Onomatopoeia?

[Mindfire]

So, what's the rule with regard to onomatopoeia, specifically animal sounds? Should you use it, outside of children's books? I'm in a bit of a dilemma regarding the sound an owl makes and there seems to be no good solution. On the one hand, simply describing what sound the owl makes doesn't seem to be as visceral as the scene requires. On the other hand, using onomatopoeia ("Whoooooo! Whooooooo!") just looks silly.

Help?

 

[Steerpike]

I don't see it often, but I do come across it occasionally in books written for adults, including some fantasy novels. It just seems to me to be rare.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

There are different types of owls... Check out Screech Owls. Might be more what you're looking for.

 

[Graylorne]

I wouldn't mind something like 'the pling, pling, of falling water filled his ears' but an owl's screech like in your example doesn't really convince me. What about 'the eerie hunting call of an owl drifted through the trees' ?

 

[Butterfly]

But, what if it's not made by an owl at all and is instead made by someone imitating an owl as a signal call?

Just asking, like. I have a few forest dwellers who would do this sort of thing. Not sure how to write it though.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

But, what if it's not made by an owl at all and is instead made by someone imitating an owl as a signal call?

Just asking, like. I have a few forest dwellers who would do this sort of thing. Not sure how to write it though.

For my money I'd just describe a call like this:

"... the staccato chattering of a grackle...."

Thats an isolated example just to illustrate a point.

Let the reader make the sounds in the movie playing in their head. Even with made up birds, I find myself as a reader, just imagining bird sounds I'm familiar with. No need to delve too deep here.

 

[BeigePalladin]

Onomatopoeia is a much more effective visual or poetic technique than one for blank verse. It can be made to work, but to be honest I'd recomend simply descriing the sound rather than using onomatopoeia for it, because describing things adds more detail than the sound

On the one hand, simply describing what sound the owl makes doesn't seem to be as visceral as the scene requires

see, I'm struggling to understand what you mean here. The medium your working in is the written word, and everything can be described to extreme points of effectiveness using it. If you want a visceral effect then describe how the sound makes the people hearing it feel (their visceral reaction to it) rather than the actual sound of the hoot which, if said character is relatble, should extend to the reader

 

[Mindfire]

Onomatopoeia is a much more effective visual or poetic technique than one for blank verse. It can be made to work, but to be honest I'd recomend simply descriing the sound rather than using onomatopoeia for it, because describing things adds more detail than the sound

On the one hand, simply describing what sound the owl makes doesn't seem to be as visceral as the scene requires

see, I'm struggling to understand what you mean here. The medium your working in is the written word, and everything can be described to extreme points of effectiveness using it. If you want a visceral effect then describe how the sound makes the people hearing it feel (their visceral reaction to it) rather than the actual sound of the hoot which, if said character is relatble, should extend to the reader

Well, what I mean is this. When I'm reading one of my favorite books and I get to a point where the author describes something that's supposed to be threatening or scary or gruesome, I get this tingling sensation up my spine as if I am actually there witnessing the creature or scene or whatever. Even though I am quite rationally unafraid of this fictional thing, it still prompts a physical and emotional reaction. So far, I am utterly unable to evoke this response and it frustrates me. I'm not sure if this is because:

I'm too close to my work and in the back of my mind somewhere I'm always aware of it as my fictional creation and thus can never really lose myself in it
OR
if my writing is just substandard and poor.

 

[Jess A]

So far, I am utterly unable to evoke this response and it frustrates me. I'm not sure if this is because:

I'm too close to my work and in the back of my mind somewhere I'm always aware of it as my fictional creation and thus can never really lose myself in it
OR
if my writing is just substandard and poor.

Take a step back from your work. Move onto a different section, then come back to that line. It may spring out at you - even whilst in the shower or taking a walk.

 

[SeverinR]

The stereotypical owl sound is hoo,hoo.
But why not listen to other owls sounds.

Much like the typical frog sound is a grumpy bullfrog, when there is a world of frogs singing happily.
Not as easy to describe but listen to them, and it will set your world apart.

Frog and Toad Calls
My favorite is the gray or green tree frog.

Owls:
Owl Calls & Sounds - All Species