Really dumb question.

How do you say Ahh! Like Ahh, you are in trouble now! But not mis-spell the word Ahh, or put it into the wrong text.

 

Technically, I would say that you can't really spell it wrong, because it's not a word exactly. It's a sound. Spelling it exactly how you think will show the right sound. Using more than one A might looks weird to some, but two "H"s seems fine if you are drawing out the sound.

 

You could just say "(character) screamed," or something, instead.

Or, like Rei said, use just one "h," like "Ah, you're in trouble now!"

 

Like Rei did it unless it's more of a scream.. only lengthen it past one h if it's a scream imo

 

I vote "arrgghhh".

"Ah" is used like "Oh"..."Ah, a water pistol, does it still count as attempted murder?"

 

Lol thats a really funny example Othman. I think it depends on who says it to be honest - in my head there is the pirate version, more like 'Arrrgh!', the relaxed version 'Aaah!', the surprised version 'Ah!' but none really for '...you are in trouble now.' Its surprisingly tricky for such a short word
x

 

I'd read it differently depending on the context. If it was a standalone "Ah." then I'd imagine a short sound, whereas "Ah, you're right." a longer sound. "Ahh." sounds to me like a relaxed sigh, whereas "Ahh!" would be more sudden and startled. "Ah!" is a realisation, but considered and about medium length sound. "Argh!" is definitely a wounded noise, "Argh." or "Argh," is capped and frustrated, "Aah!" is a scared and long scream. Whereas for a cut off scream, you'd drop the H altogether.

Are you getting all this?

 

OneMoreNameless - you wrote that so much better than I did. Same points, better explanation haha.

x

 

do it however you want!... if your agent or publisher doesn't like it, you can change it later...

 

Thank you for the advice, I don't have an agent or publisher yet. That is one of my many dreams, so I want to make sure that I do this right. I have always dreamed that one day I will get the chance. I just am scared and feel really dumb, that I have no idea what I am doing. I know that every idea out there has been used and that it is you that has to put a different spin on it to make it good.

 

a single word like this is not going to keep an agent or publisher from taking on your ms... concentrate on the overall writing quality and storyline, and don't worry about just this one oddball word... and if you can't find a way to write it that feels right to you, then dump it and write the dialog another way, that won't be so problematic...