by Naomi L. | June 23, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: posit
Pronunciation: PAH-zit
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: assume as a fact; put forward as a basis of argument
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Sheldon: Is anyone else troubled by the Spiderman theme song?
Leonard: Why would it trouble you? […]
Sheldon: […] the Spiderman lyrics posit that “Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can.”
Howard: Yeah, so?
Sheldon: I can think of many things Spiderman can’t do that a spider can.
– The Big Bang Theory (Season 6, Episode 10 – The Fish Guts Displacement)
Here’s another word that I learned from a flashcard and first heard in context on The Big Bang Theory. While hanging out with his friends, Sheldon points out the major flaw in the Spiderman theme song: its assertion that Spiderman is capable of every feat possible to a spider. By subsequently listing examples of feats that only a spider could do – crawl into a person’s ear and die; legally leave Guatemala without a passport; and of course, copulate with a spider – he proves why the lyrics incorrectly state Spiderman’s complete similarity to spiders as fact (I’m sure we could all come up with a lot more examples if we tried, but let’s just focus on learning a new word for now).
To “posit” a statement is to put it forward as a fact or a basis of argument. The word arose in the mid 17th century and is based on the Latin root posit- “placed”. The participle positus is derived from the verb ponere, meaning “to place”.
Note that there are alternative definitions for the verb “posit”. According to Oxford Dictionaries, it can also mean “put in position” or “place”, while to “posit something on” is to “base something on the truth of a particular assumption”. In Philosophy, the word also functions as a noun to mean “a statement made on the assumption that it will prove to be true”. In any case, the definitions you’re most likely to come across have to do with stating something as fact, so keep this in mind if you decide to work “posit” into your stories. If you write characters who tend to assume things as truth, you can definitely get a lot of use out of this word!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | June 18, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Hello, and welcome to the June round of Writers Reveal! This month’s topic was sent to us by Melissa of Melissa Writes. Her topic for us is: “When life gives you lemons… how do you keep on writing?” Challenge accepted! Thanks for the prompt, Melissa!
What to do when life tries to give you lemons?
Everyone knows that famous saying: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” We also understand what it means: instead of getting discouraged about life’s challenges (the proverbial lemons), one should strive to turn them into positive experiences (the proverbial lemonade). So we take that advice to heart and try our best to live with optimism, because we know deep down that life is best experienced with sweet refreshing lemonade as opposed to a pile of yucky sour lemons.
This is what “normal” people do. But not writers. We do very different things with the lemons life gives us. Not always, but often. Why? Because sour or sweet, they pose equal safety and risk to our writing. Yes, pure lemonade is great, but while it’s beneficial to real life experience, time spent making it is time taken away from the art that in many cases thrives on the lemons as well.
So what does my inner writer tell me to do when life tries to give me lemons? It depends on the situation, but she sometimes likes to take an alternative route to the traditional approach.
Throw the lemons back!
When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons! What the hell am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the man who’s gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I’m gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!
– Cave Johnson, Portal 2
OK, so I wouldn’t go as far as trying to invent combustible lemons, but sometimes when life drops too many obstacles at once into my course of writing, I just get frustrated. I wish I had the motivation to be optimistic all the time, to keep on creating the stories that so often themselves are the lemonade of my life. But the types of challenges I usually face actually keep me from making that lemonade and instead seem to push me into making some kind of lemon sorbet. And while I do come out of them a better person each time, how fulfilling can that truly be if they rob me of the time to put that new experience to the best use I know how?
So once in a while, when I’m tired of being bombarded with life’s lemons, I grab them and throw them back. I refuse to make anything out of those lemons. I try to forget they exist and just concentrate on writing about things completely unrelated to whatever I’m going through at the moment. Is that irresponsible? Maybe. Almost definitely, in fact. But that’s what I do. There are times when I need a break from life altogether, and more often than not, writing is just the thing to help me recharge so that when life decides to throw those lemons at me a second time, I’ll be ready to turn them into some darn good lemonade.
Make your own lemons! Whaaat?
Life isn’t really life without its fair share of challenges, but some of us are lucky enough to experience an opposite kind of existence, where lemonade is constantly handed to us free of charge and all we have to do is sit back and enjoy. I’m fortunate enough to live without major struggles that relentlessly test my inner strength and push me to a potential breaking point over and over again. I am one of the lucky ones. Life gives me more lemonade than lemons, and for that, I am grateful.
Having said that, this also poses a hazard to writing. Nobody wants to read stories where everyone is happy all the time and nothing bad ever happens, because those would be ridiculously boring. As much as they threaten our creative time, writers need lemons because they provide inspiration for the conflicts in our fiction. So what do I do when life won’t give me those lemons? I make my own.
