317 Power Words That’ll Instantly Make You a Better Writer

Ever noticed how some writers have an uncanny ability to toy with your emotions?

Within the span of a few pages, you can go from shaking with excitement to bawling your eyes out to
flying into a rage and throwing the book across the room. It’s the hallmark of great writing, proof of
mastery of the craft, and the yardstick by which aspiring writers measure their work.

And it goes beyond storytelling.

Sure, taking the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride is essential in novels and short stories, but
what about emails, resumes, blog posts, proposals? They’re all designed to influence the reader in some
way. You want to pass along information, yes, but you also want the reader to feel a certain way about
that information.

Maybe you want to impress them, get them excited, make them cautious, get them angry, encourage
them to keep going, or any number of emotions. The better a job you do at making them feel, the more
influential you are, and the better your chances of getting what you want.

So, you might wonder… how?

The world is full of people who can scribble down their ideas, but to bring those ideas to life, to make
them take up residence in the mind of the reader, lurking in the background, tugging, pulling, and
cajoling their emotions until they think and feel exactly as you want? That’s a rare skill indeed.

The good news is it can be yours. There’s even a shortcut.

How to Instantly Become a Better Writer

It’s simple:
Use power words.

Rather than describe what I mean, let’s deconstruct an example from the great Winston Churchill:

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of
struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air,
with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous
tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask,
what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror,
victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.

Inspiring, right?

Well, there was a lot on the line. Under attack from Germany, Britain was fighting for its survival, and
somehow, someway, Churchill had to find a way to inspire his countrymen to greatness.

He chose words. Or, to be more accurate, power words.

Let’s take a look at the passage again, this time with all the power words underlined:

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of
struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air,
with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous
tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask,
what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror,
victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.

Each underlined word makes the audience feel something. In this case, Churchill intermixes words that
cause fear, such as “struggle,” “tyranny,” and “terror,” with words that cause hope, such as “strength,”
“God,” and “victory.” The last, in particular, is repeated over and over, practically drilling the emotion
into the minds of the audience.
It’s no accident. Smart speakers, as well as their speechwriters, sprinkle their speeches with carefully-
chosen power words, drawing the audience from one emotion to another as skillfully as any novelist or
screenwriter.

Granted, that’s not all they do. The best writers use an entire tool chest of techniques to create
emotion, and power words are only one such tool.

But there’s good news.

For beginning writers, power words are one of the easiest tools to master. Unlike many storytelling
strategies which can take years of practice to master, you can start sprinkling power words into your
writing, and you’ll notice an immediate lift in the quality of your prose.

All you lack is a list of power words to use, but of course, I have you covered there too. 🙂

317 Power Words to Start Using Immediately

For years now, every time I mentioned power words to my students, someone always asked:

“Where can I get a list? Is there a book I can buy?”

Sadly, not that I’m aware of. That’s why I created this list.

Slowly, over a period of several weeks, I catalogued all the power words that jumped out to me,
organizing them into categories based on the emotion you want to create, so you can easily find the
right word. In the future, I’ll also update the list, adding new words on a regular basis to make it the
most comprehensive list of power words available anywhere.
It costs nothing. All I ask in return is you share it with your friends and readers when appropriate,
helping it reach the people who need it most.

Enjoy.

Want a handy PDF containing all 317 Power Words (plus 50 exclusive bonus words) to download and
keep? Get it Here.

Calling All Fearmongers

Let’s do a little experiment.

Just for a moment, stop reading this post, turn on the television, and go to a major news channel. Watch
it for five minutes, listening for the words below.

Chances are, you’ll hear dozens of them. Here’s why:

Fear is without a doubt the most powerful emotion for grabbing and keeping an audience’s attention. To
make sure you don’t change the channel, news networks load up with fear words, making you worry you
might miss something important.

It’s effective. Granted, you can overdo it, but in my opinion, most writers don’t use these types of words
nearly enough. They really do connect with people.

Here’s a bunch to get you started:

Agony

Apocalypse

Armageddon

Assault
Backlash

Beating

Beware

Blinded

Blood

Bloodbath

Bloodcurdling

Bloody

Bomb

Buffoon

Bumbling

Cadaver

Catastrophe

Caution

Collapse

Corpse

Crazy

Cripple

Crisis

Danger

Deadly

Death

Destroy

Devastating

Disastrous
Drowning

Dumb

Embarrass

Fail

Feeble

Fired

FoolFooled

Frantic

Frightening

Gambling

Gullible

Hack

Hazardous

Hoax

Holocaust

Horrific

Hurricane

Insidious

Invasion

IRS

Jail

Jeopardy

Lawsuit

Looming

Lunatic
Lurking

Meltdown

Mired

Mistake

Murder

Nightmare

Painful

Pale

Panic

Peril

Piranha

Pitfall

Plague

Played

Plummet

Plunge

PoisonPummel

Poor

Prison

Pus

Reckoning

Refugee

Revenge

Risky

Scary
Scream

Searing

Shatter

Shellacking

Silly

Slaughter

Slave

Smash

Strangle

Stupid

Suck

Tailspin

Tank

Targeted

Teetering

Terror

Terrorist

Toxic

Trap

Vaporize

Victim

Volatile

Vulnerable

Warning

Worry
Wounded

Give Your Readers a Pep Talk

Let’s face it.

When they’re reading, most people aren’t exactly bouncing off the walls with energy and enthusiasm.
They’re probably bored, maybe a little depressed, and almost definitely tired. And they’re looking for
something, anything, that’ll wake them up and make them feel better.

The good news?

Your writing can do that for them. Use these power words to give them a pep talk and get them charged
up again:

Amazing

Audacity

Backbone

Belief

Blissful

Bravery

Breathtaking

Cheer

Conquer

Courage

Daring

Defiance

Delight

Devoted
ExcitedEye-opening

Faith

Fearless

Fulfill

Grateful

Grit

Guts

Happy

Heart

Hero

Hope

Jaw-dropping

Jubilant

Magic

Mind-blowingMiracle

Pluck

Sensational

Spectacular

Spine

Spirit

Staggering

Stunning

Surprising

Triumph

Uplifting
Valor

Victory

Wonderful

Wondrous

Take a Page from Cosmopolitan (or Playboy)

Like it or not, lust is one of the core human emotions.

Just look at the men’s and women’s magazines in the checkout aisle, and you’ll see what I mean. Nearly
every headline on the cover is either blatantly or indirectly about sex.

And it works, not just for men’s and women’s magazines, but for anything. As a writer, you can use
words that inspire lust to make almost anything intriguing.

For example: take a look at these two posts I wrote for Copyblogger:

Sex, Lies, and the Art of Commanding Attention

Copyblogger Editor Admits to Sleeping with Readers and Recommends You Do the Same

Both posts use the power of lust to teach people about headlines, of all things. Proof positive that it can
be used for anything.

Here’s a lascivious list to get you started:

Brazen

Crave

Depraved
Dirty

Exposed

Forbidden

Hypnotic

Lascivious

Lick

LonelyLust

Naked

Naughty

Provocative

Scandalous

Sensual

Sex

Shameless

Sinful

SleazySleeping

Spank

Steamy

Sweaty

Tantalizing

Tawdry

Thrilling

Uncensored

Wanton

Whip
Start a Riot

As writers, sometimes our job is to anger people.

Not for the fun of it, mind you, but because someone is doing something wrong, and the community
needs to take action to correct it. The problem is, with wrongdoing, most people are pretty apathetic –
they’ll wait until the situation becomes entirely intolerable to do anything, and by then, it’s often too
late.

So, we have to fan the flames. By using the below power words, you can connect with people’s anger,
and slowly but surely, you can work them into a frenzy. Just be careful who you target. Lawyers can eat
you alive if you pick on the wrong person. 🙂

Abuse

Arrogant

Ass kicking

Backstabbing

Beat down

Bullshit

Bully

Coward

Crooked

Crush

Disgusting

Evil

Force-fedFoul

Hate

Know it all
Lies

Loathsome

Loser

Lying

Maul

Money-grubbing

Nazi

No Good

Obnoxious

PaybackPound

Preposterous

Punish

Revolting

Ruthless

Sick and Tired

Smug

Sniveling

Snob

Snooty

Snotty

Stuck up

Underhanded

Stomp on Their Greed Glands

The legendary copywriter Gary Halbert once said, “If you want people to buy something, stomp on their
greed glands until they bleed.” Graphic, yes, but also true.
Skim through good sales copy, and you’ll find a lot of these power words. Many of them are so overused
they’ve become cliché, but that doesn’t stop them from working.

The truth is, nearly every human being on the planet is interested in either making or saving money. Use
these words to tap into those desires:

Bargain

Best

Billion

Bonanza

Cash

Cheap

Discount

Dollar

Double

Explode

Extra

Feast

Fortune

FreeFreebie

Frenzy

Frugal

Gift

Greatest

Inexpensive

Jackpot
Luxurious

Marked down

Massive

Money

Nest egg

Pay zero

PrizeProfit

Quadruple

Reduced

Rich

Savings

Six-figure

Skyrocket

Soaring

Surge

Treasure

Triple

Whopping

Make Them Feel Safe

Greed isn’t the only emotion you want buyers to feel. You also want to make them feel safe.

They need to trust both you and your product or service. They need to have confidence you’ll deliver.
They need to believe they’ll get results.

Of course, building that kind of trust starts with having a quality brand and reputation, but the words
you use to describe yourself and your product or service also matter. To help your customers feel safe,
try to use as many of these power words as possible:
Anonymous

Authentic

Backed

Best-selling

Cancel Anytime

Certified

Endorsed

Guaranteed

Ironclad

LifetimeMoneyback

No Obligation

No Questions Asked

No Risk

No Strings Attached

Official

Privacy

Protected

Proven

Recession-proofRefund

Research

Results

Secure

Tested

Try before You Buy

Verify

Unconditional

Offer Them a Forbidden Fruit

Remember when you were a kid, and someone told you NOT to do something? From that point on, you
could think about little else, right?

The truth is, we’re all fascinated by the mysterious and forbidden. It’s like it’s programmed into our very
nature.

So why not tap into that programming?

Whenever you need to create curiosity, sprinkle these power words throughout your writing, and
readers won’t be able to help being intrigued:

Backdoor

Banned

Behind the Scenes

Black Market

Blacklisted

Bootleg

Censored

Concealed

ConfessionsConfidential

Controversial

Covert

Cover-up

Forbidden
Forgotten

Hidden

Illegal

InsiderLost

Off-limits

Outlawed

Private

Secrets

Smuggled

Strange

Unauthorized

Withheld

Want a handy PDF containing all 317 Power Words (plus 50 exclusive bonus words) to download and
keep? Get it Here.

Go Ahead and Tell Me. What Words Did I Miss?

Yes, this is an enormous list, but so many power words are available, nobody can possibly catch them all
on the first pass. What are some other words that seem to have that extra little spark of emotion inside
them?

Leave your answer in the comments, and as time goes by, I’ll come back periodically and update the list.
Eventually, I hope to have over 1,000 words here, separated and organized by category, making this the
definitive resource for power words on the web.

Thanks in advance for commenting and sharing the post with your friends!

About the Author: Jon Morrow has asked repeatedly to be called “His Royal Awesomeness” but no one
listens to him. So, he settles for CEO of Smart Blogger. Poor man. 🙂
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203 COMMENTS

Mindy

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:28:23

Thanks Jon, what a great resource. I’ve already tweeted it out.

Jules Bronte

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:05:20

Excellent as always! Thanks so much Jon for this great insight.

Esther

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:38:36

Love this post too. : ) Each post is detailed and, like you said, excellent.

Maurice Bernier

OCT 09, 2013 @ 10:27:18

Jules and Esther, I started putting some of these words into practice and I’m already receiving results
through more traffic when I share a new post on my blog. I simply use them in Twitter, Facebook and
Linkedin shares which is something you might want to try even if it’s just for practice.

Thanks again for sharing these with us Jon and while I’m here, thanks for the great webinar yesterday. I
took a lot of notes from it! 🙂

Emma

SEP 12, 2014 @ 18:31:14

Yup another post that makes your stomach churns and your mind inspired and enriched… Thank you
your awesomeness…

Doug Williams
JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:06:41

I have to say, I find that most self-help postings are statements of the glaringly obvious at best, and utter
nonsense at worst. But this is really, really good.

Julie

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:08:53

Thanks for the list, Jon. It definitely gives me some food for thought… but I will tell you that after
glancing through the list, it seems like a lot of the words are negative.

I’m curious if anyone else noticed that, or if my scanning just grabbed the negative ones. I read someone
that our brains latch onto and hold onto the negative more than the positive so maybe that’s why?

Darlene at BlogBoldly

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:33:27

Hey Julie!

Well, I noticed the Fearmonger and Riot categories were negative but that’s for obvious reasons.

I didn’t notice that to be the case with Feel Safe or Pep Talk.. Did you?

My mind naturally goes to the outrageous with Headlines so for me the challenge is to make sure I’m
not misleading.. and to deliver what the Headline promises.

~ darlene
Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 13:17:12

The fear section is the largest one, and yes, those are definitely negative. You could argue it’s a personal
bias on my part,, but my guess is we have more words to describe fear than any other emotion. Not
because we’re afraid all the time, but because fear is one of those emotions that pretty much dominates
everything else.

Karen Christian (@Bountyvs)

JUL 25, 2013 @ 00:51:56

Excellent. Copy, pasted and saved in my swipe file. Thanks Jon for making life easier for the rest of us.

Julie, fear is the most powerful emotion and is so instilled in our collective conscious and we obviously
lust after it because the news media keeps peddling fear every night.

Also, Hollywood is brilliant at cashing in on fear with movies like World War Z and 2012.

They say sex sells but I think fear sells more and that’s probably why we have more negative words than
positive ones.

I bet Jon that if you punched every one of those 317 words into a thesaurus you will reach your 1000
word goal very quickly. You know, I think I will do just that.

Bernie Dowling

JAN 17, 2014 @ 20:27:58

Or to put it more cynically, Jon, fear sell lots of stuff. Thanks for the list. Paradoxically, sentences
constructed negatively are a turn-off.

