My dissertation, completed over 40 years ago, dealt with the antislavery movement in Ohio. Not surprisingly, various forms of the word “slavery” appeared frequently throughout my composition. Besides slaves themselves, there were slave laws, slave states, and slaveholders as well as debates on slavery, petitions on slavery, slavery supporters, and slavery opponents. Then, of course, there were antislavery societies, antislavery petitions, antislavery leaders, antislavery legislators, and so many other phrases and descriptions using the word “antislavery.”

As I read and re-read drafts of the dissertation, I became fatigued by the use of the word “slavery” and all its related forms. But how could the word be avoided? After all, slavery was the focal point for the whole dissertation. But after a little research, I discovered a few other terms that could be used in place of slavery. “Human bondage” and “involuntary servitude” were the two substitute words I used most often. And, although I did not use them, “shackled workers” or “subjugation” would also have worked well as synonyms for slaves and slavery.

I’m currently reading Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. The book provides a detailed narrative of the struggles and adventures the Pilgrims faced from their days as religious exiles in Holland up through the tragic King Philip’s War in the 1670s. Needless to say, the words “Pilgrims” and “Pilgrim” could have been as problematic to Philbrick as slavery-related words were to me. However, Philbrick finds alternative ways to refer to them. Depending on the context, the author calls them “Separatists,” “passengers,” “settlers,” or “Leideners.” (The second word refers to the city in Holland where the Pilgrims lived before embarking for the New World.)

I want to emphasize that there’s no shame in using a thesaurus to identify synonyms that could potentially replace an overused word. However, a writer should be aware of the nuances that can make two words have slightly different meanings. Take the word “argue,” for example. The dictionary definition of this word is “to contend or disagree in words.” So, what would be a good synonym for “argue”? “Debate” might fit the bill, but debate refers to arguing that occurs within an organized, structured format that allows each party an equal opportunity to speak. How about “dispute”? That might work, too, although a dispute doesn’t necessarily involve only words. The goal is to select a synonym that can replace the overused word without distorting the meaning the writer wishes to convey.

Why is it important to avoid overusing a particular word when writing either fiction or nonfiction? Because a reader will eventually grow weary of seeing that word again and again. The word will become a drumbeat in the reader’s head that results in tedium and — ultimately — a loss of interest. That’s the last thing a writer wants his or her readers to experience.

So whatever kind of writing you do, make a concerted effort to avoid overusing any particular word. This is good advice whether you are a writer, author, novelist, storyteller, scribbler, or a man or woman of letters.