I know it would be unwise to purposely create complications for myself (which I sometimes do anyway, but that’s beside the point). Life is going to hand out plenty of those on its own, so there’s no need to add to the burden if it can be avoided. Instead, I try to imagine challenges I’ve never personally faced… and then make my characters face them. Essentially, I play the part of life by giving out the lemons.
I’ve written stories about forbidden love, prejudice and senseless hatred. I’ve pitted characters against each other in action scenes fraught with violence. I’ve made them face all sorts of creatures from dragons to giant robots. I’ve subjected them to enough emotional stress to drive a real person close to a breakdown. But the best part of it all is making my characters take on all these challenges and overcome them. In a way, it’s reassuring to see them take all the lemons I give them and turn them into lemonade, because it’s as if my subconscious is telling me that if my own characters can make the best of an imaginary life, then I can certainly make the best of a real one.
When life gives me lemons, how do I keep on writing? Sometimes I don’t, but when I do, I do my best to turn those lemons into the most delicious lemonade ever.
What about you? What do you do with the lemons life gives you?
This has been a special topic post for Writers Reveal, a monthly blog swap among several talented writers. Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in the event. Thanks for reading!
Other bloggers in Writers Reveal
Melissa Khalinsky: Melissa Writes
Becky Fyfe: Imagine! Create! Write!
Ashley Howland: Ghostnapped
Emily Hawker: You Learn Something New Every Day
by Naomi L. | June 16, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: reciprocate
Pronunciation: ri-SI-prə-kayt
Part of Speech: verb
Definition:
- respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one
- experience the same (love, liking, or affection) for someone as that person does for oneself
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Here’s another of my favorite words. Unlike several others featured in my vocabulary segment, this is one I use all the time. It may be partly the sound of the word “reciprocate” that I like, but I think I appreciate it mostly for its connection to Math (a subject that I always loved in school). I was using the related word “reciprocal” in mathematical contexts long before I learned the similar verb that could be used in my other passion of storytelling, and you can only imagine how my writing took off when I finally discovered it.
To “reciprocate” a gesture is to return it in equal measure, while to “reciprocate” someone’s emotions is to feel the same way about that person as they feel about you. The word comes from the Latin verb reciprocare, meaning “to move backwards and forwards”. The definition of this word is somewhat easy to remember as it contains the roots re- “back” and pro- “forth”.
I usually use the word “reciprocate” to indicate the returning of a gesture from one character to another, the gesture in most cases being a smile. Of course, I’ve also found a place for it in romantic stories for characters who share equal feelings toward each other. Apparently, the word also works as an adjective in the form “reciprocating” to describe a part of a machine that moves backward and forward in a straight line, but I much prefer it as a verb. It’s a good word to keep in mind if you write plenty of interactions, so use it well along with all the others, and your readers will be more likely to “reciprocate” the respect you show them by giving them a good story to enjoy!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | June 11, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
English is a complex language, as many of its non-native speakers are well aware. Among the several confusing aspects of its grammar is the issue of plural forms. While those who grew up speaking English tend to take them for granted, I know several people still learning the language who find it odd that “houses” can be infested with “mice” or that North America has “moose” and “geese”. Most unusual plural forms are common knowledge to us, but even native English speakers can be thrown off by some lesser known plural forms.
Just for fun, here are three plural forms that are uncommonly known to be correct. Enjoy, and be careful not to get them wrong!
1) Fishes
There are three fish in this picture, but only two fishes! (Finding Nemo, 2003)
This may be my favorite uncommon plural word because it’s one I see all the time in my field of study. As a Marine Biology student, I’m constantly reading papers and book chapters containing the keyword “fishes”, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel smart for knowing why this plural form of “fish” is correct.
We were taught as children that the plural of “fish” is the same as its singular form, while fewer of us have been exposed to its other plural form in scientific contexts. But here’s the catch (no pun intended): “fishes” is used to indicate multiple kinds of fish (as in “Fishes of the Caribbean”), while “fish” is used to indicate multiple individual fish (note that “fishes” was once used in this sense too, but has since fallen into disuse).
So yes, you’ll probably still be using “fish” most of the time, but at least you now know why the famous phrase “sleeping with the fishes” isn’t entirely wrong!
2) Octopuses
I bet you’ve gone most of your life thinking that the plural form of “octopus” is “octopi”. Don’t worry; so have I. When I was a kid, I had a Math book titled “How Do Octopi Eat Pizza Pie?”, and ever since, I’d been walking around thinking more than one “octopus” should be called “octopi”. Turns out, until last month, I’d thought wrong.
Similar to the previous example, we were taught at a young age to follow a specific rule when creating the plural form of certain words, but without really understanding why. We just know that several words ending in -us are pluralized by replacing the last two letters with -i. However, this mostly applies to some words derived from Latin, such as “cactus” (which, despite being Greek in origin, counts as an example of botanical Latin). “Octopus”, on the other hand, is etymologically Greek, and thus does not obey this rule. This is why “cacti” is correct (though “cactuses” is also acceptable), while “octopi” is not. Instead, pluralize “octopus” as “octopuses” or “octopodes”, and if anyone ever tries to correct you, you’ll know how to explain why your way is correct!
