Don’t worry I am not trading in my Betty Crocker ways for Leaving Las Vegas. Burn sky until we see lines is a Star Wars term, likely uttered by the handsome Hans Solo. It means to fly until you get to hyperspace.  I am not a Star Wars junky by any means but I did grow up with Luke, Hans, Jabba, and my Ewoks. I recently found a blog post all about the lingo. In this post he breaks it down in how George Lucas may have formed words. I then found this site of Star Wars terms. As pointed out it the original post I read, Lucas builds on our own language, like codger meaning an old man, and other languages such as Latin and Spanish.

It was an amazing article for me because, like most writers, I aspire to that one great story to set me apart from the fabric of time. The story that will make me the J.K. Rowling of my generation. Yet!, to be set apart, so should your language, your lingo!

When I read The Tale of Despereaux by Jamie Michalak to my boys a few years ago it was an easy read because the way she manipulated language and story telling. It sucked us in on page one with, “Come a little closer” because we knew, something was about to happen! It was like laying on Grandma’s feather mattresses and listening as she made of stories of little people in a land we could only find on the first day of Spring. Yes, I have a Storyteller’s blood in me, just trying to find the voice.

The Giver by Lois Lowry was the hardest read for me! The first three chapters I was so detached. Then all of a sudden it was like Whoa!! something is happening! That was in middle school, now there is a movie out and I learn that it was the first in a trilogy. The second book was even  more confusing and the third book ties everything together. (So says a favorite bearded friend who teaches science) I want, but cannot suffer through the second book to get to the third. Although, reading them as an adult when it isn’t required might make the difference!

Jedi

Muggle

Oz

Lorax

One word that meant nothing in the English language until an author made it up. Sure you could throw together a bunch of vowels and constants but unless your reader can connect it to something, even if it is a reach, it means nothing. Muggle, you can just feel some days your muggle through work. Lorax, Lore plus ax, the story is about not cutting down the forest.

So don’t be a Fraidee-frog, you are not Force Forsaken if you cannot make your own language. Just wait, like I do, for those half a heart beat thoughts between falling asleep at night and waking in the morning. That is where my Muse waits. Little Duriet!