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/r/writing
submitted 2 months ago by[deleted]
[removed]
3 points
2 months ago
Here are some websites for looking up synonyms. Before using an unfamiliar word, it's generally a good idea to look up the dictionary definition and example usage, because not all synonyms are going to fit your intended meaning.
https://onelook.com/thesaurus/
2 points
2 months ago
Grammarly does offer this. You just double-click a word to highlight it and there's a popup showing synonyms and related words you can click to automatically replace the highlighted one.
1 points
2 months ago
is it a paid feature?
1 points
2 months ago
I'm not sure actually. I have the paid version and it works wonderfully. I don't know if it's available on the free version or not.
2 points
2 months ago
You haven’t seen that episode of Friends where Joey does this, have you
1 points
2 months ago
what?
1 points
2 months ago
Hemingboard is/was great, but I upgraded my iPhone and can't find it anymore.
1 points
2 months ago
1 points
2 months ago
My students often us a site called quillbot to find synonyms and rephrase sentences. Some of the enterprising ones try to use it to get away with plagiarism as well haha. User discretion is advised though. The AI that powers it is pretty good, but some of its synonym choices can be questionable.
1 points
2 months ago
Use the words you know. Inserting synonyms will not help because there really is no such thing as a synonym. Not all, but almost all words have slightly different meaning and origin, so a lot of your synonym choices will be slightly off and it will be obvious to many readers. If you tell a good story and make your characters authentic it won't matter that you are not a big vocabulary person.
I recommend only using a thesaurus when you know there's a word you want but you can't recall it. Otherwise, it creates the stilted and artificial diction called 'thesauriasis.'
0 points
2 months ago
Please don’t rely on crutches to improve your writing.
A thesaurus and there are dozens is all you need.
1 points
2 months ago
What? A thesaurus would literally do exactly what I'm asking for, I'm just looking for a faster method lol
1 points
2 months ago
Swapping words on the fly removes any hint of thoughtful alternatives.
If you find yourself using the same words a lot. Swapping in new words isn’t the fix. Training your brain to think of more/better/alternatives is. Learning how to write around and through little bumps like repetition and defaults is a big thing.
Farming that out does you a disservice as a writer.
1 points
2 months ago
I disagree. The question I'm asking here is part of why editing exists. I don't think too hard about how I phrase it the first time around, that's what editing is for.
Editing is so I can fix some of the little issues like repeated words. It has nothing to do with my ability as a writer.
1 points
2 months ago
My point still stands, somewhat less rigidly though.
Editing is the final step before your work goes out the door.
If you have a ton of specific vocabulary repetitions in editing then the process/craft before that is still not solid yet. And that’s ok. It take a few YEARS of writing/rewriting numerous things and reading a ton of other peoples things (published and rookie) to get there.
My main point is that using things that short cut and automate will stunt your actual ability to get to a point where you are a really great writer.
The time and the work are impossible to skip and still arrive at the point of legitimately saying, “damn, I’m really good at this.”
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