Word of the Week: Petulant
Word: petulant
Pronunciation: PE-chə-lənt
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: childishly sulky or bad-tempered
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Ursula Monkton, and she sounded petulant, like a very small child who wanted something.
– The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman, 2013)
Here’s another word I learned from a novel. I recently came across the word “petulant” while reading Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Though I couldn’t remember ever seeing this word before, its meaning was perfectly clear in context, as it was being used to describe an adult who was behaving like a child.
A “petulant” person or manner is bad-tempered or sulky in a childish way. The word, originally used in the late 16th century to mean “immodest”, can be traced back through the French adjective pétulant to the Latin adjective petulans, meaning “insolent” or “unruly”. This adjective is related to the verb petere, which means “to aim at” or “to seek”.
Though I’d most likely associate the word “petulant” with children, the above excerpt proves that it can work just as well (if not better) for adults who display childish behavior. If any of your characters tend to sulk when they don’t get their way, this would be a good word to remember the next time you need to describe them. As for me, I admit this word could sometimes be used to define my own attitude toward my writing: I’m such a perfectionist that sometimes I can’t help but act a little “petulant” when my work doesn’t come out with the quality I want. I hope you aren’t the same!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
Just Say It
(Third place winner of Writer’s Carnival’s Poet-less Poetry contest!)
I tried to sing a ballad,
But my voice was way off key.
I tried to paint a picture,
But I draw so terribly.
I tried to cite a sonnet,
But I messed up every rhyme.
I tried to dance a solo,
But I couldn’t keep the time.
So I’m writing you this poem
In the hope you’ll find it fun.
You know I’d never work this hard
To please just anyone.
For life is far too fleeting
And my feelings far too true
To find a boring way of saying,
“Darling, I love you!”
Motivational Music: Post-Rock (Moving Mountains, Gates, There Will Be Fireworks)
I know it’s been a while since I last shared a Motivational Music post, so here’s a new one for you to enjoy! After debuting this segment with a similar post, today’s topic features more music in one of my favorite genres: post-rock. This style of music, aside from being pleasant to listen to, tends to inspire quite a bit of my writing, so I hope you’ll find it motivational too! Enjoy!
Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains (2013)
Genre(s): Post-rock, Indie rock
Origin: Purchase, NY, USA
Writing Inspiration: Drama, poetry, romance
My Favorite Song(s): “Hands“, “Swing Set“, “Once Rendering“
Moving Mountains were an indie rock band from New York, active from 2005 to 2013. They’re well known for their versatile style of music, which generally combines emotional vocals with post-rock instrumentals. Because of this, I usually listen to them when I want to find inspiration for poetic and dramatic themes. Their last album, Moving Mountains, has been especially motivational for my romantic stories due to its ambient qualities, while older albums like their rock-oriented Waves provide inspiration for my darker poetry ideas. Moving Mountains have covered a relatively broad range in the indie rock spectrum, so if you enjoy this style of music, chances are they have at least a few songs that may inspire you.
Gates
Bloom & Breathe (2014)
Genre(s): Post-rock, Ambient, Indie rock
Origin: New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Writing Inspiration: Drama, tragedy, poetry
My Favorite Song(s): “Bloom“, “Not My Blood“, “Born Dead“, “They See Only Shadows“
Having emerged from New Jersey in 2011, Gates are a relatively new band on the post-rock scene. “Similar Artists” lists on popular music streaming sources tend to rank them very close to Moving Mountains, but they’re no mere copy for sure. While Moving Mountains most recently showed a softer quality to their music, Gates consistently implement more elements of rock in their songs, as is well evidenced in their newest album, Bloom & Breathe. With solid instrumentals and lyrics layered with emotional influences, Gates have been great inspiration for some of my more dramatic and tragic stories, as well as the occasional poem. Even when I’m not seeking creative inspiration, I enjoy getting lost in this music while taking a break from writing. Whether you’re trying to get inspired to create a dramatic piece of art or simply in the mood to sink back into some awesome music for a while, I highly recommend giving Gates a listen! You won’t regret it.
