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[nicksgal]

Absolutely!  "Colonel" is a good one too.  I have seen a quote shared many times that says, "Never make fun of someone if they mispronounce a word.  It means they learned it by reading."

Yes! Exactly! It's no one's fault that English is weird and "though" and "through" don't rhyme, but "pony" and "bologna" do. Although now that I think of it, "bologna" is probably one of those odd loan word cases like blond versus blonde.

[RokofAges75]

All I can guess is that people think that since the word looks weird, the laugh must sound weird? I don't know that I picture it as even just a "heh" or "heh heh," unless it's Nick, a quiet kind of throaty laugh is where it is in my head, like you want to conceal it, but not actively or it's a little funny, but not a lot funny. I don't tend to use giggle for males either, because it feels too high pitched.

I think "snicker" has some nasally aspects to it and mocking? "Half-suppressed, typically scornful" is the definition, so yeah, teasing each other is a good time to use that.

"Chortle," that's another weird synonym for laugh.

Yeah, if you imagine chuckling to sound like a clownish laugh, I could see not wanting to use that word.  I think your definition is spot on.

The word "chortle" makes me think of Harry Potter because that's where I learned it.  I've never heard anyone use it in real life, but I wonder if it's more commonly used in the UK?  It sounds very British.

I saw that too. I think there was one comment where someone was describing a character who smirks all the time, and I think that's where the line for these might come into play for me? Like if everybody's wandering around smirking at everything all the time, then that's just weird. If it's one character wandering around smirking at everything all the time, then that's just that character. Replace "smirk" with whatever in this case. But then there's always a worry that it starts to feel like "Is my character Bella Swan biting her lip?" and that's unpleasant too!

Aww, Nick's lopsided smile/grin! That's how I always describe it. In my most recently posted chapter, he had a nice flirty lopsided smile and later a lopsided gape. Good times were had by all. I figure y'all know what I mean, but that's another thing that I wrote this week and went, "ah, the first time I ever mention this, I have to explain exactly what it looks like in the OF version."

Good point.  If it's only one character doing it, fine, but it would be weird if all the characters were smirking all the time.  Also, part of it may just have to do with the overuse of the word "smirk."  Sometimes you just need to change it up and use different words - like "lopsided grin."  That's also a good way to describe it and give it a friendlier feel than "smirk."

Agreed. Though no one mentioned "impaled," so... lol.

LOL!  When a character gets impaled in one of my stories, it is definitely not in the context of a sex scene.

LMAO! Sorry about your guilt, but I'm dying that tree stumps made you think of Broken Nick, lol!

LOL I know!  So dumb.

[RokofAges75]

I just had one of those moments where I was really glad I hang on to chapters before posting as long as I do.  My current story begins in January 2008, and I had written in Chapter 4 that the last time Nick and Kevin saw each other was the previous October when the Boys were in LA doing promo for Unbreakable's release.  I just saw a picture on Twitter of all five guys at Howie's wedding, which was in December 2007, and I thought, "Well, duh... they would have seen each other at Howie's wedding just a few weeks before the story started."  So I went back and fixed that paragraph.  Thankfully I haven't posted that chapter yet.  Yay hoarding!

[RokofAges75]

Yes! Exactly! It's no one's fault that English is weird and "though" and "through" don't rhyme, but "pony" and "bologna" do. Although now that I think of it, "bologna" is probably one of those odd loan word cases like blond versus blonde.

I found an article about the pronunciation of "bologna."  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-is-baloney-spelled-bologna_n_5bd88319e4b07427610be221  The short version is that it was probably anglicized from the original Italian pronunciation ("balonya" or "balonia") to "baloney."  English is definitely full of oddball words though!

[nicksgal]

The word "chortle" makes me think of Harry Potter because that's where I learned it.  I've never heard anyone use it in real life, but I wonder if it's more commonly used in the UK?  It sounds very British.

Ooh, maybe that's it. I can't remember where I first heard it.

I've never really talked about laughing outside of writing because I'm either actually laughing or say something to the effect of "I laughed so hard." But there's stories I tell where I would say that I laughed really hard, but then I start laughing all over again. The "Mister Paul sock puppet day" comes to mind, lol; kids are weird.

Good point.  If it's only one character doing it, fine, but it would be weird if all the characters were smirking all the time.  Also, part of it may just have to do with the overuse of the word "smirk."  Sometimes you just need to change it up and use different words - like "lopsided grin."  That's also a good way to describe it and give it a friendlier feel than "smirk."