Jeffry Pilcher

AUG 10, 2014 @ 12:39:30

Academic research has shown that the psychological impact of a negative event is approximately twice
in value/significance as a positive event. In other words, we are psychologically wired to respond — at
an instinctual level — to anything that could cause harm. This is why copy/words with negative themes
trigger more reaction than positive themes.

Joe

SEP 12, 2014 @ 12:39:33

Can you point me to a source on this “academic research”? Please and thank you!

Rachelle Strauss

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:10:23

Great list Jon, thank you.

You used, what I perceive to be, a power word in your title and sub title, but I couldn’t see it in the list…

“Instantly”

In today’s world where delayed gratification is so last season, we all want instant results, right!?

Jon
JUL 23, 2013 @ 13:17:45

+1 brownie points for noticing that. 🙂

Neil

OCT 28, 2013 @ 13:15:11

Can I get brownie points for noticing that one too?

Paul Jones

NOV 09, 2013 @ 20:46:54

On the topic of ‘fear’ appeals, research shows that 60 per cent of the population is more tuned into
avoiding a ‘pain’ than making a ‘gain.’ UNLESS you’re talking to people like CEOs: 90 per cent of them
are tuned into making a ‘gain.’

Love your work, Jon. Thanks for this very helpful post.

Peter Geisheker

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:10:31

Awesome list Jon. I use your “52 Headline Hacks” guide all the time and it has really helped my blogs get
read a lot more and far more social sharing. Thanks for the great information!

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 13:18:31

Awesome! Would love to see your results if there is anything in particular you’d like to share.

Sarah Arrow

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:17:35

I love the list but some of the words also make you sound sleazy. Like backdoor. And secrets has been
done to death. Okay I’ll admit that everything in the forbidden fruit section is making me feel icky 🙂

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 13:20:23

A power words is defined by its ability to make you feel. If the forbidden words are making you feel icky,
that just proves their power. 🙂

Also, secrets may have been used to death, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. People continue
using it because it works.

Ali Luke

JUL 24, 2013 @ 00:21:08

There’s a branding thing at work here, isn’t there? I find that with Jon’s Headline Hacks — some work
great for me, others make me shudder and would be off-putting to my audience (but I guess I can see
that they’d work for some folk!)

I like “little-known” as a slightly tamer version of a forbidden fruit word. Also “unusual” and “under-
used”.

Kevin
JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:21:19

Great list, Jon, thanks for the reminders.

I’m copying and pasting this one into my permanent writing file.

Bethanny Parker

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:21:41

This is a great list! I copied it into OneNote, and I’ll be sure to come back to check for updates.

Jac

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:26:19

Thanks so much for a great, extended list of power words which I will dutifully and studiously commit to
memory and learn how to use.

Awesome!

Walter Sasiadek

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:26:55

Thank you for your excellent posts and continued professionalism.

PLEASE keep up the “Confidential, Amazing, Breathtaking and Eye-Opening” work.

Amandah

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:29:43

Thank you so much!

I added this to my Evernote “Power Words” note; I have over 1,500 power words. Now I’ll have over
1,800 power words to use. 🙂

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:29:26

Oooh! We need to compare lists! 🙂

Amandah

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:30:02

Hi Jon,

Some of my favorites from my list are:

A Cut Above

Absolutely

Announced

Anyone Can Do This

Approved By Major Companies

Astonishing
Astounded

Audit(ed)

Balance(d)

Bandwagon

Bargain

Beautiful (overused)

Believe

Benefit

Beneficial

Before and After

Beware

Big

Blown Away (also a good song by Carrie Underwood)

Bold

Bottom Line

Capture(d)

Change(d)

Charge(d)

Colorful

Colossal

Congratulations!

Crucial

Don’t be Left Behind

Earn More Money!

Envy(ied)
Extraordinary

Favorable

Find the Answer to

Foolproof

Get Results Now!

Gigantic

Hottest

How to (oldie but goody)

In-Depth

In-Demand

Invited

Join Now!

Judgment

Killer Strategy

Last Minute

Late-Breaking

Learn About

Lifetime

Like No Other

Master of Your Destiny

Minimal Investment

Money-Making

Money-Saving

Most Underrated

No Experience Necessary
No Experience Necessary

No Obligation

No Risk (on your list)

Nostalgic (I like this word)

Now is the Time!

Odd

Organized

Outstanding

People Helping People

Pioneered

Priceless

Quit

Quiet

Quick Tips

Rare

Realize Your Dreams

Reap the Benefits

Red Hot

Safe

Save Thousands

Secure(d)

Sensational

Simple

Savvy

Sky-Rocket(ed)
Small Investment

Smart

Speedy

Stand Out from the Crowd

State-of-the-Art

Step-by-Step

Stop Wasting Time!

Substantial Savings!

Super (Savings) (Sale)

Sure-Fire

Tap Into

Terrific

Thousands

Treated

Tremendous

Ultimate

Ultra

Underrated

Unique

Unlock (oldie but goody)

Urge(d)

Urgent

Validation

Validated

Value
Valuable

Vibrant

Warning (an oldie but goody)

Wealth(y)

Weird

Wide Varity

Win

Witnessed

Word-of-Mouth

X-Ray

Xanadu

Year-Round

You

Young

Your

You Owe it to Yourself

Zen

Zest(y)

Zinger

Brooks

DEC 21, 2013 @ 03:46:16

Great list! I even went back to read your article and noticed the power words used in it. Thanks!
Emerson

JUL 31, 2013 @ 08:10:52

Amandah, Thanks for sharing the list of words below! Some good ones in there. And Jon, thank you for a
great post. Like many here, I have copied both lists into Evernote.

Will Hoekenga

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:32:03

Great list, Jon. It’s not technically a word, but “NSFW” could fall under lust and curiosity. That one can
work under the right circumstances.

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:29:58

Very true. Might be interesting to start an abbreviation category.

Amandah

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:34:27

Hi Jon,

For some reason, when I clicked on the link to this post, again, I received a “Database Error Connection”
error. I just thought I’d let you know.

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 11:30:33

Thanks. Yes, we seem to be having some technical issues. Investigating.

Harleena Singh

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:50:11

Hi Jon,

You are so right when you say that most of us don’t tend to use such powerful words in our posts or
even the daily lives because we lose touch if we don’t use them regularly, and I speak as a blogger for
now.

Speaking of myself, even though I might use such words when I speak to someone, I am careful to use
words that even a 5th grade student would understand or based on the kind of readers I get over at my
blog. So, I do need to keep the words very simple and easy to understand. This is for the purpose of
blogging, though there are always exceptions.

I don’t say that’s the case with all the words, but yes, some of them, especially those where a person
might need to refer to a dictonary, may be tough for me to use on my blog. I wonder if others feel the
same way about using such words in their blog posts, even though I admit they are awesome power
words, which we do use otherwise.

Thanks for sharing these with us. I’mm surely bookmarking this as I’ve got my list of a few words I’d
written earlier too, so, would just keep adding onto it whenever you update this one. Have a nice week
ahead 🙂

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:52:29

Sure. You probably wouldn’t want to use “lascivious” around fifth-graders. I think they would
understand about 75% of the words on this list, though. Like “breathtaking” or “hero.”

Colette Morris

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:54:29

Great post. So many good words now to learn how to put the story together. Thanks Jon once again for
sharing

Deb Dutilh

JUL 23, 2013 @ 09:57:26

Another great post, Jon,and a keeper along with the “52 Headline Hacks.” Thanks for sharing so
generously.

Shane Arthur

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:06:50

A delicious literary stimulation, Jon. And your About The Author text is the icing.

Mary Jaksch | Writetodone

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:15:46

You’re a legend, Jon!

This list is pure gold.

I’m certainly going to use it myself, and share it with my students.

You set a high standard for insanely useful content. We need people like you to inspire us, Jon

Thanks!

– Mary

Oh, and do join Jon and myself for his awesome free Webinar:

How to Write Irresistible Headlines and Instantly Double Your Traffic.

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:50:13

Yes, everyone go sign-up for the webinar. It’s going to be stupendous. 🙂

Michael Hicks

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:26:52

This is one of the best posts I’ve ever read, Jon.

Very well done!

Since you asked us for our contributions, here

are a few suggestions that might make your list.

My apologies in advance if you already mentioned

them:

Petrified

Debilitating

Decadent

Rock Solid

Brinks-Truck-Safe

Chilling

Goosebumps

Diabolical

Calculating

Relentless

Unbridled

Mind-boggling

Cocoon

Slimy

Squeaky Clean

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:49:34

Thanks for the list Michael!

Julie Anne
JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:20:40

Petrified a great word, and I want to add more to my list, because I forgot to add them at my post on the
bottom (and again, sorry for any accidental repeats):

Crap, “Eff” (as in grow the “eff” up instead of saying “f*ck), effing (for f*cking), NMFP (not my f*cking
problem), useless, lazy, menace, lethargic, r@pist, perpetrator, nuisance, leech, bloodsucker,
catastrophe, trauma, terrified,

Oh…and one of my absolute favorite words…

sociopath

BellaBelle

JUL 27, 2013 @ 09:18:37

Brinks-Truck-Safe – exceptional and one for my list! Thanks

Rochelle

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:37:27

Oh! This list is awesome! I’m going to go check out my previous posts to see how often I used these
words. I know I could use more for sure. I use your headline hacks and they are amazing. I like the words
suggested in the comments and will keep coming back for more!

Dara Holland

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:38:53

More great advice from the inimitable Jon Morrow! Thanks for the power words–I’ve added this article
to my stash of go-to writing resources.

Sandra Pawula

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:41:18

It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut using the same boring words. I appreciate the way you have expanded
our vocabularies with this post!

At the same time, I will proceed with caution. Some of the stock words like “insider” create aversion for
me, and I imagine they might turn off people in my audience too.

In essence this post is about how to manipulate peoples’ emotions, which many have come to take for
granted as a good way to make money. But I personally feel this is a realm in which it’s best to proceed
carefully. The main takeaway for me is about enriching my vocabulary. Thanks for the kick in the right
place!

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:49:10

Yep. If you think about it, pretty much all writers manipulate the emotions of their readers. It’s just part
of what we do.

The key is doing it in a way your readers like and enjoy. That takes careful study and a lot of thought.

Perse

SEP 25, 2014 @ 19:26:55

It’s like you mentioned above in your post, it takes ages of practice to learn to use all the different
writing techniques out there, but using good vocabulary is a good starter. Just gotta be careful that it
doesn’t end your career because of overuse!

Sophie Lizard

JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:46:46

One of my favourites is “explicit”. Combination of lust and forbidden fruit there. 😉

Leanne Regalla

JUL 23, 2013 @ 11:15:23

Good one, Sophie! 😉

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:46:45

That one is definitely going in the next version. 🙂

Michael Hicks

JUL 26, 2013 @ 11:13:58

If you’re going to add “Explicit”, Jon, then “Taboo” deserves strong consideration as well. It’s lust and
forbidden fruit all rolled into one. Thanks for the inspiration, Sophie! See what you started??!!!…:-)

Bill Sebell
JUL 23, 2013 @ 10:50:21

I love this post. It along with your 52 Headline Hacks have given me a boatload of ideas for my content.

Here is one possible addition:

Concocted

terry grant

JUL 23, 2013 @ 11:03:56

Great list, but I have taken a vow to stop using the word “amazing.” It is so overused that IMO it has lost
its impact. Instead I try for something more descriptive, like “heart-stopping” or “marvelous” or
“magical”… you get the picture.

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:46:11

Yep, heart stopping, marvelous, and magical have stronger emotional pulls too.

BellaBelle

JUL 27, 2013 @ 09:27:08

amazing for conjures up gordon ramsey describing food so for any food might be a good word.
marvelous goes with darling and that is Joan Crawford and Joan Rivers so anything Joan or jewelry I
would think…
Perse

SEP 25, 2014 @ 19:31:08

I agree. The same goes for the word “awesome:” enough with it already! I remember when it meant
something absolutely extraordinary, and now it has been demoted down to “cool.” I’ve never used the
word in my life except to describe schooner sailing, writing, horseback riding, rock climbing, and
camping (originally only for sailing). Though I may have slipped a few times…I’m only human, after all.

Todd Tresidder

JUL 23, 2013 @ 11:31:33

Your Royal Awesomeness – thank you for the awesome resource. The lists of power words I’ve used in
the past pale in comparison to your Awesomeness. I’ve printed and added to my copywriting resource
file. Mucho thanks!

Lori

JUL 23, 2013 @ 11:48:31

I am super excited to get your mind-blowing list of wondrous power words. The post was an eye opener
and such a bargain considering all you want in return is an endorsed share. 🙂 Thanks. Did I over do
what I learned from your post? 🙂

Perse

SEP 25, 2014 @ 19:32:10

Hey, at least you got the message down! 🙂

Nicholas Hamilton
JUL 23, 2013 @ 12:26:43

what about things like inspiring.

It would be great to see this topic in an updated headline hacks, or in its own pdf.

Joseph Bernard

JUL 23, 2013 @ 12:41:07

I have a God of Writing and his name is Jon.

Are their statues and other symbols for worshiping in your online store. I need many to adorn my home
and to spread across the land to start a Morrow cult.

No need for purple Kool-Aid, just meditations where we read your posts and reach higher states of
writing consciousness and eventually writing nirvana.

Thanks Jon, you are awesomely admirable.

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:44:23

(laughing) You’re welcome, man.

Mary E. Ulrich

JUL 23, 2013 @ 12:43:34

His Royal Highness, Awesomeness, Power Influencer…

Just printed out the power words to keep forever. Thanks.

Question: Would each industry/niche also have it’s own set of power words? i.e. in the disability
community I think they would be: “inclusion, community, natural supports, family, jobs, friends…” –The
impossible dream we are all seeking.

Your humble servant:)

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:43:13

I think you can use them all for pretty much all niches.

Madeleine Kolb

JUL 23, 2013 @ 12:57:13

Jon, A very helpful post and especially timely for me because I’m working on a speech to give on
Saturday and need some strong fear words.

Two words you might consider adding to that category are “brutal” and “exhausting” (or “exhausted”).

Llyane @ FrenchOnSkype

JUL 23, 2013 @ 13:13:26

Super this collection!

The only problem is how to keep this resource handy? 🙂

THank you so much, can’t think of a word you missed before I compute each one you gave us here!

