My Heuristic For Better Descriptions

Today’s word of the day is indite, which is also today’s tip. So, here is how I indite better descriptions.

Earlier this month I shared my 3-step description trick in a Tuesday Tutorial with Platinum Wizards of Adventure. I call these descriptions Lore Drops. They give us a robust mental framework we can apply to tiny details and large situations.

Lore Drops are fast, simple, and clear to indite, making them a perfect improvisation tool. But while Lore Drops provide the strong skeleton of a description, we still need to put meat on the bones. We can make Lore Drops – and any description – more impactful by adding a couple of cunning words.

I learned this from reading Gygax and the AD&D manuals. Weird words capture attention. Dropping fantastic adjectives or nouns into play perks ears up, lifts eyes from screens, and lends oomph to our words.

But the problem is we lack the vocabulary. Until we can chip in à la When Gravity Fails for migraine-inducing smarts, we’re stuck improving our diction one syllable at a time.

However, good news. The solution is simple and free. Here’s how I stay word-wise:

  1. Word of the Day. Search online for a “Word of the Day” service. Sign up for one so you get a new word emailed to you each morning.
  2. Read the Email. Try to guess the word before opening it. This increases learning speed. Then review the definition. Who cares if you were right? The process is the win here.
  3. Snooze Wrong Answers. Use your email app’s snooze function for words you get wrong so they appear again tomorrow. Your inbox becomes a digital flashcard system.
  4. Snooze Right Answers. Repeat the next-day cadence until you start learning the word. Then snooze it for 2 days, 3, then a week. This moves the word from our mental RAM into long-term storage.

Indite the new word into your messages and conversations for bonus reps. But focus on just two or three words at a time. Pick gooders. Else your inbox gets clogged with diction.

By becoming articulate, we become magnetic. Daily practice increases our vocabulary. And my system helps us learn and retain great words with minimal effort.

Platinum Wizards of Adventure, if you can’t find the Lore Drops tutorial, email me and I’ll send it along.

And dear game master, vocabulary is just one piece of the puzzle. If you want the full framework – my 3-step Lore Drop formula that makes every description effortless – become a Platinum Wizard of Adventure today. You’ll get that tutorial, plus a new GM lesson every single week.

Cheers,
Johnn
roleplayingtips.com
https://discord.gg/6MxTRAqQ76
Have more fun at every game!

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