tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post6907872690391294399..comments2023-09-16T15:03:34.579+07:00Comments on Adam Heine: Fantasy Slang: How to Not Scare Off the ReaderAdam Heinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02225813532455467868noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-57758861765074631592010-05-06T15:55:56.266+07:002010-05-06T15:55:56.266+07:00I think "don't explain" is a good po...I think "don't explain" is a good policy for anything in your fiction... not just slang!<br /><br />Great article.India Drummondhttp://www.indiadrummond.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-56293114750857288822010-05-06T11:32:31.253+07:002010-05-06T11:32:31.253+07:00I let my crit group read the first few pages of my...I let my crit group read the first few pages of my fantasy, and it had a lot of terms familiar to gamers or fantasy readers.<br /><br />A couple of the members were lost, totally, and didn't get through much of the ten pages. Two others had no trouble, said it was an easy read, and another said they figured it out through context. <br /><br />I had to really think about a comment from a non-initiate: If you want to attract a reader like me . .<br /><br />So I think its important to know your target audience too. You don't want to spend too much time explaining the language to readers who take unfamiliar verbiage for granted; but do you want to convert someone to the genre with the strength of your novel?<br /><br />Thanks for hosting this series of slang language postings Adam. They ae giving me loads to think about while I figure out how to write in this genre.<br /><br />..........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-3030623825933541642010-05-06T07:14:20.985+07:002010-05-06T07:14:20.985+07:00I think you're absolutely right, Susan. The co...I think you're absolutely right, Susan. The context thing (and the optional-and-should-not-be-ignored telling, as Bane says above) works for any unknown language, jargon, or term.Adam Heinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225813532455467868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-81979710980233571812010-05-06T01:56:16.523+07:002010-05-06T01:56:16.523+07:00I'm working on revisions today (yay for Draft ...I'm working on revisions today (yay for Draft #5 of the Epic Kid Novel), and it occurs to me that much of what you've covered for including slang also applies to foreign languages (and translations). When we're talking kid novels, I think the need for transparency is even more important, but you can still get away with a lot by context. For instance, from the EKN:<br /><br />"Ni hao, Ali?" he said. She sighed and the corners of her mouth tugged down.<br /> "Wo Hen Hao," she said, but he could tell she wasn't fine at all.Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-67538082876838656962010-05-06T00:16:41.449+07:002010-05-06T00:16:41.449+07:00Your examples are spot on, and validate what I had...Your examples are spot on, and validate what I had been thinking before, but questioned when a beta insisted on having every term explained. Explaining in context is tricky, because context is somewhat reader dependent. When I came to grips with the fact that this one particular beta didn't get the context explanations - but many others did - I was cool again. <br /><br />Thanks again for a great series of posts!Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-80915637503322739642010-05-05T23:23:31.525+07:002010-05-05T23:23:31.525+07:00Telling is somewhat underrated, IMO -- b/c sometim...Telling is somewhat underrated, IMO -- b/c sometimes trying to 'show' something can be too forced... sometimes it's better and faster to tell (e.g., your last example), though this can be done via character internalization as well.<br /><br />Knowing when to show and when to tell is the trick.Joshua McCunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17367262185912463258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-90651203539017291632010-05-05T19:10:40.900+07:002010-05-05T19:10:40.900+07:00I think the main thread of this don't explain ...I think the main thread of this <i>don't explain unless you absolutely have to</i> is spot on. Most of the time the reader can guess from the context and it mostly isn't the end of the world if they guess slightly wrong, eg, thinking a word means <i>taking</i> when it means <i>stealing</i>. Being talked at is a real turn off.fairyhedgehoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14141089706966852951noreply@blogger.com