qid int64 1 2.78M | question stringlengths 2 66.6k | answers list | date stringlengths 10 10 | metadata list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
45,753 | I have given multiple things I have written to a friend of mine, who is something of a writer himself, to get feedback on them from him. One of these was a piece of mystery-style fiction, and the other was an article about gaming.
I have noticed multiple times where he will start reading something, and then, after a ... | [
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"text": "Many readers definitely will skim over parts of your writing. In my experience there are three primary reasons for t... | 2019/06/05 | [
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45,756 | I'm currently writing a journey-focused plot arc, and I'm struggling a bit with the character interactions. To give you some background, the protagonist is a lone wolf of sorts whose job is akin to a nomadic exorcist. He gets wounded at the start of the series, and a bar maiden nurses him back to health. She insists on... | [
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"answer_id": 45777,
"author": "matildalee23",
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"text": "Actually, the fact that one of your characters doesn’t want to talk has the potential of making the dialogue mo... | 2019/06/05 | [
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45,760 | I'm currently planning a "magical girl" story, and I thought of an interesting way to start it, rather than launching straight into the backstory. It opens with a woman in her mid-thirties, complete with [ponytail of death](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MotherlySidePlait), walking through a city market wh... | [
{
"answer_id": 45763,
"author": "Matthew Dave",
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"text": "I would say play up the vulnerability of the protag, perhaps describe the scene from an almost-predatory persp... | 2019/06/05 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/45760",
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45,775 | In my current WIP, I re-read through some of my chapters, and they seem completely dry and dull. I need to add some oomph to it- it seems my descriptions, and just plain storytelling (in some of my chapters) are mundane. What should I do to give it some excitement to keep the readers engaged? | [
{
"answer_id": 45780,
"author": "Chris Sunami",
"author_id": 10479,
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"text": "One possibility is **perhaps you weren't particularly engaged while writing this**. Maybe it was a scene you j... | 2019/06/05 | [
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45,786 | Why am I getting a strange double quote (“) in Open Office instead of the ordinary one (")?
Every time I type the double quote, I get the weird version instead of the ordinary one. How do I get the normal one instead when I type it? Is there a way to fix this unwanted behavior? | [
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"text": "You need to go to **Tools - Autocorrect - Autocorrect Options - Localised Options**. There y... | 2019/06/06 | [
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45,798 | I'm working on a post-apocalypse novel set all over the world. I'm fairly flexible on where some of the events take place, but there are often specific requirements on the look, layout, general region etc, and I like to use real places for authenticity.
For example, right now I'm looking for a major Eastern European ... | [
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"answer_id": 45801,
"author": "S. Mitchell",
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"text": "Place it where you want. Give it the features you want. Make up the name. Don't say a real place is like what y... | 2019/06/06 | [
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45,816 | This is my first time writing a novel. In my novel, there is a part of the married life of my protagonist who is a woman. I don't have any experience of married life so I have taken inspiration from a movie. There is **pages and pages** of dialogue between the two for an e.g. this one...
>
> What time is it?” I asked... | [
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"text": "First of all, what do you mean by \"taking inspiration from a movie\"? If you mean copying t... | 2019/06/07 | [
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45,828 | I’ve grown up on anime, and with unrelated Japanese family. I very much admire their culture and just want to know if it would be culturally offensive if I used a Japanese pen-name (Kumo Espinosa) just because I like it. I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing as an aspiring manga-ka. I don’t want to end up ... | [
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"answer_id": 45831,
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"text": "It will be offensive to some people, and it will be completely fine for others.\n\nFrom my understanding, Asian ... | 2019/06/08 | [
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45,832 | The sequel to my first book is supposed to start immediately after the end of the first book. Zero time gap.
**Situation:** At the end of book one a missing family member has finally joined the family. No interaction from the joining member occurs at the end of book one. Book two opens with first interaction from join... | [
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"text": "What you are describing is a cliffhanger. It is an ending that is clearly not an ending. The name comes from the... | 2019/06/08 | [
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45,834 | In my story the protagonist hears, in a temple ceremony, the reading of a religious/mythological text. Now in the actual story, I don't need the text itself (the role of the text in context, and the protagonist's reaction to it are the important points), but since I've seen the tag challenge, I thought I'd ask about ho... | [
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"text": "One element of religious texts is the antiquated language. Since the text has been canonised... | 2019/06/08 | [
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45,861 | The main character (which is a girl) of the first romance I'm writing would feel jealous sometimes of her love interest, but I want it to be a cute trait or even a setup for funny scenes, not a very obsessive or possessive trait, so they can have a healthy relationship.
For example: They are in a restaurant, and a wai... | [
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"answer_id": 45863,
"author": "Summer",
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"text": "One way that I have seen in real life is the combination of self-awareness and levity. It is important that self-awa... | 2019/06/09 | [
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45,869 | In my novel, I have a scene at home which changes to scene at the office which is completely different. I have written it in a way that in a line or two the reader will understand the scene is changed but I am not sure. I am asking is it advisable to mention a scene change by adding a phrase like, '**back in the office... | [
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"text": "I wouldn't advise doing that. It breaks the immersion in my opinion. From what I have seen, writers usually do that ... | 2019/06/10 | [
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45,880 | I am getting ready to release my first fictional novel. At the moment I have zero web presence (besides E-mail accounts). I am considering using Amazon's Kindle Direct.
