The Word Box: Randomness vs. Chaos for writers

As defined by the Free Online Dictionary:

Randomness:
1. Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective2. Mathematics & Statistics Of or relating to a type of circumstance or event that is described by a probability distribution.3. Of or relating to an event in which all outcomes are equally likely, as in the testing of a blood sample for the presence of a substance.
Chaos: 
1. A condition or place of great disorder or confusion.2. A disorderly mass; a jumble.3. The disordered state of unformed matter and infinite space supposed in some cosmogonic views to have existed before the ordered universe.4. Mathematics A dynamical system that has a sensitive dependence on its initial conditions.

Today, I'm looking at randomness vs. chaos in the scientific and mathematical sense. Is there a difference between something being chaotic, and something being random? Yes.

Randomness, as summarized in the mathematical lingo, is closest to definition #2 above. It has to deal with the probability distribution*. The point is that truly random things are out of our hands; systems including randomness cannot be predicted because they cannot be controlled.

*To get an idea of what probability distribution is, it's the odds of something happening. Your chances of rolling any given number are theoretically 1 out of 6 on a 6-sided die. However, rolling two dice means you can roll any number 2-12. It's more likely that you'll roll a seven than a twelve because there are more ways to roll a 7 (5+2, 4+3, 1+6) than ways to roll a 12 (6+6). So if you roll one die, your probability distribution says that every possible outcome has an equal chance of occurring (i.e., you're equally likely to roll any number 1-6); if you roll two dice, you're more likely to roll certain numbers than others, according to your probability distribution.

Chaos, on the other hand, is all about not having randomness. The idea is that every teeny-tiny differences in beginning circumstances make huge differences later on, and that the equation is affected by many, many things. It's considered unpredictable because the equation is so complicated that people cannot hope to measure everything that goes into it.

Weather is considered to be chaotic. There are so many variables that it's impossible to predict exactly what will happen. Yet this doesn't change the fact that weather follows patterns and is certainly affected by circumstances.

It's not random (you know in August at the equator you won't have snow), but the difference between a hurricane hitting the coast or missing it may be something tiny (like the heat rising off a concrete parking lot making an updraft that slightly shifts the course of a breeze that warms a current of air that rises up and leaves room for colder air below it...). Systems including chaos cannot be predicted because they are too complicated to measure every bit that goes into them.

What does this mean as writers, in terms of which to use? 

It means that random should be used when nothing influences how something turns out. Obviously what you put in will determine what comes out (you won't roll a 14 on a 6-sided die), but which of the possible outcomes occurs is not definitively controlled. Examples of random things: rolling a die, drawing names from a hat, winning the lottery, possibly meeting a soul mate (depending on world), which genes you'll get from each parent

It means that chaotic should be used when the results are too complex to be predicted. Examples of chaotic events: horse racing, weather systems, the results of a medicine on a new patient, the effects of a childhood trauma on an adult

Taking into account standard usage, you can get away with using random in most scenarios. It's almost impossible to create a truly random system (I could make arguments about rolling dice being chaotic, and I'm sure someone is already debating the randomness of genetics), but as far as most people are concerned, "close enough" means "I can't predict how this will turn out, so it counts."

However, if you're dealing with a mathematical or scientific issue, your character is more likely to use chaotic if they're a scientist. They probably won't notice (or won't mention) if someone else uses random instead, unless it's a particularly clear-cut case and they're feeling picky.

What does this mean as writers, in terms of plot?


Personally, I want major points of randomness to be foreshadowed beforehand, so they don't seem to be coming out of left field. Minor points can make good plot twists, or be part of the world - but beware of misusing them. "And then she rolled a 7 and won the hero's freedom" will probably leave the reader feeling cheated.

Chaotic elements are when things escalate out of a character's control. Now those are fun. Even better if the character sees it getting out of hand and tries to do something to stop it. Then it becomes a chase of trying to change the outcome by adding in favorable variables to the problem, and those don't always turn out as they should.

I recommend using random elements only to create problems, and never to solve them. As I heard Cherry Adair once put it, your reader will never believe it if random chance helps your character, but will always believe it if chance makes things harder.


Do you have any random elements in your stories? If so, what are they? If not, is there anything that appears random, but isn't?

The Word Box: Sapience vs. Sentience

This morning, let's take a quick look at a frequently misused, or at least misunderstood, set of terms.

