tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post752626352560167594..comments2023-05-18T03:33:20.655-07:00Comments on Writing Horses: Jargon: Instant Authority or "Geek to Me"?Susan Schreyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11902407971890082541noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-57445619963624308542010-11-06T21:25:50.694-07:002010-11-06T21:25:50.694-07:00I'm posting this for Eleanor Sullo, the author...I'm posting this for Eleanor Sullo, the author of the Menopause Murder series. Thanks, Ellie:<br /><br />Hi Rhonda, I couldn't post either. But here's what I would have, if I could:<br />First it's a sweet picture of you, with your perennial smile.<br />Second, Rhonda, Great discussion. I didn't know you wrote horsey books. Though experts can load too much jargon into their books, since I LOVE horses and horse stories, I always look up phrases and items I don't understand. That way I've learned a whole lot about the horse world. Love it. My book "Menopause Murders: Hurdles" is my attempt at including some horse world stuff, AND comes out in May,2011 FROM wINGS.<br />My best, EllieRhonda Lanehttp://www.thehorseyset.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-88975457675840501302010-11-03T21:16:53.405-07:002010-11-03T21:16:53.405-07:00Hi, Cassy - You bring up good points. How we deter...Hi, Cassy - You bring up good points. How we determine how much detail to put in is a judgment call. What excites one reader can bore another.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-85881588282716606822010-11-03T12:49:23.657-07:002010-11-03T12:49:23.657-07:00Rhonda: Well done! I think you raise a great point...Rhonda: Well done! I think you raise a great point. There are times I can't get through the details. But then, there are books I love that hone in on details that I do know about and love to see them there. How to balance? I have no idea. Thanks for the posting. I enjoyed it.Cassy Pickardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04777179497200958899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-54094178527367677052010-11-03T10:02:45.454-07:002010-11-03T10:02:45.454-07:00Hi, E.B. - I would use the phrase in a scene so th...Hi, E.B. - I would use the phrase in a scene so the explanation could be entertaining, informative AND set up your protagonist in a companionable light. <br /><br />Maybe you have a spot where your characters can mention something in passing where you can illustrate the whole mix-up? If you have, say, a perfectionist wine snob character and someone who simply enjoys "the bubbly," you could easily have them launch into a "it's not champagne, but sparkling wine" skirmish. <br /><br />Or if your protagonist has family members who don't "get it," you could spin that family conflict dynamic in. (A lot of us have families who don't understand what we do.) <br /><br />Or you could even make the whole thing a running gag, depending upon your story's tone. Only a couple or three mentions scattered around could suffice as a running gag. <br /><br />Anyway, I hope that gives you some good ideas. Good luck, E.B. And thanks for stopping by. <br /><br />Rhonda LaneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-70539571176509039382010-11-03T09:51:55.580-07:002010-11-03T09:51:55.580-07:00Nice post, Rhonda. I would kind of understand it, ...Nice post, Rhonda. I would kind of understand it, but I completely agree that you don't want to lose readers from the jargon. You could also have your protag bump into "one of the cross ties that kept the chestnut from rearing up" or whatever.<br /><br />I have to be careful that my linguist protag doesn't get all technical on us. Luckily in my great writers group people call me on that stuff. <br /><br />Edith<br />http://edithmaxwell.blogspot.com/Edith Maxwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01388006370860482509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-79560747093493219592010-11-03T09:34:31.666-07:002010-11-03T09:34:31.666-07:00I have a similiar dilemma in a different specialty...I have a similiar dilemma in a different specialty. My protagonist owns a champagne and sparkling wine store. Notice that I used both champagne and sparkling wine in the same sentence. To connoiseurs, there is a difference between the two, demarking wine origin. Those terms are now regulated to differentiate, but not so long ago champagne was used as a generic term. I find using both terms to describe the protag's store unweildy, and yet I am hoping to attrached some wine connoiseurs as readers, who will surely point out the difference to me if I don't use both terms. What would you do?E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-10034648002128158652010-11-03T09:33:31.837-07:002010-11-03T09:33:31.837-07:00I imagine your sister-in-law has the horse's h...I imagine your sister-in-law has the horse's halter on the correct way, William. :) <br /><br />I have to admit that sometimes I even skip over jargon, especially in the Clancy books. I think he even went into great scientific detail at the molecular level about the explosion of an atomic bomb for many pages. I glazed over. My engineer husband loved it. <br /><br />Thanks for saying "hello," William. <br /><br />(Aw, shoot. I can't comment here in a name anyone will recognize. I either have to use my old inactive blog or a LiveJournal account that I don't really use. Sorry. But it's really me.)<br /><br />Rhonda LaneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334137998546128297.post-19692744419796225862010-11-03T09:11:39.245-07:002010-11-03T09:11:39.245-07:00My sister in law would know that sentence straight...My sister in law would know that sentence straight off. In fact, that picture resembles the interior of her barn, but not at all one of her horses.<br /><br />In the matter of jargon, I find it's rather distracting, for example, when Tom Clancy starts going off on his long winded technical insider view of whatever military toy he's interested in during reading his books.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.com