Before releasing should I create a Facebook account, and/or any other type of social media accounts? | [
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"text": "**You need a website**\n\nAs a fiction author you should buy a web domain (URL) as close to your *nom de plume* ... | 2019/06/10 | [
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45,889 | I have an ambiguous **script** situation, 2 co-protagonists begin gaslighting the MC. They each have ulterior motives which they don't say. The reader is intended to *infer* the lies through contradictory statements, and the abrupt character change. The shift is so extreme it calls into question everything that has com... | [
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"answer_id": 45892,
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"text": "Forget necessary - don't pass up the opportunity for a moment of drama and poignance as you reveal the cracks in y... | 2019/06/10 | [
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45,894 | I am writing a short story that describes a dream that I had as a child. I wrote a first rough draft and had my girlfriend read it to give me some feedback. One thing she criticized is my writing style, saying that I type too formally, which she said felt out of place for the events in the story. The story is in the fi... | [
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"answer_id": 45896,
"author": "Cyn",
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"text": "Ideally, the way you write is the right way for the story.\n----------------------------------------------------------\... | 2019/06/10 | [
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45,914 | I currently freelance as a ghostwriter. Are there any other ghostwriters who have had any success? | [
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"text": "Ideally, the way you write is the right way for the story.\n----------------------------------------------------------\... | 2019/06/11 | [
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45,916 | I amended some of my chapters so that they're more intriguing and engaging for my readers. But there's one particular chapter in which one of my beta-readers stated, "It's intriguing, but it doesn't blow me away like the first two chapters did," | [
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"text": "Not every chapter needs to blow the reader away\n===============================================\n\nNo, not ever... | 2019/06/11 | [
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45,917 | How do you transcribe a dialogue when abbreviations are used?
For example, when people uses acronyms like FBI or abbreviations like a.m., do we just write them as we write them when they're in a dialogue?
I am thinking FBI is FBI even if it's in a dialogue, but I am not sure about a.m.
For example:
>
> "It's 4:00 ... | [
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"text": "AM and FBI are not abbreviations, they are [acronyms](https://www.dictionary.com/e/acronyms/).\n\nWe know to pronounce t... | 2019/06/12 | [
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45,922 | For the last several months, I've had a a professional assignment writing [an ongoing series](https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2019/06/06/saints-and-simulators-17-pascalreloaded/) for a well-known website. It was repurposed from a book I wasn't able to sell to a publisher. It's been well-received as a series, so I'm t... | [
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"text": "When I wrote this answer, it was borderline a true answer to the question. With a recent question edit, it doesn't real... | 2019/06/12 | [
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45,925 | What would you write when referring to a fictional character in a non-fiction work? e.g. Gom Siptem is a boy, he has no parents, he goes on adventures or Gom Siptem was a boy, he had no parents, he went on adventures. | [
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"text": "If the non-fiction work is an essay or similar analysis of the literary work, I would use present tense.\n\n> \n> Tom ... | 2019/06/12 | [
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45,934 | I’m currently writing a story and one of my characters is a butterfly. In one of the scenes, she manages to run away from a bunch of hungry lizards and hides into a flower; let’s say a Zinnia.
When describing the scene I wrote:
>
> “……she dived into the Zinnia’s head and hastily rolled into the
> pollen….”
>
>
... | [
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"text": "Putting scientific definition aside, \"Flower head\" works better since it's a personification. The human reader has... | 2019/06/12 | [
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45,943 | This can get... confusing, which is why I tend to avoid it, but sometimes, I really want it there.
>
> “What?!” [said Character B.] I laughed, giving her a minute to process
> my words. “You’re getting married? I never thought I’d see the day!”
>
>
>
I want the pause between the dialogue. I suppose I can put an ... | [
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"text": "You format it with tags, it won't interrupt the flow.\n\n> \n> \"What?!\" Mahceu said.\n> \n> \n> I laughed, giving ... | 2019/06/12 | [
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45,956 | I like telling stories, but I don't care so much for reading them. It's not for me. But the number one advice to become a better author is to read a lot.
Is there anything else I can do?
EDIT:
Thanks for all the responses! After reading through them all, I've decided to give audio books another chance. I've tried t... | [
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"text": "> \n> But the number one advice to become a better author is to read a lot. \n> \n> \n> \n\nThis is because reading i... | 2019/06/13 | [
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45,960 | I'm working on a branching narrative kind of story, and the entire story focuses on the reader uncovering a mystery in the house that they're in.
