1. Cracking OPEN General Words
Word Choice Mini-Lesson
Specific Nouns and Verbs

2. Vague Writing Vague writing is filled with generalities.
“We were goofing around with my dad’s stuff.”
Sharp Writing contains specific nouns and specific verbs.
“My cousin and I were sword-fighting with Dad’s hacksaws.”

3. General Words
Consider the following words: good, nice, things, stuff, fun.
These words are general words. They have a place in writing BUT they DO NOT paint much of a picture. The reader cannot visualize what you are writing about which makes your story hard to follow.
Example: “My uncle is really fun.”

4. Cracking Open General Words
You can crack open a word fun by using a more specific words.
“I had a blast when my uncle took me to a deserted parking lot and let me drive his Jaguar convertible.”
This sentence creates an image you can see.

5. Practice Cracking Open General Words
In the following passage, you will find a number of vague, general words.
Read it over and circle the general words in the piece .
Change the general words to more specific word that create a picture in the readers mind.

6. Practice Cracking Open General Words

7. Steps to Cracking Open General Words
Identify vague or general NOUNS. A noun is a person place or thing.
Read the surrounding text. What is the vague noun referring to?
Take out the vague noun and replace it with a more descriptive version of the same person, place or thing.

8. You Try it with Your Own Writing
In your writing circles today, please go back through your last draft and circle the general words.
For the first five minutes of writing, work to change your general words with more specific words.
After five minutes has passed, begin writing on your next topic.