Give priority to diction

Consciously or subconsciously, we search for suitable words to convey our thoughts. When we are quite sure about what we want to say, words come spontaneously; while, to express an idea that is not firmly fixed in our mind, makes us to cross out one choice after another until we settle for the exact word we want to use to communicate.

You can not mark this revision as a sign of indecision — even the world’s best writers worry about diction: the selection and use of words for effective communication. I believe they are great writers partly because they take pains in choosing the best word for the best place.

Words cannot be right or wrong — the effect created in context of a sentence measures value of the word. To add an edge in writing, we should learn to use words for their effect.

Annie Dillard, famous for her evocative descriptions of nature, confesses in an interview how she selects words — “I learn words by learning worlds…When I choose words, I think about their effect — of course I like to create a rich prose surface that pommels the reader with verbs and images. I think of them as jabs…That’s the vigor I want.”

Similarly, if we want to infuse freshness, strength and vigor in our writing, we must, like Dillard, learn the words that represent the “worlds”.