tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post1557673033469380186..comments2024-03-28T00:28:02.920-07:00Comments on Navigating the Slush Pile: March Madness: All the Little ThingsVickie Motterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791034462866079818noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-79937516062655856092012-03-29T10:36:00.105-07:002012-03-29T10:36:00.105-07:00I loved that priest character in THE GIRL OF FIRE ...I loved that priest character in THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS! He made me laugh aloud several times. A little comic relief from a serious character.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-37329220097261532132012-03-28T19:43:14.754-07:002012-03-28T19:43:14.754-07:00ROTFL what a great pic of the hippo!
One size fi...ROTFL what a great pic of the hippo! <br /><br />One size fits all, eh? I will never see an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini the same again. Ever.<br /><br />I always try to add idioms and mannerisms but I think with this image forever seared in my memory, I will never forget. Thank you very much. :)<br /><br />Fun post! Good reminder.Mart Ramirezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09492840883926331053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-62399124505939037242012-03-28T12:34:38.571-07:002012-03-28T12:34:38.571-07:00One of my favorite examples is from Karen Marie Mo...One of my favorite examples is from Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Her MacKayla Lane is a Georgia peach whose momma taught her not to swear so she and her sister had code swear words that she can't shake off even after growing up. I love her heartfelt "Kiss my petunia!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-11063091725079802532012-03-28T12:08:03.216-07:002012-03-28T12:08:03.216-07:00This made me think of the creative swear words Jam...This made me think of the creative swear words James Dashner uses in The Maze Runner trilogy. I read those books out loud to my kids. At first the kids found the made up words kind of funny, but by the end they just seemed natural.Susan Fieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02433408456603462774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-45171153244348661562012-03-28T11:54:34.057-07:002012-03-28T11:54:34.057-07:00I'm definitely finding it a challenge with my ...I'm definitely finding it a challenge with my fantasy WIP to keep anachronistic language out without forcing in old-fashioned speech that could annoy/distract the reader. <br /><br />I also hate it when made up words and phrases are there for no reason other than to be different. I don't want to notice them. Too often the names and phrases put in for flavor and world-building seem forced to me, as a reader.<br /><br />Also, I cringed at "or a weak version of Earth's medieval era." My WIP is set in a pseudo-medieval world, because honestly it's about the characters, and I wanted a setting that would support the story without becoming too prominent itself. I hope it won't lose points with agents because of the setting not being 'new.' And now I am getting away from the topic at hand, so I'll stop :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-47721497315757563272012-03-28T10:37:15.802-07:002012-03-28T10:37:15.802-07:00As a fantasy writer, I have to make a special run ...As a fantasy writer, I have to make a special run through (with purple highliter) to find all those things that don't jive with the world I'm writing about... so you are so right on the money with this one.<br /><br />And before you folks diss the hippo, remember. Hippos need love too!Stacy Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725893049379422490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-84380497099233065442012-03-28T10:25:37.337-07:002012-03-28T10:25:37.337-07:00Oh good heavens, I love so many things about this ...Oh good heavens, I love so many things about this post. :0) Firstly, that hippo…it’s just…yeah. My eye sockets are burning. Secondly? “Good Cosmo Lords, please save my loins from what I might do”??? Hahaha!!! I’m so tempted to incorporate that into my next ms (don’t worry; you can have full credit). And oh the name “Leopold” *sigh* (only…can he be a lusty, evil wraith? ahem). And the good Catholic girl example. Yes. <br /><br />Reading through this reminds me again (as if I’d forgotten) why you are JUST SO DANG GOOD at your job. Enough said.Mary Weberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13105702811351449027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-16341194539085748882012-03-28T10:12:30.966-07:002012-03-28T10:12:30.966-07:00This is such an interesting post, and it came at t...This is such an interesting post, and it came at the perfect time for me too! I'm trying to buckle down and really get nitty gritty with my characters and WHO they are. This is another aspect I need to tackle!! And that hippo--hilarious!!! :DCortney Pearsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00774060537148628453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-30991266477600174022012-03-28T09:55:23.331-07:002012-03-28T09:55:23.331-07:00This was a great post, Vickie (as are all your pos...This was a great post, Vickie (as are all your posts) and so, so important. <br /><br />This was something I tried very hard to pay attention to in my most recent novel and it was very tricky at times. Thank goodness for my reliable beta readers who were able to point out a few areas where modern language/expressions managed to slip itself into my story. I spent days just thinking about the language my characters would use and going through my mani to make sure it was consistent. It was especially difficult because while my story takes place in the future, (actually two sort of futures--hard to explain here) the MC and her people have been living in underground caves for almost a centruy and so while things will be different because it is the future, they also aren't in a way because they haven't advanced much socially (in fact they've regressed a bit) or technologically. I had to think long and hard about how much language might change/advance and what kinds of things will continue to be passed on from generation to generation regardless of the setting. Tricky stuff, but it has been an amazing learning experience to venture into.<br /><br />Oh, and that picture...I nearly spewed clementine pulp on my screen. I have to ask...did that pic inspire your topic idea or was it topic first and then the perfect pic? hahaMelaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03696084321447737813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-31620921623211597102012-03-28T09:41:02.556-07:002012-03-28T09:41:02.556-07:00I LOVE the part in ESB where Han tells Luke "...I LOVE the part in ESB where Han tells Luke "the force be with you". I also love when Leia says she'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee, but when she calls Han a Nerf Herder you can totally tell she's fallen for him. :)<br /><br />I remember spending some time developing swearing for my fantasy characters. One in particular swears more often than necessary. But most of it is in his head. And he's just as liable to say "snare me" as he is to say the more foul, "knife my heart". But he reserves the mother of all swears for . . . actually he never says it, it's my sparse-swearer who utters that one, and I don't blame him.Sarah Grimmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-68069736627704392392012-03-27T22:13:05.587-07:002012-03-27T22:13:05.587-07:00Is that anything like stalk car racing?Is that anything like stalk car racing?Stephen Kozeniewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185600045044927669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-71571246277675256042012-03-27T19:41:09.214-07:002012-03-27T19:41:09.214-07:00Love the Star Wars cartoon! Can't beat jokes a...Love the Star Wars cartoon! Can't beat jokes about Wookies. :)A.J. Cattapanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12658717054736277339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-85044196440613202092012-03-27T19:22:30.663-07:002012-03-27T19:22:30.663-07:00Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww that picture will...Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww that picture will scar me for life.<br /><br />Um, I feel bad now. Because the "god"s in B2B are definitely "BECAUSE SHE'S A TEEN, GOD." But other MSs have much more thought-out idioms.Tarynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01014463110385943857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-64676220821444002822012-03-27T19:22:18.791-07:002012-03-27T19:22:18.791-07:00Hah! I was going to mention Firefly, too. :)Hah! I was going to mention Firefly, too. :)Carrie Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01540590799406170410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-75932862464785689912012-03-27T18:50:55.848-07:002012-03-27T18:50:55.848-07:00I immediately thought of Battlestar Galactica with...I immediately thought of Battlestar Galactica with their unique verbiage. Or Beth Revis' Across the Universe. You know something about the characters from the words they use. Or don't use. Good reminder!Kayeleen Hamblinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07652280450104899423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597446736200108024.post-65769641318191915912012-03-27T17:28:55.551-07:002012-03-27T17:28:55.551-07:00I'm instantly reminded of the great way Joss W...I'm instantly reminded of the great way Joss Whedon did this in Firefly. He wove his own futuristic idioms and cursing in with Chinese to give us something very real and believable.<br /><br />Now that was some goram awesome writing!Jonathan Dalarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08001176878191347542noreply@blogger.com