Colloquial – adjective Characteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing; informal (Dictionary.com) Using conversational style (Merriam-Webster) (Of words and expressions) Informal and more suitable for use in speech than in writing (Cambridge) “The noun colloquy was first used in English to refer to a conversation or dialogue, and when the adjective colloquial was formed from colloquy it had a similar focus. Over time, however, colloquial developed a more specific meaning related to language that is most suited to informal conversation – and it ultimately garnered an additional, disparaging implication of a style that seems too informal for a situation. Colloquy and colloquial trace back to the Latin verb colloqui, meaning ‘to converse.’ Colloqui in turn was formed by combining the prefix com- and loqui, ‘to speak.’” – Merriam-Webster What Is the Purpose of Colloquialism in Literature? (MasterClass) “Writers use colloquial expressions to add authenticity to their work. Colloquialisms can also help with: Dialogue. Recreating casual communication through colloquial dialogue can add realism to a story and its environment. In Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting, for example, the colloquial street language of the characters reflect their lives on the fringe of Scottish society; an example is the phrase ‘git aulder,’ meaning ‘get older.’ Setting. Colloquialisms can also help establish and support the time and place of a story. In Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, the characters speak in a folksy, colloquial tone that represents rural Alabama during the first half of the twentieth century. Characters.…

First there was an earthquake. Then came the tsunami. Floods. Loss of power. The Fukushima nuclear plant released radioactive contaminants in Japan in March 2011. I first heard about the evacuation listening to National Public Radio and recognized the reporter’s voice. Doualy Xaykaothao had been a journalism student whom I had advised when I was a college professor. Stationed in the Seoul Bureau of National Public Radio, she was one of only two American journalists on the scene in Japan within hours reporting live. The other journalist on the ground in the radioactive zone was Steve Herman reporting for Voice of America. Let that sink in. National Public Radio and Voice of America. Two news organizations with a mission to serve the public —  not politicians.  Both function as watchdogs, not weapons of government propaganda. Imagine: facts matter. There are certainly criticisms to be had of these news organizations, however, I can’t criticize the integrity of reporters like Doualy and Steve who put their lives on the line so I can know the truth. Steve Herman got his start in Las Vegas, Nevada, as a radio stringer for CBS and NBC news. Atomic energy, Area 51, and UFOs during the 1970s offered him the training ground for discerning fact from fiction. And perhaps excellent preparation for his position as the chief national correspondent for VOA in Trump’s White House Press Pool. Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist’s Story of Covering the President—and Why it Matters by Steven L.…

Denouement – noun The final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work (Merriam-Webster) The outcome of a complex sequence of events (Merriam-Webster) The end of a story, in which everything is explained, or the end result of a situation (Cambridge) “The denouement is the final outcome of the story, generally occurring after the climax of the plot. Often it’s where all the secrets (if there are any) are revealed and loose ends are tied up. For example, the denouement of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet comes just after Romeo and Juliet take their own lives. When the families find their dead bodies, Escalus explains that their deaths are a result of the family feud, leaving members of both sides to feel guilty. That is the denouement.” – Writer’s Digest Writing tips about denouement: Endings don’t always have to be happy, but they do need to be satisfying Endings are always embedded in the beginning of a story. The denouement is a final resolution of the plot. After the dramatic tension has risen to its climax, the events following the crux reveal how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Endings that don’t work: When you don’t leave room for the reader’s imagination When you overwrite the ending in purple prose When you’ve abandoned a character and your reader is left wondering whatever happened to the person who disappeared from any scenes in the last third of the book When you drop a major concept and the reader is…