River of Stones: Day 23
I am a lover of words, the origin of words, even the foreign language of dictionary etymology.
I also love hearing or reading a word used in a way that is original and clever. I am completely giddy and surprised to come across a word I truly have never, ever read. Admittedly, with most mystery words I read, I can give you a close approximation of meaning, a synonym. But to read or hear a word for the first time is too cool. I wrote a post about the book, The Magicians and all its previously unknown and unread words. I read that book with my son’s pocket Thesaurus close at hand.
What I dislike is the conversion of a word from one category to another. I think of this like serving hamburger as a dessert. A noun is a noun, not a verb…yet we all do it. “Can I friend you?” “I Goggled him.” “Have the nurse room the patient.” And there is a commercial that uses the noun OFFICE as a verb, too. And is it only the migration of words from noun to verb or are there other ship jumpers? I dislike it. Totally.
Yesterday, I treated myself to a writers’ workshop, a day of writing prompts, a playful day that could have as easily been spent doing chores and “Facebooking” (LOL)…but instead was spent writing spontaneous snippets and flash fiction……and LISTENING to nine other peoples’ snippet. And oh boy, what a treat it was! I was jazzed and came home excited and curious and greedy for more or these peoples’ voices. Some of their characters are or will be characters in novels….and I want more!
I also figured out why I am avoiding editing. It isn’t fun. It isn’t playful and it’s definitely not creative. Thus the reason I have distracted myself from editing and instead have sewn two quilts, a few pillowcase, a pillow, baked like Julia Child and designed my house!!! Talk about avoidant behavior. I have been quite ticked off at my protagonist, because she got the goods, she gets resolution….she gets to move own. Maybe I need to as well.