Power Words: How to Strengthen Any Writing Style 

Like all writers, songwriters and poets struggle with words from time to time. It's one of the "hazards" of the trade. And many times we settle for words that aren't what we mean or don't carry enough punch. Even songwriters and poets whose strength is their lyrics and words don't always take the proper amount of time to choose their words carefully. Now, although this article was originally written for songwriters and poets (where every word is precious), all writers should take heed. Just because a short story or novel has thousands of more words than a song or poem, doesn't mean we need to disregard the  importance of each and every word.

The solution to this problem is to use words I call "power words". These are words that instantly paint a picture the moment you hear them. They are words that demand your attention and make you sit up and take notice. They are the words that make your song or poem more than just ordinary. And isn't that what we all strive for?

Power words are words that are meant to inspire whether it is the songwriter or poets coaxing the muse out of the closet. They are the words that make your song or poem stand out from the pack. (Of course, this applies to other styles of writing as well whether you write poetry, fiction or even non-fiction. There is always a place for power words in any writing style.)

Power words convey strength and character. They are usually nouns, but can also be adjectives or adverbs. If you were using power words to describe a person, these would be words like radiant, robust, dashing, charming and charismatic. Power words, however, don't need to be positive words. Descriptive words like monster, shocking, gruesome and hellish are also power words.

Words like "beautiful" or "ugly" aren't power words in my dictionary of songwriting definitions. Which sounds better: "she's beautiful" or "she's enchanting"? Enchanting, of course, is a much better choice. It says so much more. And "he's grungy" or "he's grotesque" is more powerful than "he's ugly".

A good definition of a "power word" is a word that when written, read, spoken or heard immediately suggests something extraordinary. They are words that startle or inspire or make you vividly see something.

Magic, for example, is a power word. When you hear the word it is like, well... "magic". No doubt about it. A word like refrigerator is not a power word. Castle, crystal, heaven, hurricane, guillotine and vagabond are all power words. Lawnmower, microwave, garage, doorknob and pencil are not. See the difference? Now I'm not saying you couldn't write a song or poem about a lawnmower or a pencil, but they certainly aren't power words.

Fill your songs (or your poetry or short story or novel) with power words and good, original metaphors. Paint images as if you were an artist putting brush to canvas. You are not simply picking words at random. You are painting with words. Don't settle for a two dollar word when there's a hundred dollar gem waiting for you to discover it.

You can also use power words in a free association exercise to create your next song. It's simple.

Take a blank sheet of paper and jot down several power words at random around the page. Next add a few solid, descriptive verbs. (By this we mean to use verbs like "soar" instead of "fly" or "screamed" in place of "said".) Add a few adjectives and/or adverbs on the page and, presto, you have the beginnings of your next song or poem. Take a good look at the sheet of paper and draw connecting lines between words that seem to go together. You might be surprised at what you can come up with using this simple exercise.

Power words are the foundation for your creative writing. Use them as much as you can. Make them part of your title and/or hook so that your song or poem gets noticed. Read through your finished piece and replace weak words. Don't be afraid to use a thesaurus. It's not against the rules. After all, there are no rules in creative writing! (Well, maybe there are a few we shouldn't ignore, but you get the point.)

Sit down with pen in hand and create your own "power word" list. It doesn't matter if you're trying to write something at the moment or not. Keep these words and ideas in your notebook. If you don't have a notebook, you should. Keep it handy at all times. You never know when you might require a title, hook or a beginning line for your next poem or song you'll be creating weeks, months or even years from now.
 

Excerpt from "Inspiration for Songwriters" by Stan Swanson. The book is available through Amazon and Stony Meadow Publishing.