There Will Be Fireworks
The Dark, Dark Bright (2013)
Genre(s): Post-rock, Indie rock
Origin: Glasgow, Scotland
Writing Inspiration: Poetry, romance, drama
My Favorite Song(s): “South Street“, “River“, “Here Is Where“, “Says Aye“
There Will Be Fireworks were among the first bands I listened to after my best friend introduced me to post-rock. Much like the previous two bands, their music consists largely of emotional lyrics set to atmospheric instrumentals, which make for some hauntingly beautiful songs. Their newest album in particular, The Dark, Dark Bright, is a powerfully moving collection that has inspired me to write romantic poetry and stories. The vocals are by no means perfect, but I feel that just adds even more to the raw genuineness of the music, especially with such touching lyrics to go with it (I haven’t yet been able to listen through without at least getting choked up). TWBF are one of those bands I could listen to for hours, and if you appreciate genuine music that flows with every note and has the potential to touch your creative soul, I’m sure you’ll feel the same way!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these amazing post-rock bands, and that they’ll inspire your writing as much as they’ve inspired mine! Thanks for reading/listening!
Reminder: if you really enjoy the music by the bands featured in this article, be sure to support them through their official music pages (links in the above album covers)! Help keep the indie scene thriving! Thank you!
Word of the Week: Idyllic
Word: idyllic
Pronunciation: ai-DI-lik
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: extremely happy, peaceful or picturesque
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Who doesn’t appreciate words for extremely positive feelings? If I remember correctly, this one caught my eye while I was reading a novel, and I liked it as soon as I learned what it meant. It made sense to me that “idyllic” would stand out as such a lovely adjective; I always enjoy discovering poetic words to describe the beautiful things in life.
Anything considered “idyllic” is extremely peaceful, happy and/or beautiful in nature. This word is the adjective form of the noun “idyll”, a word for “an extremely happy, peaceful or picturesque scene” that’s typically idealized or unsustainable. This word can be traced back through the Latin noun idyllium to the Greek noun eidullion, which is the diminutive form of the noun eidos (“form” or “picture”).
Though I don’t see the word “idyllic” as often as I’d like, it’s definitely an adjective I’d try to work into my writing more often. I’d probably get the best use out of it in my poetry, since I especially love writing about nature, but it could work just as well in prose to describe an idealized scene. Every writer has likely envisioned a utopian setting at one time or another, so if you haven’t used this word yet, you’ll no doubt be able find a place for it in your writing too. Who knows? If you write well enough, your readers may find your work itself “idyllic”!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
The Day I Stopped Caring
The day I stopped caring was the greatest day of my life.
That was the day I heard the voice inside. The voice that set me free.
I used to be terrified of what everyone thought. My life was nothing but overwhelming fear of judgment and humiliation. After every move I made, I would worry about how someone might react. Anyone could be a critic. Everyone’s opinion mattered.
Most nights, I’d cry myself to sleep. All I wanted was to please people, to be accepted. I wanted my actions to mean as much as everyone else’s did.
And then one day, I woke up to the sound of that voice. Not the pretend voice I used to kid myself or make myself feel better. The real voice deep inside that had finally endured enough phoniness and decided to speak up.
It only asked me the one question. But that was exactly what I needed to hear.
“Why do you care?“
Why did I care? Why did I care what people said? Why did I care what people did? Why did I care what people thought? I didn’t know. And when I realized I didn’t have an answer, something incredible happened.
The fear just… disappeared.
Suddenly, I wasn’t afraid anymore. I no longer felt embarrassed about bad memories that everyone else had long forgotten. I stopped trying to hide the things I liked that nobody else understood. I quit doubting myself and began trusting in my own abilities. And never again did I let anyone laugh at me, because now they were laughing with me.
I had stopped being afraid, and started living life. All because that voice inside had made me realize whose opinion really matters most.
What a liberating day that was.
The day I stopped caring what anyone thinks… but me.
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