Llyane

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:42:01

Be sure to give it a bookmark. Also, we are preparing a PDF version. 🙂

Rodolfo Oliveira

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:00:26

Hi there Jon! This one really reminds me of a report Henneke Duistermaat launched way back called “21
Easy Tips to Turbocharge Your Web Copy and Win Customers” which touches on the subject of Power
Words from another scope… would you call sensory words Power Words? If so, I would put them in
categories in which the senses I want to stimulate are the ones that remind me of the category’s
emotion right? For example: dazzling reminds me of something shiny and new so maybe I would put it in
the Greed or Pep Talk category… other examples would be chirpy, sizzling, bland, smelly and any colorful
(maybe this is a Power Word too LOL) adjectives… great post!

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:42:37

Ha, yeah, that would be another interesting way to organize them.

Henneke

JUL 24, 2013 @ 01:54:27

I was thinking exactly the same. That’s one of my favorite categories 🙂

A few more examples:

Gloomy, shadowy, glittering, sparkling, creepy, rotten, moldy, spicy, gritty, drab, roaring, squeaky.

There’s some interesting research into the power of sensory words:

http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/metaphor-marketing.htm

Maybe we can create another list for the five senses?

kris

MAR 22, 2014 @ 15:26:33

What the hell is this list jon… It’s enthralling. What about slangs, rude words?

Charlie Sasser

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:09:54

Great List. Thanks Jon. The only thing missing is a group of words that create FUD (Fear, uncertainty and
doubt).

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:41:10

The first group can probably help you with that.

Ion Doaga

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:20:58

Thanks Jon for the hard work you’ve done for us.

When I heard that I should use power words in my headlines, headings and in copy I agreed, but when I
went to find them I didn’t know where to get them from. Watching news and magazine was an “a-ha”
moment for me.

Thanks!!

Mike Martel

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:33:08

Stupendous post! Actually I was thinking of writing one along the same lines. There is so much content
out there we have to grab the readers attention. Graphic, descriptive phrasing is a way to take them by
the throat and force feed them what they need. 😉

Thanks for the eloquent reminder!

John Yeoman

JUL 23, 2013 @ 14:45:49

Nice idea,Jon. Synonyms are GOOD! Whee! (or Wow!) But, uh, didn’t Roget’s Thesaurus make that point
– rather more comprehensively, some 100 year ago? Or am I, in my imbecility,(losing, missing, dropping,
overlooking) something here? I love you truly, Jon. (I do.) But please clarify… and tell us, what in this
post is truly new? 🙂

Jon

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:40:07

These aren’t synonyms. They are words that cause readers to feel a particular emotion.

Take a look again at the Winston Churchill example in the beginning.

Jason

JUL 23, 2013 @ 18:12:45

Great! A list of powerful words that give much more impression when you used it. Thanks John for
sharing.

Joan Y Edwards

JUL 23, 2013 @ 15:22:19

Dear Jon,

Thank you very much for your lists of powerful words. You are very kind to share them with us, your
readers.

Celebrate you.

Never Give Up

Joan Y. Edwards
Tzod Earf

JUL 23, 2013 @ 16:14:09

A few spur of the moment suggestions:

Big, Grand, Huge, Captivating, Rock Solid, Essential, One of a kind, Satisfying, Legendary, Full Access,
Giant, Exquisite, Over the top, Thrilling, Momentuous, Bargain Basement, Free, Available, Now, Right
Now, Low Ball, Ace, Prime, Primo, Diamond in the rough, Gem of a Deal, Envy of them all…

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:32:10

Nice list. Thanks Tzod.

Alex Zemkus

JUL 23, 2013 @ 16:56:06

Great list of words Jon. A good resource to get the creative juices flowing in telling a story and getting a
point across. Thank you.

Jacqueline

JUL 23, 2013 @ 17:52:24

A generous post and resource thank you Jon. For me it’s a reminder to write with passion – to grab
readers’ attention and engage them.
The post is an explanation for why a random post I did a long while back has always been more popular
(on view count) than others – Confessions of A Recovering Adrenaline Junkie

As a therapist my work is all about power words. Thinking about recent sessions these come to mind:
hunger, desperation, rage, alone, antidote, wish, dreams. Now if I can just hold on to them as move
from my arm chair to my desk and write!

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:31:24

So true. Great insights.

Brian Taylor

JUL 23, 2013 @ 18:30:42

Thanks Jon, I am going to love putting these words into use. I think I will even use the ones others have
listed.

Mark Hermann

JUL 23, 2013 @ 18:49:06

Senational post, Jon!

This is up there with Headline Hacks for sheer volume of awesome suggestions.

Here are a few that come to mind in no particular order:

Incendiary

Diabolical

Exclusive (can’t believe that didn’t make it into the Greed category)

Dibilitating

Paralysing

Fabulous

Psychotic

Notorious

Funny about the timing of this post. I was about to publish a new post tonight but I’m gojng to go
through it and sprinkle a little power fairy dust on it before it goes out.

Thanks again, Jon for some truly helpful ideas!

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:30:45

Awesomeness. Love “diabolical.” 🙂

Mark Hermann

JUL 24, 2013 @ 08:17:05

One of my faves.

John Terry

JUL 23, 2013 @ 20:43:56

Great list. However, the editor in me has to ask about “pommel.” I bet you intended to use, “pummel,”
which means to hit someone repeatedly. “Pommel” is a knob or protruding part on a sword or a saddle.

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:30:04

Good catch! Fixed.

Megan Hamilton

JUL 23, 2013 @ 22:34:26

Thank you Jon! I’ll definitely file this for safekeeping! 😀

Chanlee

JUL 23, 2013 @ 23:58:39

Thanks for this awesome resource! Some of my favorites:

Eye-popping

Juicy

Cute

Weird

Freakish

Geeky

Nerdy
Ugliest

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:27:49

Good ones!

Matt

JUL 24, 2013 @ 03:52:56

Nice list, Jon.

If I’m learning that there’s one particular weakness in my writing then it’s probably the headline writing
so making use of “power words” as you call them should help me out a little!

Bookmarked!

Fiona Ingram

JUL 24, 2013 @ 03:59:59

What an incredibly useful post. Many thanks for sharing.

Julie Anne

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:13:29

I’m pleased that you have some of my favorite words on your lists. I have a short memory, so if some of
these I present to you are already lists above, I apologize in advance.

Some more of my favorite words:

My #1 lately is…

turmoil

Then I list these:

Intricate

Exquisite

Perturbed

Disturbed

Distressed

Dismayed

Discouraged

Empowered

Justice

Scott free (as in getting away with murder, r@pe, etc.)

And also mild swear words that help me keep my blog PG-13:

Jerk (in place of @sshole)

Tail or booty (in place of @ss)

Piece of tail (instead of piece of @ss)

Boink, Bang, Screw, (instead of f*ck)

Frick (instead of f*ck)

Freaking (instead of f*cking)

Bloody freaking miracle (instead of f*cking miracle)

Hell

Sweet lies from Hell

Fresh lies from hell (or fresh hell)

Oh, and of course — last but not least —

Douchebag! LOL

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:26:14

Nice! I’ll have to add some of these.

BellaBelle

JUL 27, 2013 @ 09:48:21

sweet lies from hell is my new “scam” phrase…. thx

Gabriela Pereira

JUL 24, 2013 @ 04:51:57

Hi Jon,

I use your headline hacks PDF all the time. In fact, I have officially made it is mandatory reading for all
new members of my team. Even if they never write a headline, I think it’s super-important for them to
learn good copy-writing skills and Headline Hacks is our go-to resource. Now the lists in these posts are
the perfect supplement to help me and my team take our copy-writing to the next level. Awesome!

Thanks so much for continuing to create such great resources. All the best!

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:27:21

Headlines as mandatory reading? Hot damn. I want to come work at your company. 🙂

Lara

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:01:18

I think you need a list of words that evoke an image or feeling like “Gobsmacked.”

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 07:25:28

Best word ever!

BellaBelle

JUL 27, 2013 @ 09:45:16

impressive top of my list. thx

Debbie

JUL 24, 2013 @ 08:24:21

Thanks Jon. I do know that the power words can make a big difference. Thanks for the list. Now have it
printed and good to go with more of your great help from you.

Debbie

Beat Schindler

JUL 24, 2013 @ 12:47:57

Hi Debbie, definitely some super-powerful power words in your blog title! :-]]

Glad my parents, in what I presume was a back-to-the-future move ahead of its time, got hold of your
advice just in time for me … lol

Debbie

JUL 24, 2013 @ 13:39:02

Thanks Beat,

I can’t take all the credit for it though. The truth is Jon pretty much came up with that one, with his
blogging class I took. It sure is paying off for me.

Actually i just got an email from someone that wants to advertise on my site.
What can i say, Jon is good with the words.

Thanks again and hope you have a great day or evening.

Debbie

Perse

SEP 25, 2014 @ 19:45:53

Debbie, you have definitely utilized Jon’s lessons well! Your headings are irresistible! I challenge the
young and inexperienced to stay away…lol!

Kay Fudala

JUL 24, 2013 @ 08:25:53

Jon, a great post! Tony Robbins also refers to power words. Looking at your list, I see authentic listed
under “safe”. I never thought of it that way before. Maybe having worked in the corporate world,
authentic seems more audacious to me. Now, I am going to have to change the tagline for my site. 😛

I love the concept of juxtaposition and confluence. Other words I love are those that convey a transitory
magical feeling – elusive, evanescent, fleeting.

I am going to have to grab your headline hacks PDF.

Bree

JUL 24, 2013 @ 08:27:26

These are delightful (would that be a power word?), but I’m curious about one thing: there are a lot of
adjectives in this list. Online marketers and copywriters keep saying it’s best to be simple while also
being compelling, which means leaving out adjectives when they’re not necessary.

But it seems you’re making the case that they ARE necessary to a degree, right? Otherwise people won’t
emotionally be pulled in by what you’re reading.

Jon

JUL 24, 2013 @ 15:07:48

That’s absolutely true. 😉

Bree

JUL 24, 2013 @ 15:20:58

Thanks! Glad to see my love of adjectives doesn’t have to be ENTIRELY thrown out the window. 🙂

Michael

JUL 24, 2013 @ 08:57:19

Hey Jon,

I feel like I’m on a radio call in show so I’ll start by saying Long time reader, first time commentor. LOL

AWESOME and I mean AWESOME list! I’ll be using these for sure!

I have a few to add if I may:

Transient
Disrupt

Sabotage

Forge

Ravenous

Maverick

Rogue

Emphatic

Boost

Sprint

Drudgery

Fervor

Wrath

Spook

Awe

Moxie

Zest

Zeal

Cachet

Schism

Doctrine

Dogma

Zealot

And I seem to be using this one a lot lately:

PRAGMATIC
Cheers!

Jon

JUL 27, 2013 @ 08:04:01

Some great words there. Thanks for sharing!

Beat Schindler

JUL 24, 2013 @ 09:00:50

Your Royal Awesomeness, hi … with breathtaking “Thanks!” for your sensational list.

I’ve been bombarded with devastatingly boring power word lists ever since the last millennium, but Your
Royal Awesomeness’s volatile compilation of power words is strikingly different. It’s eye-openingly
intelligent.

Re the staggering importance of (power) words. “In the beginning was the word”. Not only is it
tantalizingly clear – “what part of ‘in the beginning’ do you not understand?” – it’s also a secret and
therefore hypnotic wisdom of every sage and wisdom that ever existed, across all time, space and
religions, gracefully discounting the usual few exceptions. Yet, I shamelessly admit [in truth I’m thrilled
to admit], it took my genius self a revoltingly long time to a) notice, b) to believe and c) to really believe
it … and experience the magic of belief in power words.

Now your evil list will quadruple the experience, no doubt about it. Hence my recession-proof thanks.

But I see Your Gifted Awesomeness by now is getting over-powered or disgustingly bored – likely both.
So let me hurriedly take quick leave … by crookedly adding the only other intelligent list of power words
in my trusted hands is from Tony Robbins [Unleash the Giant Within]. He lists words in two columns:
“good word” and “great word”. Cannot reproduce it here – whoppingly true – because I only have it as a
guaranteed jpg file. But if anyone wants the bonanza of a copy, just holler and make sure it includes
your prized email, and a power word or two :-]

Rebecca Scott Boddie

JUL 24, 2013 @ 10:46:53

Great list. My additions:

Silky

Notorious

Tom Southern

JUL 24, 2013 @ 11:24:20

Jon, mind-blowing stuff! 🙂

How about “because”? Tony Robbins first gave me insight into the power of this word. Years later, Brian
Clark reminded me. Tony Robbins suggested doing a little experiment to see how powerful “because”
was …

Go to the front of any line of people waiting for something – have a really good excuse ready for why
you need to be served [or whatever] first and add “because” like this … “Do you all mind if I go first
because …[enter good excuse] my little girl’s lost her teddy and she thinks he might be in here.” Or ..

Other power words: Please. May I? Thank-you. You’re fired! … possibly not in that order 🙂
Lorna

JUL 24, 2013 @ 11:47:46

Great post Jon, thanks… I’ll be using it with your Headline Hacks report to juice up my headlines.

Tony Robbins has a very effective practice to change emotional states by changing our usual, self-talk
vocabulary to one peppered with power words; they’re a potent influence. Fab list.

Don

JUL 24, 2013 @ 12:07:54

This is a really great list. I have been working on improving my writing and this should really help. Thank
you for posting this

Mary Ann

JUL 24, 2013 @ 15:11:24

Dear “His Royal Awesomeness”!

What an impressive and powerful list of perfectly categorized word groups! I’m sending you a H-U-G !

I’m another fan of “Headline Hacks” that I originally downloaded in March 2012 — it’s been like a word
bible!

Thank you Jon!

Suzi

JUL 24, 2013 @ 16:33:13

Holy Forgotten Bonanza Batman! This article has titillated my limp mind!

Thank you!

Theresa Cahill

JUL 24, 2013 @ 17:52:30

Wow, what else can I say that hasn’t already been said? Like all those before me, I copied this into a
word doc (including most of the comment lists) for even more reference material! Thank you!

KC Herbel

JUL 24, 2013 @ 20:21:15

Thanks for not including curse words. They’re like that broken screwdriver you keep in the drawer. It
might work, but it will probably just make someone really angry at you for using it.

