Wednesday Writing Tips: Plural People

by Raelene Gorlinsky

"There are men and women in the scene. How do I easily refer to the group?"

We always, as writers and editors, want some variation in words. It's repetitive and boring to use people hundreds of times in the book. But what else works when the group in the orgy room includes both male and female bodies, or the group of friends giving you advice on your love life comprises men and women?

Depending on the circumstances or the relationship of the group members to each other, try some of these:

audience
clan
community
congregation
everyone/everybody
family
folks
followers
friends
gathering
general public
group
guys - As a singular noun, this is male. But it is now accepted as colloquial use for a mixed-gender group.
horde
members
menage -The original meaning is a group of people living together. A specific number is not implied, it can be more than just "a trois".
mob
pals
participants
party
peeps (in its contemporary colloquial usage, not meaning the Easter candy)
players
throng

Or, if the people have something in common such as profession or activity, refer to them by that group term: teachers, joggers, soldiers, actors (which includes male and female), millionaires, revelers, orgiasts.