Your main character is faced with a dilemma: betray a confidence and perhaps lose a friend or stand by and wait for a friend to make what s/he believes is a horrible mistake. What does your character do? What is his or her thought process to make the decision? What scenarios does she or he…
Category: Writing Wrongs: Essays on Language
This blog is an opportunity to discuss language – its usage, its limitations, and its beauty—through an array of shorter and longer essays.
Otherworldly Words: Anancy
April is a month for fools! From words that refer to natural phenomenon that have misled us to words to describe the things we do to make fools of others, this month I’ll explore words to do with some sort of trickery. Anancy is always up to something. With disguises and other clever tools to fool…
Otherworldly Words: Brocken spectre
April is a month for fools! From words that refer to natural phenomenon that have misled us to words to describe the things we do to make fools of others, this month I’ll explore words to do with some sort of trickery. First up is brocken spectre. This optical illusion caused by one’s own shadow…
Writing Prompt: April Fools
It’s that time of year again, and your character wishes to pull a prank. What sort of prank will s/he play? Is it simply an act of fun in the spirit of things — or does s/he harbor darker motives? How long has this “prank” been planned? If you enjoyed this post, look around, or…
Otherworldly Words: Foreboding
Many people’s minds turn to basketball during this time of year. Not mine. I think of Julius Caesar and the dire warning to “beware the Ides of March.” So March is the perfect month for #Otherworldly Words to explore the vocabulary of warnings. Each word in this group foretells something wicked this way coming. Foreboding is more or…
Writing Prompt: Gender Rolls
What if your main character awoke one morning the opposite gender? What would change? Would anything necessarily need to? What about personality traits? Would other characters now view the character differently for the same traits? What’s that say about how we write and about our society? If you enjoyed this post, look around, or sign…
Otherworldly Words: Presentiment
Many people’s minds turn to basketball during this time of year. Not mine. I think of Julius Caesar and the dire warning to “beware the Ides of March.” So March is the perfect month for #Otherworldly Words to explore the vocabulary of warnings. Each word in this group foretells something wicked this way coming. Presentiment comes from a…
Otherworldly Words: Premonition
Many people’s minds turn to basketball during this time of year. Not mine. I think of Julius Caesar and the dire warning to “beware the Ides of March.” So March is the perfect month for #Otherworldly Words to explore the vocabulary of warnings. Each word in this group foretells something wicked this way coming. While ominous indicates a…
Otherworldly Words: Ominous
Many people’s minds turn to basketball during this time of year. Not mine. I think of Julius Caesar and the dire warning to “beware the Ides of March.” So March is the perfect month for #Otherworldly Words to explore the vocabulary of warnings. Each word in this group foretells something wicked this way coming. Of the words that…
Otherworldly Words: Idolater
While St. Valentine’s Day has passed, #OtherworldlyWords continues to look at four words that describe the downside of love and attraction. The final word in this month’s theme is idolater. An idolater is one who worships idols or is an “immoderate admirer.” Many of us have worshiped Hollywood Idols from time to time. When this admiration…
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