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Monthly Archive: March, 2016

March 11, 2016

Making Children’s Movies Appeal to Adults Part One: Allusions

Watching a movie written for kids only can be awful as an adult. Let’s face it – a movie doesn’t have to have great writing or characters to entertain children. If you re-watch a series you loved as a child, there’s a good chance you’re going to be seriously disappointed. Similarly, if you have kids or are babysitting and get stuck watching a...
Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Humor & Wordplay/Literary Devices & Writing Techniques Comments: 2
March 9, 2016

Two-Dollar Words

The phrase “two dollar word”* or “ten dollar word” (or “four dollar word” or “four bits word,” depending on where you’re from and how old you are) can have a couple of different connotations depending on how it’s used. The most common use is to mock the person who just spoke and imply that they are being pretentious, condescending, snooty, or just plain prissy:...
Categories Characterization, Plot, & Setting/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comment: 1
March 8, 2016

With Dialect, What Words You Say Are as Important as How You Say Them

One reason that some authors say not to write in dialect at all is that syntax and word choice can be used to suggest a dialect, region, or first language without modifying the words whatsoever. For example, in the U.S., specific kinds of pronoun errors are common to more rural areas (also often poorer areas with worse education though not always)....
Categories Characterization, Plot, & Setting/Literary Devices & Writing Techniques Comments: 0
March 7, 2016

How to Use Acting Methods to Improve Dialect in Dialogue

Whether you’re listening or reading, thick dialects can be hard to understand – partly because it takes experience with a specific dialect to understand it easily. It’s kind of like reading messy handwriting. Once you’ve experienced it enough, you can read it, but for a first-time exposure, it’s pretty impossible. That’s why a lot of the accents you’re exposed to...
Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Writer Resources Comments: 0
March 4, 2016

Nonsense Words: Scientists Have Quantified What Writers Always Knew

While researching yesterday’s Dr. Seuss post, I came across an interesting article from The Atlantic called “The Secret to Dr. Seuss’s Made-up Words.” The main idea is that people find nonsense words funny and that how funny people find the words depends on how uncommon the letters and letter arrangements are in the English language. I’ll be honest, as interesting as that was,...
Categories General Thoughts & Updates/Humor & Wordplay Comment: 1