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Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines that Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever [Paperback]

Jay Heinrichs
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)

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Book Description

October 4, 2011
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.

Frequently Bought Together

Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines that Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever + Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion
Price for both: $22.86

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you dare to be clever with words, Word Hero will help you to make good on that dare."
--Richard Lederer, nationally bestselling author of ANGUISHED ENGLISH and GET THEE TO A PUNNERY
 
 “WORD HERO takes the mystery out of clever wordplay and hands readers the tools to craft unforgettable expressions of their own. Way to spill the beans, Heinrichs. With this little book, everyone and their mother will know the secrets to being witty, pithy, and memorable. From my spot in the unemployment line, I stab at thee."
--June Casagrande, author of IT WAS THE BEST OF SENTENCES, IT WAS THE WORST OF SENTENCES
 
“Whether your goal is to pen unforgettable ad copy, add zest to your fiction, or just release a cascade of laughter, WORD HERO will get you there. Prepare to learn a lot -- and be simultaneously amused.”
--Jan Venolia, author of REWRITE RIGHT!, WRITE RIGHT! and THE RIGHT WORD
 
“If you love words, WORD HERO will magnify your wit, wisdom, and creative expression.” 
--Dave Trottier, author of THE SCREENWRITER’S BIBLE

"This will be of interest to readers on debate teams or in creative-writing classes, as well as to anyone needing a few pointers to make their speech stand out. For anyone fascinated by fun, fantastic, and frivolous words, or for those who want to give speeches where the susurration of their words causes listeners’ hearts to thud, this is the book." --School Library Journal

About the Author

JAY HEINRICHS has spent more than 25 years in publishing as a magazine writer, editor, and executive.  His previous book on language, Thank You for Arguing, has sold more than 100,000 copies.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Original edition (October 4, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307716368
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307716361
  • Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I spent 26 years as a writer, editor and publishing executive before heading to the North Woods and devoting most of my time to rhetoric. I give frequent workshops to corporations, colleges, schools, and organizations. (See my website, Figarospeech.com, for details.) My stints include deputy editor of Outside Magazine, editorial director of a magazine group at Rodale, Inc., chair of the Ivy League Magazine Network, founding editor of Attache Magazine, and creative VP for a spectacularly unsuccessful dotcom.

Customer Reviews

Just a clever little book, one of those books you read and then it changes how you think. Steve Burns  |  14 reviewers made a similar statement
Word Hero is a welcome follow-on to Jay's Thank You for Arguing. R. D. Rachlin  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Become a WORD HERO September 16, 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.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
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.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars How to Keep a Sharp Tongue in a Semi-Civil Mind October 29, 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.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice! A Handy, Relevant, Reference Tool! September 23, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is a Truly great book for anyone wishing to expand their verbal or written terms of expression or descriptive material.

It took me two tries, however, to realize I was not going to be able to "read" this book. Instead, it is a great book to keep at hand for seeking other ways of expressing or speaking one's thoughts, etc.

Appended and Indexed, it becomes an immediately valuable tool for finding new ways to craft lines that will be remembered and will revitalize your limited every day expressive abilities. Most of us have a limited number of expressions or statements that serve our everyday way of expressing ourselves. This great book gives you hints of using or creating new ways to do so, expanding greatly one's ability to draw specific attention to, or to hone in with laser-like ability to describe or refer to someone or something that people will long remember.

If you are a public speaker, even occasionally, this book will surely be one of your favorite "helpers" to up the quality of your addresses and to create lasting memory of key items, people, etc., within those addresses. The same applies if you are a writer...your ability to create memorable lines and descriptive ideas regarding various subjects and people will bring a whole new breadth and depth to your writing. People will remember what you said or wrote much longer than they will with your everyday limited expressive descriptions you currently work with.

Currently studying for memoir writing, this great reference for creating memorable, relevant lines, serious or comic, or what have you, will be kept right on my desk with my dictionary, thesaurus, and Bartlett's Quotations!

This is easily one of the most useful and valuable books that I've added to my library this year.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Observations
I absolutely loved reading the observations of Jay Heinrichs. Especially the ones about Hemingway's writings, such as the love scenes from the book "For Whom the Bell Tolls".
Published 1 month ago by Erol Esen
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to do!
This is a fun book about to use language and modify how you use language to get better responses. However, even with the exercises--this stuff is hard to do! Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Churchill
4.0 out of 5 stars Some good ideas with some witty examples
For those who blog, tweet, and constantly update their Facebook status, Word Hero is a book which will assist them in writing witty pithy statements. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Melissa
1.0 out of 5 stars One word: unreadable
You should probably dismiss this review: I couldn't read the book. I struggled with the unbelievable arrogant writing style that comes over like too much of a sales pitch. Read more
Published 4 months ago by a scientist
2.0 out of 5 stars A How-To Book On Grandiloquence
It is hard not being too critical of this book. Some of it is truly useful material, especially for the hobby blogger I think. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. Wortham
5.0 out of 5 stars Super Helpful
Lots of books and people claim to help you write or speak better, but Jay Heinrichs actually does both. His book, Word Hero, almost lives up to his title. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Thom Mitchell
4.0 out of 5 stars Not perfect, but reasonably interesting.
So, thsi seems like something of a catalogue on the topic of rhetoric. That is something of an instruction manual on how to use language to make a point in a pithy, effective way. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Michael Gmirkin
5.0 out of 5 stars Good but not G rated content.
I bought this book to help with communications projects that my daughters are working on for 4-H. It has some very good word play exercises and a lot of insight into advertising... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Hervian Rose
4.0 out of 5 stars How to get your words worth--a layman's guide to rhetoric in writing
Word Hero, by Jay Heinrichs, is a book that teaches you how to make your words pop. Whereas most books on writing concentrate on grammar, structure, and content of your prose,... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Jojoleb
2.0 out of 5 stars This rhetorical renaming game cloys more than it toys
The best wordplay of Jay Heinrichs book Word Hero is the title. Everything else is basically a course in English rhetoric with many of the terms renamed as silly things such as... Read more
Published 18 months ago by S. L. Smith
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