After listening to what I had to say, she replied, "I like to read books, but I don't. It's too frustrating." I just looked at her, waiting for an explanation. I couldn't imagine what she meant. And then, she explained. When she would read a book, she felt like she needed a dictionary at her side to look up the "big" words the author used. It would take her a long time to read a book, not to mention, make her feel like she was stupid because she didn't know what some of the words meant-or
even how to pronounce them. And then, I began to think about it. There were times when I came across words that I really wasn't sure of. Now, when I read a book, I think about the conversation I had with my cousin. And now, when I write, I think about that same conversation. I want everyone, who would be interested in reading what I write, to enjoy it. I write to entertain. And I want to entertain as many people as I can. So, if I start to use a word that I think might be a "big" word, I find another way to write it. I don't want to lose my audience; I want to entertain them. About the Author Sandra Puckett is the webmaster for For The Writer, www.forthewriter.com
