BIG WORDS

How to Use a Dictionary

I'm reading a Nero Wolfe book by Robert Goldsborough, and I just came upon two words that Archie Goodwin would not use. As the narrator, Goldsborough used milieu and misanthrope in the same sentence; those are words that Wolfe, not Archie, would use.

They're also words that Goldsborough would use.

By the way, a milieu is a person's social environment. A misanthrope is a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.

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• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

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• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

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• Links to TG's stories online

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• What I do when I'm editing

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WORD MAN: PERCIPIENT and DOVECOTE

How to Use a Dictionary

FOUND IN A NOVEL: Percipient -- having good insight or understanding; perceptive.

I think I would have gone with perceptive instead of percipient. More recognizable.

FROM THE SAME NOVEL: Dovecote -- a shelter with nest holes for domesticated pigeons.

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EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com  BLUESKY: PROFILE

MORE EDITOR@WORK BLOG ENTRIES

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

BLOG ENTRIES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

ANECDOTES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer OUTTA there!

ENTRIES FROM THE DOG BLOG

• Katie cried

• Growl and pull

• 13-plus years with my dog Lady

• ... said the spider to ...

• The Dog Diary (2014)

• YIP! YIP! The stereo-sound huskies

• What Lady and Michael Jackson had in common

BLOG ENTRIES FROM THE AUTO RACING JOURNAL

• Angel in Black: Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

• Then Junior Said to Jeff...

(the book of great NASCAR stories)

• My best day as a sports writer

• Jeff Gordon's milk toast to Dale Earnhardt

• Wayne Auton: A life in racing