Common mistake: Sapience versus Sentience

"Sentience," the noun form of "sentient," frequently heard in science fiction and fantasy, means the ability to perceive individual experiences. According to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, the exact definition is:

sentient: 1: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions 2: AWARE 3: finely sensitive in perception or feeling

"Sapience," noun of sapient, is the ability to think, and to reason.

sapience: WISDOM, SAGACITY

It may not seem like much a difference, but the ability to reason is tied more closely to sapience than to sentience. Most animals are sentient, (yes, you can correctly say your dog is sentient!) but only humans are sapient.

For further reading on the difference, check out these articles:
Wikipedia Sapience
Wikipedia Sentience
AskDefine Sentience (of particular interest is the user-contributed dictionary)
AskDefine Sapience

Sentience is commonly used in science fiction and fantasy as synonymous with sapience, although the words aren't synonyms. Does applying the proper definitions change your interpretation of the stories? If all the characters in Star Trek (or your favorite Sci-Fi show) know that sentience is the ability to perceive but not to reason, does their use of the word mean they're all mostly vegan?

Publishing for a Living, Part 1: Terms

In December 2010, I decided to follow my dream of being a writer. I knew nothing about how to publish, or about the industry itself. All I had was the ability to write, a dream, and the feeling that I wasn’t happy with where my life currently was.

One year later, I now know how common publishing terms are defined, the general process for traditional publishing, and what expectations are reasonable. So, for anyone else who is trying to become an author, I decided to share. Consider this a short guide for beginners: If you've no idea what the traditional publishing process looks like, welcome to Publishing for a Living 101.

Part 1: Terms

If you're new to the field, here are some common terms that you've probably heard, and might just be wondering about. Some of these seem quite intuitive, but you might be surprised:

Traditional Publishing, Self Publishing, Vanity Publishing, ePublishing, small publishers/regional publishers, the Big Six, Imprints, Advance, Royalties, Author, Writer, Editing, Editor, Word Count, Page Count, Agent, Query, Partial Request, Full Request, Synopsis

Traditional publishing means getting published through a royalty-paying publishing house. The publisher provides services such as thorough editing, the book cover, some marketing, and a larger distribution than either self- or vanity-publishing offer. Traditional publishing has the most prestige of the three types of publishing; because it requires going through the ‘gatekeepers’ of agents (usually) and editors, it is the most difficult to achieve. Because of the services provided, the author receives smaller royalties than in self-publishing, but because of the wider distribution and the opportunity to earn an advance, traditionally published writers on average earn more.

Self-publishing is when an author publishes the book herself; that is, she writes it, edits it herself or buys editing services, purchases the cover herself, and makes it available on a self-publishing site. These include both sites such Smashwords and Print-on-Demand publishers such as Lulu. The writer gets the majority of the earnings, but has to do her own marketing and has to purchase all her own publishing-related services. It is possible that the writer will earn more self-publishing than traditionally publishing because of the higher royalty rate, but it is infrequent that this happens. There are no advances offered, although the stigma once attached to self-publishing is diminishing due to the number of respected self-published authors.

Vanity publishing is when a writer pays a publisher to print her book for her. Again, she does her own writing, marketing, and editing, and often has to provide her own cover work. It is rare for a writer to make a profit off these books. There are no advances offered. Vanity publishing is typically categorized as a type of self-publishing and was once used interchangeably with any type of self-publishing, but ‘vanity publishers’ are specifically publishers who require the author to pay a fee for being printed. The interchangeability of ‘vanity publishing’ and ‘self publishing’ has diminished with the introduction of eReaders and millionaire self-published authors.

ePublishing: ePublishing is the publishing of eBooks or other electronic forms of books. Both self-publishers and traditional publishers take advantage of ePublishing; it should not be used synonymously with self-publishing.

Small publishers/regional publishers: Traditional publishing companies that are not the Big Six and typically print only small runs of books are considered to be small publishers. They may print up to 1-2 thousand copies, but often sell fewer, and they often sell primarily to a niche market. Regional publishers are a type of small publisher. They are likely to print nonfiction, poetry, or fiction dealing exclusively with the region in which they publish. Not all publishers that are not the Big Six count as small publishers.

The Big Six: The biggest publishing houses in America are called the “Big Six.” These include Random House, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Hachette Book Group, and HarperCollins. Most ‘imprints’ (Harlequin, Berkley, Gotham Books, Prentice Hall, Tor/Forge, etc) are owned by these companies.

Imprints: Looking on the spine or in the front cover of a book will reveal a publisher’s name. Usually, this is the ‘imprint’ publisher; that is, the brand name that reveals the genre and certain other features of the book. A book published by Tor/Forge, for example, will probably be science fiction or fantasy; a book published by Harlequin will be a romance. Sometimes there’s overlap between imprints within the same company, and sometimes there’s not.