Also, I like: “carnage”, “rock star”, “inevitable”, “betray”, “putrid”, “rotten”, “rat”, “patriot”, “made in
America”, “Draconian” (when I can get away with it), and especially “insanity” (because it can be good or
bad depending on context).

Elena @ Blog Giveaways

JUL 24, 2013 @ 22:07:01

Jon, I love your article and your list of power words is incredible. I am sure I will be using it all the time.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. It’s always greatly appreciated!

Maurice Bernier

JUL 25, 2013 @ 11:12:50

Let’s face it. Everything we do in life relates to our emotions. What this list of words does is help us to
communicate better as writers and capture those emotions from our readers.

I offer my sincere appreciation for this list and will be sure to keep it in a safe place along with sharing
this great article.

Wishing everyone a great inspiration filled day,

Maurice

Jane Bromley

JUL 25, 2013 @ 14:36:49

Hi Jon. Another staggeringly useful post that will help us to rise to victory. Many thanks.

How about:

dying

awesome

unstoppable

alone

abandoned
fighting

mother

ideals (I wonder where I got those last 3)

surrender

freedom

love

waspish

inspired

struggle

soar

impressive

heady

I can’t see them in your list- but I may have missed them.

This list is almost as useful as Headline Hacks. Magical! Thanks again. Jane

ronel

JUL 26, 2013 @ 02:51:13

Excellent. I am a great believer in power words and write and rewrite constantly before posting. Thanks
for your list.I will add to mine. Great post.

ALISON

JUL 26, 2013 @ 07:05:26

I’m gobsmacked! (Just had to repeat that word.)

Inspired to contribute an ” Old Coots’ Cahoots” annex:

addle

bamboozle

cahoots

cockamamie

codger

coot

craw

curmudgeon

dagnabbit

doddering

dandy

dandified

jim-dandy

fester

foolhardy

frank

gobbedlygook

grog

guffah

habberdashery

hayseed

heyday
hobnob

horsey

kerfuffle

lolligag

rascal

rip-roaring

ripsnorter

shenanigans

skidaddle

skinflint

skullduggery

slapdash

sloe-eyed

small fry

soft shoe

tippled

tomfoolery

toodle-do

toodles

toots

whittle

whollop

whoop-de-do

yackety-yack

yammer
yellow-belly

young ‘un

youza

yuk

yellow-bellied sapsucker

zounds

zowie

zzz

anton crone

JUL 26, 2013 @ 09:06:32

I worry about this type of guide as it lacks so much that is fundamental to the craft of good writing, such
as pace, tempo and punctuation. “How to become an instantly better writer,” it says, “it’s simple: Use
power words.” If it were that simple there wouldn’t be writers of the calibre we celebrate. If painting
were a metaphor, it would say: “it’s simple. Use the colour red.” Picasso painted some of his most
famous works in muted blue’s and grey. It goes on to cite a speech of Winston Churchill’s where he uses
“power words” yet it brushes over the fact that those words were used in the context of war – a subject
of power in itself. it also ignores the power of Churchill’s voice – his pace and tempo and the people who
were used to imitate him (there is good evidence that his radio speeches were recorded by a voice artist
imitating him). I see so many bloggers applying similar rules while ignoring the power of developing their
own style and voice. It is the only way to truly stand out because too many bloggers are taking attention
grabbing guides like this to heart.

Michael

JUL 26, 2013 @ 11:48:48

I understand what you’re saying but blogging is an advanced form of communication that is entirely
different than traditional styles of writing. Blogging is meant to attract readers and gain attention
because of it’s intimate and quick to read format.
What Jon’s post does is it tells you how to be a better blogger, not to be a better “writer” in the
traditional writing sense. Go and read any newspaper and then go read their blog. I’m sure you’ll find
very quickly that they are merely curating content with the odd piece thrown in and calling it a blog.
That’s not blogging. That’s Journalism.

I was surfing a writers website and looked at their guest post submission guidelines. It asked for a
degree in communications and posts must be written in AP style. Since when does AP style have to do
with blogging?

I think too many people (along with the so called blogging experts)seem to confuse blogging with the
writing we were all taught in school. Two completely different things. Jon doesn’t do that. He has a very
clear understanding of what a blog is and what traditional writing is. If you want to write a better fiction
novel, screenplay, business letter or speech, take a college level writing class. If you want to learn how
to blog, learn from guys who live it.

Just my two cents.

anton crone

JUL 27, 2013 @ 03:51:16

Thanks for your reply, Michael.

Writing forms the basis of blogging, as it does journalism, play writing, speech writing and so on. All of
these forms employ words, which are crafted by what we all call WRITING, to attract readers or listeners
and gain attention. ALL writing, not just blogging.

Even Jon’s headline states: 317 Power Words That’ll Instantly Make You a Better WRITER. Not a blogger.
A WRITER.
People may believe blogging needs to be shorter and punchier to retain peoples attention, but a 2000
word long blog can retain peoples attention if it is WRITTEN well.

Using these so called power words does not make you a better writer. The power of a written piece does
not come from individual words, it comes from the context the words are written in; how they relate to
other words; sentences; paragraphs and the subject they are describing.

Michael, You say: “I think too many people (along with the so called blogging experts)seem to confuse
blogging with the writing we were all taught in school.” This is a ridiculous assumption. The fact that
bloggers can string sentences together is a direct result of that schooling. Without it, blogging would not
exist.

Perse

SEP 25, 2014 @ 19:57:44

Indeed, Anton Crone. I’m a novelist myself and come from a world where good, contextual, syntactic
writing is as important as vocabulary. But vocabulary’s important too! This list may not touch on
everything that makes a good writer, but it specializes in one thing. Why not take that college level
writing class Michael mentioned if you want the rest of the picture? And I’m sure there are bloggers out
there who specialize in other elements…

Melissa Breau (@MelissaBreau)

JUL 26, 2013 @ 09:28:56

Hey Jon,

I’ve got one more word that should definitely be added to your power list.

Ben Casnocha just did an entire post on the power of the word “yet” and it’s ability to motivate.
(here’s the post he wrote: http://casnocha.com/2013/07/the-power-of-the-word-yet.html)

Pretty convincing, no?

anton crone

JUL 26, 2013 @ 09:46:35

No. It is not a “power word” in the context of the blog piece above. It is made “powerful” by its
application in the sentences or phrases mentioned in the piece you reference. It is just a word,
otherwise you may as well say “the” is a power word, or any other word for that matter. Looking at the
words above, a great number of them require context to give them “power”. For example: gift; mother;
silly, belief. Some of them aren’t even words. IRS? For crying out loud. Some are more than one word:
Sick and tired; marked down?

Come on, Jon.

Mario Zeleny

JUL 26, 2013 @ 15:41:53

I know something that would make me a better writer…

Taking this article as well as some of your other awesome basic writing technique articles, and putting
them to practice in a system each time I write!

Why do we fail to do what we know to do, especially when someone helps us out (gives us the answers?
DOH…

I am determine to get this right….

Thanks for another great one, Jon!

Taheerah Barney

JUL 26, 2013 @ 18:57:37

Hi Jon,

Thanks very much for this post. I am always looking for descriptive words to flood my readers’ senses.
Ok, maybe that was a tad too dramatic, but I think you understand what I mean.

Anyways, here is a list of words that I’ve used recently:

inexplicable

flashed

twinge

precious

simmering

stewing

gorgeous

excruciating

pristine

guarded

throaty

sneer

struck
conjoined

exude/ooze

venom

ecstasy

barrage

tug-of-war

monologue

blast

inched

sly

ample

paranoia-induced

haze

alienate

chide

inconspicuous

sanctimonious

bastard

unadulterated

BellaBelle

JUL 27, 2013 @ 10:06:45

Thanks for the article and thanks to all those that took the time to comment. This has given me some
fresh ideas.
Stephen Irvine

JUL 29, 2013 @ 08:34:01

ha! a list to be reckoned with. Great resource and a very interesting read. Great work.

anna

JUL 29, 2013 @ 07:56:52

Love this, thank you!

Herbert Peters

JUL 29, 2013 @ 10:10:27

I think we should petition Microsoft to add high-lightened power words to synonyms. That way it is easy.
Sorry. It is the lazy me.

Herbert Peters

JUL 29, 2013 @ 10:12:29

Jon, I forgot to thank you. This is a lot of hard work and the comments have added more to its value.
Thanks for this great work. Cheers.

Michelle

JUL 29, 2013 @ 10:56:51

Wow! Much like your former students, I have been looking for this list for years! Thanks for putting this
together and now I will print it out and place it in front of me for reference in all my writing. I have also
shared it with our writers so they too can benefit from your Uncensored, Mind-Blowing and Victorious
list of power words. Thansk!

Alice Carney

JUL 29, 2013 @ 12:02:23

Jon, my hat off to you. As a former college teacher of rhetoric a Dale Carnegie instructor and writing
coach, I watch people struggle to find the right words to appeal to the right emotion. Your explanations
and lists are concrete, and once again, very helpful. Thanks for being there for us.

Cecil

JUL 29, 2013 @ 16:19:51

I am the same blowing my hat off to Jon. He has all the right terms to display his thoughts on emotions
and all. Well organized and great post to show. Share for for more of this kind Jon. Thanks

Jules Galloway

JUL 29, 2013 @ 17:19:54

I write about natural health and food, and I often find myself using the same old words when posting my
recipes (boooring!!!). Food is very much tied in with emotion, so I am going to try some of these “new”
words. Thanks so much!

Jill Powers

JUL 29, 2013 @ 17:59:59

Great list…I may have overlooked it, but it seems like “Insane” might be a great word…as in “Insane
Offer” or “you’d be insane to miss this!” What do you think? Thanks for a terrific boost for boring blog
posts!
Maurice Bernier

JUL 31, 2013 @ 10:26:24

Just thought I’d pop back in to let you know that everyone I’ve shared this with has given me nothing
but Thanks so lets cheers to that and keep on rockin with words! 🙂

Becky Jackson

AUG 01, 2013 @ 12:00:10

Jon, this post and all these words are awesome! What makes them all so rich and intense is the way they
connect us to our feelings; the way they bring us to something in our lives that matters.

Thank you!

Shandra Artura

AUG 03, 2013 @ 07:30:44

That is hands-down, one of the BEST, most USEFUL posts I’ve seen. I used your Headline Hacks with
great success and this is now going to build upon that vision to post powerful headlines with even more
powerful content. Thank you!!!!!

Jean Royster-Hills

AUG 14, 2013 @ 11:27:13

Just found you guys and am loving all the words. Smooches.
Shawn

AUG 21, 2013 @ 15:52:16

This list is great! Seems like it would be some good words to use in sales pages as well. Thank you!

Salini Dinesh

AUG 25, 2013 @ 03:56:16

Excellent article Jon .Thanks for sharing these power words.

Varina Suellen Plonski

AUG 29, 2013 @ 01:21:08

Reading some of the comments makes me think some of them missed the point. These words are power
words because they evoke an immediate, emotional and visceral response. That is their power! One of
the most powerful words I know is not itself a power word; it does not itself have the power of the
words in your blog, it is instead a word that describes them. The word is NUANCE. Why say ‘red’ when
you can evoke a more emotional, visceral response by saying ‘scarlet’? The smell of blood is one thing;
the smoky copper scent of blood is entirely another. Those descriptive, nuanced words are words of
power. That’s what these words are. Thank you so much for adding to my store!

Favorite FB pic I saw lately: Never underestimate the seductive power of a decent vocabulary!

Estevan Montoya

AUG 29, 2013 @ 13:41:32

Great content! The “power word” in the title is what got my attention. I’ll be using this for my next e-
book and optin form. Thanks!
Jill

AUG 31, 2013 @ 00:58:13

Jon I cannot thank you enough for this killer list…and everyone else for adding even more! If I could
bookmark this more than once, I would!

Pure magic right here!

Philip Harper

SEP 28, 2013 @ 03:16:30

This is such a helpful post, really grateful you shared. I like to throw in “potentionally award-winning”
now and again.

Love it! Save as > Bookmark

John Wayne Zimmerman

SEP 28, 2013 @ 07:33:20

Great post. This is clearly valuable information.

Romy

OCT 04, 2013 @ 18:07:37

I loved reading this post and all of your comments. They were a real source of inspiration and a great
learning opportunity, as English is not my main language. This is a great way for me to expand my
vocabulary and cultivate a more distinguished communication style, so thank you everyone.

Michael

OCT 09, 2013 @ 03:17:08

All of the above.

Thanks Jon.

Lee J Tyler

OCT 09, 2013 @ 22:49:19

Incredible post and list, Jon.

Peak/peek as in summit or peaked his curiosity. The latter: Get a Special Peek into Our [goods} before
[the masses]…I’ve stashed some more away and will come back and add them. Though another source is
Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens.He could come up with some doozies! I’ll look through those as well.

We, as novelists, are taught not to use the $10 word when the $1 one would work (thank you,
Hemingway). But, though similar, copywriting has its own rules and you are setting up to become the
next Merriam Webster (and Mark Twain) of our time. Love this.

Lynn Silva

OCT 13, 2013 @ 15:50:51

The other day I listened to a class you gave on how to make $2000 per post. In it, you talked about using
‘power words’…so I started making a list of what I assumed would be good power words.

THANK GOODNESS I came across this! Saves a lot of time and these ‘power’ words are way better than
the list I had started!

Awesome stuff! Thanks.

Surat

OCT 26, 2013 @ 02:23:03

Thanks for the list Jon. Your list is quite effective. I bookmarked this page for future use while writing
new blog posts. This list of words is quite effective and easy to use. Thanks for sharing this list.

Adeline Blumer

NOV 05, 2013 @ 23:31:32

Jon… you are the most generous person, really! Sharing so much to ensure others are also successful.
Pretty happy with all the word lists I got from your page and comments. I’m a month-old blogger… so
just getting going and finding that yes, I love writing.. but catching the attention of a sophisticated and
click-happy current social media audienceI is not about presenting a powerful book.. it’s about sound
bytes and seconds of their headspace. I agree with the ‘devil’s advocate commentator” re words are
really only powerful in their designated context.. but we still need WORDS! So thanks a bunch. Can’t
wait to wordsmith… within the context and get myself and my audience stoked

Bernice McDonald

DEC 29, 2013 @ 17:46:09

I love words!! I could take each one and write and paragraph around it. Thanks for so many incredible
ideas. It’s quite an undertaking to come up with something like this. I have used a list of words for
choosing life values or inspiring a passion statement but never thought about words in this context
before. Thanks to everyone for your contribution as well. Much food for thought (and pen).

