Word of the Day: Ploce

One thing I've noticed while editing is that I tend to repeat words. And not in a good way.

(For instance, in two consecutive paragraphs, I used the word summer FOUR times. Four. Whoa, Nelly.)  I have a feeling this happens with most writers. In first drafts, it really doesn't matter - as long as you catch yourself and edit them out.

But IS there a good way? Can word repetition ever be a good thing?

Why, yes, there is/it can. And, in fact, the point of today's post is to introduce you (or just refresh your memory in some cases) to a word I've recently added to my lexicon:

Ploce. (Rhymes with glow-see) - It's a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis.  It's a technique used when a writer wants to drive a point home.

It's one of my favorite things to read, when done correctly. I've always loved this - but I never knew that there was a name for it. Now I do! (And so do you!)

Thank goodness for my word-a-day e-mails...

Here are some examples of ploce:

"Make war upon themselves - brother to brother / Blood to blood, self against self." (Richard III, Shakespeare)

"If it wasn't in Vogue, it wasn't in vogue." (promotional slogan for Vogue magazine)

"And gentle sleep the sleep of death..." (Thel, William Blake)

"The future is no place to place your better days." (Dave Matthews, "Cry Freedom") 

"Rose is a rose is a rose." (Line of poetry written in Paris by Gertrude Stein, often described as meaning things are what they are...)

"It wasn't a date date... We just got coffee." (A friend of mine when trying to deny that she's into the boy she's into... oops, I just gave another example with my example! Oh and I did it AGAIN! haha)

Okay that's all for today! My goal is to get back to writing a post 5 days a week... Starting now!

♥ me

Today's Word: Adumbration

Similar to foreshadowing, ADUMBRATION gives a reader a sense of things to come.  It's usually vague, and usually causes a sense of foreboding.

The most important part of this word, in my opinion, is that properly placed adumbration piques a reader's interest; it's what keeps them reading - they have a little hint of what may come and they want to know what it is!

Try thinking of it like this... The book is a mirror - as the reader reads it, they see only what's directly in front of them. But adumbration is what cracks the surface (just so slightly) to give them a glimpse of beyond what's displayed...

Here's an attempt I've given in my current work, Project Jane:

"On Monday, it began to rain. We were inundated with a steady downpour lasting for six days. The Bay water levels rose quickly and roads were closed from flooding. By Sunday the sun reappeared, but by then things were different - although looking back, I had no idea just how much had changed.

I didn’t really mind the rain. On the one good hand it meant we didn’t have to go outside for PE. On the other, better hand, it meant that..."

Did I nail it?  I don't know - where you tempted to keep reading?  Did you see it though?  In a seemingly innocent paragraph, I slipped the little hint in (italicized), and then came back to a normal tone as though I'd never given that little glimpse.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to over do it with adumbration.  If you slip too much in, a reader may get annoyed and distracted from the story with their frustration.  KISS: Keep It Subtle, Silly.
 

♥ me