I feel like there's some contempt to a smirk? That's normally how I use it. I looked it up and the definition is too broad! "Irritatingly smug, conceited, or silly smile," that's a broad range of emotions for one expression in addition to some bias on the part of the POV character. Maybe that's why it feels so overused?

LOL!  When a character gets impaled in one of my stories, it is definitely not in the context of a sex scene.

I mean, same... That's why that one still sticks out to me, I think, lol.

[nicksgal]

I just had one of those moments where I was really glad I hang on to chapters before posting as long as I do.  My current story begins in January 2008, and I had written in Chapter 4 that the last time Nick and Kevin saw each other was the previous October when the Boys were in LA doing promo for Unbreakable's release.  I just saw a picture on Twitter of all five guys at Howie's wedding, which was in December 2007, and I thought, "Well, duh... they would have seen each other at Howie's wedding just a few weeks before the story started."  So I went back and fixed that paragraph.  Thankfully I haven't posted that chapter yet.  Yay hoarding!

It's the Twilight Zone and they didn't actually see each other at Howie's wedding, doo dooo dooo dooo dooo.

Glad you had the hoard and were able to fix it.

I had a moment like that where I changed my mind on something this week, but figured "unreliable narrator" and/or knowing specifically about one character and applying that to all others was a good way to excuse the previous term I used. Call it a case of going specific earlier and broad now.

My yay hoarding from today was that I finally wrote some PNecklace, but it was for the very last chapter, lol. So, good thing I have the hoard for now.

[nicksgal]

I found an article about the pronunciation of "bologna."  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-is-baloney-spelled-bologna_n_5bd88319e4b07427610be221  The short version is that it was probably anglicized from the original Italian pronunciation ("balonya" or "balonia") to "baloney."  English is definitely full of oddball words though!

I figured as much, but I appreciate this insightful article on the topic from an author with a similar name, lol! On a side note, bologna is really gross as far as sandwich meats go.

[RokofAges75]

Ooh, maybe that's it. I can't remember where I first heard it.

I've never really talked about laughing outside of writing because I'm either actually laughing or say something to the effect of "I laughed so hard." But there's stories I tell where I would say that I laughed really hard, but then I start laughing all over again. The "Mister Paul sock puppet day" comes to mind, lol; kids are weird.

That's true.  I guess it's more that I haven't seen the word "chortle" used as often as other synonyms for laughter.

And yes, kids are weird. LOL

I feel like there's some contempt to a smirk? That's normally how I use it. I looked it up and the definition is too broad! "Irritatingly smug, conceited, or silly smile," that's a broad range of emotions for one expression in addition to some bias on the part of the POV character. Maybe that's why it feels so overused?

Yes, there can be.  When I describe Nick smirking, it's usually meant to be more mischievous or flirtatious, but it works well for villains too.

[RokofAges75]

It's the Twilight Zone and they didn't actually see each other at Howie's wedding, doo dooo dooo dooo dooo.

Glad you had the hoard and were able to fix it.

I had a moment like that where I changed my mind on something this week, but figured "unreliable narrator" and/or knowing specifically about one character and applying that to all others was a good way to excuse the previous term I used. Call it a case of going specific earlier and broad now.

My yay hoarding from today was that I finally wrote some PNecklace, but it was for the very last chapter, lol. So, good thing I have the hoard for now.

LOL Kevin literally had his arm around Nick in the picture.

Unreliable narrators are a good way to excuse small errors, if you can even call yours an error.

I'm glad you got something written to hoard!  It's nice to know you have something already drafted for the last chapter because last chapters can be intimidating sometimes.

[RokofAges75]

I figured as much, but I appreciate this insightful article on the topic from an author with a similar name, lol! On a side note, bologna is really gross as far as sandwich meats go.

Agreed!  I haven't eaten it since I was a kid.  The thought of a bologna sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise makes me want to vomit.

[RokofAges75]

Does anyone else reward themselves for writing?

I started MBK in 2017 and took an extended break from it in 2018.  During that break, a movie came out that had a similar premise to my story.  I was like, "OMG, I have to see that!"  But since I was working on AHTIM and not MBK at that time, I told myself I would wait until I went back to MBK to watch it so that I could take full advantage of any inspiration I got from it and not get distracted from AHTIM.  Two years later, I finally rewarded myself for finishing the monster chapter I wrote this week by renting that movie last night.  I didn't really get anything out of it in terms of ideas, but I enjoyed it.

[nicksgal]

LOL Kevin literally had his arm around Nick in the picture.

