9 dictionaries you've never opened

A tried-and-true rule of thumb is to write what you know. Of course, successfully marrying looming deadlines with wild imaginations requires finding the shortcuts to knowing a little about a lot, so you can craft a unique voice for your unique concept. Here are nine resources for words and phrases you never knew were exactly what you were trying to say.

1. Talk the Talk: The slang of 65 American subcultures

So you've decided to plunge your audience into a different world. Maybe one that you yourself aren't that deeply informed in. Don't just scratch the surface with a word or two you picked up watching Mystery Science Theater 3000. Add some authenticity to your scripts by getting a little silly with the slang used by those in the know from tattoo artists to flyfishers to online gamers to stamp collectors and more.

2. The New Joys of Yiddish

You have to ask? Sometimes when writing for broadcast or video, rearranging word order is a great way to present dialogue in a new and entertaining way without having to dig up some lost words from Samuel Johnson's dictionary that may go over your audience's heads (not to mention your creative director's).

The idea here isn't to grab words like "kvetch," "schlep" or "ibbledick" per se, but to take a cue from the beautiful arrangements in Yiddish syntax to make your wit more acerbic. Here you'll find eloquently backhanded phrases ("Smart, he isn't."), comical cries of dismay ("It shouldn't happen to a dog.") and the difference between ahA! and Aha!

3. How to Speak Southern

A classic from my grade-school days, this borderline exercise in dialect can easily be dismissed as a humorous detour, but it can also be a useful look into how pronunciation and accent can add life to voiceovers especially in radio and podcasting where so much relies on the talents' reads.

4. Urban Dictionary

This mostly user-generated online reference is funny, irreverent and topical. And in paperback. Here you'll find words and phrases that are signs of the times and sometimes even ripped from the headlines. ("Hiking in Appalachia" ring a bell?) Subscribe to the Word of the Day, and it'll unlock your mind to try to outdo the urbanites yourself, especially where the idea is there, but the word they've offered up isn't quite right.

5. How Not to Say What You Mean

Euphemisms are what make language fun. And oftentimes, you don't need to know what one means beforehand if surrounded by the right contextual clues. Again, another opportunity to dig deeper into what exists and maybe come up with one of your own phrases that's even better. And more branded.

6. Knickers in a Twist

Go beyond "guv'nuh" with this guide to British slang. It may even inspire your own take on Cockney rhyming slang. And remember, a clever idiom from across the pond can spice up even the most American of commercials, so you don't have to try to spoof Austin Powers to be funny. Please.

7. Baby Name Wizard

Searching for a good, believable character name? Try the Baby Name Wizard. Of course, the original online version is the true gem - a graphically inspiring resource that allows you to search by name or by year back to 1880 to really capture the essence of a certain time period with the Baby Name Voyager. Not to mention, it offers some sweet eye candy for creating dynamic user experiences.

8. Oxford Dictionary of Physics

Sound smarter without actually being smarter by swiping a few well-timed words or concepts from this tome.

Or if physics isn't your bag, try one of its companion resources in chemistry, math, astronomy and zoology among others. Who knows, you may learn enough to write a relatively unfunny hit sitcom.

9. Writing Dialogue

OK, so we're cheating a little, but this resource is a simple way to remind us how smart and succinctly real dialogue is written. It's a great guide for keeping conversations crisp, especially in our world where you only have seconds to sell your story.