Activate

by Damon Suede

  WORM (→): edge, infiltrate, inject, insert, insinuate, interpolate, interpose, introduce, replace, restore, slip, snake, sneak, wiggle, wind, wriggle (≠ cull, derive, distill, draw, elicit, extract, get, glean, obtain, prize, pull, take, withdraw, wrest, wring)

  WORRY (←): abash, aggravate, agitate, ail, alarm, anger, annoy, badger, bedevil, bother, bug, chafe, concern, confound, confuse, convulse, daunt, demoralize, demotivate, depress, derail, -deter, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, dog, embarrass, exasperate, exercise, faze, fluster, frazzle, freak, fret, fuss, gall, get, gravel, harass, harry, hassle, haunt, hector, irk, irritate, jar, mortify, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, nonplus, peeve, persecute, perturb, pester, pique, plague, rattle, rile, shake, sweat, tease, torment, traumatize, trouble, undo, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, vex (≠ allay, alleviate, amuse, appease, assuage, bolster, brace, buoy, calm, candy-coat, comfort, compose, conciliate, content, ease, entertain, gratify, help, humor, hush, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate, quiet, reassure, relax, settle, soothe, steady, sugarcoat, tranquilize)

  WORSHIP (+): admire, adore, affirm, apotheosize, beatify, bless, bronze, canonize, celebrate, ceremonialize, cherish, consecrate, dedicate, deify, delight, devote, dignify, enshrine, esteem, eternalize, exalt, extol, fetishize, glorify, gratify, guard, hallow, honor, idealize, idolize, immortalize, laud, lionize, love, magnify, memorialize, please, praise, preserve, protect, purify, regard, respect, revere, reverence, ritualize, romanticize, sanctify, satisfy, sentimentalize, treasure, value, venerate (≠ -abandon, affront, bastardize, belittle, bestialize, blaspheme, condemn, contaminate, debase, decry, defame, defile, demean, demonize, desecrate, dishonor, disparage, disrespect, humble, -ignore, insult, libel, -loathe, malign, minimize, offend, outrage, pillory, pollute, profane, ridicule, -scorn, shame, slander, -slight, slur, smear, tarnish, vandalize, violate)

  WOUND (/): abuse, afflict, aggrieve, bash, batter, beat, belt, bench, bite, blemish, blight, bloody, bludgeon, break, bruise, buffet, castrate, club, contort, crack, crease, cripple, crucify, cut, damage, debilitate, deface, defeat, deform, deprive, destroy, disable, disfigure, dismember, drub, emasculate, enervate, enfeeble, flog, fracture, fragment, gash, gore, gouge, graze, hack, hammer, hamstring, handicap, harm, hit, hobble, hurt, immobilize, impair, incapacitate, injure, kill, kneecap, knife, lacerate, lambaste, lame, lash, maim, maltreat, mangle, mar, maul, murder, mutilate, nick, palsy, paralyze, paste, pelt, pierce, pound, prostrate, pummel, puncture, ruin, sabotage, scald, scalp, scar, scathe, scotch, scrape, scratch, shank, shatter, shiv, short-circuit, shrivel, singe, slash, slit, smash, sorrow, spoil, stab, stifle, strain, strike, tear, thrash, thump, torment, torture, undermine, unman, wallop, weaken, welt, whip, wing, wither, wizen, wrong (≠ aid, assist, bolster, brace, brave, correct, cure, defend, doctor, dose, drug, ease, face, fix, guard, heal, help, hospitalize, medicate, mend, misdiagnose, nurse, patch, rectify, rehabilitate, reintegrate, rejuvenate, remedy, renew, repair, restore, sedate, splint, steady, strengthen, suture, tolerate, unify, unite, weld, withstand)

