But Don't Make Me Read Aloud

Nuance of Language & ⚠️An Embarrassing Story Bonus⚠️

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Maybe you had a hangover from a long holiday weekend. Or your Inbox was overflowing with pre-Prime Day messages and invites to summer gatherings.

Whatever the reason, if you missed last week’s newsletter, click here to read the distilling of 250k words into a 3-5 sentence book pitch and help me figure out what should go on the book jacket for my upcoming novel.

But Don’t Make Me Read Aloud

Nuance of Language & ⚠️An Embarrassing Story Bonus⚠️

One of the perks of being a reader on Substack is learning new terms and idioms from other parts of the world. Or even from other parts of this vast country in which I live.

• A car’s boot is not covering for the “foot” of a car—it’s the trunk. And a bonnet is really the hood.

• Biscuits are really cookies.

• “Swings and roundabouts” is the equivalent of “two sides of the same coin.”

• For all the talk of holidays, you’d think I’d find more listed on the calendar.

• And I still don’t get why a sweater is called a jumper. Can anyone explain the origin of the term?¹

My biggest takeaway (no, I don’t mean food from a restaurant; that would be ‘take out’) is that words are important.

If you want your reader to understand your words, then you need to be very specific with your word selection.

Words Matter

Last week, I mentioned

Kathrine Elaine

and her essay on Words Matter. She wrote:

As writers or storytellers we must remember the power and the responsibility that comes with sharing our words in public. As readers we have to be careful to which words we open our minds to. Words never leave once let in. They may be forgiven, but not forgotten.

This is a heavy burden for fiction authors—for writers of all things, really. When I write, I attempt to keep this in mind. Word selection affects me when I read, so it’s safe to assume readers of my words will be affected by my word choice.

But how are words important?

Slang, idioms, and colloquial phrases can add layers to the world-building in a story, giving a reader a sense of the society in which the story takes place.

I present two examples.

“Maybe it ain't a pallin' sin to be so conceity, but it's a blessin' and I reckon I can't help it.”

~Huck, Adventures of Hucklebery Finn, by Mark Twain

“Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride—where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation.”

~Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin²

Both quotes relate to pride and self-confidence, yet have very different tones and evoke a sense of each character’s level of education and socioeconomic status.

The vocabulary used by characters and the vernacular used by the author can help set the stage. When creating the language used by the characters (especially young adults, who tend to create the generational shift in the ever-changing lexicon of a society), I researched common terms, phrases, and slang in multiple languages: Mexican Spanish, French, Arabic, Greek, Latin, British English, and American English (specifically by decade from 1920 to 2000). I also put together a list of terms, phrases, and slang from various sources:

1. Sustainable building practices

2. Video gaming

3. Programming and computer technology

4. Power generation

5. Military and combat

I’ve seen shoulder pads in the stores…in “new” fashion. NO!

History repeats itself

Because language (just like fashion and hairstyles) can have a cyclical pattern, I selected some terms that are considered “current” but paired them with terms from other eras to create a unique mix of lingo. I use “goons” and “aces” from 1930s American slang, as they were originally used.

I also took liberties with definitions, creating shifts or evolving their current-day meaning.

The chatter suddenly diminished. Heads swiveled in my direction, and I felt sweat prickle at my hairline. Just stellar. I hadn’t even made it to my first class, and everyone was already staring at me.

Or … were they staring through me?

Some of it is just plain fun

Creating a new vocabulary is fun (and unnerving). For example, I selected “Amelioration Laboratories” as a company name, yet I cannot confidently pronounce it without stumbling over it. So why choose it? Because I like the word's meaning, and it hints at the company’s role in the story. Sure, readers might need to look up the definition to get the full effect. But that is okay. We all learned new vocabulary when we were new readers. Why should that stop as we age?

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To read more about the slang created for the FORGED series, check out this⤵️

How to pick compelling character names and stellar slang

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Proof I wore shoulder pads the first time around. And, yes, those are giraffes on my shirt… Also, what I looked like during the embarrassing story that follows.

⚠️Embarrassing story alert⚠️

I took a drama class in middle school. Our teacher had us read plays aloud during class, assigning parts to different students. One day, I was assigned a part and was happily reading along with the script. I spoke clearly and confidently, projecting my voice throughout the room (the drama room had great acoustics, so my “small” voice resonated easily).

I read, “I don’t think I’ll be allowed to go to the party. My parents are such orgies.”³

The classroom erupted. My face immediately burned with embarrassment. What had I said wrong? I looked over the line and repeated it in my head. Panicking, I was not able to see the error.

The drama teacher calmly corrected me, “I think you meant, ‘My parents are such ogres.’” Though he fought to keep the smirk off his face, I knew I’d be a source of great laughter later for him and his wife as they talked about their day over dinner. Or maybe I’d be the story he’d shared with other teachers in the lounge the next day.

In my defense, this was decades before Shrek, and I’d never heard the term “ogre”… of course, I also didn’t have any cause to know the term “orgies” either, and yet that was what I so boldly said out loud.

This is why I fear reading anything in public. So, if you happen to come to a book signing or my launch party, don’t be surprised if I somehow weasel my way out of reading a passage myself.

And, if you care for me even a tiny bit, you will offer to do the read-aloud for me. Please??? I’ll sign your copy of my book… but don’t make me read aloud!

To learn more about the FORGED series, visit the Table of Contents.

Questions

1. What is an embarrassing story about your awkward tween/teen/young adult years? Please share so I don’t feel so exposed.

2. What is your favorite source of inspiration for names or words? (I like using a map and looking for words based on the meaning I hope to convey, even if it is a translation of the word from another language.)

3. Are you more a Huck Finn or Mr. Darcy fan?

4. Are there any idioms or regional phrases/words you want to share that you don’t think I will be familiar with? Drop them in the comments and see if I can guess them. (I promise not to use a dictionary or internet search.)

5. What fashion trend(s) do you fear will return?

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Good Stuff

Interesting reads on Substack. Check them out!

1. My Favorite Suspects — This week, I came across

   Todd Brasel
   in the comments of a note. I clicked on his profile and randomly selected a non-fiction piece to see if his “writer’s voice” resonated with me. It did. So I dug deeper and got hooked on his serial, My Favorite Suspects.

2. Microdosing Recap #19 — In his weekly recap,

   Miguel S.
   honored my work with a mention of my submission for the ROUTINE prompt. Thanks, Miguel!

3. History of Dystopia — Jamie Mollart of the

   Climate Fiction Writers League

   wrote, “Dystopia is a mirror to our fears, so it will always hold an important place in our culture.” The essay made me think of how my fears are reflected in my novel.

4. The Seed Grower: The Delivery —

   Claudia Befu
   constructs a colorful world of mechanic bees and butterflies with silicone wings. I’m slowly absorbing her Dust Road world, rich with carefully crafted characters and artfully woven stories.

5. “Cats vs. dogs” debate continues — On the lighter side of things,

   Carlos Greaves
   give us something OTHER than politics to focus on. And for that, I am thankful. Also, RIP Richard Simmons.

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1. I know I could do an internet search to find the origin of jumper, but I’m curious if there is a collective understanding out there that someone can share.

2. Not sure I should admit this or not, but I have never read any Jane Austin. I am just familiar with the characters and storyline from the snippets of the movies and when other novels reference her books.

3. I went on to be cast as this character and had to say this line about a million times during rehearsals and shows. I internally cringed, reliving my embarrassment every. single. time.