| |||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines That Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Yes, it’s true: you can learn how to be a verbal wizard!
Ever hear someone utter an unforgettable phrase and feel yourself reacting with with…well, awe? Ever read a great quote and think I could never come up with anything that clever?
Daunting as it may seem, there’s nothing mystical about witcraft. Crafting memorable lines doesn’t require DNA-encoded brilliance. What it does require is some knowledge of the tricks and techniques that make words stick.
In Word Hero, Jay Heinrichs rescues the how-to of verbal artistry from cobwebbed textbooks and makes it entirely fresh – even a little mischievous. Fear not: on offer here are not dry, abstract ideas couched in academic jargon. Rather, Heinrichs takes you on an amusing – and amazingly helpful – tour of the mechanisms that make powerful language work. You’ll learn how to slyly plant your words in people’s heads and draw indelible verbal pictures by employing such tools as “crashing symbols,” “rapid repeaters,” “Russian Dolls” and even the powers of Mr. Potato Head.
With those tools and others tucked in your utility belt, you might not immediately achieve “wordsmith immortality” but you will become a better speaker, writer, and raconteur…and long after people have forgotten everything else, they’ll remember your priceless lines.
Ever hear someone utter an unforgettable phrase and feel yourself reacting with with…well, awe? Ever read a great quote and think I could never come up with anything that clever?
Daunting as it may seem, there’s nothing mystical about witcraft. Crafting memorable lines doesn’t require DNA-encoded brilliance. What it does require is some knowledge of the tricks and techniques that make words stick.
In Word Hero, Jay Heinrichs rescues the how-to of verbal artistry from cobwebbed textbooks and makes it entirely fresh – even a little mischievous. Fear not: on offer here are not dry, abstract ideas couched in academic jargon. Rather, Heinrichs takes you on an amusing – and amazingly helpful – tour of the mechanisms that make powerful language work. You’ll learn how to slyly plant your words in people’s heads and draw indelible verbal pictures by employing such tools as “crashing symbols,” “rapid repeaters,” “Russian Dolls” and even the powers of Mr. Potato Head.
With those tools and others tucked in your utility belt, you might not immediately achieve “wordsmith immortality” but you will become a better speaker, writer, and raconteur…and long after people have forgotten everything else, they’ll remember your priceless lines.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm sorry I'm in absolutely tears of mirth and hiliarity, the disparity of my waking has my belly a-quaking as my other half didn't laugh as he was trying to sleep!
As you can see, I've read only some of this book, but I had to get up as I was silently trying my best not to crack up at 5am in the morning and wake my partner up. Jay, you total utter git! It's a brilliant book, I just wish I didn't keep trying to read it in bed!
You finished me off with "connectile dysfunction" and capped it, merely by mentioning how now, you can't look at sweets the same way after the lady who complained about how snacks are monikered.
Forgive the clumsy verbiage, the time of day is not conducive to the best of wit even though right now I should quit, but I can't acquit you of the guilt of making me get out of bed early today!
Ok, ok, I'll stop; I need to try this again, maybe retrain, to have a bit-a touch of wit to redo this review again!
Buy it, read it, love it-as his second book, it's yet another keeper, the first being Thank you for Arguing-the bloke's no joke, his words are coke and each time I rhyme, I commit a crime!
No really, I do quit now.
This book, unlike my writing just now, is excellent, funny and basically got me out of bed for fear of waking my partner up with the laughter. You nutter Jay; do it again would you?
If you want to add fluidity and memorability to your wordage, vividness to your verbiage, spark to your speech and tickles to your tongue, look no further.
As you can see, I've read only some of this book, but I had to get up as I was silently trying my best not to crack up at 5am in the morning and wake my partner up. Jay, you total utter git! It's a brilliant book, I just wish I didn't keep trying to read it in bed!
You finished me off with "connectile dysfunction" and capped it, merely by mentioning how now, you can't look at sweets the same way after the lady who complained about how snacks are monikered.
