Selecting Powerful Words for Your Writing

Sitting with Linda Dobkins at the book signing

The Virginia Writer's Club Symposium "Navigating Your Writing Life" was very successful. "The Word's the Thing" - our panel for the event worked out well. I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss word choices with Kim Dalferes and Angela Carter from our three diverse angles. Kim talked about comedy; Angela, poetry; and I spoke about words in feature article writing and the word connection dredged up between art and writing. We received positive feedback, and people were even turned away from our room because of a limited number due to the fire code.

The informational booklet for the symposium was an impressive 70-page book that contained all the handouts from authors participating on panels and making talks. My handouts were lists of power verbs and quality adjectives as well as a sample press release. I hope that at some point attendees will be able to use my press release as a guide to create one of their own. I want them to insert power verbs and adjectives from my lists.

Here are the power verbs from my list in the Symposium booklet: accelerate, achieve, administer, advance, build, chart, clarify conserve, consolidate, control create, customize, design, devise, enhance, envision, execute, expand, expedite, focus form, gain, guide, head, improve, initiate, inspire, institute, motivate, operate, pioneer, plan, produce, program, refocus, revamp, simplify, spearhead, streamline, strengthen, transform, update, upgrade.

Perhaps you can take a look at your own press release and enhance it through the use of a few of those power verbs. Having a good press release sample to which you can refer for the future is always a good idea, especially for book authors. 

What words have power for you?