“When you depart from standard usage, it should be deliberate and not an accidental lapse. Like a poet who breaks the rules of poetry for creative effect, this only works when you know and respect the rule you are breaking. If you have never heard of the rules you are breaking, you have no right to do so, and you are likely to come off like a buffoon or a barbarian. Breaking rules, using slang and archaic language can be effective, but it is just as likely to give you an audience busy with wincing.” IfsKnowsGivingShouldLanguageBreakAudienceCreativeHeardEffectsPoetStandardsBusyDeliberateBarbariansUsageLapsesSlangBuffoonsBreaking Rules Author:N.D. Wilson
“Mumbling priests swinging stick cans on their chains and even witch doctors conjuring up curses with a well-buried elephant tooth have a better sense of their places in the world. They know this universe is brimming with magic, with life and riddles and ironies. They know that the world might eat them, and no encyclopedia could stop it.” KnowsWorldWellsMightUniverseMagicDoctorsSticksTeethChainsIronyCursePriestsWitchBuriedElephantsPlaces In The WorldRiddleEncyclopediaConjuringWitch Doctors Author:N.D. Wilson
“After three years down here, I've not learned too much. But one thing I do know is that our bellies aren't big enough for revenge. It turns sour and eats you up. We'll get out, but we'll get out for the sun, the moon, and mothers, not for small-souled enemies, though we'll deal with them when we get there.” KnowsYearsEnoughBigsMotherTurnsThreeDealsEnemySunToo MuchOne ThingMoonRevengeThree YearsBellySour Author:N.D. Wilson
“In this story, the sun moves. In this story, every night meets a dawn and burns away in the bright morning. In this story, Winter can never hold back the Spring... He is the best of all possible audiences, the only Audience to see every scene, the Author who became a Character and heaped every shadow on Himself. The Greeks were right. Live in fear of a grinding end and a dank hereafter. Unless you know a bigger God, or better yet, are related to Him by blood.” KnowsEndsCharacterStoriesMovingNightMorningAudienceSunBloodSceneSpringShadowBiggerWinterDawnGreekRelatedEvery NightHereafterDank Author:N.D. Wilson
“Horace smiled. "Always breakfast like a man condemned. One never knows that a day may bring."” KnowsMenMayBreakfast Author:N.D. Wilson