Jordan Michaels

DEC 31, 2013 @ 17:57:33

As someone who has really struggled with my writing, I have found that a thesaurus is truly my strongest
asset. But posts like these are a close second. Some of these are words I know, but I just never think of
implementing. I’m glad I have a new resource to look back on now for my next blog post! Thanks!

Stan Eigi

JAN 12, 2014 @ 04:19:21

This is an amazing article! with that list no article will be a dull text! I learned so many new power words.
And I think I’ll go an fix my article like right now! Thanks a lot for the list!

mannequin

JAN 30, 2014 @ 05:05:33

what a great resource. I love this list, this is pure gold for me. thanks you sooo much. especially the
forbidden fruit list is really awsome and great to know these words. with these lists I´m sure I can
improve my marketing and especially marketing for offline. thanks again. this blog is officially
bookmarked.

Mirta

JAN 30, 2014 @ 13:59:27

Wow… Here’s what I made for easy additions to the list: http://prntscr.com/2nzt5m (I can share the link
for those who want it :))

This was, obviously, just for starters, considering all the contributions in the comments 😀

Kiky

FEB 10, 2014 @ 10:28:02

*gasp*

*speechless*

Abhishek Tavasalkar

FEB 17, 2014 @ 08:28:03

Yesterday I read a blog post on the Internet about powerful words and the one word I think is not
included maybe supposedly not included is “viral”. I think the viral word is also a power word. I don’t
want to compete with this article I’m just a beginner to blogging so if I’m wrong do let me know

liberty

FEB 18, 2014 @ 23:05:22

A brilliant piece of work! May I post a link of this article in my blog? My friends will find it very helpful.

vivek

FEB 21, 2014 @ 10:26:56

Coooooool ! Going to try this out for my future posts

Lynn

MAR 04, 2014 @ 10:31:06

This is an awesome list here. I have looked at it several times when trying to make a query or hook for a
book I am writing and found several words that have worked for me. Although during one query I was
writing I found that Vigilante worked for me better than Terrorist. I did not see that in one of the lists
and do not know if anyone else has mentioned that one yet. If not there is a new word for you.

Sean

APR 19, 2014 @ 03:23:18

One word that never loses its power:

New

Ash

APR 21, 2014 @ 02:05:38

I have a couple to add:

Erotic (lascivious list)

Dastardly (fear monger list)

Iron clad (make ’em safe list)

And there’s one that I kinda made up “toe curler” as in Stephen King’s novels are so scary and
beautifully written that they’re real toe curlers.
🙂

Devon Trevarrow Flaherty

APR 23, 2014 @ 08:11:50

Was so glad I stumbled on this post from Jodie Llyewellyn’s post. Will give me food for thought as I write
my next blog entry and then next 2000 words on my next books, today. Here are some power words
from my writing, yesterday. I used this as an exercise to explore my writing:

bubbled

smooth

cool

underground

alert

bleary

yawning

licked

high

grating

chest

lifted

feisty

nuzzled

lips

soft
warm

thrumming

bones

stretched

stroked

guttoral

breaking

strip

oblivion

unforgiving

hit

suck

poison

secret

Steve

APR 26, 2014 @ 22:41:37

Lots of good ones – i don’t remember seeing

ignite

incite

Noel Warnell

APR 30, 2014 @ 06:49:48

Jon – congrats – a cracking post, that I use every week as a reference guide when creating and editing
my own. It does what it says on the tin, because it absolutely HAS made me a better writer.

thomas daniels

JUL 07, 2014 @ 15:56:27

We have to use power words and think powerful, great post bro, keep up the good writing, I’m taking
notes.

Michael Haines

JUL 08, 2014 @ 14:07:50

Just so you know, I liked your blog and printed it but your “Grow Your Bog to Six figures” promo blocks
the upper left corner of each page so that the keywords behind it on every page I printed are completely
blocked. Pretty frustrating!!

Plex Boogie

JUL 15, 2014 @ 01:40:44

Compelling collection of words on this page! Here are a few that I think evoke a lot of emotion:

Train-Wreck

Crushing

Invigorating

Force

Surrounded

Collide
Unknown

Embellish

Calamity

Absorb

Immeasurable

Transparent

Tremble

Vivacious

Alexander

JUL 19, 2014 @ 15:51:31

Thanks Jon, yet another beautiful one.

I have been using these now a few times, but I am struggling with how much I should emulate your style.

German audiences, besides reading a different language, have a bit of a different rhythm.

Also, you tend to hype the living gold out of your articles. Contrary to most other authors, you keep your
promises of awesomeness.

But Germans are a little allergic to hype.

The last time Germans believed in hype, in particular political hype, it didn’t go over so well for them
and even less for the rest of the world.
Maybe you heard about it.

Anyway, thanks again for making me a better writer and a more conscious promoter. People actually
read my posts now.

Greg Butler

AUG 04, 2014 @ 11:28:30

The secrets of this post can skyrocket anyone’s blog to staggering heights of success. A true gift from a
true genius. Thank you.

Gultom

AUG 17, 2014 @ 10:58:53

I completely Agree with some “intriguing” words that you suggest but for some it was too “extreme” so I
cant use some of those words to my blog. If I want to straight “extravaganza” and try to attract peoples,
I’ll probably will use some harsh words such as N-Word, F-Word, B-Word, FG-Word and many more and
I will get some backlash for that.

Anne

AUG 19, 2014 @ 10:46:11

A million dollar idea – it would be great to have a power word thesauras online.

Greg Butler

AUG 21, 2014 @ 11:05:34

Here are 120 more power words that I came up with for the Fear Mongering category:

Aching

Adversity

Affliction

Alarming

Ambush

Anguish

Annihilate

Apprehension

Assassination

Attack

Backfire

Bloodbath
Blow

Blunder

Butcher

Calamity

Cancer

Carnality

Cataclysm

Cave in

Cheated

Choke

Conflagration

Confusion
Condemned

Corruption

Crooked

Cruelty

Crush

Curse

Deceptive

Demolish

Deranged

Despair

Devious

Disease

Discretion
Distraught

Distress

Disturbance

Dreadful

Emergency

Endangerment

Epidemic

Exposed

Exterminate

Eye-opening

Fake

Fatal
Fragile

Fury

Grievous

Hallucination

Harrowing

Havoc

Haunt

Heedless

Hijack

Hysteria

Ignorant

Impotent

Incapacitated
Incursion

Infiltration

Innocent

Insane

Insecure

Killing

Lethal

Lechery

Lewd

Liability

Malignant

Massacre
Menace

Misery

Mortal

Mortify

Naive

Nosedive

Onslaught

Outrageous

Persecute

Petrify

Poison

Provocation

Psychopath
Punch

Punishment

Quagmire

Quicksand

Raid

Ravage

Retaliation

Robbery

Ruin

Scourge

Shame

Shenanigans
Shock

Shriek

Sorrow

Steal

Strike

Suffocate

Threat

Tirade

Toil

Topple

Torment

Tragedy

Trauma
Treacherous

Trepidation

Trouble

Trounce

Vacillate

Vigilance

Violent

Weak

James Tlumacz

SEP 06, 2014 @ 10:53:21

How about:

Speedy

Calculating

Sensational

Petrified
Savvy

Treated

Ultimate

Rock Solid 🙂

John Espenschied

OCT 03, 2014 @ 13:38:03

Great info even if you’re not a PRO writer

These are great words that I can use to get my prospects motivated to call or click on my website.

Thanks,

John

Michelle

NOV 12, 2014 @ 07:41:09

This was a very helpful article. Definitely going to be referring back to it. Thank you so much!

Kelly

NOV 20, 2014 @ 08:19:26

This will be very helpful! I’m going to print out these lists out and stick them up on the wall of my office!
Thank you!!! 🙂

Lidiya K

DEC 04, 2014 @ 13:10:43

Great post! Thank you for making the list so detailed and organized, and sharing it for free.

I’ll definitely add many of these to my posts and make them a permanent part of my vocabulary.

We all know these words, but we often try to think of new, modern, complex ones that we think will
grab attention. Eventually, we realize that simplicity is the solution to everything. The simpler, the
better.

Nona Rekcah

DEC 26, 2014 @ 21:43:00

Savage

Rob

JAN 02, 2015 @ 18:57:02

Awesome! Thank you for this! Where can I get a copy to have with me at all times?

Patrizio

JAN 08, 2015 @ 09:30:33

Hi all,

Great piece here, and what’s more: followed by great comments. Thanks to all.

My humble contribution primarily but not exclusively for political speeches :

– Loyal(ty)

– Patriot
– Country

– Future

– (our) Children

– Safe(ty)

– Promise/pledge

– (our) Duty

– any term linked to physical exercise: run, rush, lift, push…

Jan Richards

JAN 09, 2015 @ 15:19:57

Hi Jon, Great list, great post! More ideas for your list of 1000 power words when you create it: flee, fan,
flame, charge, fury, free (not in the no-cost sense, but in freeing a prisoner), glory, glorify, exuberance,
guffaw, volcanic, hassle, harried, hair-tearing, genius, generous, humble, zen-like, ravenous, raging,
riotous

lisa

JAN 12, 2015 @ 15:35:44

Thanks for posting so much great content – and often!

Michelle Lapointe

FEB 01, 2015 @ 15:16:16

Great List. I have now bookmarked it so that I can keep referring back to it when writing certain blog
posts and articles. Thank you.
kingsley

FEB 07, 2015 @ 13:07:58

Great topic. Love the article would consider implementing soon.

siciliya

FEB 11, 2015 @ 04:09:24

thanks, these are seriously awesome words

Robin Follette

MAR 01, 2015 @ 20:05:13

Thank you! I’m struggling to improve my boring headlines. I appreciate the list being very long.

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1 against the clock

meaning: if you work against the clock, you are trying very hard to finish something before a deadline

use: Police are working against the clock to find the evidence they need.

2 around the clock

meaning: all day and all night

use: The nurses worked around the clock to look after the injured child.

3 back in the day

meaning: a time in the past; used mostly when you are remembering nice things

use: My parents say Hong Kong’s pollution wasn’t a problem back in the day, and the sky was always
blue.

4 behind the times

meaning: old-fashioned; not modern

use: Anyone who isn’t on Snapchat is behind the times and needs to catch up!

5 call it a day/night

meaning: decide that you have finished doing something for now

use: We’ve been working on this project since 6am. Let’s call it a day, and finish it tomorrow.

6 crunch time
meaning: a point at which something difficult must be done

use: The elections have been entertaining, but now it’s crunch time, and the candidates must prove they
are worthy

7 day in the sun

meaning: a time when you get attention and are appreciated

use: If she keeps working so hard, she will have her day in the sun and be promoted.

8 someone’s days are numbered

meaning: they will not exist for much longer

use: After it got knocked over by that truck, my bike’s days are numbered.

9 at the eleventh hour

meaning: at the last moment; almost too late

use: The director was making changes to the script at the eleventh hour – I mean, the audience were
already in the hall!

10 five o’clock shadow

meaning: when a man’s facial hair starts showing a little bit when he hasn’t shaved since morning

use: Andy thinks he has five o’clock shadow, but I’m sure it’s just dirt.

11 make good time

meaning: travel quickly

use: Luckily there was no traffic, and we made good time to the border.
12 never in a month of Sundays

meaning: very, very unlikely to happen

use: Shelley will never in a month of Sundays agree to go out with Richard!

13 in the nick of time

meaning: at the last possible moment

use: Mum saw the plate falling and caught it in the nick of time.

14 once in a blue moon

meaning: very, very rarely

use: Once in a blue moon, I really feel like watching a musical, but generally I prefer action thrillers.

15 play for time

meaning: to purposely delay doing something, or do it more slowly than usual, so you have more time to
decide what to do

use: When Dad asked Molly what happened to the window, she gave him a big hug and said how much
she loved him. But she was just playing for time – I know she broke it!

16 since time immemorial

meaning: for a very, very long time; since before anyone can remember

use: Our school has had the same, ugly uniform since time immemorial.

29 clichés to avoid in formal writing

17 a stitch in time saves nine

meaning: it is better to deal with problems immediately, otherwise they will get worse and take even
longer to deal with
use: Andy and Alex should really break up if they argue so much. It will be painful, but a stitch in time
saves nine, and it’s better to do it before they say something they can’t take back!

18 time flies

meaning: time passes surprisingly quickly

use: Time flies when you have three essays to write in a night.

19 time on your hands

meaning: a period when you have nothing to do

use: Grandma has a lot of time on her hands now she’s retired, so she volunteers at the SPCA.

20 time is money

meaning: time is valuable, and you shouldn’t waste it.

use: Why are you just sitting staring at the ceiling? Time is money! Get up and do something practical!

21 time is on my side

meaning: I have a lot of time to finish something

use: Since Mr Ng gave us an extension on that project, time is on my side, and I can make it really great.

22 to the end of time

meaning: forever

use: I will be a Justin Bieber fan to the end of time, even if he stops singing.

23 wasn’t born yesterday

meaning: not stupid or naive

use: I tried to trick my aunt into sticking her hand in a bag full of jelly, but she said she wasn’t born
yesterday, and tipped it over my head!

Busybody

“My aunt is such a busybody – she’s always asking nosy questions about my love life. I wish she’d mind
her own business.”

A busybody is a person who constantly wants to know about or interfere in the details of other people’s
lives.

Another way to describe someone like this is “nosy,” or you can say the person is always “poking their
nose into” other people’s lives. The expression “mind (your) own business” means to focus on your own
life without interfering in other people’s.

Cheapskate

“John bought his mother a $5 gift for her birthday. I can’t believe what a cheapskate he is!”

A cheapskate is a person who hates to spend much money – and spends little money even in cases
where more spending is needed. In this example sentence, John should have invested more money in a
gift for his mother, but he only spent $5! Another way to describe a person like this is “stingy.”

Couch Potato

“Stop being a couch potato – turn off the TV and go get some exercise.”

A couch potato is a lazy person who spends a lot of time sitting down or lying down, watching TV,
playing video games, or doing some other activity that doesn’t involve physical activity.