Forgive the clumsy verbiage, the time of day is not conducive to the best of wit even though right now I should quit, but I can't acquit you of the guilt of making me get out of bed early today!
Ok, ok, I'll stop; I need to try this again, maybe retrain, to have a bit-a touch of wit to redo this review again!
Buy it, read it, love it-as his second book, it's yet another keeper, the first being Thank you for Arguing-the bloke's no joke, his words are coke and each time I rhyme, I commit a crime!
No really, I do quit now.
This book, unlike my writing just now, is excellent, funny and basically got me out of bed for fear of waking my partner up with the laughter. You nutter Jay; do it again would you?
If you want to add fluidity and memorability to your wordage, vividness to your verbiage, spark to your speech and tickles to your tongue, look no further.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
37 reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Become a WORD HERO
17 Sep 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I originally had intended to keep this book on the down low, as my secret weapon. And after I and my words had become famous, gone viral or I was rolling in the deep, I would give a nod to Jay Heinrichs and his book WORD HERO and thank him for producing such a brilliant book that equipped me with an enormous advantage every time I sat down to write. Once I began reading it and studying the process, I knew I couldn't keep it all to myself.
Jay breaks his guide into 5 parts: Word Apprentice, Word Novice, Word Artist, Word Wizard and Word Hero. Part one begins with relatively easy exercises, explanations and examples. Sound layers, word play and the invention of words. Inside you will find tons of tropes (and an explanation) stupendous similes and harmonic homonyms. From analogies to Yogisms, this book is a treasure trove of higher wisdom and esily learned tricks for those who love words.
The lessons were thought provoking and refreshing. If you haven't been trained to think in this way, you might fine his exercises at the last part of each chapter fun, delivering unexpected results. With our writer's retreat coming up. these chapters would be great writing prompts to jump start writing processes, or inspire on breaks.
I will be recommending WORD HERO to all my writing friends.
Jay breaks his guide into 5 parts: Word Apprentice, Word Novice, Word Artist, Word Wizard and Word Hero. Part one begins with relatively easy exercises, explanations and examples. Sound layers, word play and the invention of words. Inside you will find tons of tropes (and an explanation) stupendous similes and harmonic homonyms. From analogies to Yogisms, this book is a treasure trove of higher wisdom and esily learned tricks for those who love words.
The lessons were thought provoking and refreshing. If you haven't been trained to think in this way, you might fine his exercises at the last part of each chapter fun, delivering unexpected results. With our writer's retreat coming up. these chapters would be great writing prompts to jump start writing processes, or inspire on breaks.
I will be recommending WORD HERO to all my writing friends.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
How to Keep a Sharp Tongue in a Semi-Civil Mind
30 Oct 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I've delayed writing this review, not because I dislike the book, but because it's rather like trying to compose a love letter to an English teacher: there's a hidden agenda of trying to appear much more erudite than one actually might be (a simile, I believe). There have been few books in my life since college graduation which have motivated me to take notes; this is one of the very few exceptions. If you've ever wondered how to make your presence more memorable, this little book is a place to start. Heinrichs dissects well-turned phrases and then gives you a chance to turn a few of your own.
There is a richness in our English language that really deserves more study and thoughtful use. Heinrichs points out the tradition of oratorical expression (think way back to the Greeks with 'oxymoronic' and the Roman Cicero's 'delightful rhetoric') and the broad modern interpretations of rap, politics and Madison Avenue. He gives you a chance to re-admire Spiro Agnew (or at least his speech writers), Dickens, and the wickedly cross-referenced minds of the screenwriters of Glee.
This book would serve purposes as diverse as providing a hook for catching students in high school and college English classes, a source of inspiration for public speakers, and an escape from the tedium of the upcoming political season. It's much less stressful having to be a captive audience for a certain TV evangelist once you've identified him as a 'sanctimonious, snake-oil-less snake oil salesman' (have a little sibilance and onomatopoeia along with your alliteration). And just pause for a moment to admire the fodder for fun provided with every edition of the evening news.... I highly recommend Word Hero for both entertainment and enlightenment.
