Word of the Week: Gumption

by | August 7, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week | 0 comments

Word: gumption

Pronunciation: GƏMP-sh(ə)n

Part of Speech: noun

Definition: shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness

Source: Oxford Dictionaries

Jasper: What exactly has got into you?

Iris: I don’t know. But I think what I’ve got is something slightly resembling… gumption!

– The Holiday (2006)

Anyone who identifies as a fan of romantic comedies must be familiar with The Holiday, a film that’s been hailed by many as a Christmas favorite since it came out just over a decade ago. In the above scene, Iris has just managed to fall out of love with her ex-boyfriend Jasper after he flies from England to Los Angeles to see her. When she finds out he’s still engaged (and probably has no intention of leaving his fiancé), she finally sees him for the dirtbag he is and gleefully kicks him out of the house. This last line she utters before slamming the door in his face is nothing short of epic; to finally take her heart and her life back from a man who doesn’t deserve them is a true act of “gumption”!

“Gumption” is an informal term for spirited or shrewd resourcefulness and initiative. The word arose in the early 18th century and is originally Scottish, meaning “common sense” or “drive”. The origin of this noun is uncertain, but it may stem from the Middle English noun gome “attention” and the Old Norse noun gaumr “heed”.

While its official definition references initiative and resourcefulness, more common synonyms for “gumption” include “nerve”, “wit”, and “imagination”. Note that it’s typically a colloquial word, so it works best in informal contexts such as dialogue, as does its equally informal adjective form “gumptious”. If you write characters full of spirit and determination, “gumption” may be just the word you need to add a touch of spunk to your stories!

What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?

What If? Writing Prompts: Mystery / Suspense V

by | August 2, 2017 | Blog, Creative Writing, What If? Writing Prompts | 0 comments

Here’s a funny coincidence: I was recently looking through my archives of “What If?” Writing Prompts when I noticed that the last time I shared a set of mystery and suspense prompts was exactly a year ago tomorrow! So while I’m catching up on my blogging, I decided it would be fun to share a new batch of prompts in this genre, one year apart. See what mysterious stories you can create from these ideas, and feel free to add more of your own! Have fun!

What if… you discovered that your best friend was actually a spy for a hostile foreign power?

What if… you found strange messages in your private journals and notebooks that you don’t remember writing?

What if… you found alive and well a celebrity that the whole world thought was dead?

What if… an object in your house kept changing position even though you never touched it?

What if… a close friend or relative thought to have committed suicide left you a message in their will asking you to track down their killer?

Good luck writing some more mysterious and suspenseful stories!

If you have any “What If?” writing prompt suggestions (for any theme), please feel free to share them in the comments below. Ideas I like may be featured in future “What If?” posts, with full credit and a link to your blog (if you have one)! Also, if you’ve written a piece based on an idea you’ve found here, be sure to link back to the respective “What If?” post. I would love to see what you’ve done with the prompt! Thank you!

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