I'm writing a real post tomorrow, but in the meantime, check out this free writer's tool: OneLook Dictionary Search. You can enter things like *ther* and it will search online dictionaries for words that have "ther" in the middle of them. You can even narrow your search by categories such as animals.
Why is this useful? Two words: children's books.
I just finished my first children's manuscript - it's a concept book on animals, colors, and pronunciation - and I could not have done it as quickly or as well without this site.
Here's a puzzle for you:
Without using onelook.com, come up with animal names that have a "z" or a "v" in them AND contain only one or two syllables AND are easy for toddlers to recognize and pronounce. The animals must be mono-chromatic and make sounds. You have 10 minutes. Go.
Hint: "zebra" and "aardvark" don't count.
All I can come up with is Vole, and that's not very common :(
ReplyDeleteVole is good. I hadn't thought of that one. Voles look too much like mice though; it would confuse toddlers. I went with beaver because they have such distinctive teeth and tails.
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