  WOUND (/): abuse, affront, blame, boo, canker, crucify, cut, defame, demean, demoralize, disparage, displease, disqualify, disrespect, diss, distress, disturb, -frustrate, grieve, hamper, hurt, impede, injure, insult, jeer, libel, malign, maltreat, miff, mistreat, mock, mortify, offend, oppress, -ostracize, oust, outrage, pain, persecute, pillory, prejudice, revile, ridicule, ruin, shock, sideline, slander, slap, -slight, slur, smear, -snub, spoil, stigmatize, sting, swipe, tarnish, taunt, torment, torture, traumatize, trouble, undercut, undermine, upset, weaken, wrong (≠ acclaim, applaud, blandish, boost, buoy, commend, compliment, congratulate, delight, elevate, enable, enhance, eulogize, flatter, glorify, gratify, hail, honor, idealize, idolize, inspire, outlast, overcome, please, praise, satisfy, support, sweet-talk, thrill, uplift, weaponize, weather, woo, wow)

  WOW (→): amaze, animate, astonish, astound, attract, bewilder, bewitch, blindside, boggle, charm, cheer, confound, daze, dazzle, disconcert, dumbfound, energize, entertain, enthuse, excite, fascinate, flabbergast, floor, flummox, gobsmack, grab, impress, inspire, interest, intrigue, kill, motivate, move, overwhelm, razzle-dazzle, rouse, shock, slay, stagger, startle, stimulate, stir, stun, stupefy, surprise, sway, tickle (≠ anesthetize, annoy, -balk, blunt, bore, bother, bug, clarify, comfort, confound, cushion, dampen, deaden, depress, disappoint, disenchant, dismay, displease, dull, exhaust, explain, irk, muffle, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, numb, sedate, stifle, tire, underwhelm, vex, weary, worry)

  WRACK (/): abuse, afflict, agonize, annihilate, beat, best, blast, bother, break, clobber, conquer, cream, cripple, crucify, crush, damage, decimate, deface, defeat, demolish, desolate, despoil, destroy, deteriorate, devastate, dilapidate, disassemble, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, dissolve, distress, doom, drub, dynamite, efface, eradicate, erode, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, fracture, grill, gut, harm, harrow, impair, injure, lick, liquidate, loot, mangle, mar, master, monkey-wrench, mutilate, nuke, obliterate, overcome, pain, persecute, pillage, plague, plunder, pulverize, punish, ravage, raze, remove, rout, ruin, sack, scalp, scotch, scour, shatter, skunk, smash, snuff, spoil, subdue, surmount, thrash, torture, total, trample, trash, trim, trouble, trounce, unbuild, vandalize, vaporize, vitiate, wallop, waste, whip, worry, wreck (≠ assemble, build, calm, comfort, conserve, constitute, construct, create, doctor, ease, erect, establish, fabricate, fashion, father, fix, forge, form, found, frame, gratify, heal, help, humor, institute, invent, lull, make, manufacture, mellow, mend, mitigate, moderate, mold, mollify, nurse, organize, pacify, patch, placate, preserve, produce, protect, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, remodel, renovate, repair, restore, revamp, save, shape, survive, sustain, tend, weather, withstand)

  WRANGLE (←): argue, bandy, butt, challenge, consider, contest, controvert, dare, debate, defy, discuss, dispute, fence, fight, hassle, jar, kick, litigate, nitpick, protest, wrestle (≠ accept, allow, calm, concede, deflect, endure, grant, gratify, lull, mellow, mitigate, pacify, permit, placate, sedate, stomach, surrender, tolerate)

  WRAP (←): bale, band, bandage, belt, bind, blanket, bower, bundle, camouflage, chain, circle, circumscribe, clasp, cloak, clothe, cocoon, cord, costume, cover, curtain, disguise, drape, embed, embrace, encase, enchain, encircle, enclose, encompass, enfold, enshroud, envelop, fold, gird, girdle, invest, involve, lap, lash, loop, mantle, mask, muffle, overlay, pack, package, protect, rope, shackle, shroud, straightjacket, surround, swaddle, swathe, tape, tie, truss, veil, wind, wire, wreathe (≠ bare, denude, disclose, disrobe, divulge, exhibit, expose, open, peel, reveal, shuck, strip, tear, trumpet, unbind, uncover, unroll, untie, unveil, unwind, unwrap, wrinkle)

