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Tired of using the same word

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
You have a personal distaste for the word?
Oh, no. "Tongue" is a perfectly good word, just like "moist." But I don't think most synonyms for it are sexy, like "proboscis." Good, serviceable word. But way not sexy.

Okay, this just popped into my head, so you get to suffer with me. Can you just imagine trying to describe sexy and the description looks like, "their swollen proboscis throbbed with sensation."
 
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It's all about context though. I'm sure you could write a steamy scene with two biologists flirting with each other where proboscis becomes a sexy word (for them). Start with a third (non-biologist) person in the room, and they use proboscis and similar as code language to flirt without the other person realizing (or at least, they think so...). In that context having one of them say, "look at that swollen proboscis probing that delicate flower" can take on a whole lot of meaning.

You can do it :)
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
It's all about context though. I'm sure you could write a steamy scene with two biologists flirting with each other where proboscis becomes a sexy word (for them). Start with a third (non-biologist) person in the room, and they use proboscis and similar as code language to flirt without the other person realizing (or at least, they think so...). In that context having one of them say, "look at that swollen proboscis probing that delicate flower" can take on a whole lot of meaning.

You can do it :)
Oh, I know I can, but there's going to be a shower between every chapter. Unclean. Oh! I can add a nuckalevee.
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
It's all about context though. I'm sure you could write a steamy scene with two biologists flirting with each other where proboscis becomes a sexy word (for them). Start with a third (non-biologist) person in the room, and they use proboscis and similar as code language to flirt without the other person realizing (or at least, they think so...). In that context having one of them say, "look at that swollen proboscis probing that delicate flower" can take on a whole lot of meaning.

You can do it :)
Have you ever heard of The Romance of the Rose. It's Middle French (I think?), dripping with overheated metaphors and so very pervy. There are translations.
 
Have you ever heard of The Romance of the Rose. It's Middle French (I think?), dripping with overheated metaphors and so very pervy. There are translations.
Slightly off topic but with this comment I'm reminded of a character from a series of visual novels called Neko Para.
She's one of the minor characters (Very minor, she only comes up once or twice per novel.) but the gag with her is talking about anything sex related even just studying it (like how plants reproduce, for example, is one of the jokes.) gets her 'aroused' to the point of passing out. At the time I laughed at the joke, but thinking back on it now I'm like "? why this a joke ?" lol
The rest of the story isn't terribly pervy (If you're not using the 18+ patch...which I think you're playing for the wrong reasons if you're using those.) and is generally sort of cute, though a bit dark in some places.

Regarding your story, maybe pair some of that back a bit and not have as many things per chapter? lol That might help with the 'I need a shower' reflex. Unless that is part of the plot ? I mean like, the plot plot, not the uhhh plot...
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
Slightly off topic but with this comment I'm reminded of a character from a series of visual novels called Neko Para.
She's one of the minor characters (Very minor, she only comes up once or twice per novel.) but the gag with her is talking about anything sex related even just studying it (like how plants reproduce, for example, is one of the jokes.) gets her 'aroused' to the point of passing out. At the time I laughed at the joke, but thinking back on it now I'm like "? why this a joke ?" lol
The rest of the story isn't terribly pervy (If you're not using the 18+ patch...which I think you're playing for the wrong reasons if you're using those.) and is generally sort of cute, though a bit dark in some places.

Regarding your story, maybe pair some of that back a bit and not have as many things per chapter? lol That might help with the 'I need a shower' reflex. Unless that is part of the plot ? I mean like, the plot plot, not the uhhh plot...
Everything's plot plot if you do it right. ;)
 

Mad Swede

Auror
Have you ever heard of The Romance of the Rose. It's Middle French (I think?), dripping with overheated metaphors and so very pervy. There are translations.
Ah, Le Roman de la Rose. A very interesting read if you enjoy verse, espceially if you're able to read the original Old French (versions in modern French are also good). Written by two people, Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meune. It seems to have been intended as a sort of psychological allegory, a way of conveying the whole art of courtly romance.
 
Everything's plot plot if you do it right. ;)
I agree but I'm not ashamed to admit that kind of thing is far outside of my wheelhouse lol
I barely feel comfy writing it as a normal occurrence (as in, literally just two characters porking, nothing fancy) I'm impressed ya'll can write it as part of the plot haha. It's also tricky for me to find a reason to include that kind of content in a story. If I do include it I usually don't include much uhh detail. I wizz through the pov characters emotions as the stuff was happening but that's about as detailed as I get. XD

Like say I'm writing fanfiction, and the canon series doesn't really have...that featured. So most of the time I'm unsure how to do it while keeping with the canon tone. I also like to keep the rating of the piece I'm writing in mind too. Generally I aim for Teen/Young Adult. Rarely do I find an excuse to push the rating into 'mature' rating. I've seen way too many movies where they only get the 'mature' rating through the amount of 'language' they have, without that language they'd easily be PG 13. With some exceptions.

