Patsy Collins - Words about writing and writing about words

Artificial is something made by people, rather than occurring naturally, especially that which is a copy of something natural (eg artificia...

Subreption is the method of obtaining something by surprise or misrepresentation. I've had quite a few twist ending stories publish...

An excursus is a detailed discussion of a particular point in a book, often placed in an appendix, or a digression in the narrative. It com...

Medicine can mean the science or practise of diagnosing and treating or preventing disease. It's also any drug or preparation used to...

Ongoing means in progress, under way, continuing, being worked on. I have a novel that's been ongoing for years and now looks as thoug...

Napper is an 18th century slang word for the head. Did you know that, or did you, like me, think it was a word for people who take naps? D...

Elbows are of course the joint halfway down our arms which allow them to bend. They're very useful to writers! A piece of piping sh...

Verdigris (pronounced verdegree) is best known as the effect on metals such as brass and copper when they're exposed to weather or se...

Fictive means creating or created by imagination. It can also mean not genuine. Are works of fiction, such as my lovely romance Leave Not...