In his poem “The Task” (1785), William Cowper said, “Variety is the very spice of life. That gives it all its flavor.” That concept remains strong today.
Some like it hot. Some like it not. But most of us don’t like the same thing all the time. If we know that and want to please our readers, we need to look at our favorite expressions, being careful to not use them too much.
Cheryl St.John says, “My life is way too boring to write from personal experience.” What we know is a wonderful start, but we dare not stop there.
Observe what others are doing and saying, and you’ll have an unlimited source of fresh and tasty expressions that will keep readers turning the pages.
Observe what others are doing and saying, and you’ll have an unlimited source of fresh and tasty expressions that will keep readers turning the pages.
Write with a little hot and a little not, and Goldilocks will say, “This is just right.”
Do you dream of writing a novel set in an area or time where you never lived? To make your scenes real, you must find ways to visit there and learn the local slang.
This is hard work, which might explain why so many authors use their own environments and experiences as a background for their novels.
A slang dictionary isn’t much help.
www.NewspaperArchive.com, which has billions of newspaper articles dating back to colonial times. For two weeks, you can try it for free.
We all speak a slightly different language, and most of us aren’t aware of our differences. But readers will know, so we need to work hard to get the words right.
Mental Floss gives an excellent reminder of how we talk in different parts of the country.
