Is it really clear, not clever?

Behold:

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Subscriber (who will remain anonymous):

Starting to notice you have a vast vocabulary.

I know English is your first language, but you just use it so elegantly.

What's your secret lol. Reading a lot? Reading from good writers/copywriters? Talent??

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Interesting question, and which I thought I’d address today.

First, let’s address the Nicolas Cole and Dickie Bush-sized “elephant in the room”:

Does vocabulary even matter when you’re writing anyway?

Isn’t it “clear, not clever”?.

I’m not so sure.

Because I’m subscribed to a few newsletter which I would describe as fairly “high level”.

And I notice that whenever I read one of them which includes words with a bit more “je ne sais quoi” than the average gobbledegook and sludge you find online, I instantly find myself inspired. Inspired to learn. Inspired to broaden my horizons. Inspired to expand my mind.

And, as a result, I find myself more compelled to open their future emails (something you want too, no?)

Contrast the feeling I get when I read a newsletter so “watered down” the person might as well have “Hemingway” tattooed on their forehead for the whole world to see?

Zero inspiration whatsoever.

That’s not me saying you should artificially inflate your message with pointless words until it’s about as decipherable (is that a word? No red line on Google Docs has popped up, guess so) as your Doc’s handwriting: fdjhsfjdgnjskfdbvkj — that’ll be a month’s worth of Albuterol, thanks.

As with all things in life — balance.

But, my opinion?

Yes. Using more “elaborate” vocabulary, without obscuring your message, is a goal you should strive to achieve as a writer (whatever your end goal from the writing itself may be).

It positions you as someone of higher mental capacity.

And it also just makes writing a lot more…. fun when you’re able to branch out beyond the mundane.

And now onto the original question…

How do I expand my vocabulary so I’m able to cut through to my clients and customers with a more… profound message?

Look. I could quite easily recommend opening a book.

But, truth be told?

I honestly don’t read that much.

Sure, I flick through a book or magazine every few days and pass my eyes over a couple chapters.

Sure, I guess I get a fair bit of “exposure” to reading without thinking of it as “reading” simply because, well, I have to read the stuff I write.

And, sure…. I’m an absolute SUCKER for a Reddit thread (I’m not joking when I say I’ve spent the last 2 days down an absolute wormhole of paranormal encounters, creepy tales, and downright horror stories, utterly incapable of prying my Beady eyes away from the screen and annoying everyone around me as I try to convince them to share my OCD tendencies).

But, all told, I’d say I probably read a lot less than most “writers”.

What I have done, however, (and from a very young age, I might add), is constantly look for new and interesting ways to express my thoughts in everyday situations.

Example:

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend and describing why I find writing so enjoyable.

What I could have said:

“It’s just cool to let your thoughts out”.

Boring, though.

So I found myself playing all sorts of “mental gymnastics” to quickly come up with a novel, and slightly more interesting (at least I think) way of expressing that:

“Feels like I’m documenting my mind.”

Bit hyperbolic?

Sure, maybe.

Did it spark a bit of surprise on my friend’s face?

Sure, I guess.

And, sure, it maybe took me a split-second longer to say it that way.

But it not only made it more interesting for the person listening, but for me to say and think about, too (that’s the goal of storytelling, no? To spark curiosity and intrigue).

Idk. Maybe it’s just how I’m “wired”.

But I’ve always done this — when I’m telling stories down the pub, when I’m writing text messages to mates, whatever.

I’m always looking for new ways to say stuff because, to me, it’s the only way it’s fun.

And so that’s my prescription for you today if you’re looking for a way to expand your vocabulary:

Read all you want. It will help, no doubt about it.

But unless you’re playing that out in your mind and bringing what you’ve learned into the cold hard light of reality… it’ll never stick.

Because the truth?

You already know all the words (at least all the ones that matter).

You’ve read them somewhere, picked them up on a TV show.

They’re just buried at the back of your mind.

And so you have to “train” yourself to bring them to the forefront on a daily basis until it becomes no more difficult than tying your shoes. No dictionary is gonna do that for ya.

Because I’m no Roger Federer of writing.

But I will say this:

Roger Federer’s forehand seems a lot less mystical when he tells you about the 20+ years he spent drilling it across the net off-screen.

It’s what goes on behind the TV that “maketh the man”, after all.

Talk soon,

Harry

PS. On the topic of today’s email….

Feel free to ping me your favourite “word”. I’ll probably have a corker I can fire back your way too.