tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post8576419954739859803..comments2024-03-28T07:09:19.731-04:00Comments on Literary Rambles: Tip Tuesday #83Casey McCormickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787815672519189433noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-49171695161100223292011-04-15T02:35:35.701-04:002011-04-15T02:35:35.701-04:00I try to avoid slang that isn't so common it w...I try to avoid slang that isn't so common it will never go out of style, like the word "cool." It's amusing to read books by authors who crammed all this slang into their books, and a couple years later they already sound dated. If slang is too unusual, no matter how great it sounds, I avoid it.Lisa Nowakhttp://lisanowak.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-38200402235930360142011-04-06T10:12:35.246-04:002011-04-06T10:12:35.246-04:00Another thought: if you're writing something t...Another thought: if you're writing something that is edgy and snappy and "now," you want to avoid feeling "dated." But if you're writing something more "classic" in style, then using lingo of the present (sparingly) could actually add to the book. Just a thought.Ishta Mercuriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776946702988283453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-91880528450331253042011-04-06T10:09:59.091-04:002011-04-06T10:09:59.091-04:00MT Anderson does a great job of inventing his own ...MT Anderson does a great job of inventing his own slang in FEED. I think that's a good way to go - teens have always used slang and will continue to do so, but since it will change, you can invent your own.Ishta Mercuriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776946702988283453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-53627975379968290062011-04-06T08:39:40.978-04:002011-04-06T08:39:40.978-04:00Ha ha, you guys are funny. A website I forgot to m...Ha ha, you guys are funny. A website I forgot to mention in my post... urbandictionary dot com. You can find defs to just about any word as well as synonyms and date of origin.Laura Lascarsohttp://www.lauralascarso.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-80115333323217889412011-04-05T21:09:28.911-04:002011-04-05T21:09:28.911-04:00Munk--your post made me laugh, which isn't an ...Munk--your post made me laugh, which isn't an easy thing as of late. so thanks. <br /><br />and while being 'the shit' is a good thing, being 'a shit' is still a bad thing.lenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07746557642963895489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-2837976252685298922011-04-05T17:49:30.481-04:002011-04-05T17:49:30.481-04:00Yesterday morning my students were taking a state ...Yesterday morning my students were taking a state test. A 7th-grade girl called me over and asked, "Is this an old test?"<br /><br />"What do you mean?" I asked.<br /><br />"Look."<br /><br />She pointed to words like "rad" and a mention of the movie "ET". Yeah, they recycled something from more than 20 years ago. <br /><br />My daughter and I are listening to "Down the Rabbit Hole" audiobook. Chris Farley is mentioned. He's dead as are some of the other references in the book. <br /><br />In my own writing, I try to replicate patterns of teen speak, which I think will last longer than references to technology, stars, and use of slang.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-49693967107846560732011-04-05T17:48:21.445-04:002011-04-05T17:48:21.445-04:00Probably leaving brand names out is a good idea an...Probably leaving brand names out is a good idea anyway...so one can just say "cell phone" and not worry about any other vernacular...but I agree, overuse of slang (like overuse of dialect) can grate the narrative.The Writer Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05532839053876490957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-78206174950662382402011-04-05T16:16:20.958-04:002011-04-05T16:16:20.958-04:00An option is to make up your own slang. Even if yo...An option is to make up your own slang. Even if your setting is in the now. We created our own slang in high school. <br />I am not above self promotion... my blog this week deals with a similar subject. "When Good Words Go Bad."<br /><br />When did "being the shit" actually become a good thing?<br /><br />Staying on theme, your blog post is "sick".Munkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04921320770712443773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-24775977863934058062011-04-05T16:13:41.320-04:002011-04-05T16:13:41.320-04:00I agree. Slang is very hard to get right. It look...I agree. Slang is very hard to get right. It looks like "wicked" has also been in vogue since the early eighties. That one may hold up. I need slang for my characters and spend quite a bit of time on slang dictionary sites.<br />Did you know that "ain't" was slang in Louisa May Alcott's novels?The Pen and Ink Blogspothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01709195512534318571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-32664769040269372472011-04-05T15:55:45.865-04:002011-04-05T15:55:45.865-04:00So true! I read a YA book where the character fli...So true! I read a YA book where the character flipped her phone open. It's not like that's unheard of, but the way phones are designed now, the newer models don't really flip open anymore. Just that single verb sent a really dated image, and the character was supposed to have all the newest stuff. It can be really tricky to walk that line between current and almost expired!Liz Reinhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15431422051251925133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-36484356496963690662011-04-05T15:35:07.530-04:002011-04-05T15:35:07.530-04:00Excellent post! I think slang can really add a lot...Excellent post! I think slang can really add a lot to voice. I love the tips you've given! :-)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-88682709193161149422011-04-05T15:20:39.422-04:002011-04-05T15:20:39.422-04:00Terrific post. One of the tough things about writ...Terrific post. One of the tough things about writing for the YA market is that they're often defined by the slang they use and music they listen to, yet it's difficult for writers to use either because of how it dates our writing.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01681732058311386672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-68169567298906715502011-04-05T14:51:51.628-04:002011-04-05T14:51:51.628-04:00Great post. I like your idea of trying to find ano...Great post. I like your idea of trying to find another way to say the same thing. Perhaps the slang that makes the cut will hold more weight in the end, too. Thanks.Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00452401401599690217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-48515095312711836842011-04-05T13:54:34.124-04:002011-04-05T13:54:34.124-04:00You writers of YA books, hats off to you. I'm...You writers of YA books, hats off to you. I'm not so sure that what I've learned from my step-kids is suitable to put on paper.Laila Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430076999393883312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-38681188482468910422011-04-05T12:53:31.586-04:002011-04-05T12:53:31.586-04:00Great tip. I'm going to be starting a YA manus...Great tip. I'm going to be starting a YA manuscript soon and am wondering about the slang/cursing issues. This is so helpful. Thanks.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-30316100752078341822011-04-05T12:18:59.687-04:002011-04-05T12:18:59.687-04:00This is such a great post. I do use slang and curs...This is such a great post. I do use slang and curse words, but I do it on purpose, and I think it works. At least I hope it does.<br /><br />I don't use technology, but I have a great excuse, because my characters are at reform school in the wilderness.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-11961731511626104642011-04-05T11:58:57.531-04:002011-04-05T11:58:57.531-04:00Great advice. The technology thing is difficult e...Great advice. The technology thing is difficult especially since kids have access to so many gadgets. <br />I also think this advice could go for references to people in pop culture.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18226974782422398270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1746050382328975047.post-42098988050345797942011-04-05T11:48:15.226-04:002011-04-05T11:48:15.226-04:00Thanks for the discussion. I'd been wondering ...Thanks for the discussion. I'd been wondering if my lack of slang made my characters seem too mature. But for now I've decided to leave it out.Sarah Gagnonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17103088338972947962noreply@blogger.com