Let's Talk About Writing: Ngrams

Ngrams home page

If I was the betting sort of writer, I’d place odds that most of our Stiletto Gang readers (and dare I say it, even the authors), don’t know what an Ngram is. If that’s the case with you, don’t feel bad. I’d never heard of them either until I listened to a webinar on writing historical fiction. One of the tips was, you guessed it: ngrams.

Here’s how it works (Tip: click on an image to view a larger version):

Go to https://books.google.com/ngrams

Replace the pre-filled text (Albert Einstein,Sherlock Holmes,Frankenstein) with the expression of your choice. For this blog, I’ve entered tag you’re it (no comma as it would recognize “tag” and “you’re it” as separate searches. Note: the search criteria for Ngrams is currently 1800 to 2022.

According to Ngrams:

“Tag you’re it” first appears in 1897, with varying degrees of popularity over the years, with a peak in 2012. Which means if you’re writing a novel set during the Civil War, “tag you’re it” isn’t going to be authentic to the period (even if you decide to break up the war action with some kids playing).

Ngrams results for Tag You’re It 1800-2022

If you want to drill down further, you can click on a time period to find examples of where the referenced text was found. Which means you may find yourself going deep into the weeds and down the rabbit hole. But hey, that’s what writers do.

Drill down to find references.

Especially when we’re looking for new ways to procrastinate.

The Past Chair of Crime Writers of Canada and a former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the multiple award-winning author of seven bestselling mystery novels, two books on publishing, and several short stories. She is also the editor/publisher of five Superior Shores Anthologies, including the 2025 Derringer- and Silver Falchion- nominated Larceny & Last Chances. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com

Readers: Check it out and leave a comment with your Ngrams experience.

Gay Yellen says:

October 7, 2025 at 10:42 am

I’m actively doing research for a historical fiction, so this is quite interesting to me, especially since it also works in other languages. Thanks, Judy!