Are You Using the Wrong Slang?

Writers are a quirky lot. We love to learn new things. Our web browser search histories are filled with oddities like phrases in Klingon, odorless poisons, how to build a rocket and where are most of the bodies buried? (Not really but it sounded good).

One mistake we writers often make, despite our best efforts, is we forget to use the appropriate language defined by the era we’re writing in. Many writers have confused Edwardian dress with Victorian, Asian with Roman, Slavic with Visigoth. Worse, were dialogue lives and makes our writing truly sing, we select the wrong words for our chosen timeline.

I know I’ve done it. I’ve referenced movies that hadn’t been made yet or used a slang term that was before my character’s birth.  In our effort to be real, we sometimes forget and use the words we are familiar with or words we’ve become accustomed to using, forgetting they were long before our time or our story’s.

Today I’m giving you some examples of slang terms from different eras, terms that NO ONE should be using anymore unless you need them for your stories. My advice to you is to be sure of your timeline and check yourself. Ask your beta readers to check too.

The age of your readers will determine how your language is absorbed. Old slang for young readers and you’re losing them (or worse, they know you are out of touch). Old slang for older readers and you’ve hooked them with your savvy. New slang for old readers and you’ve lost them as they turn pages looking to be grounded again. Words matter.

Here are some examples of things NO ONE SHOULD BE SAYING these days and words you should only use in the decades where they were born. Make your stories have truth and validity and be sparing.

From the 1950s where we used terms that were wordy, wanting to be heard and clever, pencil skirts, poodle skirts:

made in the shade
burn rubber
pad (not with an “I”
ankle biters
beat feet
cruisin’ for a bruisin’
wet rag
downer

From the 60s with Vietnam, the Beatles, bell bottoms and hippies:

far out
bummer
foxy
can you dig it
old lady (as in wife)
hang loose
lay it on me
split (as in leave)

From the 70s with pet rocks, Watergate, shag carpet and disco balls:

catch you on the flip side
The Man (meaning the police)
cool beans
spaz
chill pill
space cadet
out to lunch (meaning not right in the head or spacey)
keep on truckin’

From the 80s with shoulder pads, still smoking on planes, and sneakers without laces:

gag me with a spoon
Phat
gnarly
have a cow
Word!
tubular
bounce (as in leave)

From the 90s with slap bracelets, flannel and Skechers, and Pearl Jam:

schwing (Wayne’s World anyone?)
kick him to the curb
talk to the hand
as if!
booyah
Not! (took the place of “Psych!” which is also a no-no)
What-EVER
getting jiggy (thanks Will Smith)
you go girl!

You may find that you say many of these phrases. Sometimes we get them from growing up, the variety of our friends or simple habits from traveling. Use what you will but don’t do it when you write.

I find that I cross a multitude of decades. Must be my age. Or I’m well-traveled. Or I do it to confuse you. HA!

Remember, what you say dates you, your stories and your characters. Keep it real, dude (um, from the 90s!)

Thanks to Best Life online for the references!

Thanks for coming by,
I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

Good Things to Know

Don’t forget you can sign up for my newsletter, or catch my live chats on my author Facebook page.
I also have a group on Facebook where often I do giveaways and have private live chats. I’d love to have you join us!

Happy New Year’s Eve

Memories or Mysteries for 2019

Well, here we are. Another year dissolves as we gather together on the last day of 2018. This year has been a tumultuous one for the world, our country, and most of us personally. Because of the year’s upheaval, I stepped back and took a long look at how I approached each new year. I would make the expected and proverbial “resolutions” and then watch as they died during the year. Usually forgotten, mostly abandoned, often supplanted by other ideas. My approach never worked. 

Then I learned to stop making resolutions. Instead, about a decade ago I decided to make GOALS. These didn’t have to have timelines like “Lose 10 lbs a month.” What a goal did was to help me identify projects and then I established timelines to meet those projects based on my personal abilities. I began to succeed. Just look at my published resume. But my personal resume didn’t seem as successful. 

I learned that having goals wasn’t enough. I needed a way to channel my energy. Some way to help direct my thoughts. One year it was POWER. One year it was INSPIRATION. The better the word, the more I felt purpose, the harder I worked on my goals.

Basically I learned from my life that with every New Year’s Eve I had a choice. Either I could spend my tine evaluating the past, looking back and trying to fix what I didn’t do, or where I didn’t go, or meet the people I neglected. OR I could face forward and approach the future without expectations and with goals in hand. Yes, the future would be an unknown but if I prepared with a strong word and good goals, I could meet any challenge.