English idioms for personality and character

Down-To-Earth

“I like working with Janet because she’s so down-to-earth. Her plans and expectations are very
reasonable.”

A person who is down-to-earth is practical, sensible, and realistic. Being down-to-earth is the opposite of
being a dreamer, visionary, or “having your head in the clouds.”

Behind The Times / A Fuddy-Duddy

“My dad doesn’t have an e-mail address. He’s a little behind the times.”

Describing someone as “behind the times” means the person is old-fashioned and has not adopted
certain modern customs, beliefs, or behaviors. A more negative word to describe a person who is “stuck
in the past” is fuddy-duddy. This word is more of a criticism, whereas “behind the times” is more
diplomatic.

Go-Getter

“You can’t just wait for opportunities to be handed to you – you need to be more of a go-getter.”

A go-getter is a person who is active, energetic, and has the initiative to pursue the things they want.

Goody-Goody / Goody Two Shoes

“Mary was a goody two shoes in high school, but when she went to college she turned into a real rebel.”

A goody-goody or goody two shoes is a person who always acts good, sweet, or nice, and follows the
rules perfectly. They never do anything bad or rebellious.

These words are NOT compliments – they have the connotation of a person who always acts good and is
a little bit arrogant about it, showing off their perfect behavior.
An idiom for describing someone as good without this connotation of arrogance is “a good egg.”

Know-It-All / Smart Alec / Wise Guy

“I tried to give advice, but my know-it-all co-worker wouldn’t even listen.”

A know-it-all is a person who thinks they know everything, and that their opinions and ideas are the
best. The idioms “smart alec” and “wise guy” are similar, but have more of a connotation of a person
who demonstrates their cleverness in an arrogant or sarcastic way.

Man Of His Word / Woman Of Her Word

“If Gary said he’ll be there at 6:00, you can count on it. He’s a man of his word.”

A “man of his word” or “woman of her word” is a person you can trust because they tell the truth and
keep promises.

Mover And Shaker

“Martha is the mover and shaker in the department. She’s always got ideas to help move things
forward.”

A mover and shaker is an active person who helps their company, organization, or group make progress.

Set In His/Her Ways

“I showed my boss the benefits of this new strategy, but he’s set in his ways and doesn’t want to change
anything.”

A person who is set in his or her ways is stubborn and committed to their current way of doing things.
They aren’t open to changing, even if the change would be an improvement.
Slimeball

“Harry dumped Kate and immediately started trying to hook up with her 16-year-old sister. What a
slimeball!”

(dumped = ended a romantic relationship)

(hook up with = start a romantic relationship, or have sex with)

A slimeball is a disgusting, horrible, person who deserves to be hated. A person can be described as a
slimeball in any context (not only romantic relationships). This word can be used for anybody who did an
especially terrible, dishonest, or violent action.

Social Butterfly

“I’m more reserved, but my mother is a social butterfly.”

A social butterfly is an extroverted person who loves to socialize. Like a butterfly goes quickly from
flower to flower, a “social butterfly” often goes around a room having conversations with many people.

English idioms for personality and character

Stickler For The Rules

“Clean up the classroom after you’re done with your project. The teacher’s a stickler for neatness.”

Someone who is a “stickler for [something]” is a person who strongly insists on that quality or behavior,
and wants or expects other people to maintain the same standard. People are usually sticklers for some
rule of correctness, such as neatness/cleanliness, punctuality, correct grammar, tradition, accuracy, etc.

Wet Blanket / Party Pooper / Spoilsport / Killjoy / Stick-In-The-Mud

“I hate to be a wet blanket, but we should probably turn down the music – our neighbors are probably
trying to sleep.”

These idioms describe a person who discourages fun or enjoyment for other people, or who prevents
other people from having fun, through their actions or their negative attitudes.

Worrywart

“My mother’s such a worrywart that if I don’t call her every day, she starts imagining I’ve been killed in a
horrible accident.”

A worrywart is a person who worries constantly and excessively.

A Fun & Easy Way To Learn English Idioms

Learn more about the Idioms Course

Related Lessons:

10 English Expressions with "Don't"

10 Conversational English Expressions with the Word WHAT

English Idioms for Telling Someone to Be Quiet

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Negative Adjectives and Idioms to Describe People in English

Aloof

someone who is generally unfriendly, distant, or cold toward others.

Aggressive

someone who is always ready to fight or argue; someone who might be very forceful to get what they
want

Armchair critic

someone who often gives unhelpful criticism and rarely offers their own ideas or solutions.

Big-headed

someone who believes they are better or more important than other people; egotistical

Bossy

someone who often tells others what to do or gives orders

Busy body

someone who is too involved or interferes too much in other people’s lives

Clingy

someone who needs another person or needs emotional support all the time

Couch potato
a lazy person who spends a lot of time sitting, watching TV, playing video games, or doing some other
activity that doesn’t involve physical activity.

Cynical

someone who believes the worst about others or believes people are generally dishonest or selfish

Full of hot air

someone who talks a lot without saying anything of value or meaning

Goody-goody or goody two shoes

someone who is always good or always follows the rules BUT is a little arrogant about it, thus it has a
negative connotation

Grumpy

to have a bad mood or bad temper

Impulsive

someone who makes decisions without thinking or considering the consequences; doing things without
thought or care

Indecisive

someone who cannot make a decision

Know it all

someone who pretends or likes to appear as if they know everything but they are not; someone who
pretends to be an expert on everything

Materialistic

someone who is focused or obsessed with material wealth and possessions

Obnoxious

someone who is annoying or unpleasant; offensive

Pain in the neck

someone who is annoying; a situation that is annoying or inconvenient

Picky

someone who is never pleased or happy with their choices

Set in one’s ways

someone who refuses to change; to be inflexible

Tactless

someone who tends to offend or upset people

Thoughtless

someone who never shows concern or care for others

Wet Blanket (Party Pooper / Spoilsport / Killjoy / Stick-In-The-Mud)

someone who spoils or steals other people’s fun; disapproving

20 Essential English Idioms for ESL Students

To help you master English idioms, we’ve gathered together 20 of the most common American English
idioms and expressions. They’re useful for ESL students, or anyone learning English. Enjoy!

1. (To) Hit the books

english-idioms

Literally, hit the books means to physically hit, punch or slap your reading books. However, this is a
common English idiom among students, especially American college students who have a lot of studying
to do. It simply means “to study,” and is a way of telling your friends that you’re going to study. It could
be for a final exam, a mid-term test or even an English exam.

“Sorry but I can’t watch the game with you tonight, I have to hit the books. I have a huge exam next
week!”

2. (To) Hit the sack

english-idioms

Just like the first idiom, the literal meaning of this would be physically hitting or beating a sack (a large
bag usually used for carrying things in bulk such as flour, rice or even soil). But actually to hit the sack
means to go to bed, and you’d use this to tell your friends or family that you’re really tired, so you’re
going to sleep. Instead of saying hit the sack you can also say hit the hay.

“It’s time for me to hit the sack, I’m so tired.”

3. (To) Twist someone’s arm

english-idioms

To twist someone’s arm literally means to take a person’s arm and turn it around, which could be really
painful if you take it exactly word for word. If your arm has been twisted it means that someone has
done a great job of convincing you to do something you might not have wanted to to do.

And if you manage to twist someone else’s arm it means that you’re great at convincing them, and
they’ve finally agreed to do something after you’ve been begging them.

Tom: Jake you should really come to the party tonight!

Jake: You know I can’t, I have to hit the books (study).

Tom: C’mon, you have to come! It’s going to be so much fun and there are going to be lots of girls there.
Please come?
Jake: Pretty girls? Oh all right, you’ve twisted my arm, I’ll come!

4. (To be) Up in the air

english-idioms

When we literally think about something up in the air, we have the idea that something’s floating or
flying in the sky, perhaps an airplane or a balloon. But really if someone tells you that things are up in
the air it means that these things are uncertain or unsure; definite plans have not been made yet.

“Jen have you set a date for the wedding yet?”

“Not exactly, things are still up in the air and we’re not sure if our families can make it on the day we
wanted. Hopefully we’ll know soon and we’ll let you know as soon as possible.”

5. (To) Stab someone in the back

english-idioms

If we take this idiom literally we could find ourselves in a whole lot of trouble with the police, as it would
mean taking a knife or another sharp object and putting into a person’s back.

However, as an idiom to stab someone in the back means to hurt someone who was close to us and
trusted us by betraying them secretly and breaking their trust. We call the person who does this a back
stabber.

“Did you hear that Sarah stabbed Kate in the back last week?”
“No! I thought they were best friends, what did she do?”

“She told their boss that Kate wasn’t interested in a promotion at work and Sarah got it instead.”

“Wow, that’s the ultimate betrayal! No wonder they’re not friends anymore.”

6. (To) Lose your touch

english-idioms

Literally this means to no longer have the ability to touch or feel with your fingers or hands. But to lose
your touch actually means that you lose your ability or talent you once had when dealing with things,
people or situations.

We use this when you’re usually good at a certain skill or talent, but then things start to go wrong.

“I don’t understand why none of the girls here want to speak to me.”

“It looks like you’ve lost your touch with the ladies.”

“Oh no, they used to love me, what happened?”

7. (To) Sit tight

english-idioms
To sit tight is a strange English idiom and it literally means that you sit down squeezing your body in a
tight way, which if you did it would be very uncomfortable, not to mention you’ll look really strange.

But if a person tells you to sit tight they want you to wait patiently and take no action until you hear
otherwise.

“Mrs. Carter, do you have any idea when the exam results are going to come out?”

“Who knows Johnny, sometimes they come out quickly but it could take some time. You’re just going to
have to sit tight and wait.”

8. (To) Pitch in

english-idioms

This English idiom actually makes no sense if you try to take it literally. However, figuratively speaking it
means to contribute (give) to something or someone or to join in.

So if your dad tells the family that he wants everyone to pitch in this weekend and help clear the
backyard, it means he wants everyone to join in on the efforts to clear the yard and get things done
quicker.

“What are you going to buy Sally for her birthday?”

“I don’t know I don’t have much money.”

“Maybe we can all pitch in and buy her something great.”

The above conversation suggests that every one of Sally’s friends should contribute a little bit of money
so they can afford to buy her a bigger and better present together.

9. (To) Go cold turkey

english-idioms

Sound weird? Well, you’re right, it does, how can anyone literally go cold turkey? A person can’t
transform into the bird we all love to eat for celebrations such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

The origins of this English idiom are strange and to go cold turkey means to suddenly quit or stop
addictive or dangerous behavior such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

This English idiom is said to have originated in the late 20th century and suggests that a person who
suddenly quits something addictive—such as drugs or alcohol—suffers from side effects that look like a
cold, uncooked turkey. This includes pale (very white) skin and goosebumps (little small bumps on the
skin when we’re cold or sick).

“Shall I get your mom a glass of wine?”

“No, she’s stopped drinking?”

“Really, why?”

“I don’t know. A few months ago, she just announced one day she’s quitting drinking.”

“She just quit cold turkey?”

“Yes, just like that!”

10. (To) Face the music

english-idioms

In literal terms facing the music means to turn your body to the direction of the music and stand in front
of it. But if your friend or your parents tell you to face the music, there’s a much harsher meaning.

It means to “face reality” or to deal with the reality of the situation and accept all the consequences
good or bad (but mostly bad). Perhaps you’ve been avoiding something because you feel unsure or
scared of the outcome. Maybe you lied to your teacher and she discovered the truth and now you have
to face the music and accept the punishment.

“I can’t understand why I failed math.”

“You know you didn’t study hard, so you’re going to have to face the music and take the class again next
semester if you really want to graduate when you do.”

11. (To be) On the ball

english-idioms

If you look at this English idiom literally, it means to be either standing or sitting on a ball—but who
would do that?

If you’re on the ball it means that you’re very quick to understand certain things, very prepared for
something or react quickly (and correctly) to a situation.
For example, if you’re planning your wedding that is still one year away from now and you’ve almost
finished with all the planning already, you’re definitely on the ball because not many people are that
prepared!

“Wow, you’ve already finished your assignments? They are not due until next week, you’re really on the
ball. I wish I could be more organized.”

12. (To) Ring a bell

english-idioms

If we look at the literal meaning of ring a bell, it’s just that: You could be ringing the school bell to tell
students it’s time to go to class or ringing someone’s doorbell.

But the idiom means that somebody has mentioned something that sounds familiar to you, perhaps
you’ve heard it before. In other words, when someone says something that you believe you’ve heard in
the past, alarm bells start ringing and you try to remember how or why that name or place sounds
familiar.

“You’ve met my friend Amy Adams, right?”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure, but that name rings a bell. Was she the one who went to Paris last year?”

13. Rule of thumb

english-idioms
Can thumbs rule or can you literally rule a thumb? If you think about it logically, it means absolutely
nothing and makes no sense. However, if you hear someone say as a rule of thumb, they mean that it’s a
general unwritten rule for whatever they’re talking about.

These rules of thumb are not based on science or research, and are instead just a general principle. For
example, there’s no written scientific rule that you must add oil to boiling water when cooking pasta,
but it’s a rule of thumb and is practiced by most people so the pasta won’t stick to the bottom of the
pan.

“As a rule of thumb you should always pay for your date’s dinner.”

“Why? There’s no rule stating that!”

“Yes, but it’s what all gentlemen do.”

14. (To be) Under the weather

english-idioms

Can you be under the weather literally? Probably yes, if you think about standing under the clouds, rain
and sun, but it makes no sense. If you’re feeling under the weather, you’re not your usual self and could
be feeling a little sick. The sick feeling is nothing serious; perhaps it’s just extreme tiredness from
studying too much, or having a bad headache because you’re starting to get the flu.

“What’s wrong with Katy, mom?”

“She’s feeling a little under the weather so be quiet and let her rest.”

15. (To) Blow off steam

english-idioms-11

In reality a person cannot blow off steam (the hot rising air from boiling water)—only electrical
equipment can, such as the electric jug (appliance for boiling water for coffee). So what does it mean
when a person blows off steam?

If you’re feeling angry, stressed or are experiencing some strong feelings and you want to get rid of
them so you feel better again, you will blow off steam by doing something such as exercise to get rid of
the stress.

“Why is Nick so angry and where did he go?”

“He had a fight with his brother, so he went for a run to blow off his steam.”

