Does anyone find that, when reading, they see a new word and instead of thinking - “oh! A new word! What’s the definition?”
You think - “…you totally used a thesaurus for that word…”
Then the author will use that word at LEAST 3 times throughout the book and it pings in your head everytime.
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I know I’m being way critical. Considering I don’t write nor am I published. And I should be grateful I learned a new word today!
But I’ve gone 33yrs without seeing “Maudlin” and now I’ve seen this used 3 times to describe the same character.
Other words occurr of course but “Maudlin” is what made me roll my eyes this morning.
And “Disgorged”
The definition is clear from the word itself but c’mon… you don’t need to use it twice in the same chapter to describe both a Carriage uploading passengers and a microwave opening up for food.
It just feels fake 😅
Rather that coming from a place of judgement (“Yeah, you totally pulled out the thesaurus here”—which, as a professional writer, I do often, unashamedly), try probing the word and your reaction to it. In every case, there’s a simpler, more general term that would carry the same basic message, why did the author choose that particular one? What nuance does it bring? Stories are made of sentences and sentences are made of words, none of then accidental. Words are just tools; why did the craftsman pull that particular one out here? It’s just much more rewarding to ask “why?” Every sentence (effective or no) has something to teach, you just have to be willing to listen.