  WREAK (→): accomplish, ace, achieve, actualize, attain, bestow, bring, commit, compass, complete, create, effect, effectuate, end, execute, exercise, express, finish, force, force-feed, fulfill, implement, impose, inflict, make, manipulate, nail, negotiate, perform, perpetrate, practice, prosecute, realize, reduplicate, reenact, repeat, unleash, vent, visit, work (≠ baffle, bar, block, destroy, fail, forget, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, hinder, hobble, -ignore, impair, impede, inhibit, miss, -neglect, obstruct, -overlook, -prevent, -prohibit, -slight, stop, stymie, -thwart, withhold) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WRECK (/): annihilate, atomize, bash, beat, best, blast, boobytrap, break, capsize, checkmate, clobber, conquer, crash, cream, cripple, crush, damage, dash, debauch, decimate, deface, defeat, demolish, desolate, despoil, destroy, deteriorate, detonate, devastate, dilapidate, disable, disassemble, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, dissolve, doom, drub, dynamite, efface, eradicate, erode, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, fracture, gut, harm, impair, injure, kneecap, lick, liquidate, loot, mangle, mar, master, monkey-wrench, mortar, mutilate, nuke, obliterate, overcome, pillage, plunder, pulverize, ravage, ravish, raze, remove, rout, ruin, sabotage, sack, scotch, sc
our, scupper, scuttle, shatter, sink, skunk, smash, snuff, split, spoil, subdue, surmount, thrash, torpedo, total, trample, trash, trim, trounce, unbuild, undermine, undo, unmake, vandalize, vaporize, vitiate, wallop, waste, whip, wrack (≠ assemble, bronze, budget, build, concoct, configure, conserve, construct, craft, create, doctor, embalm, erect, establish, fabricate, fashion, father, fix, forge, form, found, frame, institute, invent, machine, make, manufacture, mend, mold, organize, patch, preserve, produce, protect, raise, rear, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, recycle, remodel, renovate, repair, restore, revamp, salvage, save, sculpt, shape, sideswipe, sire, survive, sustain, weather, withstand)

  WRENCH (←): amputate, budge, compel, contort, detach, dislocate, dislodge, displace, distort, disturb, drag, draw, dredge, extract, force, grab, jerk, jimmy, lever, lug, nab, pluck, prize, pry, pull, remove, rip, root, rotate, ruin, seize, sever, shift, snag, snatch, strain, take, tear, transfer, transpose, tug, tweak, twist, uproot, win, wrest, wring, yank (≠ attach, coax, -deter, give, heave, leave, push, ram, reattach, release, shove, straighten, thrust, untwist)

  WRESTLE (←): bash, batter, battle, beat, box, buffet, challenge, clutch, combat, confront, contest, duel, engage, face, fight, grapple, grasp, grip, handle, hit, punch, race, slug, strike, tackle, wrangle (≠ -avoid, -bypass, coddle, -disregard, -dodge, drop, -duck, -elude, -escape, -evade, loose, -omit, pacify, placate, release, -sidestep, skip)

  WRING (←): acquire, attain, blackmail, bleed, cheat, coerce, compel, debit, draw, earn, exact, extort, extract, fleece, force, gain, gouge, inherit, land, milk, mine, obtain, pluck, prize, procure, pry, pull, remove, root, scrounge, secure, skin, source, squeeze, swindle, take, tear, uproot, withdraw, wrest, yank (≠ bank, bankroll, bestow, comp, deposit, distribute, donate, earn, finance, fund, furnish, give, grant, hoard, hog, insert, keep, offer, -omit, owe, pack, provide, replenish, restore, spare, supply, tender, underwrite, volunteer, withhold)

  WRING (/): budge, choke, coerce, compress, dislocate, displace, disturb, draw, dredge, exact, extort, extract, force, hurt, jerk, jimmy, lever, lug, mangle, pinch, pluck, pry, pull, remove, screw, shift, squeeze, strain, strangle, throttle, transfer, transpose, tug, turn, tweak, twist, wrench, wrest, yank (≠ cram, implant, infuse, insert, install, protect, ram, replenish, restore, straighten, suffuse, unbend, untwist)

