The One That Gets Me Every Time...

I imagine I’m not alone. As writers, surely we all have that one word that trips us up every time we attempt to write it. Ok, maybe there are even more than one.

For me, it’s the word “bureaucracy.” Fortunately, I don't need to use the word all that often - which is probably part of the problem. But for the life of me, it never looks like it’s spelled right – and consequently, I always have to spellcheck it or look it up in a dictionary.

(Wait – an actual dictionary? Yes, I do use online dictionaries – but I also still have and regularly consult my bound, hard-copy, “old-school” dictionary by my desk… but that could be a whole other conversation…) 

Anyway, in the word "bureaucracy," it’s that crazy “eau” combination... and then the second “u” in the word that throws me every time.

I remember one of my friends in sixth grade telling me how her father taught her to remember how to spell the word "friend." She always had trouble with the "i before e" thing, as many do. She used a simple mnemonic (now there's a word that can trip you up!) trick to remember the correct spelling: you must "fri" (fry) to the "end." For the life of me, that old memory trick has stayed with me to this day and I still think of it often when I write that word.

Now if I could only come up with a similar mind/memory trick for "bureaucracy."

What's your killer word - the one that gets you stuck every time you write it?