Tag: words

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

Pizzanomics and the Economy of Words

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde writes that people know the price of everything and the value of nothing. My friend Eric was not such a person. He assigned value to everything in terms of pizza.

You might price a throw pillow at fifteen dollars—he’d say it cost two pizzas. (This was back in the ‘90s.) He counted the cost in terms of the true value it yielded him, and what Eric valued most was pizza.

Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde

His friends called this Pizzanomics. Decisions based on whether sacrificing that much pizza was worth the purchase. Talk about Opportunity Cost!

Opportunity costs means “What else could I have done with my money?”

Adem Selita, chief executive officer at The Debt Relief Company in New York, N.Y.

There is an opportunity cost attached to each word a writer uses. We need to draw readers into new realms where they can connect with and vicariously strive alongside our characters. We need to craft our expressions with intention—be it chapter, scene, paragraph, or word—to ensure our writing is concise but not boring. Remember, our readers are also counting their opportunity cost. Don’t let them wriggle off your hook.

What is in a word? Would that rose by any other name really smell as sweet? What else could we have done on the page? With that description?

Word choice matters. I remember a high school reading assignment where the narrator referred to the scent of bruised gardenias. If he had used “stink” instead of “scent,” what sense would that have conveyed?

Color your world… with words

The genre and setting should color our work. Don’t just close a door. If the story is set in space, let it whoosh. A stone castle door could grate or grind as it moves. Wooden village gates and doors might creak. Clues like this give readers a sense of the world’s setting and reflect the character’s unique POV.

Similes, metaphors, imagery, and expletives are prime opportunities to make strategic word choices.

Sandfly, a debugger in A Star Curiously Singing, book 1 of Kerry Nietz’s Dark Trench saga vents his frustration with an exclamation of “Crichton and Clarke,” two historical science fiction authors.

The amphibian dwellers of my water-covered planet mutter shells under their breath and taunt each other with sea creature insults.

And in Hidden Current, Sharon Hinck introduces the dancers of the Order with this beautiful imagery before she reveals they live on a floating world.

We lunged and poured our bodies forward. We moved like channels of water, divided, as if by an unseen boulder into two streams that circled the room, arching, flowing, reaching.

A ripple disturbed the flow.

Sharon Hink

This passage pours beauty and warmth into my soul. She did that with words.

At a Realm Makers workshop, Sharon said words should serve as double-agents, communicating more than their face-value to the reader.

Make each word earn the space it occupies. If it cost five dollars to use, would you still plug it in?

Don’t use the fanciest words to show off vocabulary prowess (or adept use of a thesaurus). Aim to transport readers, rather than impress them. If they think about the author while reading, we’ve missed the mark. But make sure to communicate all we can with that noun, verb, and article—so readers have a deeper sense of our world.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Proverbs 25:11 KJV

If a spoken word carries that much potential, how much more do words inscribed—utterances recorded to outlast the breath that launched them. Invest wisely in your words to compound the impact for your reader. They will be reluctant to emerge from this story and eager to plunge in to your next one.

Sophia L Hansen is an author and editor with Havok Publishing and loves to write In Other Worlds. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, raised kids in Tennessee, and now resides just outside Birmingham, AL. After 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets, Sophia still fits into her high school earrings.

You can follow Sophia’s words and worlds at https://www.sophialhansen.com/, Facebook, and Instagram.

Categories
Writer Encouragement

Increasing Your Vocabulary

Increasing your vocabulary may sound like a “roll your eyes” suggestion. After all, you’ve been reading and writing English (or whatever your native language) for many years. By the time most of us reach the point where we feel called to write, we usually feel fairly comfortable in our knowledge of numerous words and their meanings.

But let’s be honest. There are many terms that still escape our grasp and understanding.

Years ago, my husband and I used to play the dictionary game with friends. It was an early (and less expensive) version of a Parker Brothers game where each person is given a word and they must write down what they believe to be the definition. Undoubtedly, it would not be a commonplace expression.

The various explanations of the words’ meanings as written by the game’s participants would send our group into uproarious laughter. The creativity was endless and quite funny.

