, and even prefers very dry conditions, and a xerophyte, is a plant that tolerates extremely dry environments.

103. Zymurgy

This is a very helpful scrabble word, but what does it mean? Zymurgy is the art of brewing, wine-making or distilling.

104. Zephyr

A zephyr is a pleasant, light breeze that you’d welcome on a hot summer day. “A passing zephyr rustled through the treetops.” Ah! Poetic!

What Is a Subordinating Conjunction?

A subordinating conjunction (also called subordinate conjunction) links two particular parts of a sentence: a dependent and an independent clause. When a sentence has these two elements, it’s classified as complex. Here is an example of a dependent clause.

If you dare to hit me,

Hey, don’t you want to know what’s going to happen next? Yes, because the idea is incomplete. It depends on the next clause to finish it… ,I will call Mommy for help!

This is the independent clause that finishes the sentence. It’s a whole statement that can stand on its own as a sentence; that’s why it’s independent. You can also see that “if” begins the dependent clause. That’s the subordinating conjunction. It can either come at the start or the end of the dependent clause. When it’s first, you always have a comma after the clause.

When I get my revenge,
Although I’m sorry I hit you,
After we had the fight,
Until we kiss and make up,
Whenever you’re ready to apologize,

All the underlined words are subordinating conjunctions. Common examples of these include: after, although, as, as soon as, because, before, by the time, even if, even though, if, in case, in order that, once, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether, whether or not, while, why.

You can see a subordinating conjunction sometimes includes two or three words, so be careful not to think of it as a single word.

The function of this part of speech is to establish a condition. It could be a time, a place, a reason, or something else, but there is some type of condition being given.

When I get my revenge, (you’re talking about a future event you want to happen)
After we had the fight, (this is a past time)
Until we kiss and make up, (this is a possible future event)

Again, it’s important to see these are all unfinished statements. They need the independent clause to form a proper sentence.

Because English varies from one English-speaking country to another, this rule is not followed much in Great Britain. Therefore, the British might consider this to be correct:

After Johnny and Susie fought they agreed to be peaceful.

But what happens in a case like this?

After Johnny ate Susie decided to have a meal too.

The sentence appears to say that “Johnny ate Susie”! So to avoid a misunderstanding (and laughter), it should always be:

After Johnny ate, Susie decided to have a meal too.

Using the comma teaches you better habits and prevents you from writing ambiguous and confusing sentences.

It’s also important to note when a subordinate falls in the middle of a sentence, it normally does not have a comma before it.

Johnny will go if Susie promises not to hit him.
Johnny won’t go even though Susie promised to be good.
Johnny will go provided that Susie stays home.

Sometimes there’s a natural pause before the subordinating conjunction, so having a comma makes sense.

We should kiss and make up, if only to keep our cousins from gossiping about us.

One other situation where a comma is required occurs with “because” and a negative dependent clause.

Don’t go because Susie doesn’t want you to.

Does this sentence mean the same as the following?

Because Susie doesn’t want you to, don’t go.

The two probably have the same meaning; but what if the speaker really means this?

Don’t go because Susie doesn’t want you to; instead, don’t go because you don’t want to.

If this is what he means, the first sentence should stay unchanged. But if he means

Because Susie doesn’t want you to, don’t go.

Then he should write

Don’t go, because Susie doesn’t want you to.

This is tricky, but you won’t find this situation very often.

The Difference Between It’s and Its

Before you begin to feel bad about not knowing when to use “it’s” as opposed to “its,” I have a confession to make. There was a time long, long ago, in a galaxy very like this one, when I didn’t know the difference either!

In my defense, it is really easy to get confused. Generally speaking, you would use an apostrophe for omitted letters (e.g. when you say “what’s” instead of “what is”) as well as for possessives (“John’s” meaning that something belongs to John). To make it even more confusing, you could say “John’s in the backyard,” and that would be an abbreviation of “John is.” Both the possessive form and the contraction get the apostrophe.

But there is a special rule that applies to the word “it.” Sometimes, you’d use the apostrophe and that would be correct, and other times, it would be derisively referred to as a “grocers’ apostrophe.”

What’s a Grocer’s Apostrophe?

A grocers’ apostrophe is an apostrophe that is used in the wrong place. Have you ever seen signage bearing the information “Banana’s on special today?” That’s a genuine grocer’s apostrophe in action. As you probably know, the plural of “banana” is “bananas.” No apostrophe is needed. You could say “The banana’s skin was yellow,” because you are now using the possessive form. The skin belonging to the banana was yellow.

Just as you may feel a little superior when you see that “banana’s” are on special, so teachers and other nit-picky people like bosses and… well… me… would smirk when they see an “it’s” instead of an “its.” Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of which one to use in what circumstances. It’s actually quite logical. If you remember one important fact, you’ll never get it wrong again.

Only Use the Apostrophe for the Contraction

You only use the apostrophe for the contraction of “it is” and sometimes, “it has.” Can you remember this? Then you’re good to go already. In contractions, letters are omitted, and we indicate the missing letter with an apostrophe. Examples of contractions include:

It’s – It is
What’s – What is
Don’t – Do not
Won’t – Will not
She’ll – She will

And so on, and so on. The apostrophe is used to show the word is a contraction, and in the case of the word “it,” it’s the only time you’ll use an apostrophe.

Never Use the Apostrophe For “Belonging to” It

Usually, you’d use the apostrophe for possessives too, but not in this case.

John’s scarf got tangled in Mary’s.
The children’s toys were all broken.
The cat’s toy is under the sofa.
The business’ logo is very smart.

Use the word “it”, however, and the “belonging to” form has no apostrophe.

The cat played with its toy.
Its paint is peeling.
Its logo is unimaginative.

How Can You Know for Sure When to Use the Apostrophe?

It’s easy! If you can extend “it’s” into “it is” or “it has,” then the apostrophe is completely correct. Try it with the possessive, and it obviously won’t work. Another way to remember is to think about the words “his” or “hers.” Neither of these words has an apostrophe either. “Its” is simply the form of “his” or “hers” you would use when talking about something that’s not a person.

That’s because the words “its,” “his” and “hers” are not actually nouns. They are pronouns. That isn’t to say you would never use an apostrophe with a pronoun, but it does help a little since pronouns with apostrophes showing possession are relatively rare. Using them with possessive pronouns (and “its” is a possessive pronoun, just like “his,” “hers,” “yours,” or “theirs”) would be redundant because the very nature of the word shows possession.

Now you have the more complicated explanation, too. But don’t worry about it too much. Simply remember when you refer to something belonging to an “it,” no apostrophe is used. Do that, and you’ll never make the common writing mistake of adding an apostrophe to “it” when it’s unnecessary.