-
The Meaning of “Urban Legend”
An urban legend is typically told as a true story. These stories are not true at all, but often have a factual basis. They may begin with a real incident, but they may entirely fictional. They share similarities with tall stories.
-
What is tone in literature?
Tone: How someone expresses a feeling or attitude. In everyday interactions, we us speech and body language. Writers use different tricks.
-
Theme in Literature: Definition
You’ve probably noticed that ‘theme’ in everyday English means something different from how people use the word when talking about literature.
-
Psychopaths, Sociopaths, Narcissists in Fiction
Let’s take a look at psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists in fiction, or rather: How people with malignant personality disorders dominate popular culture.
-
What is the Symbolist movement in literature?
In Symbolist work, the author is aiming to hit the essence or ideal of something which lies behind objective matter and the realm of chance.
-
What Makes Something Cute? Cute vs. Kawaii
‘Cute’ describes something attractive in a pleasing, nonthreatening way. Things that are small or young are often described as cute: babies, fluffy puppies with big eyes, squishy toys. Cute things are easy to like.
-
The Definition Of Boondoggle
Boondoggle is a mimetic word which sounds funny to English speakers along with nonsense words such as thingamebob, thingamejig, shenanigans, dongle, lollapalooza, bamboozle… All of these words are inherently funny. Even without considering any meaning, they just sound funny. Linguists have studied what makes some words phonologically funnier than others. According to a 2015 study, […]
-
Words that end in gry
If you’re reading this page you’ve probably been asked an old trick word puzzle. It started in New York in the mid 1970s. Trick Question: There are three common words in English that end in “gree”. The first two are “angry” and “hungry”. If you’ve listened closely, you’ll agree that I’ve already told you the […]
-
Favourite Words of Moira Rose
Moira Rose is the dramatic matriarch of the Rose family and a soap opera star, who takes an interest in civics after moving to Schitt’s Creek.
-
What is an example of matriarchy?
The word matriarchy does not mean what you think it means. You probably mean ‘matrilineal’ or ‘matricentric’.
-
Definition of logical fallacy
Fallacy is a specific kind of mistaken belief: You arrive at a conclusion through faulty thinking.
-
Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer: You don’t have to be useful
Getting Rudolphed is a concept from disability activism with notable crossover in children’s literature… unfortunately for children’s literature.
-
What is Aporia?
Aporia is a concept from philosophy but I’m talking about aporia when describing a literary (or rhetorical) device.
-
What Is Writing Voice?
[W]hat many people call and value as “voice” in fiction is often the author manipulating grammatical rules and mechanisms in order to best support their story. The best editors & CEs I know read for voice and believe in/seek out internal consistency. Tracy Deonn This answer is in response to a tweet by Wesley Chu, […]
-
The Phantasia Spectrum And What It Means For Writers
When reading a book, do you ‘see’ scenery in your imagination? If so, you are a phantasic person. Most people have minds which do this, which makes you one of the majority.