It seems as though there is an x factor in many of the words I find powerful. Traditionally, power words are words that sell products or services, beef up a resume, or add action to a story. For example, let's take Bob, a seller of used cars. Words that he should avoid using in advertising are:
- "It"- A vague replacement for his product.
- "Difference" - A vague descriptor of the product/services superiority e.g."Bob's Car Lot: We make all the difference" vs. "Bob's Car Lot: Our customer service sets us apart!"
- "Quality" - One should not have to state that their product/service is of good quality, they should list its attributes and let the customers come to the conclusion their product is "Quality"
Similarly, any working man or woman must avoid vague words with no evidence on a resume. For example:
- "Excellent kitchen worker with experience as short order and executive chef" vs. "Worked in diner, preparing over 250 meals in four hours. In addition, assigned tasks to a kitchen staff of over two dozen in three 2-star restaurants."
This brings me to my own list of "Power Words." They are a combination of the above qualities. Concise, specific, and able to create a clear image, these words and phrases have been drawn from many sources. It is a sample of the list of words that, for whatever reasons beyond the above three, incite deep emotion in me.
- Salt - Instantly, taste floods the mouth. I imagine chapped lips from long days at the sea. Salt was used to destroy crops in the ancient world yet at the same time, it is vital to our existence
- Dust - Dry and hot, in small doses, dust is impotent and insignificant, but in large volumes, it can destroy roads, buildings, and animals.
- Scarlet
- Amber
- Shadow
- Sanguine
- Tarry
- Whisper
- Earth (In the sense of dirt)
Laurel - Corporeal
- Melancholy
- Slumber