This podcast is on one of my favorite explorations. It’s all about words you wish existed.
Sometimes the world seems annoyed that there just isn’t a word to express exactly what you want. There’s no English word for that intimate feeling of sitting around a fire in the winter with close friends (though it exists in Danish: hygge). There’s no word for the feeling of anticipation when you’re waiting for someone to show up at your house and you keep going outside to see if they’re there yet (though it exists in Inuit: iktsuarpok). Or what about the word for that panicky hesitation just before you have to introduce someone whose name you can’t quite remember? (The Scots call this tortle.)
What’s the word for the act of annoying older brothers (vybafnout)? Or the scratching of your head in order to help you remember something you’ve forgotten (pana po’o)? Or that old trick where you tap someone lightly on the opposite shoulder from behind to fool them (mencolek)? Just look at Czech, Hawaiian or Indonesian respectively, and they have your answers.
Of course, sometimes the word you need seems simple. How do you differentiate a singular versus plural “you”?
But here’s the secret. For this one, at least, the English language already has an answer.
We all need these little word choice reminders, don’t we?
We need to remember the difference between “insure” and “ensure,” without a doubt understanding that “insure” with an “i” is talking about insurance.
We need to know that when you might say “I could care less,” that means that you do indeed care about something. If you say, “I could care less,” then you must care a bit to be able to care a smaller amount. The expression you might be looking for is “I couldn’t care less,” which means that you already care so little that it’s impossible for you to care less than you already do. There’s a difference.
Our words have the power to meddle or to muddle if we don’t pay attention to them.
But without further ado, here’s today’s writing tip for the curious or confused.
This is episode 4, and I’ve got another question for you: Is the expression “you’ve got another think coming” or “you’ve got another thing coming”?
Former President Barack Obama and Judas Priest are tied up in the answer, but before I get to it, I wanted to give a special shout out to my new podcast and newsletter subscribers. I look forward to continuing this word exploration journey with you. You all are awesome, and my next newsletter is coming your way next week.
You’ve heard it said, but do you know how to spell it?
This is another case of the English language being funky and you over-thinking your knowledge of the the nick of time, knots, gnats, and other words with spellings that sound like they should simply begin with the letter “n.”More
An “Elements of Style” for the Twitter generation.
“You’ll want to keep a copy on your desk.”
-Meg Medina, Newbery and Pura Belpré Award winning author (National Book Award and Kirkus Award finalist)
“Get a Grip on Your Grammar is not only a useful reference. It’s also a fun read, chock-full of telling examples and pop-culture references.“
-Charles Euchner, author and former lecturer on writing, Yale University
“I know about as much about grammar as I do about kite surfing, but Kris Spisak’s delightful, breezy take has dark powers that give a rookie like me fingers instead of left thumbs, light instead of fog.“
-Kevin Smokler, Author of Brat Pack America: A Love Letter to 80s Teen Movies (Rare Bird Books, 2016); director/producer of Vinyl Nation
Just as we should think before we speak, we need to think before we write.
Most of us are not poets or novelists, but we are all writers. We email, text, and post; we craft memos and reports, menus and outdoor signage, birthday cards and sticky notes on the fridge.
Get a Grip on Your Grammar is a grammar book for those who hate grammar books, a writing resource filled with quick answers and a playful style―not endless, indecipherable grammar jargon.
Designed for student, business, and creative-writing audiences alike, its easily digestible, occasionally witty writing tips will finally teach you:
The differences between “lay” and “lie.”
The proper usage of “affect” and “effect.”
Where to put punctuation around quotation marks.
The meaning of “e.g.” versus “i.e.”
The perils of overusing the word “suddenly.”
That apostrophes should not be thrown about like confetti.
And 244 more great tips.
Writers owe it to themselves and to everyone who sees their written words to get it right. With Get a Grip on Your Grammar, they finally can.
***My interview with Michele Young Stone originally appeared onjamesriverwriters.orgahead of the 2010 James River Writers Conference***
Michele Young-Stone is full of surprises. From being a lightning strike survivor herself to publishing an exquisite debut novel, nothing can stop this self-proclaimed ‘glass half-full kind of gal.’
