Friday, June 17, 2011

Writing About Cowboys

I must admit I've never written about cowboys but all girls love cowboys, don't they? The rugged, handsome features. The strong, beautiful horse. The sexy boots. The big hat. The gorgeous scenery. The sprawling ranch. Those tight jeans.

Okay. Enough about that. You get the picture. I've thought of another book idea and it involves cowboys (non-fiction). I need your help. What comes to mind when you think of cowboys/cowgirls? Cowboy hats? Horses? Oval belt buckles? Buffalo? Country music?

Please chime in and give me a good cowboy vocabulary from which to work. I'll wordsmith the cowboy slang and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

5 comments:

  1. Saloons. Hat tipping. Whiskey. Rough, calloused hands. MASCULINE!

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  2. Definitely, masculine. Love those weathered, tough guys. Hadn't thought of hat tipping but I did think of cow tipping. Guess that's more of a kid's game. And, yes, on the rough, hard-working hands.

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  3. hard working, camfire, open-range, cattle drive, Rio Grande

    Might check out cowboy poets such as Red Steagal or Michael Martin Murphey

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  4. You might want to check out Dusty Richards' book Writing the West, published by High Hill Press. A few other western fiction writers who come to mind and might give you a flavor for the west are Jory Sherman, Bobby Smith, and Jody Thomas.
    Good Luck.
    P.S. I mentioned your blog on my blog today. Thanks for being a follower of Donna's Book Pub.
    Donna V.
    http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com

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  5. Kelly and Donna, thanks for the tips and the suggested western writers. I know Dusty Richards is a wealth of information, as is Jory Sherman. I'll also check out the poets.

    And, Donna, thanks much for mentioning my blog. Now that we're back from traveling, I plan to post weekly again.

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