From creating Names to Conlangs: The Art of Using Made-Up Words in Fiction

Virtual at our Substack!

Date & Time: December 12th 12pm-2pm

Age Group: All Ages
Skill Level: All Levels

FREE for our Substack members. Join today!

Description:

What do Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Dr. Seuss have in common? They all made up their own words when the ones that already exist just wouldn't do the trick. Invented words can be powerful tools for building worlds and conveying new ideas, but they can also overwhelm and confuse readers if they're not used thoughtfully. In this workshop, you'll get advice on how to create words to best describe the places, characters, objects, and actions in your fiction, learn the steps to develop a constructed language (conlang) if your story's world calls for it, and get tips on how to use invented words so that their meaning comes across to readers.

By the end of this workshop, participants will… have learned techniques that help create words and language that best describe the places, characters, objects and actions in your fiction.

NOTE: This workshop will be live at our Substack account. You can set up your account at: www.substack.com for free. When you're finished signing up, find us at: Write Pittsburgh | Substack at the time of the workshop.

About the Facilitator:
Jess Simms is a freelance writer from Pittsburgh, PA, where they're a co-founder of Scribble House and the managing editor of After Happy Hour Review. They are the author of the flash fiction chapbook Cryptid Bits (Last-Picked Books, 2024) and have published stories and essays in Mythaxis, Orca, SLAB, Atlas Obscura, Rinky Dink Press, and elsewhere. Find them online at

https://jesssimms.com

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