Most of our friends were fairly well-read individuals. No one had flunked out of school. All were quite successful in their professions. Yet time after time, we all became stymied by the actual definitions of words in the English language—our language since birth.

If you still have an old hardback dictionary on your book shelf—you may need to blow the dust off the binding—glance at the thousands of words in that weighty volume. It is truly astonishing. This alone should be a gentle tap on the shoulder that we all could use a bit of vocabulary brushing up.

Nearly a year ago, I saw a prompt on the Merriam-Webster website to sign up for “Word of the Day.” Intrigued, I decided to join. It has been an adventure, learning new expressions that I am challenged to discover and perhaps use in my writing. I always feel a sense of joy when I find it’s a word with which I’m already familiar. But frankly, those I already know are fewer than the ones I’m either learning for the first time or for which I’m getting a much-needed refresher.

Let’s face it—none of us will know everything about our language. It can only help our writing to expand our knowledge.

I’d encourage you to sign up for the Word of the Day online. Or play the dictionary game with friends. Or get the Balderdash game of words.

Reading numerous works of fiction and non-fiction can be a great vocabulary builder. But going one step further with such tools as these can multiply your knowledge, and help your writing along the way.

Carry on.

 

Vocabulary image courtesy of Stuart Miles, from freedigitalphotos.net

 

Elaine Marie Cooper has two new E-Books that just released: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. Love’s Kindling will soon release in paperback. They are the first two books in the Dawn of America Series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her 2016 release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. You can visit her website/ blog at www.elainemariecooper.com

 

 

 

Categories
Guest post archive

Guest Post-6 Common Writing Issues Authors Overlook By Pam Lagomarsino

 

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If you are reading this, you are either writing a book or considering the possibility. Writing a book can seem like a tremendous challenge as you try to create a perfect manuscript. I would like to share common writing mistakes to avoid as you write your story or message. I am excited for you as you continue your journey to publishing your book.

You might be wondering when your manuscript is ready to submit to an editor or publisher. Only you can determine when that is. Have you asked beta-readers or critique partners to preview it? Do you have more you wish to say? Did you do a spelling and grammar check? Your book doesn’t have to be perfect when you submit it to your editor. But just in case you prefer to make everything as close to perfect as possible, here are a few tips for you:

1. Avoid as many unnecessary words as possible when you are telling the story. Now, wouldn’t it have been much easier if I had written “Avoid Wordiness” instead? A quick Google search for “lists of wordy phrases” will result in several, but here are a few for you to find and replace:

  • That. Will the sentence make sense without it? Often, when a sentence has “that are” in it, you can eliminate both words. While we are on the subject of “that” – people should be referred to as who as in the boy who…
  • Off of – delete “of”
  • Very ________ … What stronger adjective could you use?
  • In order to. You should delete the “in order”
  • Really can be substituted with truly or genuinely. Better yet, can you delete it?

2. Be consistent with spelling and spacing. Ensure you spelled all your character names and places correctly—especially if you didn’t mention them frequently. One quick way to catch some errors would be to run a spelling/grammar check in Microsoft Word. As you come across the first occurrence of a character’s name or a unique word, click “add to dictionary.” Then if you misspelled that word later, Word will flag it for you. Is your sentence spacing consistent? Many publishers now prefer a single space between sentences. To correct spacing in Microsoft Word: tap the space bar twice in the Navigation search box. If you find several, then click the Home tab on the ribbon, choose Replace to open a new box, then type in one space in the “Replace with” box. Click ok. With one quick click, you have just replaced all the double spacing. Finally, are your quotation marks and apostrophes straight or curly? Are they all the same? If you find the occasional straight quotation marks, you can copy one set into your search bar and replace all of them. You will have to fix apostrophes individually.

