In elementary school I was taught that the dictionary was a form of punishment. The standard correction for talking when I shouldn't or for staring out the window was to copy a page from the battered blue Merriam and Webster's on the teacher's desk.
For years I harbored that love/hate relationship with the dictionary, I learned in second grade. Instead of reaching for that essential book, too often I settled on a word that almost worked to convey my intended meaning and called it good enough.
Only when I began writing poetry, did I begin to understand the true meaning of the word, word, and the inspiration it could bring. (Word, comes from Old English wyrd, which is also the mother of weird. Back then, wyrd was used to mean fate or something otherworldly. You don't need to be a genius to guess what spelling originally meant.)
As writers, we use words are the basic elements to make magic on the page by creating vivid images and scenes that transport ourselves and our readers to another time and place. Because of their inherent power, it is critical for us to understand the words we work with and to constantly stretch ourselves to learn new ones.
Before the era of computers with spell checkers, writers paged through dictionaries to find out how to spell. In the process, they increased their vocabularies. Today, more often than not, our dictionaries remain on the bookshelf gathering dust when they could be a source of delight and inspiration to us.
The English language expands at an amazing rate with new words added every day. Although outdated dictionaries still have use, relying on one is like trying to cut a board with a snaggle-toothed rusty saw. If your dictionary is more than five years old, you might want to visit a bookstore and browse through the reference section in order to become familiar with the exciting choices now available.
In addition to my trusty Oxford Concise English Dictionary that I rely on for everyday use, I'm inspired by the Oxford Illustrated Dictionary, I found on a remainder table and the Reader's Digest Illustrated Reverse Dictionary, which provides the names of parts of things from feathers and bones to the striking mechanism of a piano.
Once you've made your new purchase, instead of hiding it in the bookcase, try leaving it out, say on the coffee table or even in the bathroom, where you can pick it up and thumb through it whenever you have a few spare minutes. Allow it to inspire you.
Creative Writes:
Begin keeping a running list of your favorite words. Choose them not only for the meanings they evoke, but also for their sound and the way they look on the page. When you run out of words for your list, skim through the dictionary to discover more. Circle clusters of words on your list that you sense have a connection to one another. Try using one of these clusters as the basis of a poem or a short piece of prose.
Grab the dictionary, open it randomly, close your eyes and run your finger over the page. Now stop moving your finger and open your eyes. Write down the word it's resting on. Do this two more times until you have three words. Write a the opening paragraph of a story or essay that incorporates all three of these words.