Four years ago in my critique group I had to defend my choice of spelling. So here I go again. But I’d like to pose a question first. What if I wanted to be creative with the word or words I use? You know, make up my own thing. I mean fantasy writers make up new worlds, rules, peeps, and even languages. So if I want to dub my title Secondhand Shoes then I should, right?
Since I’ve been more verbal on the blogosphere about the release of Secondhand Shoes, peeps have been leaving comments. They politely let me know something about Second Hand Shoes. I get it. But I want to settle why I spell secondhand the way I do.
Just to let you all know, I own like twenty dictionaries and have been known to read them for fun. When I began my tenure at school, my family learned I was dyslexic. I had issues with reading and spelling in the wee years of my education. Even in college it reared its ugly head but I graduated with double honors. Really. But I have to admit that the first law firm I worked for informed me after three months I would never succeed past the reception desk to paralegal status because of my spelling issues. It was at that time I became obsessed with the dictionary because I wanted to be more than a receptionist.
So I give you the reason for why I spell secondhand as secondhand and not second hand.
Cambridge Dictionary
Secondhand- owned before
Second Hand- a long thin pointer on some clocks and watches that shows how many seconds have passed
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Secondhand
1- received from or through an intermediary: borrowed
2- acquired after being used by another: not new
Second Hand
1- an intermediary person or means: intermediary
2- the hand marking seconds on a time
Okay. So these are the reasons for the title being spelled Secondhand Shoes. Lila’s wedding shoes were bought at a consignment shop and she’s one of those people that never expected the best for her life. In the beginning of her journey she accepts things as they are to keep her controlling mother off her case.
And now for some announcements.
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Lydia Kang over at The World is My Oyster is doing a giveaway in celebration for her birthday. Stop by and wish her well. Leave a comment and you could win a book of your choice.
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Jolene Perry is giving away an Arc of her book, Falling. Check her out at Been Writing.
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Lynda R. Young is also giving away an Arc of her new novel coming out. Check her out at WIP IT.
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E.J. Wesley is doing a Bury the Hatchet Blogtour in celebration of the release of his debut novella, Blood Fugue. Check him out at The Open Vein. You could win a Nook out of this deal. This tour ends October 19th.
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Gwen Gardner and Pal are having a blogtour starting next week through October 31st. Go check them out at Paranorm YA.
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I hope every one has a great weekend. I’m off today. Yay! But will be hair lopping Saturday and Sunday. So I’ll be lurking.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
I never questioned the way you spelled secondhand. I understood what you meant.
ReplyDeleteAlex:
DeleteSome peeps didn't.
I just don't understand why people think they have an opinion on how you title your story to begin with. Seriously, its spelled correctly, but even if it wasn't. Its a story, a narrative, and whether its fact based or pure fiction, you as the Author can title it however you please.
ReplyDeleteIts all good and I hope this explains it. The English language can be so confusing.
DeleteI never considered the matter. Either way works for me. And thanks for the updates. I'm off to check out the links now.
ReplyDeleteWell, it seemed some peeps had some issues with the way I spelled it. I just wanted to clear this up. That's all.
DeleteGee, for some reason you didn't take my word for it that dictionaries (most) have it secondhand. Yes, I think dictionaries are a fun read. The "peeps" probably had their Spell Check tell them it was wrong.
ReplyDeletePossibly. One cannot always depend on the spellchecker or even the grammar checker.
DeleteYeah, I read the Dictionary once, turns out the Zebra did it...lol
DeleteYour funny, AM.
DeleteI love how you got it right! And the English language is alive which means it grows and changes. Whereas we used to hyphenate multi-purpose, it's now one word: multipurpose. It's interesting to ready Austen if only for differences like that.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Donna.
DeleteI'm all for creativity as you already know, so even though you and your dictionaries are absolutely correct, I kind of wish you had made it up and broken all the rules. Maybe you should call your book Sekondhand shoes. Just kidding!
ReplyDeleteYou make me laugh, Evie.
DeleteI don't get it. You used the correct spelling for the word you're using. And even if you weren't, you do have the right to be creative. It is creative writing. AWESOME that you became a writer despite dyslexia!
ReplyDeleteIt took a lot of work. Although, I do have punctuation issues.