An MFA graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University, Michele has been writing creatively since she could scribble words with her crayons. Even after earning an ‘Unsatisfactory’ in First Grade for her messy handwriting, the author within prevailed.
In a starred review, Booklist called Michele’s The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors, “Luminescent.” Publishers Weekly added “[she] has created a host of endearing losers—young, old, literate, and simple, all full of longing. What she does best is portray the incredulousness of the unlucky.”
QUESTION 1: How have your own life experiences guided your writing?
In major ways — My childhood and teen years weren’t “typical.” As a kid, I was a bit of an outcast. I had frizzy hair, buckteeth, and I was overweight. As a teenager, I “took a walk on the wild side.” I feel fortunate to have survived. All my experiences have really added to my writing. I’ve met a lot of unusual characters, and having been an outsider at different phases of my life, helped me to create the characters Publisher’s Weekly dubbed “endearing losers.” Like me, my “endearing losers” turn out pretty good in the end.
QUESTION 2: So many people struggle with writing believable, multi-dimensional characters. In The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors, there is not a simple soul that enters your pages. Your characters are tragic and lovable, complicated but natural. What advice would you give writers about creating strong characters?
Let the characters come alive on the page. Don’t dictate to them. Rather, see where they take you. You’d be surprised at the places you’ll go. For instance, I didn’t intend for many of the characters in my book to come onto the page. They just did. I ran with it. Some of them were cut, and some (like Buckley) were essential to the story. I love all of my characters so much. I say that they come from my “monkey mind” — a term borrowed from writer Bill Tester. When the Monkey Mind is at work, it’s like a Zen state. I try not to worry about the final product. I try and enjoy the moment. I’m learning about the characters as they play out on the page.
QUESTION 3: In The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors, your characters move across the country from New York to Texas to Arkansas to North Carolina. How important is it to you to personally know the locations you write about?
It is important. I did a lot of research on Chapel Hill, including interviewing residents and spending time there. I LOVE New York and have visited many times. As far as Texas and Arkansas go, I did a lot of research, but I had these images already implanted in my mind from stories I’d heard here and there over the years. There were seeds from my childhood in those places.
QUESTION 4: You earned your Masters of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University. How important was your MFA to your writing career? Would you recommend an MFA to other writers?
It was tremendously important. I went to the MFA program having previously been rejected by the same program and other programs, so by the time I got in, I took it very seriously. I knew that I had a natural ability and drive, but I didn’t know a lot of technique. I didn’t understand the importance of revision that they really drill into you in MFA school. The experience also taught me to crave constructive criticism. Anything that makes my writing better is great. I am especially grateful to Bill Tester and Tom De Haven for their support and feedback.
I would only recommend an MFA to writers who are committed to the craft. You should only go to an MFA program if you’re determined to “learn technique,” not to show off what you already know. It’s definitely about growing and trying new things.
QUESTION 5: What has your debut novel taught you about the publishing process?
More than I ever wanted to know! It’s crazy. I knew that screenwriting was a collaborative art form, but I had no idea how many people — from the agent, editor, assistant to the editor, proofreader, publicist, marketing director — were involved in publishing one novel … and there’s more. There’s a whole team of people that decide when your book should go on sale, what the cover should look like, etc. If you have time, check out the story on my book’s cover. You wouldn’t believe how many incarnations the cover had.
All that said, the thing that I carry with me wherever I am, as regards my novel’s publication, is “Yippee! Yippee! Publishing a novel has been my dream since second grade. How many people have their dreams come to fruition? Yippee!” I hope everyone will read the book and spread the word! Thanks.
– See more at: http://www.jamesriverwriters.org/michele-young-stone#sthash.cSZVGPYY.dpuf
A few stolen minutes out of your day to talk words and communication, because our daily lives are surrounded by the evolution and influence of words. Forget the grammar police. There is so much more to this conversation.
A few stolen minutes out of your day to talk words and communication, because our daily lives are surrounded by the evolution and influence of words. Forget the grammar police. There is so much more to this conversation.
A few stolen minutes out of your day to talk words and communication, because our daily lives are surrounded by the evolution and influence of words. Forget the grammar police. There is so much more to this conversation.