There is a richness in our English language that really deserves more study and thoughtful use. Heinrichs points out the tradition of oratorical expression (think way back to the Greeks with 'oxymoronic' and the Roman Cicero's 'delightful rhetoric') and the broad modern interpretations of rap, politics and Madison Avenue. He gives you a chance to re-admire Spiro Agnew (or at least his speech writers), Dickens, and the wickedly cross-referenced minds of the screenwriters of Glee.
This book would serve purposes as diverse as providing a hook for catching students in high school and college English classes, a source of inspiration for public speakers, and an escape from the tedium of the upcoming political season. It's much less stressful having to be a captive audience for a certain TV evangelist once you've identified him as a 'sanctimonious, snake-oil-less snake oil salesman' (have a little sibilance and onomatopoeia along with your alliteration). And just pause for a moment to admire the fodder for fun provided with every edition of the evening news.... I highly recommend Word Hero for both entertainment and enlightenment.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Breaks Down Elements of Witty Writing & Teaches You How to Write Like That
8 Dec 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I found this book interesting and engaging and anything but boring. Heinricks teaches techniques of witty writing which can be used in writing or blogging or in speech writing or as tidbits to add into any type of public speaking you may do. Also anyone who just likes to insert wit into conversations may enjoy this also.
The lead-up to each element is engaging, always witty (of course) and fast-paced. Giving examples from history, current events and even quotes from the current popular TV show, Glee, we read many examples of the type of witty writing that is being discussed in that section. Then the reader is given writing exercises to practice in order for us to flex their own writing muscles.
There really is no way to improve one's writing without writing, so I appreciated that the author not only teaches us this type of writing by providing us with text to read, but he also directs us with writing exercises to do on our own. I feel that by just reading this book a reader would not transform into suddenly being witty: you really have to do the work and practice.
Although I'm a clear writer and can write both technical process and persuasive writing, I definitely am not a witty writer. Witty thinking does not come naturally to me. My mind doesn't think like that so I appreciated wit being broken down and dissected by Heinricks. I kept thinking, "Oh! I see how they did that! I can do that if I just tried!"
I appreciate that so much information is packed into this one inexpensive book. If anyone were to do all this writing it would probably equal a full college course's worth of writing.
Anyone who thinks writing and the writing process is boring should give this type of writing a try. Actually everyone's writing may be improved by working through this book. I recommend this book for interested writers aged 12 and up. (Teaching middle and high school students to write this way may actually get some of them more interested in writing.)
The lead-up to each element is engaging, always witty (of course) and fast-paced. Giving examples from history, current events and even quotes from the current popular TV show, Glee, we read many examples of the type of witty writing that is being discussed in that section. Then the reader is given writing exercises to practice in order for us to flex their own writing muscles.
There really is no way to improve one's writing without writing, so I appreciated that the author not only teaches us this type of writing by providing us with text to read, but he also directs us with writing exercises to do on our own. I feel that by just reading this book a reader would not transform into suddenly being witty: you really have to do the work and practice.
Although I'm a clear writer and can write both technical process and persuasive writing, I definitely am not a witty writer. Witty thinking does not come naturally to me. My mind doesn't think like that so I appreciated wit being broken down and dissected by Heinricks. I kept thinking, "Oh! I see how they did that! I can do that if I just tried!"
I appreciate that so much information is packed into this one inexpensive book. If anyone were to do all this writing it would probably equal a full college course's worth of writing.
Anyone who thinks writing and the writing process is boring should give this type of writing a try. Actually everyone's writing may be improved by working through this book. I recommend this book for interested writers aged 12 and up. (Teaching middle and high school students to write this way may actually get some of them more interested in writing.)
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
