Here’s a topic I’ve never seen discussed: a service the lowly verb “said” can perform.

We get showered with advice about dialogue tags. E.g., if you must use them, use only plain ol’ “said.” If at all possible, don’t use them. As I pointed out in my recent post on strategies for cutting, eliminating the dialogue tag by letting an action do its work can save words almost every time.

But I’ve found “said” to be a strategic device in its own right for managing the rhythm of scenes.

Scenes have peaks and valleys, riffs that build to a turning point in a dramatic exchange, then fall off, only to rise again—mini-crescendos, if you will. And each scene should end on a note of finality, of closure, rather than dribbling off into that bare line break. The high moments, where the scene will turn to its…

Here it is the reason our world is in chaos. It is not because America is racist. It is not because the cops are racist. It is not because our President is a moron. It is not because of your sexual orientation or your gender identity. It is not because there are a ton of oppressed people who cannot get out from under their oppressors boot. It is not a global pandemic. It is not victimize-rs against victims.

The real problem we face is a problem of Identity. A problem of trying to control that which is fully and completely out of our control. Not a single one of us chose the color of our skin, our gender, or our sex. We simply were born into it.

When a storm comes I do not yell at the sky and tell it to change, I…

There was a famous hiphop song that once stated, “My mind’s playing tricks on me.” Some proper nouns & words do exactly that. Here are some that can “get” you if you don’t pay attention.

CORRECT INCORRECT

Looney Tunes Looney Toons

Jif peanut butter Jiffy peanut butter

Playwright Playwrite

Sugar Suger

Espresso Expresso

Pharaoh Pharoah

Froot Loops cereal Fruit Loops cereal

Double Stuf Oreos Double Stuff Oreos

If you ever use these tricky words, or company names, in formal writing, ensure that you double-check their spelling. I know I do. What are some of your favorite tricky words or names?

I’m pleased to announce the release of my 8th book, Skoll’s Diary.

Africans and African Americans left Earth in 1900, and went to another planet in The Milky Way to escape mistreatment…

It’s now the year 3005 on that terraformed planet. We get a peek into the life of…

Happy Labor Day! Since there’s no work, let’s play! I thought this word play exercise was loads of fun. Scroll to the bottom for the answers.

I admit you have to put your thinking cap on for some of these!

Thanks for playing!

Answers:

Sandbox

Man on board

I understand

Read between the lines

Long underwear

Crossroads

Downtown

Tricycle

Split level

3 degrees below zero

neon lights

Third eye blind

High chair

Paradise

Touchdown

6 feet underground

Mind over matter

He’s beside himself

Backwards glance

Life after death

GI Overseas

Space program

See-through blouse

Just between you & me

I’m pleased to announce the release of my 8th book, Skoll’s Diary.

Africans and African Americans left Earth in 1900, and went to another planet in The Milky Way to escape mistreatment…

It’s now the year 3005 on that terraformed planet. We get a peek into the life of a…