Advance: An advance is an amount of money paid to an author before a manuscript begins earning royalties. Sometimes this is a lump sum; sometimes it is split into parts. The original idea of the advance was for the author to use the money for marketing. Most advances these days are not enough to live off of for long. The first royalties earned go towards ‘paying off’ the advance; like the name implies, the money is expected to be compensated to the publisher. Until the publisher has received the equivalent of the advance from the author’s royalties, the author gets no additional money for that manuscript. After the advance has been paid off, the author begins receiving royalty checks. Agents may encourage writers to accept a lower advance for a higher royalty percentage, which means the author would get paid less initial starting money but would pay the advance off quicker and possibly earn more money in the long term.

Royalties: For every book sold, the author gets a little bit of money. This money is a royalty. In cases wherein the author was paid an advance, first royalties are not actually received by the author. The money goes instead to pay off the advance.

Author: An author is someone who has published a manuscript. Self-published writers are generally considered authors for most publishing industry purposes, although there are some situations in which they are not, and they frequently have to deal with stereotypes against them. With the rise of the eBook and a number of established professional and even millionaire writers turning to self-publishing, this stigma seems to be diminishing.

Writer: Someone who has written or is writing. All authors are writers, but not all writers are authors.

Editing: Contrary to popular belief, editing does not mean fixing typos and grammar edits (although those fixes are usually included in an edit, writers are on the most part expected to have few to no grammar errors or typos in their manuscripts by the time it's being submitted.) Editing focuses on storyline changes and other holistic changes for the purpose of making the manuscript more interesting, more saleable, and/or easier to follow. It may include rewrites of entire scenes or characters. It may also include the insertion of subplots for the purpose of expanding a word count, or eliminating scenes for reducing a word count. Traditional publishing houses offer some editing as part of their services. Editors may also be hired individually by writers for the purposes of improving a manuscript.

Editor: Not just the person who reviews and suggests changes, an editor may also be the person in a publishing company who decides which manuscripts the company will publish. This latter job is called an ‘acquisitions editor,’ but the full term is rarely used. If a writer is writing to an editor at a publishing house, this is the editor to which they are referring.

Word count: The word count of a manuscript may be determined by either a computer count, or by performing a character count and dividing by 6 (for an average of 5 letters per word, plus one space.) The latter is what most agents desire when they ask for a word count, although some have begun asking for the former. Different genres have different expected word counts; while some manuscripts above or beneath that count are accepted, one that falls outside the range is less likely to be published than if it were within.

Page count: Because of font, margin, and spacing differences, the page count is determined by dividing the word count by 250. This is the ‘average’ number of words per page by standard publishing layout, even if it is not exact. When an agent asks for page count, this is what she is asking for.

Agent: An agent is a person whose job it is to try to sell manuscripts to publishing houses. (They do other stuff for writers, too, but let's keep it simple.) Agents typically have personal connections with many people within traditional publishing houses, and most manuscripts that are traditionally published through large publishing houses are agented. Only about 60% of manuscripts that are agented are published, however, so having an agent does not guarantee publication. It does, however, greatly improve the chances. Self-published authors do not necessarily need agents.

Query: A query is a short letter sent to an agent (or an editor) asking for representation (or publication). It is typically 250 words or fewer, but not always. A query includes enough of a description of the manuscript to catch the agent’s interest and get the agent asking for more. Many agents currently prefer to receive queries over e-mail, but some still prefer snail-mailed queries. Queries should be professional and contain no errors if at all possible.

Partial Request: An agent may ask for the first few chapters of a manuscript to see if they like the writer’s writing style. Any percentage of the manuscript that is not the entire manuscript is considered a partial request. This is often referred to simply as “a partial.”

Full Request: An agent may also ask to see the entire manuscript. This is called a full request (often just “a full”), and agents almost never agree to represent a fiction manuscript without seeing the full manuscript first.

Synopsis: Agents and editors will also sometimes ask for a synopsis. This is a summary of the entire manuscript, frequently written in 1-5 pages (depending on the agent.) It should include the most important plot of the manuscript, but might not include subplots or even all the characters. It should include the final resolution of the story, and it should be written in story form, not in bullet points. It is also considered an example of a writer’s writing, so it should exemplify the same voice as the manuscript and contain no errors. (links for "how to write a synopsis")

Note that, for every "most," "almost," and "usually," there are exceptions. These are general rules, and I'm sure you can find counterexamples for almost every single one of them. The idea, though, is to give you a general definition to go by, so don't think too hard about any of these. You can always do in-depth research later.

