Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Shall We Play a Game?

I like to brainstorm. You?

It's a simple way to kickstart creative thought, to exercise a writer's most important muscle.

And so let's play a game! Let's brainstorm as many greetings and salutations as we can.

What words or phrases do you use? What about your characters?

Get creative!



*A loud round of applause goes to the first person to correctly identify the movie from which I pulled the post title. (If my sister is reading: Jill, you don't count. :P ) ETA: I'm adding a hint. It's from the 80's. Think computers.

32 comments:

Jessica Nelson said...

I use what's up with my friends and family.
My characters usually skip the greeting and jump into whatever's bugging them. :)

I have no clue what movie... maybe Pirates of the Caribbean? LOL

Capri K @ No Whining Allowed said...

I say "I know you!". It works whether I remember their name or not!
I think I stole it from "You've Got Mail".

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Ugh, that sounds familiar but I can't think of the movie.

Right now my characters say "Hey", which is what I usually say. I'm reading one of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books and Ranger ALWAYS says "Yo." It's sometimes annoying, but at least he's consistent.

Jenna said...

Hey!
Allo!
G-Day!
Cheerio!

...from Jungle Book?

Janna Leadbetter said...

I've added a hint to the post. No one got it yet, so go back and try again! :)

WendyCinNYC said...

War Games!

Rebecca Nazar said...

"Hello, how are you?" How pedestrian, but I'm shy and stick to the classic stand-by.

War Games-- an ol' Matthew Broderick flick--is my guess. I'm mired in the "80's, I'm afraid.

Susan R. Mills said...

Hey! That's all I can think of right now! I don't know which movie it's from.

Deb said...

I once opened a letter with, "Ho there good people of Corncob." It made sense at the time lol

Analisa said...

I say Hey alot. On the phone it might be "Hey whats going on?"

I don't think I ever say "Hello how are you?"

I have made most of my characters very informal in their greeting...ummm I might have to rethink some of that. LOL

Tess said...

My characters say 'hi'. It's simple, elegant and understated ;)

JLC said...

I even had the computer's 'Voice' in my head when I read the title.

Howdy
"Hidie Ho there Neighbor!"
Good Morning!
Hola!

Sometimes when I answer the phone and I know my hubby is calling...
"Jennifer's love shack, how can I make your dreams come true?"
:)

Janna Leadbetter said...

YES! War Games! I can hear the robotic voice, too. My sister loved that movie when we were growing up. Hmm... And she's a computer programmer/analyst now...

Keep the greetings coming!

I think I resort to "What's up?" more often that not. Or, "Hey! [Maybe hiya], how're you today?"

Cindy R. Wilson said...

My characters mostly say hi. Grace always rolled her eyes because something was always bothering her.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

If it's for a character in the late 90's, "Whazabee?"

Hey there.
Holla
Hi guys
Top of the morning to ya.

Jambo, Janna!

~ Wendy

Tana said...

Um, really? Honestly?

scarlethue said...

Down in my neck of the woods you'll get a "Hey y'all!" or a "How's your mom and them?"

Among my friends, we say "Yo" a lot. Or "Yo, what's up?"

Nadine said...

War games! I know someone already got it, but I was so excited that I knew it. We watched it again a few months ago.

I use hey a lot, but for the sake of something new, 'allo!

Anonymous said...

I had an old friend in college that used to say "Greetings and Halucinations!". That one has always stuck with me.

Janna Leadbetter said...

'ello, Guvnah!

Melissa Amateis said...

War Games! Loved that movie.

I usually just go with "hi" in my daily life. My characters are more formal, though.

Lynnette Labelle said...

Hey, YOU! Allo, allo. Hey there. How's it going? How is you? (Yes, I realize that's incorrect).

Stop by my blog. We're doing a brainstorming game... sort of...

Lynnette Labelle
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com

Nadine said...

I completely forgot to post the most obvious one for me. Aloha!!

Karen said...

Hi Ya'll-that's me.
Hiya, and Hi-characters.

I thought the movie was "Hal" the computer.

Kathryn Magendie said...

lawd, I don't know the movie...

as for salutations....

Hey,

that's all I got - some writer I am *LAUGHING*

The Hat Chick said...

You know I'm not a writer but that won't stop me from commenting.

How *are* ya?
Heidy Ho
Hey Y'all
Hey, HEY, Hey (Fat Albert style)

When I walk up to the mom's at the bus stop, "Ladies" in a sing-songy voice.

When I walk up to the dad's at the bus stop, "Fellas" in a slightly questioning voice.

Hats off to everyone who writes....it's hard!

Terri Tiffany said...

Mine don't say hi either now that I think of it. I jump too to the dialogue--I guess I am pretty much the same way too:))

Jill Kemerer said...

Is it "War Games," the one with Matthew Broderick?

Salutations? Hey, Hi, what's up

Marian Perera said...

In a WIP, the characters have a ritualized greeting. "Faith in God," one says, and the correct response is, "In God and men."

I'd actually prefer "in God and people", but the single-syllable words are crisper.

Deb Shucka said...

Hey.

When I was in Scotland last summer, I loved that everyone said, "Cheers" but it sounds weird to try to do it here.

Diane said...

I'm guessing War Games with Matthew Broderick. See ya... wouldn't want to be ya..... :O)

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Hi, Janna! It's nice to meet you! LazyWriter sent me over. I look forward to reading your blog! Have a great weekend!