Why Synonyms
Simply: Synonyms help prevent your readers from getting bored.
MINI RANT: In the book I read last week, the author had every single character “push to their feet” at least three times in each chapter. I started getting annoyed by the tenth time.
The characters never rose to their feet, eased, or even shoved.
If a person is standing up, do you need to mention their feet every time? Isn’t it already implied they are on their feet? (Answer, it is implied) In the aforementioned book (with a major publisher) they all pushed to their feet. Anyway, I digress.
Always Use Synonyms?
Do you need to use synonyms every single time? No. You should NOT use them every time. But avoiding that type of repetition will not only make your manuscript more interesting and precise.
Check out this great article by author Tamar Hela on using synonyms.
Great writers choose specific words that create impact. It is worth taking the time to find the perfect word.

Here is a PDF for personal use: Other Words for SAID & WALK

Do you like master lists? An updated version of this master list and more lists are in my Prompt Me Series: Creative Writing Journals & Workbooks.
Get inspired by photo prompts, story starters, lists, and more. Clean enough for young writers and sophisticated enough for seasoned writers.
Feed your inner muse and ignite your creativity with the Prompt Me Series.



More blog posts
Stand Like a Superhero (and Tell Your Inner Critic to Sit Down)
Discover how small, positive changes—and a daily superhero pose—can boost confidence, heal emotional wounds, and shift your mindset. Embrace your messy humanity with humor, grace, and powerful “I Am” affirmations.
The Lying and Gaslighting Connection
Is all lying gaslighting? Learn how authors can incorporate gaslighting behaviors into your writing to create complex, manipulative characters in fiction. Discover how this psychological tactic enhances conflict, tension, and character depth in your writing. And…learn ways to be aware of this in your personal life.
The Power of Shared Negative Experiences
Explore the impact of shared negative experiences on memories and communities in this insightful article. Learn how collective grievances can distort perceptions, fuel mob mentality, and harm group dynamics. Discover the neuroscience behind emotional contagion and confirmation bias, and how they shape the way we process both personal and collective experiences. This article also offers…

One response to “Writing: Other Words for Said and Walk”
[…] regularly use. I encourage the authors I edit for to use them as well. These are my favorite ones: Other words for SAID, Other words for ASKED, and Other words for […]