The Word Cloud

Is there another word or phrase I could use?

I could google, but frankly I don't have the patience to even type the word again.

That partly depends on whether you're writing something serious or with humour. Robert Rankin is a brilliant author of humour who just about finds every possible way of saying something differently that would otherwise be cliche, <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -->or at least over-used. His style for suddenly would be something like:

In a way not dissimilar to an unexpected explosion in one's undercrackers;
In a pant-wettingly immediate fashion;

or

Without the slightest forewarning - which is perhaps usable in non-humour, but ever so slightly contrived.

Failing that, pilfer or arm yourself with a beltingly-good thesaurus (book or online), which, I understand, there is only one word for. Ironically.

Er, yes, that gobbledygook was all because I tried to put the accent on the word cliche. I won't be bothering in future. Here's the text without the automatically added rubbish, I hope...

That partly depends on whether you're writing something serious or with humour. Robert Rankin is a brilliant author of humour who just about finds every possible way of saying something differently that would otherwise be cliche, or at least over-used. His style for suddenly would be something like:

In a way not dissimilar to an unexpected explosion in one's undercrackers;
In a pant-wettingly immediate fashion;

or

Without the slightest forewarning - which is perhaps usable in non-humour, but ever so slightly contrived.

Failing that, pilfer or arm yourself with a beltingly-good thesaurus (book or online), which, I understand, there is only one word for. Ironically.

Hi Liss, do you actually need to use the word? A lot of 'suddenly's and 'as's can be removed. Post some of your text that uses the word and we'll see if it can be done away with.

Thanks alot Nashelle :) I might just do that xxxx

Yes, Naschelle is right. Probably nine times out of ten, you'll find you don't need it at all. In fact, the piece will read better without it.
My favourite substitute for 'suddenly' occurred in every episode of a children's TV cartoon story that my kids loved. At an appropriate moment the friendly shopkeeper (I think?) would appear 'as if by magic'.

Hahaha thanks Tony, you may be seeing that phrase in my next post... ;) xxxx

'Twas the shopkeeper, Tony, and the programme was Mr. Benn. Who always stopped outside his house at the end, reached into his pocket and found something that would always remind him of the adventure he'd just had.

Ah ha - you obviously had great taste in choosing your childhood viewing. Thanks, Steve.

Why use a computer? Why Google? Why not use a thesaurus. It's not much help with suddenly though - came up with 'all of a sudden'

"Suddenly" is one of those lazy words that doesn't really mean anything. when reading a story, we know that if one thing happens and then another thing follows it that invokes surprise in the characters, it was sudden. So basically, I'd alays show suddenness through the reaction of the characters.

Another way is to make the event itself sudden. e.g. instead of saying: "Claire suddenly appeared," you could say: "Claire crashed through the door."

Thankyou Worsey! That's a great way of freshening the words up and kicking suddenly up the arse :) xxx

'... as if by magic!' Whoops, now I remember where I 'borrowed' that one from in occasional phraseology. Good old Mr Benn and the shopkeeper! Can feel nostalgia rising again.... Think it's quite a common 'old-fashioned' phrase and that children do love it 'enormous-ly'. This has been another good reminder to sweep out remaining sinful suddenly's, so thanks Liss.

I suddenly thought of a synonym for 'thesaurus': 'paralexicon'. Or how about 'synonomicon'? ('synonymicon'?). Or even 'bookwivwordswotarelikeotherwords'? 'The "Help! I can't think of the damn word, it's on the tip of my tongue" Book'?

Personally, Liss, I like Steve's definition.

Crikey, I cried as I (suddenly)<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -->or at least over-used. His style for suddenly would be something like:, noticed.l

I find it slows the action rather nicely and proves your superiority as a writer.

Suddenly good luck. But seriously, I suddenly, agree with all the far more intellectual comments, it is unnecessary. Just think about noticing something, do you suddenly notice it, or just notice it, or not notice until later, and then you suddenly notice it? It is contrived.

Luvya
Caf

Bahaha thanks Caf! xxx

I am going crazy with 'suddenly' as well. Good idea Nashelle, just delete them. I'll give it a go. But Worsey is right, its just lazy typing, time for an energy boost, off to walk the dogs.

Love the Guinea Pig by the way. I see lots of people have cats like myself, writers and cats seem to go together.