3) Dwarfs
Fans of The Lord of the Rings and other fantasy stories by J.R.R. Tolkien may be overly familiar with the word “dwarves”. What many may not realize, though, is that this is actually a newer plural form of “dwarf” that was popularized by the author (though it seems to have originated elsewhere). The standard plural form is actually “dwarfs”, and is the correct spelling for most contexts. However, “dwarves” seems to have become increasingly acceptable in fantasy fiction to indicate multiple individuals of a race of little people, so it shouldn’t be disregarded completely. The important thing is to know the difference, especially if you write a lot in the fantasy genre. Whether you’re referring to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” or the “elves” and “dwarves” of Middle-earth, make sure you know when to use which form!
What are your thoughts on these unusual plural forms? Any more you would add to this list?
by Naomi L. | June 9, 2014 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: sagacious
Pronunciation: sə-GAY-shəs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; wise or shrewd
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Time to draw another word from the flashcard stack. Like others previously mentioned in my vocabulary segment, this one had me stumped the first time I read it even though it really shouldn’t have. I don’t remember what definitions I may have initially guessed, but I do remember thinking how simple it should have been to get it right once I recognized its similarity to the word “sage” (not the herb, the other meaning).
A “sagacious” person is someone who has a sharp mind and generally shows good judgment. The word arose in the 17th century, possibly as the adjective form of the noun “sagacity” (“keenness of perception”). These words stem from the Latin adjective sagax, meaning “wise” or “perceptive”.
I haven’t yet worked the word “sagacious” into one of my stories, not because it’s never accurately described any of my characters, but because I haven’t yet felt that it fits the tone of my writing. Maybe it’s just me trying to avoid flowery prose, but I often consider this word an unnecessarily sophisticated synonym for the word “wise”. Still, I suppose it could be used to describe a specific type of person, possibly someone who’s both wise and sharp-witted, so it’s certainly worth noting if you write plenty of intelligent characters. At the very least, a wise choice of words will help you come across as “sagacious” to your readers!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | June 4, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing, Motivational Music |
If you read my post about VOCALOID last week, you probably saw this coming. If you didn’t, I strongly recommend you take a quick look at that one in order to understand what I’m about to show you now. All caught up? Great, then let’s get started!
This may seem rather bizarre since my last Motivational Music post featured classical music, but I guess that just goes to show how diverse my musical taste really is, and more importantly, how many different styles can inspire my writing (and hopefully yours). Ready for a taste of music from Japan? Then allow me to dig just a little deeper into the aforementioned love of mine by sharing music that features the voices of my three favorite Vocaloids: Hatsune Miku, Megurine Luka and KAITO.
Hatsune Miku
Hatsune Miku (V3)
Genre(s): Pop, Rock, Electronic
Origin: Tokyo, Japan (Fujita Saki, Miku’s voice provider)
Writing Inspiration: Humor, Drama, Romance
My Favorite Song(s): “World is Mine“, “Magnet” (duet with Megurine Luka), “Romeo and Cinderella“, “Rolling Girl“, “Tell Your World“, “Senbonzakura”
My Favorite Producer(s): ryo (Supercell), Hachi, kz (livetune), wowaka, Mitchie M
Popularly known as “everyone’s favorite digital diva”, Hatsune Miku has been a national celebrity in Japan for years and more recently seems to be making quite an impact in the Western world. She was designed to represent the future of music (reflected in her name, as “hatsu-ne-miku” means “first sound of the future”), and by now has likely been used to sing in every genre of music imaginable (and I mean every genre, from opera and Broadway to heavy metal and dubstep). I often think of Miku as the Jack-of-all-trades of the Vocaloids; she has a voice suited to all types of music, but she isn’t always the best choice of vocals for a given song (case in point, virtually every other popular Vocaloid has a cover song that’s arguably better than its corresponding Miku original: “A Single Red Leaf” as sung by Luka, “Electric Angel” as sung by Rin and Len, “Poetaster and Singing Dolls” as sung by Gakupo, “My True Self” as sung by Kaito and Meiko, etc.). That being said, the songs that are well-suited for her are awesome.
Because most of her popular songs are upbeat, I’ve found Miku to be great inspiration for cheerful themes and stories with happy endings. At the same time, she sings a variety of songs that make good inspiration for other types of writing, including romantic, melancholy, terrifying, and just plain bizarre. Even if all you need is motivation to create, Miku is very good at cheering her listeners on and making them feel special. The subject matter of her songs covers everything from the meaning of life to vegetable juice, so whatever you plan to write, chances are there’s a Hatsune Miku song out there that may inspire you!
