Although it’s not necessary to craft blog posts with the descriptive depth of JRR Tokein’s, The Lord of the Rings – using a Thesaurus can greatly improve one’s writing. A Thesaurus gives us to the ability to transform boring, repetitive words into a lively mixture of well chosen phrases.
The What & Where of A Thesaurus
What’s a Thesaurus? A Thesaurus is similar to a dictionary but instead of definitions, a list of synonyms is presented. For example, if you wanted to look up the word “friend” – you’d probably get the following list. Ally, associate, compatriot, buddy, chum, mate, pal, etc.
A standard paper bound Thesaurus may be sufficient for your needs; especially if you’re still getting used to this little thing called the internet. For myself and many others – Thesaurus.com is the perfect alternative.
Plug in your word, and out pops more synonyms than you’ll ever need. We’ve finally found the secret to Flo Rida and Lil Wayne’s rapping success. 
Thesauri For Blogs
In my own blog writing I consistently use a Thesaurus. Not only is it a great way to increase my knowledge of the English language, but it allows me greater creativity and options when writing blog posts. When a word or phrase hasn’t sounded quite right, or I needed to increase the comprehension of a concept – a Thesaurus usually fixes the problem.
I do have one large apprehension in teaching the use of a Thesaurus. A Thesaurus should not be overused. It should only be used in instances when a synonym will increase the comprehension or flow of a certain sentence.
Many bloggers get caught up in writing fancy posts with unknown words that only the most intelligent professor could understand. Remember – Keep It Simple Stupid.
Wrapping Up
Benefiting from the use of a Thesaurus is a delicate balance. Use it where needed, but don’t overdo the simple. Concepts should remain concise, and words shouldn’t be beefed up – just because.
Writing is an art form and with it – comes the many years required to master the trade.
Related Posts:
- Plastic Surgery for Blogs – How to Rejuvenate & Revive Old Posts
- Saving Blog Posts for Rainy Days
- A List of Don’ts & Nevers – Unforgivable Sins of Blog Management
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"You’re such a smart boy!" were his first accolades heard. So, it’s no wonder that this phrase became the title of his business, Smart Boy Designs.
Read more about Christian 
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
A thesaurus is very good advice for writers. Readers should never be caught dead without a dictionary. They are both invaluable.
I couldn’t agree more about the need to have access to a good thesaurus. For a writer, it’s one of the essential tools of the trade. Not using one would be equal to cutting grass without a lawn mower.
But the one I choose to use isn’t the one you linked to. I prefer the one at freethesaurus.net, and not just because it was created by a good friend of mine that’s known by the rightly deserved nickname of “Wordzilla”.
Besides having live suggest (something thesaurus.com doesn’t), it’s also designed to help you find the perfect word as quickly as possible, with a minimal amount of page hopping, utlizing a feature known as “Quick Dictionary”.
Just compare the 2 results pages for the word “love”…
First, the page at thesaurus.com: http://thesaurus.reference.com/the?q=love&search=search
Now, make sure you have your javascript turned on, and visit the results for the same word on freethesaurus.net: http://freethesaurus.net/s.php?q=love&btnM=Search
Hover over any underlined word and you will see exactly what I am talking about.
And it’s based on Grady Ward’s Moby Thesaurus database, which is the largest and most comprehensive English thesaurus data source publicly available, containing over 2.5 million synonyms.
I guess as long as you have a good command of the language, a simple spell check will be enough. A balanced reliance on your own “blog voice” and tools like the thesaurus will ensure your blog doesn’t sound too… un-you.
By the way, I like your blog design. Very nice
Being a writer in the embryonic stage of technology, the column of what I don’t know about cyberspace far outweighs what I do know – like the miracle of being here in the first place! I’ll happily follow you. Suzen
Twitter: smartboydesigns
February 17, 2009 at 8:49 am
T Edwards – Most definitely. A thesaurus is a very handy tool.
app – Thanks for the link. I’ll definately be looking further at the Thesaurus you’ve suggested.
Razlan – Great input. Spell check, knowledge of your language, and a “voice” are all excellent pieces of wisdom.
suZen – It’s great to hear that you’re working to develop your writing skills. As your writing develops – it only becomes more enjoyable. At least, this has been the case in my own life.
I really appreciate the input. Thank you for reading, thank you for taking the time to comment.
Christian
I couldn't agree more about the need to have access to a good thesaurus. For a writer, it's one of the essential tools of the trade. Not using one would be equal to cutting grass without a lawn mower.
But the one I choose to use isn't the one you linked to. I prefer the one at freethesaurus.net, and not just because it was created by a good friend of mine that's known by the rightly deserved nickname of “Wordzilla”.
Besides having live suggest (something thesaurus.com doesn't), it's also designed to help you find the perfect word as quickly as possible, with a minimal amount of page hopping, utlizing a feature known as “Quick Dictionary”.
Just compare the 2 results pages for the word “love”…
First, the page at thesaurus.com: http://thesaurus.reference.com/the?q=love&s…
Now, make sure you have your javascript turned on, and visit the results for the same word on freethesaurus.net: http://freethesaurus.net/s.php?q=love&btnM=…
Hover over any underlined word and you will see exactly what I am talking about.
And it's based on Grady Ward's Moby Thesaurus database, which is the largest and most comprehensive English thesaurus data source publicly available, containing over 2.5 million synonyms.