3. Confusing word usage issues (check the dictionary if you are unsure). Take the time to search and correct these examples which Word will not always catch:

  • Were, where, we’re
  • There, their, they’re
  • Affect, effect
  • Than, then
  • To, too, two
  • 4. Give credit where credit is due. When do you need to cite a reference? The nutshell answer is if you are quoting a person, website, or book, you need to get permission and note the source. This requirement also includes Bible verses and things considered to be in the Public Domain. If your quote is from a book, provide the title, author’s name, publisher, page number, and copyright date. For a website, give the article title, author, date of the article (if available), and date you found it. You can copy and paste the web address into the document. When quoting a person, provide their name, date, and any title they use. If you have included factual information you found from a website or book, you will need to make a notation. Many authors are surprised to learn they also must provide the specific verse and version when quoting the Bible. You can find proper permission and copyright wording at https://www.biblegateway.com. Creating proper citations or a bibliography can seem overwhelming. But even if you don’t get the periods and commas in the proper place for an endnote, footnote, or reference page, you still need to make a reasonable effort to identify the source. Your editor or publisher can put the material in the correct format. If you are doing everything yourself, you can research proper citation formatting on the internet when you are ready.

 5. Are you noticing words or phrases used repeatedly? Can you find synonyms? It is easy to use the same words frequently. Try this quick spot check: select three random paragraphs in consecutive order. Read through them carefully and see if any one word or phrase comes up often—especially more than once in a paragraph. If so, try to find an appropriate synonym when it is feasible. In nonfiction, it is not always realistic to change words, but you can reduce the frequency. Likewise, in fiction, if a particular character is fond of a phrase, you can’t always remove it.

 6. Marketing begins before you publish your book. Many successful authors will tell you their sales improved because of self-promotion on social media before, during, and after they published their book. Both aspiring authors and well-known authors with a huge following will benefit by joining numerous online writing groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+. These groups share writing tips and information, cheer one another on, and promote one another’s books. You can tell others about the book you are writing. As you get closer to publication, you can post small teasers on social media to stir excitement.

I would love to be a part of your writing journey to equip you to touch the lives of your readers. For editorial quotes or editing needs, please visit my website at http://www.abovethepages.com/  or email me at abovethepages@gmail.com.

 

 

Categories
WARFARE!

Out of the Heart the Mouth Speaks, Part 2

Have you ever hit “send” for an email, or “publish” for a blog post, only to realize within a split second that you shouldn’t have?

Me too, more times than I can count.

I think we all know…I mean, know…when what we’re about to write is tainted with wrong attitude or judgment. We feel emotions rise up, and the thoughts we’re having aren’t quite “bless you, my friends.”

I believe that as Christian writers, we have a responsibility to set an example with everything we write; to lead the way with truth written in love. Since we know that out of the heart the mouth speaks – our true feelings will show through in our writing – we need to check our hearts before we push the button to release our words. (Read Part 1 here)

Out of the Heart the Mouth SpeaksHere are a few questions you can ask yourself before hitting “send” or “publish”.

  • Is my heart more passionate about my belief than compassionate for my readers?

Have I put myself in the other person’s shoes and read from their perspective? Would I feel respected or judged…valued or put down?

  • Do my words reflect a right or a righteous attitude in my heart?

Am I trying to impart truth in love, or trying to prove I’m right? Am I writing to point others to Jesus, or to boost support for my opinion?

  • Should someone else read this before I send it – is this topic too emotional for me?

For me, the final step before I hit send on a difficult topic is to have someone else read what I wrote – someone I trust to be brutally honest with me. Maybe more than one someone if it’s controversial.

  • Do I think I am an expert on the topic – do I have pride in my heart?

Is my writing humble and open to being imperfect…or even wrong? Did I remember that we all understand and see only in part?

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:9-10, 12; NIV)

And finally…

  1. Have I prayed for God’s words on this topic – does He want this written?

Am I writing His message, or just what *I* feel is important? Will what I have written stir up strife?

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. (Titus 3:9, NIV)

As Christian writers, God has a mission and message for each one of us. Let’s all resolve to continually check our hearts as we share our words. [bctt tweet=”Remember that out of the heart the mouth speaks, and we want our hearts to speak love.”]

Categories
WARFARE!

Out of the Heart the Mouth Speaks, Part 1

I recently read a headline that jumped off the page to me: “Can a GOP So Divided by Anger Actually Govern in Washington?” What a sobering question! Many elected officials come to Washington full of ideas on how to fight for their causes. But too often, when “fighting for” a cause becomes “fighting against” anyone who doesn’t believe like they do, the noble purpose of the cause is lost in a mountain of anger, judgment, and strife. Nobody wins.