I was just trying to make it more dramatic, lol. But I guess they couldn't be dramatic at Howie's wedding, he doesn't deserve that. #TeamHowie

Unreliable narrators are a good way to excuse small errors, if you can even call yours an error.

I'm glad you got something written to hoard!  It's nice to know you have something already drafted for the last chapter because last chapters can be intimidating sometimes.

I'll take your if and run with it. It wasn't an error at all, lol.

Two separate little scenes, including the last one of all with its full last line. Now if only I could write this current chapter, lol. Of the chapters left to write, the very last one is actually the only one where I had clear "this happens and this happens" plans, everything else is a vague list of things that happen over x amount of time.

That's true.  I guess it's more that I haven't seen the word "chortle" used as often as other synonyms for laughter.

It's because it looks like a weird word, way more than chuckle.

Yes, there can be.  When I describe Nick smirking, it's usually meant to be more mischievous or flirtatious, but it works well for villains too.

Same, if Nick smirks it's mischievous or flirtatious. Glad we're all writing him doing the same things, lol.

All my villains though, smirks of villainy, lol.

Agreed!  I haven't eaten it since I was a kid.  The thought of a bologna sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise makes me want to vomit.

Blegh, mayonnaise made that worse.

[nicksgal]

Does anyone else reward themselves for writing?

I started MBK in 2017 and took an extended break from it in 2018.  During that break, a movie came out that had a similar premise to my story.  I was like, "OMG, I have to see that!"  But since I was working on AHTIM and not MBK at that time, I told myself I would wait until I went back to MBK to watch it so that I could take full advantage of any inspiration I got from it and not get distracted from AHTIM.  Two years later, I finally rewarded myself for finishing the monster chapter I wrote this week by renting that movie last night.  I didn't really get anything out of it in terms of ideas, but I enjoyed it.

When the story is done, will you say the movie?

Hmmmm... I'd say I reward myself for writing by not writing or writing more. That, or "I deserve some skittles for this," lol. I usually try to avoid anything that feels too similar while I'm writing, just in case I unload it on the page on accident.

When I finished PBox originally, I bought a CD I think... One of the singles I didn't have at the time... So maybe that's what I'll do when I finish PNecklace too.

[RokofAges75]

Two separate little scenes, including the last one of all with its full last line. Now if only I could write this current chapter, lol. Of the chapters left to write, the very last one is actually the only one where I had clear "this happens and this happens" plans, everything else is a vague list of things that happen over x amount of time.

That's awesome that you already have the last scene and line done!  That has to be a good feeling.  Sending good vibes your way to get the current chapter done.

Blegh, mayonnaise made that worse.

Ugh, I know!

When the story is done, will you say the movie?

Hmmmm... I'd say I reward myself for writing by not writing or writing more. That, or "I deserve some skittles for this," lol. I usually try to avoid anything that feels too similar while I'm writing, just in case I unload it on the page on accident.

When I finished PBox originally, I bought a CD I think... One of the singles I didn't have at the time... So maybe that's what I'll do when I finish PNecklace too.

Yeah.  Ask me again after you read far enough in MBK to know what it's about, which starts to become clear in Chapter 3 or 4.

I do the opposite; I watch/read anything I can find that's similar to what I'm writing.  I'm not out to copy or steal ideas, but I always think it will help me stay inspired (which doesn't always work), and sometimes it's helpful to see what I've been researching portrayed on screen or described in prose.

Buying yourself something is a good reward!

[nicksgal]

That's awesome that you already have the last scene and line done!  That has to be a good feeling.  Sending good vibes your way to get the current chapter done.

It's a feeling? lol Keep sending them! It might inspire me to be productive in the right places! (And not hitting refresh on my little language until I like the verb conjugation rules that pop up, lol.)

Yeah.  Ask me again after you read far enough in MBK to know what it's about, which starts to become clear in Chapter 3 or 4.

I do the opposite; I watch/read anything I can find that's similar to what I'm writing.  I'm not out to copy or steal ideas, but I always think it will help me stay inspired (which doesn't always work), and sometimes it's helpful to see what I've been researching portrayed on screen or described in prose.

Buying yourself something is a good reward!

I will do my best to remember that.

It is helpful sometimes to see other people's way of writing similar things. I think that's always good advice to read while you're writing and especially in your genres or demographics. I just know I'm very sponge-like; that's how I end up accidentally Backstreeting so often, lol.

I think it's easier to stay inspired if it's a book or maybe a movie? I know a tv show would just suck me into the whole series.