Questions? Additional definition requests? There are a lot of terms writers are expected to navigate, so don't be afraid to ask! Also, I suggest checking out Jessica Faust's expanded list of publishing definitions.

The Word Box: Rulers and Relationships

Another hop into the Grandiloquent Dictionary, for words on rulers and relationships, N-Z!

nanophilia - ( )

  An attraction to short people

neanilagnia - ( )

  An attraction to teenagers

narcokleptocracy - ( )

  Rulership by drug dealers with ties to politicians and the military

neocracy - ( )

  Rulership by inexperienced people

novercaphobia - ( )

  The fear of one's stepmother

obsolagnium - ( )

  The lack of sexual desire that accompanies old age

opsipatria - ( )

  The fathering of a child by an elderly man

opsiproligery - ( )

  The ability to still have children late in life

osculaphobia - ( )

  A fear of kissing

oxter - ( )

  To walk arm in arm

oligarchy - ( )

  A government controlled by a few people

 

oikomania - ( )

  mental disorder caused by an abusive home

 

oikonisus - ( )

  The desire to start a family 

 

oculoplania - ( )

  Letting one's eyes wander while assessing someone's charm

paedarchy - ( )

Rulership by a child or several children

paedocracy - ( )

A government formed of children

paparchy - ( )

Rulership by the pope

papyrocracy - ( )

Rulership by paperwork or by the press

pedantrocracy - ( )

Rulership by pedants or pedagogs

plousiocracy - ( )

A government consisting of the wealthy and the elite

 

plutarchy - ( )

A government formed by the wealthy and elite

 

plutocracy - ( )

Rulership by the wealthy or elite

 

plutocrat - ( )

A member of the wealthy ruling class

politicaster - ( )

Second rate politician or incompetent leader

pollarchy - ( )

Rulership by the mob

polygyny - ( )

Marriage to several women

puellaphillist - ( )

One who loves girls

quadrigamist - ( )

  Someone who either has been married four times or who is married to four people

rampasture - ( )

  A room in which several unmarried men reside, usually in a boarding house or inn

satrapess - ( )

  An official who acts like a petty tyrant

shurocracy - ( )

  A government based on consensus

soceraphobia - ( )

  A fear of parents in law

sorocide - ( )

  The killing of one's own sister

 

sororate - ( )

  The marriage of a man to his wife's sister

sphallolalia - ( )

  Flirtatious talk that leads nowhere

squirearchy - ( )

  Rulership by the landed gentry

strumpetocracy - ( )

  A government formed of prostitutes

syndyasmia - ( )

  The proper term for an open marriage in which either partner may live with other people

thearchy - ( )

  Rulership by a god or gods

theocracy - ( )

  Government formed by the church or by a representative of God

theodemocracy - ( )

  A democracy which is controlled by divine powers

 

theogamy - ( )

  A marriage between gods

 

theoktony - ( )

  The death of God or of gods

threpterophilia - ( )

  An attraction to female nurses

thygatrilagnia - ( thy-GA-truh-LAG-nee-uh )

  An incestuous desire for one's daughter

timocracy - ( )

  A government of honorable people

torschlusspanik - ( )

  The fear of young women that they will not be married until they are to old to have children

uxoricide - ( )

  The murder of a wife by her husband

 

uxorious - ( )

  Excessively devoted to one's husband

 

uxorodespotic - ( )

  Tyrranical rulership by one's wife

vernalagnia - ( )

  A romantic mood brought on by Spring. Also known as Spring Fever

 

vernorexia - ( VUR-nuh-REK-see-uh )

  A romantic mood inspired by Spring

vesthibitionism - ( )

  The flirtatious display of undergarments by a woman

wittol - ( )

  A man who meakly accepts his wife's adultery

ximelolagnia - ( ZY-muh-luh-LAG-nee-uh )

The desire to look a women who cross their legs

Assignment: Choose three words between A-Z and write a short story (300 words or less) using all three!