One time as a teen (like 13-18 I forget when exactly lol) I tried to write a 'scene' but I chickened out at the last second haha.
I was all ready to go, had the event planned out and all of a sudden my brain went 'nope, nuh uh, not happening' lol
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
Ah, Le Roman de la Rose. A very interesting read if you enjoy verse, espceially if you're able to read the original Old French (versions in modern French are also good). Written by two people, Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meune. It seems to have been intended as a sort of psychological allegory, a way of conveying the whole art of courtly romance.
Gotta say, there's something hot about a man who can whip out familiarity with Medieval Literature on the flip and still look good doing it. /roll d20 - Natural 20. ;)
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
I agree but I'm not ashamed to admit that kind of thing is far outside of my wheelhouse lol
I barely feel comfy writing it as a normal occurrence (as in, literally just two characters porking, nothing fancy) I'm impressed ya'll can write it as part of the plot haha. It's also tricky for me to find a reason to include that kind of content in a story. If I do include it I usually don't include much uhh detail. I wizz through the pov characters emotions as the stuff was happening but that's about as detailed as I get. XD

Like say I'm writing fanfiction, and the canon series doesn't really have...that featured. So most of the time I'm unsure how to do it while keeping with the canon tone. I also like to keep the rating of the piece I'm writing in mind too. Generally I aim for Teen/Young Adult. Rarely do I find an excuse to push the rating into 'mature' rating. I've seen way too many movies where they only get the 'mature' rating through the amount of 'language' they have, without that language they'd easily be PG 13. With some exceptions.

One time as a teen (like 13-18 I forget when exactly lol) I tried to write a 'scene' but I chickened out at the last second haha.
I was all ready to go, had the event planned out and all of a sudden my brain went 'nope, nuh uh, not happening' lol
When I met our alpha reader, Teacup, here he was 16 years old and determined to write his first book. He'd read Paolini and knew he had better in him. And he did. But he also couldn't type the word "breast" without getting a nosebleed. English. He wanted help and I didn't see any reason to not.

Note: I'm an autist and that can result in a mental separation between right and legal. Somebody asks me for help and I tend to do so. I'm not terribly good at stopping to consider legalities in typing about sexual situations with an international teenager. He was already showing as a talent. So, yeah.

My wife freaked out. >.<

Teacup, however, got over a sliver of his hangups and finally learned to type all the words he wanted to.
 
When I met our alpha reader, Teacup, here he was 16 years old and determined to write his first book. He'd read Paolini and knew he had better in him. And he did. But he also couldn't type the word "breast" without getting a nosebleed. English. He wanted help and I didn't see any reason to not.
I'm not quite that bad (I don't get aroused writing nonsense, especially not what I plan to have happen off screen) but I certainly either get uncomfy or decide to skip out on it entirely. I myself am uncomfortable interacting with girls I barely know in person on a regular social level. That level of togetherness is just super uncomfy for me. I have made friends with girls during school and/or youth groups. But said relationships never got that far.

To be entirely honest, I would prefer not to write it, if I could. BUT If two characters need to bake some bread in order to fully understand eachother, I'll buckle down and do it. But dang it I'm doing it my way and I don't care if the industry thinks I'm a silly for that lol That said I do want to get better at writing the bits I do write, so it at least looks/sounds professional, and not like an edgy 15 year old going through puberty wrote it haha.
Note: I'm an autist and that can result in a mental separation between right and legal. Somebody asks me for help and I tend to do so. I'm not terribly good at stopping to consider legalities in typing about sexual situations with an international teenager. He was already showing as a talent. So, yeah.

My wife freaked out. >.<

Teacup, however, got over a sliver of his hangups and finally learned to type all the words he wanted to.
I can imagine why your wifey would freak out lol

Sometimes all it takes is a gentle nudge in the right direction and a bit of willpower to overcome that.
 

Mad Swede

Auror
Gotta say, there's something hot about a man who can whip out familiarity with Medieval Literature on the flip and still look good doing it. /roll d20 - Natural 20. ;)
I was introduced to the book by a French colleague when I was serving with UNIFIL in the Lebanon. It did seem a little surreal reading a book of verse about medieval courtly romance whilst sitting in the shadows of Le Château de Terre (Saint Louis Castle) in Sidon...
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
I was introduced to the book by a French colleague when I was serving with UNIFIL in the Lebanon. It did seem a little surreal reading a book of verse about medieval courtly romance whilst sitting in the shadows of Le Château de Terre (Saint Louis Castle) in Sidon...
That image is incredibly cool. <3
 

Lorn Ashby

Acolyte
I have a similar, annoying issue with a word. I've decided not to bother trying to find something better for now, because it's a huge time suck.
The world has rings, and I'm tired of saying "the rings' glow" and things like that.

But I figure that something will eventually come to mind. Maybe from one of the characters' mouths. And it will be easy to do an editing pass for the word later.

Don't let this kill your momentum!
 

Kitty3569

Acolyte
I am in the midst of editing my romantic fantasy novel, and the world is heavily built upon elemental magic. I'm tired of using the word "magic" to describe everything, though, and I can't seem to find a good synonym. It's not sorcery, or charm, or witchcraft. It's magic, but I'm tired of saying it's magic. I want to describe the magic without continuously using the word. And here I am providing a great example of how often I use the word. *eye roll*

Examples:
"The world's magic..."
"The magical properties..."
"... magic infused into..."
"...a land of magic..."

Help would be appreciated!
The world's Enchantments. It is a strong "magical" word that can be used anywhere in place of 'magic'
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
If at some point you need help with a replacement for Rings, we might be able to help.

One word that stopped me for a while is sarcophagus. Cause, there really is no replacement word for it. But the word itself conjures up images of Egypt for me. I wished to avoid that, but it was the only word that said it exactly. I had to go with it.

Sometimes, you just get stuck and there are no good options.
 
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