According to WordPress this is my 500th post, which to me seems like something of a milestone for a self-styled ‘accidental’ blogger, even though it must seem modest to many.
I’ve always been happy writing. I even enjoyed writing up insurance inspections and composing reports for council committees. Words, I’ve come to realise, are just ‘my thing’.
‘Once I’ve written something it does tend to run away from me. I don’t seem to have any part of it – it’s no longer my piece of writing.’
– David Bowie
This quote, from the late and great David Bowie, is very apt. Words run away with me too. Especially in the mouths and actions of my characters. You’ve heard how some of them go on, even outside their own story.
Which brings me to the term for ‘my kind of writer’ that I’m not very fond of… Pantster!
Really???
I’m not alone, as discovered last week after I read an interview with fellow author and blogger, Liz Gauffreau. I’m always interested to read about other writers. This brief(!) exchange followed:
I got to thinking after that. What about a new term to replace the irritating ‘pantster’?
I mulled over some alternative words for pants: braggas (Spanish); breeks (Scottish); broekies (South African); but knowing that Liz is a Latin scholar, I came to braccas. I have to admit I had to look it up. My schoolroom Latin is too distant to recall, besides it wasn’t a word to feature much in Caesar or Cicero, although I’m sure Liz will correct me if I’m wrong!
And so here *drumroll* is the first mention of a new word – a neologism
Braccaneers of the world unite, you’ve nothing to lose but your…
Remember, you heard it here first!
luna's on line 
I will remember. This was such an amazing post…and congratulations on reaching 500 posts!
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Thank you, Ashmita! 🙂
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An interesting word Chris.
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I wonder it it’ll catch on..? 😉
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It might in literary circles. 👍
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And congratulations on 500 post. 🎉🎊🎈🎁
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😀
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❤️
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Although some people post 100 per day! (I have seen it, believe me) but I congrats you on 500 posts and all your works because they are worth it, one by one for sure. 🙏🤗
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Believe me, I’m not trying to compete! Thank you for your encouraging words, Aladin 🙂
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You never need it, my wise friend. 💖
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Oh yay! I love making up words! I looked up “neologist” and the first couple of times I typed it in, auto correct changed it to “neurologist”. 😂 One reason for getting up and looking in an actual print dictionary but I was lazy!
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I got to neurologist first too, which I think may be a little beyond my scope even fictionally 😉
Print is best after all!
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Congrats on the 500 😀 I too am mostly a pantster writer and dislike that word. Braccaneer is a fine substitute!
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Thanks V. Let’s spread the word! 🙂
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Oh, this is wonderful, Chris! I’m so glad you followed up on spreading the word of our new term to braccaneers near and far!! I think we need a badge now . . . (And congratulations on your 500-post milestone.)
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On a mission now! A badge is an excellent idea, Liz. I’ll must put out the word to the graphic types out there for assistance.
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Oh, good!!
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Congratulations!!!! 500 is definitely a milestone…. Funny that i was just looking at the accidental blogger tagline before opening this post and look at that you have clicked the publish button 500 times woo hoo 🎊🎉
Sometimes i tell people im a writer with a blog 🤔😎 subtle difference
~B
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Thanks Beaton! Yes, a writer with a blog is a good description. I blog between chapters… and sometimes between paragraphs 😉
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Congratulations!! That’s definitely a milestone. 🙂
And I can’t believe someone actually bought the Queen’s bloomers.
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Thanks, Michelle 🙂 Yes, the bloomers, aren’t they huge! (I probably shouldn’t say that, it’s rather rude to comment).
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I shall be adopting bracaneer henceforth! Pantster has always irritated me as well to be honest, as has the ”debate’ between plotters and pantsters on social media. People are so keen to file themselves – surely the amount of research a person does on a project is dependent on so many things – the resources at their disposal, the story they are writing, their own experience of what they are writing about etc etc. If you know your characters, your plot, and your setting, there is little merit in planning for planning’s sake. Amazing achievement on the 500 blog posts, Chris. People underestimate the discipline that takes so kudos!
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You’re quite right in what you say about planning, Matthew. Of course, we both know about research and rabbit holes! Thanks for your unwavering encouragement and your support for ‘the cause’ 🙂
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Neologism is itself a new word to me, Chris! 😊 I think I’m part of the Braccaneers brigade too… I have no idea what I’m going to write until I start… and, thankfully, the characters take over and veer off in all sorts of directions!
Congratulations on your milestone… and please, keep counting them!
I have a bit of a word theme going at the moment, so I’ll see about adding a ‘braccaneer’ post later this week, for the benefit of my two followers! 😄🙂
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Welcome to our growing band of braccaneers, Tom! I believe I was initially inspired by your unusual word theme. A braccaneer post from you would be awesome, especially if you could create a badge for us… Liz and I would be very happy for that 🙂
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I’ve been designing, Chris.
Using the theme of ‘writing by the seats of our pants’, and replacing ‘pants’ with ‘pens’, and ‘writing’ with ‘flying’, I came up with a pen with wings. That was a far better option than pants with wings if you ask me… anyway, here’s what I’ve come up with (if this works!):
I have a few other variations on this design, which, if you like, I’ll include in my post later in the week!
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Love it, Tom! Of course, I’d like to see more…
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OK then… a new word post is in the works!
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Excellent! 🙂
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[…] Chris from Luna’s On Line, introduced me to a new word. She also introduced me to ‘neologist’, but that isn’t the word […]
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Wonderful badges, Tom… just trying to choose. 🙂
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Inspiring indeed
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I’m delighted that you think so!
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This is beautiful Chris… 500?
Your smooth narration makes it seem easy but I believe you’ve earned it in blood. The conversational tone being a bonus. Bet it takes a certain discipline and commitment.
I’m in awe. Excellent word play. I’m looking forward to the tune braccaneer will take.
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Thank you so much, Biko! There’s always more to come… 🙂
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Excellent post, l am currently working on a rhymer by the name of The Whatiffskis! Dealing with the intrinsic beauty of neologism 🙂
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Splendid, Rory! I like the sound of that 🙂
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[…] Friday, it was with great delight that I released a new word into the blogosphere and braccaneer has been added to the lexicon of our lives. No sooner was the […]
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Congratulations on a new word and saving many lives: If one flies a rickety old WW1 plane and flies by the seat of one’s pants, without radar or computers or instruments (although, I don’t know why those guys took their saxophones into the cockpit [a violin is a better instrument] ), one would be likely to crash & burn like a dictionary without a parachute. Yes, indeed, “Where is a Good Latin Scholar When You Need One?”
I wanted to come up with a make-believe “famous” Latin saying to add to or introduce a satirical essay. So I tried various permutations of English to Latin on Google but none of the Latin translations back to English made any sense. What I wanted to say in English was:
“Often the satirist has a better nose for truth than the seller of sagacity.”
A direct translation of this into Latin produced a gibberish Latin phrase which when translated into English was scrambled eggs of whiplash.
I changed the English challenge sentence a billion times and finally came up with this:
Non erit satura est scriptor nasus quando emptore magis est vera sapientia, quam venditor.
There will be a satire’s nose when the buyer is true wisdom rather than the seller.
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Well, Doug, your Latin saying sounds effortlessly erudite to me. I completely get the sense of it, although my Latin is beyond rusty, more ‘turned to dust’ after 40 years 😉 I’m sure it’s better that way!
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