Speaking Writertongue

For my readers who aren't authors, there are phrases used in the writing world such as WIP (Work In Progress) or POV (Point of View.) There are shortening such as graf for paragraph or script for manuscript.

You could call these author speak, or writertongue. Perhaps you have to be born with the ability to speak it, like Harry Potter's Parseltongue.

But there is something more to speaking like a writer, at least on line. There is a certain playful attitude to words that varies according to each personality. I have a lot of friends that I correspond with everyday. I have never met most of these people; perhaps I never will. Yet, I have an idea of what each writer is like. I know who is dedicated, and who is technical, who is a gamer and who loves fantasy, who enjoys wine and who doesn't touch the stuff.

As I posted in my Sharks blog, there is a great deal of civility in our online dealings. Of course, we don't have to deal with our physical essence, either. Right now, no one has BO, no one has pimples, no one even poos - because we are all just text on a screen.

And there is that playful attitude to posting that is simply delicious. A simple question such as "What are you having for lunch today?" will morph in a number of directions in the hands of writers.  Someone offers a virtual menu, and another writer creates an online eating spot. Perhaps there is a dragon or two. Why not? Let's throw in a hot tub, and mojitos for all.

And when we work together, it gets even more fantastical and more fun. We aren't just a collective of Indie authors - we are pirates blazing our way on a virtual sea, getting our books out to the Google spiders from Mars. We have our own pirate names (mine is rather typical - Captain Dork Sparrow*) and I do believe costumes are next.

This may all change tomorrow. The online world is in constant flux, like a huge wave, and my writer friends and I are surfing to the crest that never breaks.

*I know - lame, right? Any suggestions are very welcome.