That’s the key. Do you spend your time looking back or looking forward? Looking back is the Road of Memories. Looking forward is the Road of Mysteries. 

I’m choosing Mystery. 

And my word for this year? FOCUS. I’m focusing on my personal self. As I’ve already said in my last Fireside chat (you can watch it here), my first priority will be me. I need to get healthy and the first part of that word is HEAL. So I will work to heal the parts of me that are aching (a bad knee and surgical recovery). And once I heal then I start my road to being healthy. I’m not going to say “lose x pounds” because I’m going to lose weight by opting to change my life to be healthier. The rest takes care of itself. 

See how it works? No more self-stress or self-imposed resolutions. No more setting self up for failure. Now I will succeed because health and healing come first. As long as I FOCUS, that will happen and my personal self will improve. Hint: Write it down and leave it for yourself in every room. Put it on the fridge, in the writing room, in the bathroom, on your nightstand, in your purse or attached to your laptop. Let the word become your mantra for the year and become it. This really WILL help you!

Professionally, I have three key projects for the year. I’m dedicated to them. If more are possible, then great! But I have my FOCUS and my GOALS and I’m surging ahead with them in mind. The mystery of “COMING SOON” will carry me through to completion. Excited yet?  More on those soon!

I welcome the mystery of what completion of my goals will bring to me. And I’m not going to worry if people don’t agree, do more, do less, approve or disapprove. The only thing that matters is that I stay true to my course and am happy with my personal success.

That’s what I recommend for you – a word to channel your energies. And goals without unrealistic stress.

To that end, I hope we will be together during the next year. I hope you will join me on this mysterious journey called Life. Remember to sign up for my newsletter and join my Evening Bower Fan/Readers group. I am doing giveaways and telling secrets ONLY to those two groups for now.

Here’s to a Joyous and Productive, personally satisfying New Year! Thank you! And I’ll see you somewhere Between the Lines…

Sherry

Over the last month, I’ve been writing to Santa and publishing these every Monday (or trying to, internet notwithstanding!). This is my final letter, written for Christmas Eve, 2018. (Please note these letters do not include promotional or hyper links since I am not promoting or selling. This is for giving.)

Dear Santa, I wish…

Santa, over the last few weeks I’ve asked that you give special blessings and gifts to the mentors, the selfless ones and the troubled ones. I’ve given you names to help you fulfill those wishes and I hope I’ve been a good elf.

On this Christmas Eve, I’m not silly enough to ask for impossible things like world peace or bipartisanship between Republicans and Democrats. I can’t even ask for proof of life in outer space. No, even I realize those wishes are bigger than the both of us. But I do have a bit of a quandary with this last letter.

My problem is how can I wish for anything for myself? I have been blessed with love of family and friends, a roof, food and health. Everything else surrounding me is the glitter on the gift box! I feel very selfish asking for anything at all when I have so very much.

As a result I give to charity. I avoid those organizations that say a lot but spend the money on administration and salaries. I want my donations to go to work right away so I give to places like SMILETRAIN, PURPLE HEART HOMES, FEED AMERICA, and HUMANE SOCIETY. I donate to my local VOLUNTEER Fire Department and I give to the POLICE for things like vests and dogs and survivors benefits. Help others to find places to give and encourage giving. It will help so many and makes you feel good. 

So what about me? Well, I do have some selfish wishes. I wish my friends and family would buy my books. I wish for buyers to leave me reviews. I wish to write better stories and to that end I study but a little luck wouldn’t hurt, if you have some extra. I wish successful bestselling authors could be less clique-ish and more open to lesser known authors, like me. 

See? There I go being selfish. I don’t like the way it makes me feel. I prefer to give, Santa. I guess that’s why you are so happy.

So I’m going to wish for more people to do Random Acts of Kindness. It makes you feel good and it does so much for others too. Wait til you see the smiles you get for being generous and kind. Oh, wait, you already know that smile! 

I do have a wish that is far greater than me — I wish for boys, girls and animals to be fostered and adopted! I want people to share the love they guard and to give it to some creature who is aching to be loved. Please Santa, find good homes for these children and pets.

After that, I don’t really have much to wish for except to wish that my friends to know how much their recent kindness, generosity, and love has meant and still means to me. This is the best gift of all. It is priceless and cannot be wished over. If that is all I ever have in life, then I am wealthy beyond measure.

I wish for everyone to be as blessed as I have been. Safe travels this night and give Rudolph some extra oats. Watch out for my friends the bats.

Oh, I’ll be waiting up with cookies. And if I fall asleep, well then, Merry Christmas Santa. God Bless us, every one.

I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

(I’ll be back for the 2018 Year in Review wrap up next Monday!)