Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Unique is the Calling

My daughter, with a friend who was telling jokes, grinned and giggled as young ones do. Once it became too much to handle, she begged of him, "Stop! Before I start bursting out my laughs!"

Her fresh phrase lit my radar, pinged somewhere really close.

Writers are called to be unique with wordage. We are charged with the task of new expression; with saying in a different way, burst out laughing.

If she can do it, without even thinking, I can do it. And so can you. We can do it.

So let's.

35 comments:

Jody Hedlund said...

Sometimes our children aren't hampered by the cliche's and the "proper" way of saying things. I think as we get older we start to mimic the patterns of speach that we hear and lose our freshness. It's challenging for me to return to that abandon!

ChristaCarol Jones said...

Mine said something awfully cute last night in which I responded "I'm so putting that on my facebook!" And then I forgot what it was. ARG. But yes, I agree with Jody. Mine says it right, like "I runned over there." Which means the same thing as "ran" even if it isn't proper lol. She gets it's past tense. But yeah. They're great inspirations.

JKB said...

Hear, Hear!

Wendy Paine Miller said...

You are going to send my gall bladder flapping in the breeze.

Okay, I tried. I get points for trying. I haven't turned my brain on all the way this morning. :D
~ Wendy

Unknown said...

Too funny! Kids crack me up. And a great point made!

Unknown said...

I agree with Jody. I know that I used to say my expressions "wrong" and adults would smile and laugh at me. I didn't like that, so I started paying closer attention to how the grown-ups said things, and mimiced them. I can see now that it might not have been a good thing. An interesting post. Hmmm...something to think on.

Kathy said...

I think kids also say cute things, not just the phrasing but the unique angle.

One time my daughter (when she was about 4 or 5) noticed that some horses who normally would be outside on this farm, were missing. It was a very hot day. I said, "I wonder where the horses are today."

She said, "They're probably in the barn so they won't get a sunburn."

Janna Leadbetter said...

Jody - So well put! And it is difficult to break from those patterns. Might be one of the hardest parts of writing for me.

ChristaCarol - Isn't that interesting? It's the same with mine. They know, on whatever level, past tense is required, they just haven't picked up on the correct term. Soon. My favorite is "goed." *grin*

JKB - *raised cup of iced water*

Wendy - :roar: You are too funny. I guess, um, sometimes the cliches are a bit better. ;)

Marybeth - I love when we can learn from such small beings.

Stina - I think if you listen real closely, you'll hear the way you used to say things, and draw it out.

Kathy - That's great. I love it! Isn't it incredible, the way their wonderous minds work?

Susan R. Mills said...

That was a great way of saying it. Maybe your daughter will be a writer one day. :)

Analisa said...

I love this. Sometimes I like to switch around a saying. Recently I used the words a party of pity instead of pity party. I just liked the way is sounded.

Joanne said...

You should keep a little notebook of your children's one-liners. A handy reference book, maybe?

Jessica Nelson said...

That is TOO cute! thanks for the reminder. :-)

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Lol, Wendy! Janna, you're so right, we are challenged as writer's to come up with new, fresh and unique. Kids are wonderful at that. They don't know all the cliche phrases and ways of speaking. They just say what they feel.

Anonymous said...

Kids have a great way of saying things, except when you're in public. Somehow everything goes wrong when you're in public.

-FringeGirl

* said...

Love this. When I listen closely, I, too, catch the words and phrases that come spilling out of my children's mouths. They are poetry. Thanks for the reminder.

Janna Leadbetter said...

Lazy Writer - She's dabbles in all kinds of creativity. Makes a writer mama proud! ;)

Analisa - EXACTLY! That's exactly the kind of thinking we need to do, and I love switching the phrasing around like that. Great one.

Joanne, I make efforts. I have journals for each girl. But I must get better about writing in them! Thanks for the idea.

Jessica - No problem. :)

Cindy - That's such a key to it, right there. Saying what we feel.

Aw, FringeGirl, you're right! *snerk*

Terresa - I agree. Have thought that so many times. We have to cherish the things they say.

Capri K @ No Whining Allowed said...

How cute is THAT?!!!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

I love challenging myself to come up with fresh ways to avoid clichés. I love your daughter's. :)

septembermom said...

That is cute! But you are so right that we can learn a lot about playing around with language, imagery and phrasing. Let's have some fun as writers!

Jill Kemerer said...

Good point! And your daughter sounds so cute! In my current wip, I came up with a better phrase just this morning. Yay!

Ladybird World Mother said...

That is so lovely, and I so agree with you... we CAN do it. x

Nadine said...

Adorable!!

Janna Leadbetter said...

Capri Kel - VERY, if I do say so myself. ;)

Melanie - I'll have to let her know her words have been appreciated!

septembermom - It really does change the imagery. Good word!

Jill - I love moments like that! And thanks. :)

Ladybird - *cheers*

Nadine - Thanks!

Karen said...

I love it! I'm glad you wrote that down. Love the word play.

dirtywhitecandy said...

Great idea for a post. Apparantly when I was small I looked up at an aeroplane and said it was 'highs in the gye'. My husband, when an infant, thought a screwdriver was called a 'goosiebye'. I had a friend who thought tomatoes were 'martyrtoes'.

Now we are all grown up and know proper spelling, does anyone else get a childish thrill when asked to type Blogger security words? I just got 'empunmat'.

JLC said...

Instead of telling hubby, 'I love you.' I say, "I am loving you!' It just sounds more active to me. :)

Yolanda said...

Something that we all could stand to be remindedof

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Janna -

What a great line! Maybe we should all start hanging out with kids. :)

Blessings,
Susan

Janna Leadbetter said...

Karen - Kids can whip out the best stuff!

dirtywhitecandy - I do get that childish thrill. :)

JLC - That's very cool.

Yolanda - That's what I thought! :)

Susan - I'll loan you mine! ;)

Kimmi said...

How true! And, to be able to write things the way they are said, instead of the way the rules dictate.

Deb said...

That's great! I regret not taking the time to write down all their little gems...

Janna Leadbetter said...

Kimmi - Breaking the rules is fun! ;)

Strange Fiction - I'm sorry to hear that. :( But you have the memories, right?

Deb Shucka said...

What a great phrase! It's always the kids, isn't it? Hearing phrases like that is music.

Angie Ledbetter said...

Yes ma'am! I'm all about making up words or word combos! :)

Janna Leadbetter said...

Deb - I think they really have the most to teach us.

Angie - Naw, you? ;)