-
Other words for “explain”
When writing fiction, “said” does the job at least 90% of the time. But when writing a formal essay, sometimes you need an alternative word for “explain”.
-
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.
-
The Meaning of Hallucination
Hallucination: an experience involving the apparent perception of something not present.
-
What does “modesty” mean?
What does modesty mean in relation to people, specifically femme people (mainly women and girls)? When I was young, I spent so much time trying to be right. I tried so hard to damp myself down, to make myself smaller, to not talk so much or put my opinions so forcefully. […] I was too […]
-
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.
-
What is Realism in Literature?
There is a spectrum of how real-world a story feels. Realism is a widely misunderstood term even within literary studies today. The terms are used differently depending on location. They’re also heavily classed and slightly gendered to boot. Humanities scholars spend a lot of time arguing about the meaning of realism.
-
What is a twice-told tale?
Dictionary Definition of twice-told Twice-told officially means well-known from repeated telling. The word is used chiefly in the phrase “twice-told tale“. First Known Use The word first took off around the year 1597, in the meaning above. Various Meanings In Contemporary Use Twice-Told Tales is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first volume came out in […]
-
Whimsy: What does it mean for a book to be whimsical?
What are the common features of popular works commonly described as ‘whimsical’? A long while ago I swapped a middle grade critique with someone who had used ‘whimsical’ in the title of their work, yet the story itself did not feel whimsical. I started to wonder about the unspoken rules of ‘whimsical’. But could I […]
-
What is literary modernism?
I keep saying that Katherine Mansfield is a standout example of a Modernist short story writer, but what does ‘modernist’ really mean? “Make it new!” EZRA POUND, 1934 The Modernist Timeline In Wharton and in James, we see the formal precepts of realism taken to their absolute limit—the breaking point before modernism. The traditional nineteenth-century […]
-
What is mystery boxing?
Mystery boxing is a storytelling technique which has only been accepted by popular audiences since about the year 2000. Back in 2000, the technique didn’t yet have a name. A BRIEF HISTORY OF MYSTERY BOXING It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers. James Thurber In 2007 J.J. Abrams gave a now-famous […]
-
What is an illocutionary act?
In The Office skit below, Michael Scott is attempting to imitate a Southern American accent for a game. He tries to sound Southern by saying “I do declare” at the end of each sentence. As Michael Scott is using it, “I do declare” is an exclamatory embellishment rather than an illocutionary act. The character of […]