Click, Clack, Moo: Sound Words That Chype

On July 25, 2011 by Lindsey Loucks With 7 Comments - Characters, Sound Words, Tension

Chype, you ask? I’ll explain. The BF made up that word. It’s the sound of typing and chatting at the same time. I chype quite often while I’m typing a story/email/a bunch of random letters for no reason and tell him all about something that seems important but probably isn’t at the same time. I’m chyping. I’m an extreme multi-tasker.

So anyway, you know that children’s book called Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin? It’s an adorable book with a lot of sound words in it. I love sound words. I use them often in my writing. They’re good for characterization, like if someone has a pink tafetta dress on, and they swish every time they move. All the swishing drives the main character crazy, then before you know it, pink tafetta dress girl is dead. No more swishing. This does not happen in Click, Clack, Moo, by the way.

Sound words can also add tension. If the main character hears a strange sound, like a rustling in the dark garage for example, all sorts of creepy things will run through the reader’s head of what it could be. I love that!

Yep, I like sound words. Tap, whisper, clank, jangle. Moan, hiss, rustle, sigh. Even swish. What are some of your favorite sound words?

7 Comments

  1. Mysti July 25, 2011

    I rather liked your squelchy noodle sounds in TGW 🙂

    What about squawk, skitter, flap, whistle, and wheeze. Those are fun.

  2. tfwalsh July 25, 2011

    That is so cute and funny:)

  3. Stefanie J Pristavu July 26, 2011

    I like clatter best 🙂 and rattle and rustle :p

  4. J Andrew Jansen July 26, 2011

    A disturbing image forced it’s way into my head while reading that…

    Leigh wearing her Grrrl shirt and pink tafetta… And she can’t wake up. LOL!

    Try it on her and let me know what she thinks. heh.

    Growling and hissing are fun as dialog tags. Mumble too.

    Actually, that might be a good writing exercise. Come up with sound words that fit into a scene. Over do it to ridiculous levels, then go through and remove the weakest 50% of them. You’d still be left with a much livelier scene.

    FUN!

    –j–

  5. Lindsey July 26, 2011

    Mysti – Yes, the squelchy noodle sound! I’d forgotten about that one. You came up with some great sound words! I especially like flap.

    Tania – Blame it on my brain. It goes, I follow. 🙂

    Stef- I like clatter, too! That’s a good one.

    Joe – Leigh says to tell you she hates the idea and to never think that again. 🙂 You came up with a great exercise!

  6. Regina Richards July 27, 2011

    Love this post! The sounds you tickled my brain with made me want to write more sound words into my own work. Thanks for being both entertaining and helpful. Can’t beat that!

    Some personal favorites: gurgle, rumble, snicker.

  7. Lindsey July 28, 2011

    Thanks for stopping by, Regina! 🙂

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