It’s time for another installment of my series on avoiding words and phrases that derive from a technology that’s not present in the story you’re writing.

Have you ever been captivated by a story set in a Medieval world when suddenly someone lets fly with a scene-stopping anachronism like, “Let’s go to the tavern and blow off some steam”?  You don’t have to be Sheldon Cooper to recognize “blowing off steam” as a railroad term that is way out of place.  A writer who goes off the rails like that, sabotaging his story and letting his readers get sidetracked by his literary tunnel vision, will never make the grade.

Well, actually, maybe he will… but wouldn’t you like to avoid faux pas like that in your storytelling adventures? Let’s say you’re writing a tale in a world that never knew a tamed bird of prey. Let me show you some words and phrases that you may not realize owe their origin to the kingly sport of falconry. Continue reading →