One of Charles Schulz’s incisive “Snoopy at the typewriter” strips from his Peanuts cartoon features poor ol’ Snoopy laboring away, sweating and smacking himself in the forehead. Finally, he turns to his typewriter and taps out, “The.” With a lofty look, he explains, “A good writer will sometimes search hours for just the right word.”

At times, that search feels like groping in the dark. How do we know which word is the “right” word?

Ultimately, the answer depends upon you, as the author, and the demands of whatever sentence you’re writing. There’s no such thing as the “right” word; there are just good words appropriately used.

Continue reading HERE