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Old 10-10-2011, 03:15 PM   #1
CaseyAve
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I need an Author Tip!! How do you spell a scream?

Let me start by saying that I have done my homework. I've re-read my favorite books and even googled it, but I must be missing some clear and concise way to spell a scream. Yes that's right- a scream!

My daughter's books are pretty consistantly "AARRGH!" But I've seen them several different ways, such as "AAAAH" and "AAAWW" and just the plain old no double letter "ARGH."

Is it just up to me and the sound that I am trying to mimic? Or is it some unwritten rule that I am unaware of. I'm trying to clean up the grammar and spelling in my book and wonder if I'm breaking some rule.

How do you spell a scream? Thanks guys!
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Old 10-10-2011, 03:21 PM   #2
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I am partial to AAaiiee for a scream that rises in pitch.
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Old 10-10-2011, 07:35 PM   #3
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I think it's entirely up to you how you spell it.
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Old 10-10-2011, 07:36 PM   #4
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:53 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaseyAve View Post
My daughter's books are pretty consistantly "AARRGH!" But I've seen them several different ways, such as "AAAAH" and "AAAWW" and just the plain old no double letter "ARGH."

I could be WAY off, but I think "Argh" and the various spellings there off are more yells of frustration, while "aaaah" /"aaaww"/etc are more screams of fear.
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Old 10-11-2011, 12:41 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by VydorScope View Post
I could be WAY off, but I think "Argh" and the various spellings there off are more yells of frustration, while "aaaah" /"aaaww"/etc are more screams of fear.
And Aieeeee! as noted by Phogg is a high pitched shriek.
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Old 10-11-2011, 12:55 AM   #7
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You could justify buying a big stack of Tales From The Crypt and Creepshow comics as "research."
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Old 10-11-2011, 01:02 AM   #8
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Hi there.

If what you're writing is a comic book (or maybe I should say "graphic novel") then some variation on "Aiieee!" will probably do. But if you're writing a story or a novel, you'd probably be better off not trying to spell out a scream but using narrative instead to say the character screamed. Could be my imagination's just limited these days, but I can't think of a way to spell it out that doesn't have that comic balloon feel and that's probably not what you want for prose fiction.

My two cents, for what it's worth.
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Old 10-11-2011, 09:17 AM   #9
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I think it's really better to describe it than to spell it, but it's up to you. As for my two cents..

"Argh" is more frustration than a scream.

"Aaie" is someone with a squeaky voice. Mostly a child or a woman.

"Aww" would be either used for pity "Aww, there there", or a reaction to something cute. "Aww, look at those two"

"Aaah" would be a scream of surprise or fear
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Old 10-11-2011, 12:05 PM   #10
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Depends what the scream sounds like, but "aaaah!" is probably the most common and should be understood by anyone. Add extra "aaa" for how long it lasts.
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Old 10-12-2011, 11:25 AM   #11
Steven Lyle Jordan
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If I was writing a comic book, I'd be concerned about how to spell a scream. For a novel, I'd just write "He/she screamed," maybe add a bit of detail about what kind of scream (pained, frightened, panicked, etc) and don't worry about the spelling.
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Old 10-12-2011, 12:26 PM   #12
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Spoil sport. Didn't Charlie Brown scream "Waugh?"
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Old 10-12-2011, 01:33 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan View Post
If I was writing a comic book, I'd be concerned about how to spell a scream. For a novel, I'd just write "He/she screamed," maybe add a bit of detail about what kind of scream (pained, frightened, panicked, etc) and don't worry about the spelling.
There are some authors who have used the sound of a scream (or a shriek, as is the case with my example) to great effect. L.E. Modesitt Jr. is one of them.
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Old 10-12-2011, 03:22 PM   #14
Steven Lyle Jordan
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There are some authors who have used the sound of a scream (or a shriek, as is the case with my example) to great effect. L.E. Modesitt Jr. is one of them.
Meh. Well, not really, but to me (and others), onomatopoeia often comes across as stilted and artificial in novels. Gimmicky. Describing a sound (and allowing the reader to mentally fill in the blank) is much more satisfying to me than reading, "Eeeyyaaauuugghhhhh!" "Crash!" "Be-bump-bump-bump... blop!"

That's me.

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Spoil sport. Didn't Charlie Brown scream "Waugh?"
Like I said, that's a comic. In comics, it's okay, because everything is distorted for sequential art.

Last edited by Steven Lyle Jordan; 10-12-2011 at 03:24 PM.
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Old 10-13-2011, 10:23 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan View Post
Meh. Well, not really, but to me (and others), onomatopoeia often comes across as stilted and artificial in novels. Gimmicky. Describing a sound (and allowing the reader to mentally fill in the blank) is much more satisfying to me than reading, "Eeeyyaaauuugghhhhh!" "Crash!" "Be-bump-bump-bump... blop!"

That's me.
I don't necessarily disagree--you're certainly right about the fact that it's about how you do it.

Execution counts.
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