A World of New Words

A World of New Words

I’ve recently started learning German and have discovered a whole world of new words; words which do not have an English equivalent. This has led me to wonder how learning another language can help improve our ability to express our feelings, and maybe even make us more aware of those feelings in the first place.

For example, I’ve experienced weltschmerz for many years, but I never had a nice neat word for it until now. The literal translation of weltschmerz means ‘world-pain’, or world-weariness, and was coined by the German author, Jean Paul Richter. It’s the feeling ‘experienced by someone who understands that physical reality can never satisfy the demands of the mind’, or ‘the feeling of sadness when thinking about the evils of the world’. Upon discovering this word I felt a weight lifted from me; having a singular word has helped me accept that feeling and it seems easier to deal with now that I have a label for it in my mind and it’s not just some intangible experience.

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Author Interview with Helen Howell

Hi Helen, first of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I live in Australia but am originally from England. I've been writing for just over four years and I write in several different genres which include fantasy, noir, horror and humour. Before I took up writing I use to paint watercolours which I exhibited at various art shows for over 18 years. When I gave that up, writing seemed to be the natural extension. Writing is really like painting pictures with words. Since I started writing I have had my work published in both e-zines and printed publications. Also some of my stories have been showcased on various blog Fests.

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Writing Tip: Keep the Words Flowing

[A Guestpost by T. S. Bazelli]

Help, I don't know what happens next!! 

This is a problem for both pansters and plotters, and trust me, I've been both. No matter how you write, it's likely you'll discover gaps in the plot while you're in the middle of writing. I'm not talking about writing block, but story blocks, when suddenly you've run out of plot, or don't quite know how to get to the next part. 

[Image by BeastArteest87] 

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Writing Tip: 5 signs to recognize that you are a writer

There are several signs for hidden talents that slumber within us. Many of them are awoken since the beginning, like artistic child's that draw pictures since they are born. Some of them build sand castles and become architectures. But there are some signs the need time to develop bit for bit.

Not each of them is recognizable as clear as day. Some need to be discovered by careful observation, but these 5 ones are the most common signs to watch out for. 

[Image by after-the-party]

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Writing Tip: Deus Ex Machina

How many books did you read in which the situation looked as worse as it possible could be for the hero and even then he manages to escape in a ridiculous way by the help of a unknown powers? Certainly you read that at least a hundreds times and that only in this year. These moments are not only bad for the credibly of the story but that situation also bury the chance of develop the character through a dramatic scene or kill of unneeded characters. The method is practically found everywhere and is called Deus Ex Machina.
[Picture by Praetoris01]

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