I don't usually blog about pay services but The Visual Thesaurus is one that can be very valuable to writers...whether you write fiction or non-fiction, even technical writers can benefit from this site.

The site takes the word you enter and shows you a visual representation of all the synonyms, antonyms and related words it has in its database. You can click on any word to put it at the center. In this way, you can find words that not only mean the same thing, but mean "kinda" the same thing. This is especially useful when you can't think of any good words for what you are trying to say. Definitions of words are included as well.

The service free to try but after a search or two you will have to close the browser and start over. But it's very inexpensive and well worth it if you write for a living (or hope to some day).

It's a cool way to find that word that conveys the exact thoughts or feelings you are trying to get across to your readers. It is easier and more thorough than using a standard thesaurus, whether on your desk or your computer desktop.

As writers we are always told "Show, don't tell." This site takes this advice to heart and shows you, it doesn't tell you. Give it a test run and I bet you'll say "kewl."