The Word Box: Rulers and Relationships (A-M)

This week, from the Grandiloquent Dictionary, words having to do with rulers (rule by what?) and relationships. (A-M)

angelocracy -( )

 Rulership by angels

anililagnia -( )

 An attraction to older women

chirocracy - ( )

 The state of being ruled by force (literally by a strong hand)

chrysocracy - ( )

 Rulership by the wealthy (literally a government by gold)

cyesolagnia - ( )

 Being attracted to pregnant women

cheiloproclitic - ( )

 Being attracted to a person's lips

demonocracy - ( )

  Rulership by demons

diabolarchy - ( )

  Rulership by the devil

ecclesiarchy - ( )

  Rulership by the church

ethnocracy - ( )

  Rulership by a specific race

gamophobia - ( )

  A fear of marriage

gymnophoria - ( )

  The sensation that someone is mentally undressing you

 

gynarchy - ( )

  Rulership by women

gynonudomania - ( )

  The urge to rip off a woman's clothing

gynotikolobomassophilia - ( )

  A proclivity for nibbling on women's earlobes

hagiocracy - ( )

  Rulership by saints

hirsutophilia - ( )

  An attraction to hairy men

hierocracy - ( )

  Rulership by the church or by church officials

jowfair - ( )

  An event which does not occur after much planning, such as a wedding with no groom

kakistocracy - ( )

  Rulership by the worst leader

kosmokrator - ( )

  The ruler of the world

korophilia - ( )

  Being attracted to young men or boys

karao - ( )

  The marriage of a widow to her brother-in-law

levirate - ( )

The marriage of a woman to her husbands brother

logocracy - ( )

Rulership by words

lavacultophilia - ( )

A desire to stare at someone in a bathing suit

meritocracy - ( )

  Rulership by the most skilled leader

mariticide - ( )

  The murder of a husband by his wife

 

maritodespotism - ( )

  Tyrranical rulership of a woman by her husband

meacock - ( )

  A meak man who dotes on his wife, or is henpecked

malaxophobia - ( )

  A fear of love play, especially in women

mariticide - ( )

  The murder of a husband by his wife

maritorious - ( )

  Excessively devoted to one's husband

 

misogamist - ( )

  One who hates marriage

monandry - ( )

  The practice of having a single husband at a time

myriadigamous - ( )

  Pertaining to someone who is willing to marry all kinds of people

Which word is your favorite?

The Word Box: Unusual Divinations I-X

More unusual divinations and magics!  Really, I just want to see someone use these.  Or at least one of these.

Just make sure you're not doing a moromancy (a foolish divination) or a pseudomancy (a false or fake divination.)

ichnomancy - ( )

         Divination using footprints

ichthyomancy - ( )

        Divination or magic involving fish

iconomancy - ( )

         Divination using icons

idolomancy - ( )

 Divination using idols

keraunoscopia - ( )

  Divination using thunder

knissomancy - ( )

  Divination using burning incense

lithomancy - ( )

           Divination by stones

logomancy - ( )

Divination by words or by speech

macromancy - ( )

  Divination by studying the largest object in the area

maculomancy - ( )

  Divination by spots

margaritomancy - ( )

  Divination using pearls

mathemancy - ( )

  Divination using mathematics

meconomancy - ( )

  Divination by sleep or magic using sleep

meteoromancy - ( )

  Divination using meteors

metopomancy - ( )

  Divination using a person's forehead

micromancy - ( )

  Divination by studying the smallest object in the area

narcomancy - ( )

  Divination by sleep or magic using sleep

necromancy - ( )

  Divination using black magic or the dead

necyomancy - ( )

  Divination involving summoning the devil

odontomancy - ( )

           Divination using teeth

oenomancy - ( )

  Divination by wine

omoplatoscopy - ( )

  Divination involving a shoulder blade which has been charred or cracked from a fire

oneiromancy - ( )

  Divination by dreams, or interpreting dreams

onimancy - ( )

  Divination using fingernails

onomancy - ( )

  Divination using a name or the letters in a name

onychomancy - ( )

  Divination using fingernails

oomancy - ( )

  Divination or magic using eggs

ophiomancy - ( )

  Divination by snakes or serpents

ornithomancy - ( )

  Divination using birds' flight and cries

oryctomancy - ( )

  Divination by studying excavated objects

ossomancy - ( )

  Divination using bones

 

osteomancy - ( )

  Divination using bones

pegomancy - ( )

Fortunetelling using the bubbles in a fountain

pessomancy - ( )

Divination using stones or rocks

phyllomancy - ( )

Magic using leaves or foretelling one's future from leaves

physiognomancy - ( )

Divination using a person's face

psephomancy - ( )

Divination by drawing marked stones from a container

psychomancy - ( )

Divination by talking to the dead

pyromancy - ( )

Divination using fire or magic involving fire

rhabdomancy - ( )

  Divination using a stick or rod, such as dowsing for water

rhapsodomancy - ( )