  WRINKLE (/): adapt, adjust, angle, arch, bend, bow, break, buckle, bulge, collapse, contort, corrugate, crease, crimp, crinkle, crook, crumple, curl, deform, distort, double, flex, fold, furrow, gather, hook, incline, line, mutate, pervert, pleat, plow, pucker, ridge, ripple, ruck, ruffle, rumple, shrivel, tilt, turn, twist, unsmooth, warp, wiggle, wilt, wriggle, zigzag (≠ align, bolster, brace, comb, correct, flatten, groom, iron, level, plane, press, rectify, right, roll, smooth, steady, steam, straighten, tidy, unbend, uncrumple, uncurl, unfold, untwist, withstand)

  WRONG (/): abuse, afflict, anguish, antagonize, assault, attack, batter, blackjack, blackmail, bludgeon, browbeat, brutalize, bully, burn, cheat, crucify, deceive, defraud, dehumanize, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dishonor, distress, double-cross, gaslight, harass, harm, hurt, ill-treat, impair, injure, intimidate, lynch, malign, malnourish, maltreat, manhandle, martyr, maul, menace, mishandle, misrepresent, mistreat, misuse, molest, -neglect, oppose, oppress, -ostracize, oust, outrage, persecute, plague, ravish, restrain, sadden, sandbag, savage, scam, sicken, stiff, sucker, swindle, terrorize, threaten, torment, torture, trash-talk, traumatize, trick, tyrannize, upset, victimize, violate, wound (≠ accommodate, advance, aid, amuse, appease, assist, baby, cherish, coddle, compensate, defend, delight, elevate, enhance, entertain, favor, featherbed, foster, gratify, guard, heal, help, humor, improve, indulge, inspire, mend, mollycoddle, nourish, nurse, nurture, oblige, overindulge, overprotect, pacify, pamper, pet, pity, placate, please, pleasure, profit, promote, protect, raise, rectify, refine, regale, regret, repair, repay, rescue, reward, right, satiate, satisfy, save, serve, soothe, spoil, spoon-feed, tend, thrill, tickle, tolerate, treat, uplift, wow)

  Y

  YANK (←): acquire, corkscrew, drag, draw, extract, force, gain, grab, haul, heave, hitch, jerk, mine, nab, obtain, pluck, prize, pry, pull, remove, rip, root, seize, snag, snap, snatch, source, take, tear, tow, tug, uninstall, uproot, withdraw, wrench, wrest, wring (≠ cram, drop, hammer, heave, implant, insert, install, instill, jam, knock, nudge, push, ram, retain, shove, shunt, stuff, thrust, wedge)

  YIELD (→): accord, admit, afford, allow, bear, bring, contribute, deliver, disburse, discharge, dispense, earn, fetch, furnish, gain, generate, give, grant, gross, net, offer, outbid, outlay, overpay, pay, produce, proffer, provide, realize, restore, return, supply, tender, tithe, volunteer (≠ accrue, acquire, charge, consume, cost, debit, deduct, demand, -deny, forfeit, lose, offer, steal, stiff, stint, take, withhold)

  YIELD (+): advance, beget, begin, breed, bring, catalyze, create, cultivate, decide, determine, develop, effect, effectuate, enact, encourage, engender, establish, father, forward, foster, found, further, generate, hatch, inaugurate, induce, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, invoke, launch, make, midwife, nourish, nurture, pioneer, produce, promote, prompt, render, set, sire, spawn, start (≠ abolish, arrest, check, control, crush, curb, dampen, defy, demolish, destroy, erase, exterminate, extinguish, impede, inhibit, limit, liquidate, predetermine, quash, quell, quench, retard, smother, squash, stall, stifle, stymie, subdue, suppress)

