Earlier this year, I decided to learn some travel-related French. Or, as we Francophiles like to say, “Arrgghh.” As a youngster, I took Introductory French 6 times. I was an Air Force brat and every time we’d move to a new school, they would be teaching an introductory language class that year, and somehow all […]
language
How to Trim Those Filter Words from Your Writing – On the RMFW Blog
“Filter words” are sneaky words and phrases that drain the energy from your sentences, dull the tension in your scenes, and slow down your pacing by “filtering” the action through the thoughts or senses of your character. See examples of what I mean in my article on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers blog here: “Filter […]
Use Lively Verbs in Your Writing – On the RMFW Blog
If your verbs aren’t punching above their weight, you may be squandering an opportunity to add depth, character, and tension to your writing. “Lively” verbs can energize your writing in ways you may not have considered. That’s the topic I’m discussing over on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers blog this week. Check it out here: […]
So Many Words, So Little Time
We’re a wordy bunch, we English speakers. According to the Oxford Dictionaries’ Lexico website (“How Many Words Are There in the English Language?”), “The Second Edition of the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary, published in 1989, contains full entries for 171,476 words in current use, and 47,156 obsolete words. To this may be added around 9,500 derivative […]