The same thing is true for the Church, Jesus’s Bride. Whether sharing about biblical principles, gifts of the Spirit, or the Bible as it relates to cultural events, our words “for” Jesus and truth can quickly become a judgment “against” those who don’t agree with us. Our life-giving message can be lost because of an emotional, angry or finger-pointing delivery at those who we feel are wrong.

In both cases, out of the heart the mouth speaks.

The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart. (Luke 6:45, AMP)

We can become prideful, self-righteous, or offended when our opinion is not accepted. Every impure, fleshy heart attitude shows up in the tone of our words. Sometimes our need to be right trumps the original goal of encouraging others toward what we believe…and as Christians, toward truth. We forget that we are all equal at the end of the day – we all can be equally wrong or equally right at any given moment depending on what we’ve learned and experienced to date. And, that our own opinions are just that, and subject to change as we learn more.

out of the heart the mouth speaksTo clarify, it’s OK to expose lies, wrong doctrine, and sinful behavior; but it’s never OK to write an angry message against someone who believes differently; or to judge their motives. Out of the heart the mouth speaks, so we must first check our own motives.

When exposing lies or sin, our role is to respectfully and lovingly write truth as we understand it so the Holy Spirit can use our words to convict the reader. If, instead, we judge the wrong-doer or criticize them, the enemy can quickly turn our words into condemnation.

How can we self-check our writing to see if it is ready for public consumption? Stay tuned for Part 2…

[bctt tweet=”Out of the heart the mouth speaks, so we must first check our own motives.”]

Categories
Touching Soul and Spirit

Words, Tomato Plants and Time with Jesus

The fruit of any writer is words, alphabetic compilations skillfully woven together into sentences and paragraphs that may eventually become an article, a story, or a book. Those words have the power to change lives. For most writers, those words that become sentences and paragraphs come rather easily. They are the currency of our craft —the artistic building blocks of our calling. A writer without words is a tragic paradox.

Therefore if words are so important, and have such power, it stands to reason that we, as writers, must take special care of our heart and our mind—the expressions of our spirit and our soul, because in those places this precious fruit is produced. A better quality of fruit always produces a higher level of impact.

Several years ago, I decided to do a little farming by planting some tomato plants. Nothing tastes better than a large, succulent home-grown tomato. I labored to build the beds and filled them with a mixture of dirt, compost, and horse manure. Next I placed the plants in the soil and began watering and fertilizing them with Miracle Grow on a consistent basis. Over time those plants grew into luscious bushes with beautiful blooms. I had gigantic plants but the tomatoes were few and far between. The same thing happened for three straight years. Discouraged, I was ready to give up on growing my own, and almost reconciled to a future of eating those plastic-tasting, pale pink variety you find at any local grocery.

Then I met a tomato expert at a botanical garden plant sale. I explained my dilemma and he asked a simple question, “How many hours of sun are your plants getting?” It seems tomato plants need a minimum of six hours of sunshine to produce large heathy fruit. A multitude of vines and no fruit are the classic symptoms of under exposure to the sun. My tomato plants needed something more than I was personally capable of providing.

As Christian writers, we don’t simply need more words. We need powerful words to convey concepts, ideas, and phrases that bring transformation. The power I’m taking about comes from having an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. Like tomato plants, every writer who longs to produce genuine, lasting fruit needs time with the Son—Jesus Christ. Yes, it is vitally important that we hone our craft by reading widely, studying grammar and structure, and researching our subject with intensity. Yes, we must write, meet the deadlines before us, and build our platform on social media. Yes, it is true there are only so many hours in the day. But if we neglect our spirit and our soul, our words, though lush and plentiful, will be powerless and the fruit of our labor almost non-existent.

Take a few minutes today and spend some time in the glorious presence of Jesus. A moment in his presence may produce the fruitful word or phrase that could change a life forever. But one thing’s for sure, time spent with Jesus will change you, and if you are changed, the fruit of your words will reflect it.