See Spot run. See Spot run fast.
These were the words Johnny learned in kindergarten. Now as an adult, he wanted to write better.
He turned to the thesaurus, not to find an alternate word, but to see what word would be more accurate. When Spot ran, was he fast or slow? Or was his speed somewhere in between? To be a great writer, he needed a better verb, not awkward like skedaddle or deliquesce. No, that would cause his words to be noticed.
Great sentences are those that create the precise picture intended by the author without the words being noticed. What verb was simple, easily understood, yet would hit the target dead center?
If Spot were after a car, he could dash, chase, or race.
Gallop, canter, or trot wouldn’t work, not unless Spot was a horse.
Scamper or flee might work if Spot was trying to get away, but that wasn’t the right picture. After trying a dozen words that came close but didn’t quite hit the bull’s eye, he thought of words that made the picture he had in mind.
Spot sprang like lightning into his master’s arms.
With target practice, you can be a better writer. Try different words until you find the ones that perfectly fit your mental picture.