DeleteYour blog always looks fantastic, spelling and all! There sure is a lot going on around the blogosphere this month. Thanks for putting it all together in one post!
ReplyDeleteThank you and you're welcome, Laura.
DeleteThe dictionaries have the definitive answer as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I thought about occasionally going through it were glitches in wording during dialogue- until I decided that was the way these characters would speak, in a very informal way. BJ was one such example.
I agree with you, Sir Wills. Yes. My characters have their own way of saying things. They're all kind of po-dunky.
Deleteummmmmmmmmmmm, I always though that was the way you spell secondhand, with meaning?
ReplyDeleteSo what are these people complaining about ?
I lost the ability to spell and use correct punctuation when I started to work full time in art ! Was it all the solvents, too mush eraser dust, pencil shavings ? who knows ?
Plus if that is how, correctly I might add, you want to spell the word what are they gripping about !
It is YOUR book title.
I have decided that people are nit picking crazy. People in glass houses.
I make up words all the time, my kids even use them, and thehamish is a known phonetic speller !
cheers, parsnip
Thank you, parsnip.
DeleteReally? Have people nothing better to do? Firstly, you have spelt it correctly. Secondly, it's fiction. You can call it whatever you want. Argh. Rant over!
ReplyDeleteAt least they were polite about it. I thought I'd be polite back.
DeleteYou know I'm in your corner kid!
ReplyDeleteChocolate hugs! (^;
Thank you, Lorelei.
DeleteOver here in blighty, we would never question your spelling of secondhand, since that's how we use it; although on the other hand (second hand?) I'm not so sure that's much of a recommendation.
ReplyDeleteThe English are always right.
DeleteDoesn't everyone spell it "secondhand" as in "used"? I do.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe you should get fancy and go for "second-hand". LOL.
Hugs and chocolate back at ya!
LOL!
DeleteI think you're totally right. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the shout-out for my giveaway, as well as for the other announcements!
You're welcome.
DeleteInteresting. I never thought the spelling of "secondhand" was off--I've only seen it as one word in the past.
ReplyDeleteWell, there is actually another way to spell it...with a hyphen but it doesn't look right to me.
DeleteI knew what you meant right off.
ReplyDeleteOh good I'm glad.
Deletelol... so funny peeps have been leaving you notes. I never even thought about it being incorrect, and as you've clearly stated, it's not. :)
ReplyDeleteFunny it is. The first go round with the word floored me with my critters.
DeleteNo offense to your critters, but they seem to have gotten more than one thing wrong....
ReplyDeleteYeah. They're better at plot and sentence structure.
DeleteActually as in a book title- either way works for me.
ReplyDeleteEllie has a point: do folks have so little to do that they feel compelled to nit-pick? I spell Estanatlehi's (Gaia or the Turquoise Woman) informal name as GrandMother for the fantasies in which I use her -- since she is literally the great Mother.
ReplyDeleteMy books, my way. I file those who criticize my spelling in the folder, LIFE IS TOO SHORT. :-)
That sounds like a great idea.
DeleteInfirmative... :)
ReplyDeleteVisit--> A Happier Life
:)
DeleteI never questioned the spelling but trusted you in your choice. :)
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Thank you, Teresa. Not everyone has.
DeleteI've never thought about the spelling! People notice the tiniest things.
ReplyDeleteYes. They do.
DeleteI knew you were doing it right!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the dictionary. Secondhand always looked right to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for the dictionary.
DeleteYikes that you had to defend the spelling of your title! It's a good explanation, though. My sister-in-law is dyslexic and struggles. She's a math teacher, and the school is struggling, so they are no making ALL teacher cover writing and reading in their classes, including in math class. It's a rough year for her.
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
As much as I loved school, it was very frustrating at times.
DeleteSomeone was featuring your cover on their blog and I have to say, that's not a great cover. For a book called "Secondhand Shoes" you only have a tiny picture of a shoe. It's pretty easy to get clip art or stock photos of shoes. Here are a couple examples to consider:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Giants-House-Romance-P-S/dp/B006G8G6K8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350046710&sr=1-1&keywords=giant%27s+house
http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350046808&sr=1-1&keywords=time+travelers+wife
That sort of thing would look a lot better. And it's really easy and cheap to do. I'm just saying.
Thank you for your suggestion.
Delete