  The art of predicting the future using poetry

scapulimancy - ( )

  Divination involving a shoulder blade which has been charred or cracked from a fire

scatomancy - ( )

  Magic or divination using excrement

schematomancy - ( )

  Divination using the appearance of people

sciomancy - ( )

  Divination by talking to the dead

selenomancy - ( )

  Divination using the moon

sideromancy - ( )

  1 Foretelling the future by studying the stars

 

sideromancy - ( )

  2. Divination using straw burned on hot metal

spasmatomancy - ( )

  Divination using convulsions or twitching of one's limbs

 

spatilomancy - ( )

  Divination using animal droppings

 

spatulamancy - ( )

  Divination involving the shoulder blades of animals

spheromancy - ( )

  Divination using a crystal sphere

spodomancy - ( )

  Divination using ashes

stichomancy - ( )

  Divination using random lines from a book or the Bible

sycomancy - ( )

  Divination using figs

theomancy - ( )

  Using gods or oracles to foretell the future

theriomancy - ( )

  Divination using animals or their movement

topomancy - ( )

  Divination using the shape of the land

trochomancy - ( )

  Divination by studying wheel tracks

tyromancy - ( )

  Divination or magic using cheese

uranomancy - ( )

  Divination by consulting the heavens

urimancy - ( )

  Magic or fortunetelling using urine

xenomancy - ( )

Divination by using the first stranger to be found

xylomancy - ( )

Divination using a piece of wood or magic using wood

I've seen -mancy added to many words to pertain to magic as well as divination.  Necromancy, for example, is the well-known school of magic of villains everywhere (and occasionally heroes, as well, depending on the story...)

Tell me about the unusual magic your characters use. 

The Word Box: Unusual Divinations A-H

Running through the Grandiloquent Dictionary, I came across ailuromancy - divination by studying a cat's jump.
Thus begins the Word Box: a writer's toolkit for unusual words that just beg to be included in a story.

Today's theme?  Strange divinations.  (Note that all of these are brought to you by Grandiloquent.)

aeromancy -( )

 Divination using the air

ailuromancy -( )

 Divination by studying a cat's jump

alectryomancy -( )

 Magic using corn

 

aleuromancy -( )

 Divination using flour

alphitomancy -( )

 Divination using barley meal

ambulomancy -( )

 Divination by walking

anthomancy -( )

 Divination using flowers

anthracomancy -( )

 Divination using burning coals

anthropomancy -( )

 Magic or divination using people, or foretelling the future using the entrails of a sacrificed person

armomancy -( )

 Divination involving the shoulder blades of animals

astragalomancy -( )

 Divination using dice

augury -( )

 Divination using bird's flight

austromancy -( )

 Divination using the wind

bibliomancy - ( )

 Divination using books or Bible passages

botanomancy - ( )

 Divination using plants

brontomancy - ( )

 Divination by or magic involving thunder

catoptomancy - ( )

 Divination using a mirror or several mirrors

catoptromancy - ( )

 Divination based on how a face appears when viewed in a mirror underwater

ceneromancy - ( )

 Divination using ashes

cephalomancy - ( )

 Divination by boiling a head, usually that of a donkey

ceraunomancy - ( )

 Divination by or magic using thunderbolts

cleidomancy - ( )

 Divination using a key

cleromancy - ( )

 Divination involving dice

conchomancy - ( )

 Divination using shells

crithomancy - ( )

 Divination by spreading flour or dough over a sacrificed animal

cromnyomancy - ( )

 Magic or divination using an onion

capnomancy - ( )

 Divination by smoke

dririmancy - ( )

  Divination by dripping blood

demonomancy - ( )

  Divination by demons

extispicy - ( )

  Divination using entrails

enoptromancy - ( )

  Divination using a mirror

gastromancy - ( )

  Divination using a crystal ball

geloscopy - ( )

  Divination involving laughter

graptomancy - ( )

  Divination using hand writing

gyromancy - ( )

  Divination involving walking in a circle until you fall down

halomancy - ( )

  Divination or magic using salt

haruspication - ( )

  Divination using entrails

hieromancy - ( )

  Divination using entrails

hematomancy - ( )

  Divination using blood

hippomancy - ( )

  Divination by horses, or by the neighing of horses

hydromancy - ( )

  Divination by water of magic involving water

hypnomancy - ( )

  Divination by hypnosis

On Wednesday, we'll continue the list of unusual divinations.  Is anyone else disturbed by the number of words for "divination by entrails"?