Incarnadine Seas (Blog #5)

Hi all, 

Georgia Heard has a book "Writing Toward Home" in which she gives advice to novice writers. She has a chapter on words that I love. This is an excerpt:

I collect words like shiny red tomatoes, picked from the vine, ripening in my notebook. When I read a word I like in a newspaper or book, I write it down. I collect words for their music, their poetry, their possibility, their surprises.I haunt used-book stores looking for books that contain unusual words. "Elementary Seamanship" has a glossary of sea terms: scupper, bulwark, winch, windlass, scuttles. The book is a cup of possibility for those days when I'm thirsty for words. Gwendolyn Brooks, a poet, says "Collect Words!" Buy your own dictionary. Circle exciting words. The more words you know the better you will be able to express yourself, your thoughts. I collect words because I love them, and as a writer I need to be able to pepper my writing with words from everywhere.

For this blog post I'd like you to listen to words around you. Notice them on menus, signs, books, newspapers - the more you become aware of the words possible to you, the more abundant your writing will become. Post at least 5-10 words that you find beautiful or new or exciting. Comment on each other's posts as well.

Some of my favorite words include: Serendipity, Seaglass, Ethereal, Luminous, Celestial...

Ms. Z.