For some awesome music featuring Miku’s vocals, I recommend looking up songs produced by ryo, Hachi, livetune, wowaka and Mitchie M. Of course, great Hatsune Miku songs are never in short supply, as evidenced by the fact that she dominates Nico Nico Douga’s Hall of Legend. What can I say? She’s clearly everyone’s favorite digital diva for a reason!
Megurine Luka
Megurine Luka
Genre(s): Ballad, Pop, Dance
Origin: Tokyo, Japan (Asakawa Yuu, Luka’s voice provider)
Writing Inspiration: Drama, Tragedy, Romance
My Favorite Song(s): “Witch Hunt“, “Toeto“, “Double Lariat“, “Circus Monster“, “Happy Synthesizer” (duet with GUMI)
My Favorite Producer(s): fatmanP, Yuyoyuppe, Suzuki-P, Circus-P
My other favorite female Vocaloid, Megurine Luka‘s most notable quality is her ability to sing in both Japanese and English (hence the name “meguri-ne”, which translates as “round sound”). Unlike Miku, Luka is best known within the VOCALOID fandom as a ballad singer for her low mature-sounding voice, and most producers famous for using her have her sing slow, sad songs. That isn’t to say she only excels in this genre, though; in fact, some of her biggest hits are the type of songs that make you want to get up and dance (would you believe me if I told you I know the whole choreography to this song?). Her soft soothing vocals also make her an excellent choice for songs with romantic themes, so she’s definitely a potential favorite of fans who enjoy those types of stories!
Luka has been great inspiration for some of my more dramatic writing, such as romance and tragedy. Some of her best ballads are written by fatmanP and Yuyoyuppe, while Circus-P is famous for writing original songs for her in English. Luka is a popular choice among various producers, though, so your best bet to find great music featuring her voice is to check out her music page on the VOCALOID wiki. She may not be as famous as Miku, but you’ll find that she too has a wide variety of great songs to enjoy!
KAITO
KAITO V3
Genre(s): Folk, Electronic, Rock
Origin: Japan (Fuuga Naoto, Kaito’s voice provider)
Writing Inspiration: Romance, Humor, Poetry
My Favorite Song(s): “A Thousand-Year Solo“, “Tsugai Kogarashi” (duet with MEIKO), “Cantarella“, “What’s COLOR?“, “Crescent Moon”
My Favorite Producer(s): Shigotoshite-P, Shinjou-P, natsuP, Kurousa-P
Kaito (also known by his fan-given name Shion Kaito) is my favorite male Vocaloid. In a franchise that consists mostly of female voices, it’s refreshing to enjoy a lower register of vocals once in a while (plus a cute face to match, *wink*). Being one of only two Japanese voicebanks for the original VOCALOID engine (the other being Meiko), he is actually older than Miku and Luka (who were both released for VOCALOID2), but took considerably longer to become as popular. Due to his standing as a veteran Vocaloid, Kaito has a tendency to sound more “electronic” than his successors, but the best producers who use his voice know how to play this to their advantage. Because of this, many of Kaito’s best songs don’t try to hide the fact that he isn’t real, but instead use him to create a unique sound or theme that a human singer couldn’t pull off.
Most of the songs featuring Kaito at his best come in the form of traditional folk music or electronic tracks that showcase his original sound, though he’s also frequently used to sing rock (usually in the visual kei band VanaN’Ice with Kamui Gakupo and Kagamine Len). He’s also very good at singing duets with other Vocaloids; one of the biggest shipping wars I’ve ever come across in the fandom is about whether he makes a better couple with Miku (as in “Cendrillon“) or with Meiko (as in “A Pair of Wintry Winds“), and his cover of “Magnet” with Gakupo proves he has excellent chemistry with female and male Vocaloids alike. Since his V3 update, Kaito has become even more versatile, adding softer tones to his voice and even gaining the ability to sing in English, so good music sung by him isn’t likely to run out anytime soon!
Because of his range as a singer and a character, I find Kaito to be great inspiration for various types of writing, especially romance, humor and poetry. Most of my favorite songs featuring his voice were written by Shigotoshite-P (Japanese folk music), Shinjou-P (electronic) or natsuP (rock), so if you’re looking for some great Kaito songs, I highly recommend starting with music by any of these talented ladies. They really know how to make him shine!
Bonus: Want to hear a song performed by all three of these amazing Vocaloids? Try “ACUTE“; yes, it’s a tragic story about a love triangle, but the music is great!
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about my three favorite Vocaloids, and that you have fun listening to the music I’ve shared with you! Thanks for reading/listening!
VOCALOID is a product of Yamaha. Hatsune Miku, Megurine Luka and KAITO belong to Crypton Future Media. All official artwork is displayed for illustrative purposes only. I own nothing!
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