  YIELD (/): -abandon, abdicate, abnegate, accept, acknowledge, admit, bequeath, bestow, cede, commit, concede, consign, deliver, -desert, discard, entrust, forfeit, forgo, -forsake, give, grant, hand, permit, release, relinquish, render, -renounce, resign, sacrifice, shed, surrender, transfer, waive (≠ challenge, clutch, colonize, counter, defy, -deny, disallow, -forbid, keep, protect, -refuse, -reject, resist, retain, safeguard, -veto, withhold)

  YOKE (+): align, bind, bond, bracket, cement, chain, coalesce, combine, compound, concatenate, conjugate, connect, couple, dovetail, fuse, harness, hitch, hogtie, hook, integrate, interconnect, interlink, join, link, span, strap, string, team, tie, unite, weld, wire (≠ cleave, cut, detach, disconnect, disengage, divide, loose, part, rupture, separate, sever, split, sunder, unchain, uncouple, unhitch, unlink, unshackle, unyoke)

  Z

  ZAP (/): bake, bang, barbecue, bash, bat, batter, bean, beat, belt, blast, blitz, bludgeon, bob, bombard, bonk, bop, box, brain, broil, buffet, bump, bung, bunt, burn, bust, butt, cane, chop, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, club, concuss, conk, crack, cream, cudgel, cuff, deck, destroy, drub, fell, finish, flail, flick, flog, floor, fry, fusillade, hammer, hit, jab, jostle, kick, kill, knee, knock, lace, lambaste, lash, level, lick, mangle, maul, mortar, nail, paste, pelt, pepper, poke, pommel, pound, prod, pummel, punch, push, rabbit-punch, rap, rough, sap, sauté, scorch, scuff, shoot, shove, skull, slam, slap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, slug, smack, smite, snipe, sock, spear, stab, stamp, strafe, strike, stroke, sucker-punch, swat, swipe, switch, tag, tap, thrash, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whip (≠ absorb, accept, armor, augment, bandage, bear, bolster, boost, buffer, cover, defend, deflect, disarm, draw, gain, garner, guard, heal, hold, holster, mend, overhaul, protect, receive, recharge, refurbish, repair, rescue, restore, secure, shelter, shield, suppress, withhold)

  ZING (/): abuse, attack, badmouth, blackguard, blister, boo, castigate, chide, condemn, criticize, critique, demean, denigrate, disparage, excoriate, fault, flay, fry, impugn, injure, insult, judge, knock, nag, needle, neg, -ostracize, oust, pan, pillory, poke, rebuke, ridicule, rip, roast, scorch, sear, slam, slate, sting, trash, wound (≠ applaud, commend, compliment, congratulate, defend, flatter, forget, glorify, gratify, honor, idealize, idolize, -ignore, ingratiate, lionize, praise, protect, retort, shield, -shun, skip, -slight, -snub)

  ZONE (/): allocate, allot, apportion, bisect, chunk, compartmentalize, define, delimit, delineate, demarcate, divide, fence, halve, outline, parcel, partition, portion, screen, section, segment, segregate, share, split, subdivide, wall (≠ absorb, annex, attach, combine, connect, coup
le, gather, incorporate, integrate, join, link, meld, network, reintegrate, unify, unite)

  Part II: Genres

  “We expect literary revolutions to come from above, from the literary end of the spectrum—the difficult, the avant-garde, the high-end, the densely written….Instead we’re getting a revolution from below, coming up from the supermarket aisles. Genre fiction is the technology that will disrupt the literary novel as we know it.”

  Lev Grossman7

  Fans of a given genre show up with expectations you must meet and exceed. It’s a sword that cuts both ways. As an author, conventional solutions will help you survive, but to stand out and thrive, you’ll need to keep your writing fresh and fascinating with every new project or your audience will get bored and head off in search of better, bolder books.

  Every genre stakes out an imaginal terrain that its readers enjoy and defend. Most of that comes down to WHAT HAPPENS. In a sense, all conventional story patterns common to a genre (aka tropes) are nothing more than actions and tactics common to a genre.