Words With Impact: Direct Language Echoes

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“Choose a particular item or activity and make that the object of the language search. Find out as much as possible about the language associated with that object, especially active and concrete verbs, the history of the names used for that object, and terminology that seems especially colorful. Then save from your search a list of nouns, a list of verbs and a list of adjectives.” James McKean

Memory holds our emotional reservoir, both personal and public. Some memories are buried so deep that we don’t recognize them when they echo in the present. We have a fleeting pang or touch of comfort, and wonder why. We need these echoes to help us bridge understanding and communication with others. Regardless of language or status we immediately connect, or recognize, the joy of a newborn child or the grief of a death.

When we recognize an object as an echo for ourselves, or a character, we can dig deep to search out an unexpected perspective that can strengthen our emotional vocabulary with ordinary words.

 James McKean’s suggestion above is a variation on the list poem as well as a general search for key metaphoric and rich words. The first run may or may not contain usable words, but by doing so you’ll spark imagination. And/or you may discover just what you needed for a particular sentence or detail.

Here’s an example of one word I searched just on the surface. I didn’t take his next step of research on this. Dividing the nouns, verbs and adjectives gave me sufficient material for my needs at that time.

Word=Compass

Nouns                                                Verbs                                                Adjectives

arc                                                enclose                                    curved

spatial position                        draw                                                navigational

instrument                                    determine                                    indicator

directional device                        pivot                                                magnetic

circular cord                                                                                    ‘moveable rigid legs

hinged at the end’

I ended up with fifteen words to choose from. The next word I choose to search was navigate for which I ended up with thirty-six words.

To my surprise I was actually able to incorporate the moveable rigid legs.

Action Steps:

1. Write your own opening to the Titanic using another focus. Or choose another movie’s silent image that has captured a memory for you or your character.

2. What echo becomes enhanced? What echo disappears? Apply the same technique to a new scene in your novel.

Share: What emotional echo surprised you?

Read deep, marcy