16. (To) Look like a million dollars/bucks

english-idioms

Wouldn’t it be great if we really could look like a million dollars? We’d be rich, but that’s not the case. If
someone tells you that you look like a million bucks, you should take it as a huge compliment because it
means you look absolutely fabulous and really attractive.

While sometimes we use this English idiom for guys, it’s more commonly used to compliment females.
And while some of your female friends may look beautiful every day, you should save this English idiom
for when they’ve really made an effort and it’s a special occasion, like prom or a wedding.

“Wow, Mary, you look like a million dollars/bucks this evening. I love your dress!”
17. (To) Cut to the chase

english-idioms

When somebody tells you to cut to the chase it means that you’ve been talking too long and haven’t
gotten to the point. When a person uses this idiom, they are telling you to hurry up and get the
important part, without all the details. Be careful how you use this idiom, because if used while talking
to someone like a college professor or your boss, it’s rude and disrespectful.

If you’re speaking to a group of people, like your employees, and say I’m going to cut to the chase, it
means that there are a few things that need to be said but there’s very little time, so you’ll skip to the
important parts so everyone understands.

“Hi guys, as we don’t have much time here, so I’m going to cut to the chase. We’ve been having some
major problems in the office lately.”

18. (To) Find your feet

english-idioms

Is it possible to lose your feet? No way, they’re attached to your body! So what does it mean when
somebody says they’re trying to find their feet? If you find yourself in a new situation, for example living
in a new country and having to get used to a new college, you could say I’m still finding my feet. It
means that you’re still adjusting and getting used to the new environment.

“Lee, how’s your son doing in America?”

“He’s doing okay. He’s learned where the college is but is still finding his feet with everything else. I
guess it’ll take time for him to get used to it all.”
19. (To) Get over something

english-idioms

If you think about it, it’s possible to literally get over something, for example get over a fence—but this
is not how the phrase is generally used in the English language.

Imagine having a really difficult time, like breaking up with your girlfriend or boyfriend—it’s hard. But
eventually once time passes and you no longer think about your ex, it means that you’ve gotten over
him/her, you no longer worry about it and it no longer affects you in a negative way. It’s also possible to
get over an illness too, which would mean that you’ve fully recovered.

“How’s Paula? Has she gotten over the death of her dog yet?”

“I think so. She’s already talking about getting a new one.”

20. (To) Keep your chin up

english-idioms

Did you just have a massive fight with your friend? Did you fail your English finals? Did your team lose
the final match? Did you lose your job? If you answered “yes” to any of the questions, then you’re
probably feeling sad and a little depressed, right?

In this situation, a supportive friend might tell you to keep your chin up. When they tell you this, they’re
showing their support for you, and it’s a way of saying “stay strong,” you’ll get through this. Don’t let
these things affect you too badly.
“Hey, Keiren, have you had any luck finding work yet?”

“No, nothing, it’s really depressing, there’s nothing out there!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll find something soon, keep your chin up buddy and don’t stress.”

How to Write Action Scenes

By Glen C. Strathy

Knowing how to write action scenes is an essential skill for writers in many fiction genres. After all, what
would a Suspense or Horror novel be without a chase scene in which the heroine is pursued by the
villain? What kind of hard boiled detective doesn't find himself on the losing side of a fistfight while on a
case? What would the Western genre be without saloon brawls, train robberies, horseback chases, or
shootouts? Not to mention action scenes are essential in any story involving Adventure, whether it's a
Thriller, Fantasy, or Science Fiction .

As with any scene, what makes an action scene emotionally gripping has to do with the right
combination of external and internal factors, as well as sound dramatic structure.

So let's start by defining an action scene, and then consider some of the issues you should address if you
want to write a scene that will keep your readers turning pages...

What are Action Scenes?

First, let's define what an action scene is...

An action scene depicts characters engaged in a high stakes physical challenge in order to achieve a goal.
The challenge is competitive, urgent, and fast moving.
Let's unpack this definition a little:

High stakes: The main character needs a strong motivation to win the contest. Most of the time this
means creating a threat, which could come from other characters (as in a battle or fight scene), or from
the danger inherent in the activity itself (such as a horse race or a car chase). Sometimes the threat is to
someone the main character cares about.

Competitive: The action should involve conflict with other characters who are trying to defeat, stop, or
outperform the main character. Occasionally, a force of nature, such as a hurricane, is the opponent, but
usually it is a human being.

Urgent: The characters should be racing against time, or to achieve their objective before the
competition can.

Fast moving: the urgency generally creates pressure on the characters to accomplish their goals quickly.
You may use shorter sentences and fewer descriptive words in actions scenes to create the sense of a
fast pace.

Types of Action Scenes

1Save

Roughly speaking, there are nine types of actions scenes found in stories, as noted in part by Ian Thomas
Healy in his book,

Action!: Writing Better Action Using Cinematic Techniques

These nine types are...

Escape

Rescue

Chase (an effort to capture, intercept, or prevent an escape)

Race

Fight (close combat)

Shootout (a fight using ranged weapons)

Battle (a fight involving large teams of combatants)

Sports Competition

Heist (evading security measures in order to commit a theft)

Of these, the Heist stands apart for relying less on fast action (because of the need for careful timing and
precision) and a greater use of suspense. However, it is still a race against the clock.

Preparing to Write an Action Scene

Before you write an action scene, helps to do some planning. So here are seven questions you should
ask yourself before you start writing...

1. What's the scene about?

Good scenes always illustrate an event.

By event, I don't mean just a physical act, such as "a fight" or "a chase." Stories that are strongly action-
driven generally rely on tight plotting, which means that every scene must describe a turning point in
the story. That's what an event is: a turning point, a change. Something must be different by the end of
the scene, and that change will send the story in a new direction.

Events can be external, such as the death of a character, the destruction of something important, a
capture or escape, a change in circumstances, or the obtaining of an object or bit of information.

An event can also be internal, such as a decision, realization, or epiphany.

Or an event can show a turning point in a relationship, such as a bonding or a betrayal.

Either way, you want to make sure something happens in the course of the action, the result of which
will send the story in a new direction.

2. Where will it take place?

Where you set your action scene matters because the terrain has a big affect on what your characters
can do. For this reason, a chase scene involving cars on a freeway will have a different feel than one in
which two submarines chase each other in deep water or two students chase each other through a
crowded library.

Of course, you have to choose terrain that makes sense for your story, but sometimes it helps to ask
yourself what is the most interesting place you could choose to set your action. For example, Alfred
Hitchcock's classic film North by Northwest ends with a chase scene on Mount Rushmore, a setting
chosen for its uniqueness.

But even if your terrain is less exotic, it is important to have a clear picture of it in mind.

For instance, is it indoors or outside? Does it take place in mud, or on stairs, carpet, or gravel? What
time of day or season is it? Must the characters be on foot or could they use vehicles? Is the space
empty or filled with objects that offer possibilities? And how will these factors affect the action?

About those possibilities, what does your terrain offer in terms of...

Hazards or barriers to escape.

Exits or shortcuts.

Hiding places or cover.

Features that could be used as makeshift weapons, traps, or tools.

Things to be protected, such as bystanders or valuable objects.

Things that might be destroyed in the course of the action (such as bystanders or valuable objects).

Impediments, such as weather, lighting, or more physical items such as traffic, dangerous animals, or
booby traps.

The time and effort required to cross the terrain.

In fact, it is often a good idea to create a map or diagram of the terrain to help you envision the action as
it will unfold.

3. Who are the people involved?

You can't write an action scene without knowing something about the characters involved. So get clear
on what they have to offer in terms of their relevant...

Skills or training

Experience

Physical fitness or traits

Knowledge

Clothing or props

Weaknesses

4. What sort of odds will you give your characters?

In action scenes, and especially fight scenes, the odds generally favour the character with superior...

Skills

Fitness

Body size

Equipment or Weapons
However, that doesn't mean your main character must have these traits in his/her favour. In fact,
readers often prefer stories in which the main character wins when the odds are against him.

In a David vs Goliath type contest, you may need some way to give your David a realistic chance of
winning. To even or at least improve the odds, consider having one or more of the following turn out to
be in his favour...

Knowledge of the terrain

Inventiveness

Surprise

Preparation

Allies

Luck

However, there's something even more important than the actual odds of your character winning...

5. Who Should Have The Moral High Ground?

Readers like to see characters succeed if they have already secured the moral high ground. They like to
root for characters who deserve to win because they are...

Perceived underdogs (because who hasn't felt the unfairness of being an underdog at one time?).

Fighting for a noble cause (such as the protection of the innocent or those even more defenseless).

In danger of suffering a serious consequence if they fail.

Likable (because they are moral, admirable, or sympathetic).

Non-aggressors (who only fight or take action in self-defense or when forced to).

In fact, throwing the first punch or firing the first shot will usually cause a character to lose some of the
moral high ground.
Generally, you want your main character to have the moral high ground. But that doesn't mean he/she
must win every contest. Often it's better if the main character loses a couple of times, or if a contest
early in the story ends in a draw -- so that when the character wins the final contest at the climax, the
victory seems all the sweeter.

6.How well do you understand the activities you will write about?

Obviously, if you are going to write stories about characters who get themselves involved in action
scenes, you need some expertise or experience in the activities they will engage in, so you don't
accidentally have your characters do things that are impossible or that make them look less competent
than they should.

So if you choose a main character who is a Formula One driver, Eagle Scout, or kung fu master, you had
better know something about auto racing, outdoor survival, or kung fu. At the very least, you have some
research to do.

Obviously, it is easier to write authentically about a character who has less experience and expertise
than you do than to write about one who has more.

But even if your character is a couch potato who just happens to find himself in a situation where action
is required, you have to know enough about the activities in question to know what is possible or
realistic. You might need to join a club dedicated to such activities (so you can try them yourself), or
interview people who have expertise.

Book research can be a good starting point. For instance, if you want a primer on fight scenes, you might
start with Rayne Hall's book...

Writing Fight Scenes (Writer's Craft)

7. What Will Go Wrong?

Any scene in which a character tries to do something and succeeds exactly according to his plan risks
being a little dull. This is especially true for action scenes.

So when you're writing your scene, look for places where things go wrong for the characters, where
surprises and accidents happen, forcing the characters to improvise or change direction. Readers love
seeing how characters handle unexpected problems -- whether they can pull success from the jaws of
defeat.

Next...

Okay, let's assume that you have done your preparation and answered those seven questions. You know
what the scene is about, where it takes place, and who is involved. You also know enough about the
type of action to write it authentically. The next step is to consider how to structure an effective action
scene. And for that, turn to the next article, How to Write a Fight Scene (which covers the structure of
action scenes as well).

How to Write a Fight Scene

By Glen C. Strathy

If you want to write a fight scene that readers will love, you have realize something that may seem hard
to believe at first.

Fighting, in itself, is boring.

What makes a fight scene interesting is not the actual exchange of blows or bullets. It is the context of
the fight. It's the story, the stakes, the surprises, the reversals, the thematic argument (i.e. good vs. evil),
the testing of a character's resolve. Most importantly, it is how the result of the fight will affect the
characters and the story world.
The world of professional sports recognizes this, which is why commentators are so important in that
form of entertainment. The commentators convey the story to the fans, helping them to get excited
about seeing the drama that is unfolding -- and anxious about how it will end.

This is particularly true in the sport of wrestling, where the combatants assume larger than life personas
and must be interviewed "in character" before and after bouts. All this drama is designed to whip up
spectators' emotions.

Similarly, when you write a fight scene, the story is everything. If the fight is set within the context of a
dramatically charged event, even a little thumb war can be exciting. But if there's no drama, even a huge
interstellar war will be dull.

Of course, the key to creating a dramatic story, whether in a whole novel or a single scene, is structure.
So let's look at how to write a fight scene using an understanding of dramatic structure.

Before You Write a Fight Scene...

If you haven't read the article on writing action scenes, you should start there. I'm going to assume you
already have worked out...

How the fight scene fits into your story.

Where it will take place.

Who the combatants are (including their abilities).

Who the reader should be rooting for, and who will win.

Also, note that what I am about to say about structure applies equally to other types of actions scenes
(chases, races, sports competitions, etc.), or to battles involving opposing teams of fighters.

Formal vs. Informal Fight Scenes

First, we should note that some fight scenes need to be more elaborate than others. The more
important a fight is to the story as a whole, the more elaborate it needs to be.

Sometimes it's okay to have a brief bit of violence, such as knocking out a guard as part of a prison
escape sequence. In that case, a single blow described in one sentence may be all you need, and to write
a fight that takes several pages would be an unnecessary distraction.

On the other hand, if your entire story has been building toward a showdown between your hero and
villain that will be the climax of the novel, then you should write a fight scene that is more substantial
and elaborate. The readers will be eagerly looking forward to this confrontation and have a lot of
emotional investment in how it unfolds. They don't want it to end too quickly; they want to savor each
blow. And you don't disappoint them.

So let's first look at how to write fight scene elaborate enough to be the crisis or climax of your novel.

Using the W-Plot to Write a Formal Fight Scene

The basic map of a dramatic arc is the W-plot. You'll notice the map consists of four stages (setup,
complication, a move to crisis, and a move to resolution). The beginning and end of each part is marked
by a turning point called a driver.

While we usually use the W-plot to describe a story as a whole, it can also be used to structure
individual scenes or events.

The W-plot illustrates some important principles to keep in mind when you write a fight scene:

The tension in the scene should build to a crisis (a major turning point), which is then followed by a
resolution.

Having four different stages makes the scene more interesting.

The turning points help you to create an emotional roller coaster for the reader.

In other words, you shouldn't write a fight scene in which two people just keep hitting each other in
much the same way until one gives up or falls down. There have to be twists and turns in the action. The
nature and intensity of the fight should change several times.

Okay, so here's what each of these nine parts (five drivers, four stages) look like in a fight scene...

1. Initial Driver

Typically, this is where the challenge to the fight is made and accepted. This can be a formal challenge
(as in an aristocratic duel), or the combatants may simply have a moment of understanding when they
realize a fight is inevitable.

2. Setup

The combatants prepare for the fight. Depending on the venue, time period, and style of fighting, this
might involve clearing space, removing unnecessary clothing, checking weapons, or warming up.

Usually this is a good place for the main character to assess the terrain and look for anything he could
use to advantage.

