Friday, April 6, 2012

A to Z: Gerdoying




When I was a kid,  I couldn't wait to watch one of my favorite shows...Batman and Robin.  There was something about the caped crusader that just kept me on the edge of my seat every week as I made sure he caught the bad guys.  But one thing always bothered me.  Television back then had a way of protecting the sensitivities of its young viewers by substituting the action of a fight with silly words displayed across the screen to simulate the actual sounds of someone getting beaten.  There is even a word for doing something like that...Gerdoying...which means the imitation of a crash.  And my buddy Batman certainly gerdoying'd (if THAT'S even a word) a lot of bad guys in his day!

I just want to make sure I don't gerdoying any of my stories by filling them with unnecessary descriptive words or useless dialogue.  I want my stories to ring true, to be real, and to stay out of the way of the great Caped One!





Gotta Go!  Gotta Go!
Written by: Sam Swope
Illustrated by: Sue Riddle
ISBN:  10-0374427860
Ages: 3-8
Teaser:  No, this isn't a story about potty training.  It's a story about a baby monarch butterfly, born in the middle of a field, who is trying to migrate to Mexico.  Will she make it?  Will she get her wings and complete the migration?
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31 comments:

  1. PT DillowayApril 6, 2012 at 9:50 PM

    The Batman 60s series and Superfriends were awesome despite the corniness.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 6, 2012 at 10:02 PM

      Absolutely! I loved all those characters...The Peguin, The Joker, Catwoman...you just never knew who you would meet from week to week...and I would dream about becoming Batman's sidekick and getting my own cool cape to wear! ;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
    2. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 9:01 AM

      It was pointed out to me that I misspelled "Penguin"...lol...so sorry...;0)

      Delete
  2. PamApril 6, 2012 at 10:21 PM

    Gerdoying! What a fun word! Editing...a hard word. I am hoping to get better at editing as I grow as a writer. Informative as ever, Donna.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 8:57 AM

      Thanks, Pam...when I came across that word, I just knew I had to use it today...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  3. stephen HayesApril 7, 2012 at 12:14 AM

    This word sounds like the answer to a million dollar trivia question.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 8:59 AM

      Would that be BEFORE or AFTER the contestant got it wrong and then realized their million dollar mistake? ;0)

      Thanks, Stephen, for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  4. D.E. MaloneApril 7, 2012 at 12:53 AM

    I never thought about those as substitution words to cover the action, but after you pointed that out I see it. Love that analogy as it relates to writing 'true'.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 9:02 AM

      I try really hard to make everything in my world relate to my writing because you never know what might inspire that next great story!

      Thanks, Dawn, for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  5. UnknownApril 7, 2012 at 6:14 AM

    Well done on finding a great "G" word! I remember those comics - I'd spend my pocket money on them every Saturday. Those "POW"s and "Gerdoying"s weren't out of place then, were they?
    Aww..what a great little book that sounds. Little butterfly...

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 9:05 AM

      Yeah, Susan, back then it was just a special part of comics and TV so we didn't think much about it. We certainly were imaginative enough to fill in the blanks...probably made things better in my opinion than laying it all out in the open like what the kids of today get through television, music, books, etc...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  6. Susanna Leonard HillApril 7, 2012 at 9:49 AM

    Holy Swiss Cheese, Donna! I am such a fan of the caped crusader :) And the book sounds like a good one!

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 4:34 PM

      Lol...I KNEW we had more in common than just writing...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  7. M.J. FifieldApril 7, 2012 at 11:41 AM

    I love the old Batman series. So much cheesy fun to be had.

    And I love the word "gerdoying"... I had no idea it existed.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 4:36 PM

      Hi M.J....I didn't know about that word either but you would have thought it would have been one of the words actually USED in the old Batman series...lol...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  8. AnonymousApril 7, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    I'd never heard of the word gerdoying. It's a funny sounding word. : )

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 4:37 PM

      I agree, Susanne...when I discovered it, I said it out loud and actually started laughing...such a silly word...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  9. Merritt | LiveSimplyLoveApril 7, 2012 at 1:50 PM

    I've never heard of it either. How do you pronounce it? (P.S. loved those Batman cartoons, but you're right, the gerdoying was kind of annoying!)

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 4:42 PM

      Hi, Merritt, and welcome to my blog! I'm not sure how to pronounce it because the website I'm using just offers the words and the definitions...not the pronunciation...sorry. I have a feeling if I saw some of the old Batman shows today I would be rolling on the floor laughing at the corniness of it, but it was certainly entertaining when I was growing up...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  10. Debra Harris-JohnsonApril 7, 2012 at 3:11 PM

    I haven't heard of this but thanks for the enlightenment. Great post by the wya.
    dreamweaver

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 4:53 PM

      Hi, Debra, and welcome to my blog! I am glad that you enjoyed today's post...I visited your blog and have to go back over to become a new follower...thought I had hit the right button but hopping back over there to make sure...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  11. Theresa MilsteinApril 7, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    Gerdoying. I've never heard of it. Thanks for the info.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 7, 2012 at 9:14 PM

      Hi, Theresa! I hope you are enjoying the A to Z challenge...I liked your G post today...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  12. Donna B. McNicolApril 8, 2012 at 12:10 AM

    Gave me a much needed giggle, I remember the show and the sound effects. They always made me smile.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 8, 2012 at 1:43 AM

      Glad you like it!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  13. patientdreamerApril 8, 2012 at 11:38 PM

    gosh I remember Batman and Robin...lol. (now we are showing our age..lol.)

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 9, 2012 at 8:33 AM

      Awww what do you mean, Diane? In MY world I'm 29 and forever young! ;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  14. AnonymousApril 9, 2012 at 5:38 PM

    Very cool "obscure word" A-Z theme - I feel like I'm learning something new every day!

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 9, 2012 at 5:42 PM

      Hi, Jess, and welcome to my blog! That is what I was trying to do when I selected my theme...hope that people would learn some new, cool words and maybe discover a cool children's book or two...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  15. Robyn HargisApril 11, 2012 at 7:14 PM

    Love the word Donna, Batman would be proud I know Robin is!! LOL

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 11, 2012 at 7:58 PM

      Lol...I'm glad you are getting the chance to read some of my other posts, Robyn. I have been blogging since 12/6/2011 and after this A to Z challenge is over at the end of the month, I will go back to writing my (hopefully) inspirational posts for writers and readers everywhere...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete

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