Art of Irreverence

Article Writers, Copywriters, High-Speed Marketers – Get a Super Boost From Your Desk Reference Book

In this online era, it’s tempting abandon the old fashioned, hard copy, desk reference books that have been the mainstay of writers for ages. Books like the dictionary, grammar, style book and trusty thesaurus. Some digital young bloods, accustomed to seeking everything online, may never even have learned the joys – and incredible value – of these traditional physical resources. But if you are serious about writing, there are compelling reason to keep these books at your right hand.

Believe it or not, it’s faster
Instead of starting up your browser, typing in the search words, waiting for your favorite search engine, then sorting through the results – which can disagree with each other – you could have your dictionary or thesaurus flipped open beside you to the words you want.

Physical comfort
Are you feeling “fried” from staring at a screen all day? Give your eyes a refreshing break.

Reach for a book instead of an online search. And the information you find won’t vanish the way your online search results do the moment you click your mouse away.

A dictionary double checks spell check
As we have all learned to our chagrin, spell check can still land you with a real blooper. Be sure with a dictionary. The same goes for a good grammar reference and a style book. When you use the same ones regularly, your work will be give a consistent, professional impression.

Unexpected random joys
After you have looked up “impinge” or “proboscis”, and read all about their interesting Latin roots, you can then wander across the page to learn about the curious meanings of “privy” or why the word “impress” once struck terror into sailors on a pub crawl. This mind-broadening random delight is still something your search engine can’t provide for you. This is also a wonderful source of fresh ideas for more articles.

A good thesaurus can’t be beat!
Most word processing programs provide you with a handy selection of alternative word choices when you get tired of using “obfuscate” or “implement” over and over again. It’s easy just to pick another word from the short list and pop it in. But stop a moment and think of the thousands of other writers doing exactly the same thing – probably choosing the same word.

If you want to be truly original, pick up your big desk thesaurus and plunge in. A word processor will provide about 25 alternatives for the word, “perfect”. A top class thesaurus, however, will provide around 300 alternatives for “perfect”, providing all kinds of concepts you probably haven’t thought of. Chose from this vast array and your writing acquires a uniqueness not available to people sticking to the meager offerings of their word processor.

So, if you don’t own these must-have books, go straight to the bookstore and pick out the ones best suited to you. And be sure to add any specialized reference books for your field. They will provide a truly competitive boost for your writing.