The combatants might begin by circling each other for a while, or delivering a few fake blows in order to
assess each other's level of skill and decide on the best strategy of attack.

3. Second Driver

This is the moment when the first real blow or wounding takes place. It signals the start of the actual
fighting.

4. Complication
In this phase, neither opponent is winded or badly injured yet, so they are both on top of their game. It
may seem as though the opponents are evenly matched, or perhaps that the main character is
outmatched. Either way, the reader gets the sense that defeating the bad guy will be a difficult task for
the main character.

5. Third Driver (midpoint)

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At the midpoint, a serious blow is delivered by one party that establishes them as the superior or
dominant fighter.

6. Move to Crisis

Now the fight moves into a more intense stage. The combatant who delivered the serious blow at the
midpoint may try to press his/her advantage. The other party must in turn fight harder to try and gain
the upper hand. Both parties may acquire some injuries and may be starting to tire. It may seem
increasingly obvious in this round who is likely to win.

7. Crisis Driver

At the crisis, there is usually a surprising turn of events. Whoever seemed to be losing the fight suddenly
gains the upper hand, possibly by delivering a blow that is more severe than the one they received at
the midpoint.

8. Move to Resolution
In the final round, the person who now has the upper hand now presses their advantage, going heavily
on the offensive. They want to win before their strength runs out.

Meanwhile, the other person is now "on the ropes." They may experience a growing sense of fear or
desperation as they realize they are losing. If it is the main character who is losing, he/she may be
looking for some way to escape.

9. Final Driver

If the fight is to have a decisive outcome, this is the moment. Either the winner delivers the final blow to
the opponent, which brings the fight to its end, or possibly the loser finds a way to escape before being
killed or forced to surrender.

Of course, you won't always write a fight scene to follow this exact pattern. But this is the general
model.

As an example, take a look at this formal fight scene from the film, The Way of the Dragon, between
Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. See how many of the nine parts you can spot...

Other Ways to Add Interest

You'll notice that, when you write a fight scene that is well structured, each of the four stages has a
different feel, a different emotional tone, depending on which combatants are winning or losing and
their physical state.

You can also add more interest to the fight by using other methods to distinguish each stage from the
others. For instance, you could...
Change the combatants. Maybe the hero has to fight different henchmen or underlings before he can
face the main opponent in the final stage. Generally, the opponents should get tougher to beat in each
stage. (This may be the villain's way of weakening the hero before facing him.)

Change the weapons. Perhaps the combatants start off fighting with fists, but if one person feels they
are losing they may pick up a weapon for the next stage. Or they may start by using guns, but switch to
knives or fists when the bullets run out. Medieval knights might start on horseback, and then switch to
fighting on foot. Using different weapons in each stage also lets the characters display different skills.

Change the terrain. Perhaps they start on level ground, but move onto more difficult or dangerous
ground as the fight continues, or especially if one party tries to escape. It's a bit of a cliche to have the
final stage of a fight happen on top of a tower or precipice, but it does work to heighten the drama.

How to Write a Fight Scene That is Less Formal

You will note that in fights in real life aren't usually as drawn out as they are in a formal fight. Formal
fights usually occur between serious, experienced fighters. But the average person does not have a lot of
experience or training in fighting. Also, people in real life can't take as much damage as fictional
characters. They usually die, surrender, run away, or pass out after fewer blows.

(Of course, the hero who always kills the bad guy with one shot straight to the heart or brain is also a
little unrealistic. In an actual gunfight, a shooter will not likely be so lucky with their first shot. A person
may take several minor wounds before being hit in a vital area or bleeding out.)

Real life fighters don't tend to observe the niceties of an aristocratic duel, such as waiting until the
opponent is ready before attacking. They may simply attack spontaneously out of anger. They may
prefer a quick, intense attack to a prolonged contest.

If your characters are not professional fighters and you are writing in a genre where realism matters, you
probably want to write a fight scene that is more true to life. In that case, you can use the same
structure, but modify it so that the actual fight comprises only the middle of the arc...

The Informal Fight Structure

1.Initial Driver
The potential for combat is established, perhaps by something as simple as a character being in the
wrong place at the wrong time or accidentally stepping on someone's toes.

2. Setup

The fight may not seem inevitable at first, so the setup may involve more suspense. The scene might
begin with one character waiting to ambush another. Or there may be an exchange of words, insults,
threats, or efforts to avoid a fight.

3. Second Driver

The fight may begin here, as in the elaborate fight, with the first blow struck.

4. Complication

In this stage, one fighter may seem to have the advantage. If the hero is to win, he will seem to be losing
in this round.

5. Third Driver (midpoint)

Here a surprise change of direction occurs in which whoever was losing lands a significant blow on the
other that changes the course of the fight.

6. Move to crisis

The fight intensifies. Now the eventual winner presses his/her advantage while the other party is "on
the ropes."
7. Crisis

Here the winner delivers a decisive blow (or the loser escapes).

8. Move to Resolution

The fight is over now, so this stage illustrates the aftermath. The combatants may take stock of their
injuries and deal with the emotional consequences of the fight.

9. Final Driver

The resolution in this case may be a realization on the part of the main character. Perhaps he has
learned something or discovered something in the course of the fight that causes him to pursue a new
objective in the next scene. Maybe the fight will cause him to change tactics in pursuing the larger story
goal.

Should Sex Stereotypes Affect How You Write a Fight Scene?

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Once upon a time, it was rare to see female fighters. Violence was supposed to be men's work and it
was considered a sign of bad breeding for a woman to close her fist or resort to other forms of violence.
At the same time, any man who raised a hand against a woman was automatically a villain.

Today, it is much more common to see female fighters in stories (as well as real life). The ability and
willingness to fight is increasingly considered a sign of strength for women the way it traditionally was
for men.

This has raised some debate over whether women's traditional disinclination to violence is completely a
social construct or if it reflects some biological reality. Some people argue that differences in the
adrenaline response between men and women means that it takes a lot more provocation for two
women to get into a physical exchange than two men -- and longer for women to calm down afterward.

Regardless, the other challenge you may have is how to write a fight scene between a man and a
woman that involves physical violence.

Of course, you could ignore the differences in sex and write the scene the same as you would with any
two same-sex characters. However, not everyone has embraced the idea of gender equality. You may
have some different attitudes to contend with that, to some extent, are based on the perception that
men, on average, have greater physical strength. (It is considered somewhat immoral for someone to
beat up on a physically weaker opponent.)

For instance, if a female character gets into a fistfight with a male character, is she automatically
perceived as the underdog, and therefore granted the moral high ground?

On the other hand, if a male hero fights a female character, has he automatically forfeited the moral
high ground?

Is it a worse loss of moral high ground for a male to strike first vs. a female who strikes first?

None of this may matter if you have a female hero fighting a male villain. For instance, if a man is
verbally rude or abusive to a woman, and she responds by striking him, many people will say, "Good for
her."

But what if you want to write a fight scene between a male hero and a female villain? If a male hero
endures verbal abuse from a female villain, will anyone say, "Good for him" if he responds with physical
violence? Probably not, because it is considered immoral for a man to hit a woman under any
circumstances.
In fact, you might need to take extra steps to keep the reader on the man's side by making the female a
bigger threat than the average male villain -- perhaps by making her more ruthless, better trained in
violence, etc.

On the other hand, are there scenarios in which a female hero could fight a male villain and lose the
moral high ground -- for instance if the woman is young, fit, and well trained and the man is untrained or
elderly will the woman be perceived as a bully?

I don't have a definitive answer to these questions, but I do think writers need to consider them.

How to Write Flash Fiction

Flash fiction, also known as micro-fiction, is a growing genre of short story that aims to tell an entire
story with a limited word count. Flash fiction usually comprises 500 words—or fewer! However, there is
no universal rule for flash-fiction length; to some, a good flash fiction piece should be under 400 words,
while other readers think that a story can have up to 1,000 words and still be considered flash fiction.
When writing flash fiction, focus on brevity, careful character construction, and tense plotting, so that
your story will feel fully developed and have an impact on its readers.

Part One of Three:

Shaping your Flash Fiction Story

Start the story in the middle of the action. You don’t want to waste valuable words setting up a complex
backstory or giving a wordy exposition on the scenery surrounding your character. Begin your story at a
moment of change; a crucial moment to the narrative. Focus on showing your readers the tension of the
scene, rather than wasting words describing why characters are acting a specific way.[1]

Your flash-fiction piece should arrive at its main narrative or plot conflict in the first paragraph—or even
the first sentence.[2] Don’t leave the readers in suspense; you don’t have words to spare.

For example, open with something like: “The car barreling down the road did not stop at the light, but
crashed into the side of a parked van."
As another example: “Jess walked out into the rain after midnight, thinking of ways she could win back
all of the money she had lost at the poker table that night.”

Show your readers only the “tip of the iceberg”. By starting in the middle, you’ll indicate to readers that
much of the story has already happened before your flash-fiction begins, and that the story may
continue after your story concludes. Allow some of the action to occur off of the page, so that you can
focus on one important scene and idea. [3]

This means that literary devices such as foreshadowing and tone will be important in your flash piece. By
focusing on a single scene in a plot or conflict, you’ll allow readers to imagine the rest of the narrative
for themselves.

For example, if your protagonist’s childhood is relevant to the story, do not write, “Sarah was born in a
bathtub in Kansas City and lived there through elementary school, when her father got a job in Tulsa …”
as this level of meticulous detail can bore readers and slow the action. Instead, say something like,
“Sarah reflected on her brief and unfulfilling childhood as she waited for a taxi.”

Create your character carefully. In a good flash piece, you’ll likely only have room for a single main
character. Don’t waste words telling readers about the character—instead, show him or her already in a
scene, and let the character’s qualities, personality, and unique predicament unfold throughout the
story.[4]

Think about the most important change you want your character to experience, and get there in the
story as soon as possible.

The same goes for secondary characters (if your story has any)—they should be interesting but not
require a lot of setup or explanation. Ask yourself how your secondary characters further the action
surrounding your main character, or how they enhance the scene or theme.

Focus the story on a single moment in your character’s life. Your story should focus on a single moment
or a single scene—it shouldn’t contain the life story of a character, save that for longer forms of fiction.
[5] For flash fiction, choose a moment in a character’s life that you can tell a lot about them in, but in a
short amount of time.
A good flash piece should only have one theme, one main idea.[6] This means that any “nonessential”
themes and ideas need to be cut from the story—otherwise your story may become bloated and lose its
focus.

Your flash-fiction piece should also only have one central conflict. To clearly show the conflict and make
sure that its importance is clear to readers, make sure your story answers these two questions:

What does the main character want?

What or who (whether circumstances or people) is keeping the character from getting what they want?

End the story before the last sentence. Too often, flash-fiction pieces become an exercise in writing
punchlines, or surprising reveals at the conclusion that can feel more like a magician’s trick (ta-da!) than
interesting literature. If your story leads up to a surprising or emotional event, present that sometime
before the concluding lines.[7] This way, your readers can consider the implications of the story’s climax
along with the character.

Also consider introducing a twist at the end of your story. This is a common literary device in flash fiction
a twist will leave the reader surprised by the unexpected end of your story. You can include a twist by
withholding important information into the revelatory moment.[8]

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Part Two of Three:

Writing Your Flash Fiction

Write as concisely as possible. With a flash-fiction story, you have to be extremely concise in your story
telling. Long explanations and multiple character development should be saved for longer stories. Most
of your sentences should be devoted to developing the main conflict of the short story, not setting up
characters’ backstory or describing the scenery.[9]

Your ending should be a resolution for the character and, as like with the beginning, make sure that the
end is extremely short. A paragraph should do.

2
Focus on the last line. Although you shouldn’t necessarily have a definite “ending” in your last line—in a
flash piece this may feel contrived or unnecessary—do focus on crafting a final line that sticks in your
reader’s mind. It should take the story in an unexpected direction, or take the reader to a new place that
encourages readers to think about the story and its significance.[10]

Think of the last line less like a conventional “ending” and more like a surprise or shock to the reader.

You don’t necessarily need a confusing or obscure ending (unless you want one), but it can help to have
an enigmatic or evocative last line.[11]

Cut all nonessential elements. Once you have a first draft, go back through and remove as much material
as you can without losing the narrative, plot, or characters.[12] Edit everything out of the story that isn’t
essential to understanding the setting, the action, or feelings of the characters. Be intentional about
every word in the story.[13]

You can also remove modifiers that aren’t necessary, such as “very,” “quite,” and “actually.” Removing
adjectives and adverbs can also decrease your word count and keep your flash fiction concise.[14]

For fiction writers who are familiar with Twitter, practice writing your flash fiction piece as if you were
writing a tweet. Remove all inessential words and phrases. Never use a long clause when a shorter one
will do.

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Part Three of Three:

Reading Other Flash Fiction and Publishing Your Own

Read many examples of flash fiction. As with any type of literary writing, it’s challenging—some would
say impossible—to write effective flash fiction if you’re not immersed in the genre already. Find a
published flash-fiction collection at your local bookstore, or an online journal that specializes in
publishing flash fiction. Read stories, and note their approach to narrative, plot, characters, and
economy of language.

Look into online flash fiction journals like: Flash Fiction Magazine, Flash Fiction Online, The Vestal
Review, or SmokeLong Quarterly.[15]
2

Look for feedback on your work. Writers need other people’s feedback and opinions to improve their
own writing. Once you’ve written several flash-fiction pieces that you think show your best work, ask a
friend or two to read over your work. See what they say: if friends point out weak spots in your writing,
characterization, or plotting, fix the weak sections, and then ask for a second read.

If you have the interest, time, and money, there are many good online writing workshops that will allow
you to present your flash fiction to other writers. This process will improve your writing, and develop
your ability to workshop and talk about the writing of your peers.

For example, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has a Continuing Studies program which offers year-
long online fiction workshops—including workshops specializing in flash fiction—for around $150.[16]

Send your work to online journals for publication. Once you’ve spent time writing flash fiction, you may
want to consider publishing your work. Online journals are a great fit for flash fiction, since the short
format can be read easily on a webpage or literary blog.[17] To find publication venues, talk to literary
friends, or do a few online searches. Try searching for “flash fiction online journals.”

Expect rejections—rejection is a part of the publication process for any author, and flash fiction pieces
are rejected as readily as any other type of story.