Val Dumond

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Articles on Writing, Grammar, and Publishing
by Val Dumond

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Val writes articles on grammar, the art and science of writing, and publishing, for budding writers and seasoned authors alike. These articles are not only informative and educational, they're entertaining - written as only Val can. Enjoy this latest of her articles:

When Noun Meets Verb: POW!
by Val Dumond
© Copyright 2010

I want to tell you a little story about, now get this, when a Noun meets a Verb. Oh, not any Noun and not any Verb; these are special.

Anyone who has ever had to write an advertisement for a business, or a resumé for themselves, is doing just that - introducing colorful Nouns to strong Verbs and hoping they tell their story adequately.

Writers, especially first-time book writers, learn early on of the value in developing what is commonly called "the elevator speech". This is a brief - very brief - message they can deliver to a prospective editor or agent should they meet in an elevator. Knowing that the confinement of the elevator lasts only for a limited number of floors makes it necessary for the writer to get the message out F-A-S-T. In some cases, within a two- or three-floor trip.

Any job seeker knows equally well of the value of first impressions. The first appearance and the first words. When trying to impress someone, get a point across to someone who didn't ask, or introduce yourself, you need to be quick and brief.

This is where the Noun meets Verb tale takes off. It's an easy process, as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Introduce the Noun, the do-er, the person or things under discussion.
2. Find the Verb that best explains what the Noun is doing. This often requires action of a sort. 3. Put them together and... POW! There you have it! The message, strong, powerful, concise.

Here are a few Noun + Verb combinations that describe books you already know. Can you identify the titles? (Some may add a second Noun for clarity.) Name the book:

1. Fisherman / Frustrated
2. Belle / Suffers / War
3. Ocean liner / Meets / Iceberg
4. Lovers / Mixed up
5. Nasty Thing / Spoils / Christmas
6. Exotic dancer / Tells / Stories
7. Boy / Discovers / River rafting
8. Teenage boy / Plays / Hooky
9. Civilization / Receives / Guidelines
10. Words / Defined

Had enough? Did you get them all? See how easy it is to tell a story in just a few words. Now try it with your own tale. Summarize your book by citing the subject with one Noun, then tell what is happening with an appropriate Verb. When you can manage to accomplish this feat in 10 words or less, you're ready to enter an elevator.

The next trick is to lure an agent or publisher in there with you. Good luck with that.

Oh, the answers? Here they are:

1. Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway)
2. Gone With the Wind (Mitchell)
3. Titanic (Cameron)
4. Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare... and probably numerous other tales of love and woe)
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss)
6. A Thousand and One Nights (folklore)
7. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Twain)
8. The Catcher and the Rye (Salinger)
9. The Bible
10. Any and all dictionaries

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