There's only one ending where they survive. In the other ones, the loose ends remain unknown, since they're dead, but to tie them up in this ending, I would need to jump se... | [
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"text": "Tense and second-person aside, you should handle this just as you would any other transition. Set... | 2019/06/13 | [
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45,963 | In the short passage I am writing, the starting point is that one character is being held at gunpoint, and the end point is that she now holds the gun, having disarmed the opponent.
The idea is that this sequence happens very rapidly. She is an expert at it, and makes no mistakes. The reader does not know that though... | [
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"text": "Have you considered doing something like skipping, *then* describing?\n\nSomething like (but do consider this first draf... | 2019/06/13 | [
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45,972 | My name is Ana Novkovic and I'm about to start writing and all that. I really really don't like my last name Novkovic. It's so hard to pronounce and I worry it would just distract readers and not look good.
I am considering using the pen name Ana N. **Is it a bad idea to have a pen name within only an initial for a s... | [
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"text": "You can publish under any name you choose. Whether it makes a difference to your sales is a very open question, ... | 2019/06/13 | [
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45,984 | When answering questions on Stack Exchange, some of us challenge the assumptions of the author. These frame challenges can often be quite popular answers. This popularity, however, can simply be a measure of entertainment value, and not quality. Often the popular ones are even scolding the OP, making the OP the last pe... | [
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"text": "Along with balancing positive and negative feedback, it's helpful to stick to 'I' responses, rather than 'You should do... | 2019/06/14 | [
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45,999 | I'm writing 2 stories simultaneously. The first one spans 17 years. The second picks up where the first left off... but only about 25% of the way in.
The sequel seems to work best if I introduce the new characters about 5 years before the end of book 1, but most of the characters don't fit into the first story. (One ... | [
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"text": "As has been pointed out, there are no \"rules\" stopping you from having a sequel starting within ... | 2019/06/14 | [
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46,009 | Ok, so the hook for my novel is a quote from the future that my protagonist will eventually say. But I need a way for my novel to go back to present tense. In what way can I smooth my novel back to present tense? | [
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"text": "> \n> \"We have done it, friends, we are henceforth functionally immortal.\" -- Jusg Briggs.\n> \n> \n> Jusg had no... | 2019/06/15 | [
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46,010 | Problem
-------
I'm writing a play that includes a number of minor characters who only exist for a scene or two. They are defined by their personality traits, not by their professions, and their names are irrelevant (I could introduce them, but they don't really matter). I'm unsure of how to refer to them in the scrip... | [
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"text": "Every character must have a name.\n---------------------------------\n\nThe name doesn't have to be a real name, but it ... | 2019/06/15 | [
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46,021 | I'm of the opinion that a story should stand on its own; any worldbuilding that is *necessary* for the plot and story to function should be part of the story. However, at the same time, the world I write in is an extensive, fully-realised world which has lots of little details which, if taken note of, give the story a ... | [
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"text": "> \n> My question is, for the sake of satisfying reader interest, would it be worthwhile writing an appendix summaris... | 2019/06/17 | [
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46,032 | So I have a main character who will die at the end of the first book. In the next book he will be alive, but nobody knows it. Everyone thinks he is still dead. How can I do this without using cliches and boring the reader? | [
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"text": "Writers have told me that for my stories believability follows understandability.\n\nIf the ‘what happens’ is something... | 2019/06/18 | [
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46,033 | I'm writing a formal document for my company where it'll be shared and used by a number of teams. Unfortunately, we don't have any official standard style guide to follow, so I've attempted to be as internally-consistent as possible.
For indentation, I opted to go for paragraph indenting as the majority of my paragrap... | [
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"text": "I couldn't find any mention anywhere I looked on how to style bulleted lists, but changing other stylings of your docume... | 2019/06/18 | [
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46,034 | How do we write a movie script with a view towards establishing all of the visual symbolisms and how they should be interpreted?
Often, movie scripts often only have dialogues and some very brief descriptions, but they don't describe how the camera should move nor do they mention the symbolisms used and how these symb... | [
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"text": "**There is no \"standard format\" because that version would never be published.** Formatted scripts are printed... | 2019/06/18 | [
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46,037 | How can I write blog posts that are SEO (*search engine optimization*) friendly? I know there is lots of content available out there,
but I want to know how to start writing the post as SEO friendly. | [
{
"answer_id": 46041,
"author": "April Salutes Monica C.",
"author_id": 36670,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "What is the main topic? As algorithms change, one of the best things to do is consistently \"write... | 2019/06/18 | [
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46,044 | NOTE: I've seen this question asked when the POV is third but not first.
I write psychological thrillers that move quickly and focus heavily on what is going on in the mind of the protagonist. As such, I write in present tense, first person POV.
This hasn't been a problem up till now. But in the novel I'm working on ... | [
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"text": "Animorphs did this often. (Mostly in the Megamorphs line of books, which were co-narrated by all the characters, thou... | 2019/06/18 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46044",
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46,052 | I struggle with forming full-fledged ideas. I'll come up with a snippet of an idea, have a hard time fleshing the idea out, and then lose interest before the idea becomes an actual story concept.
Sometimes, I'll begin forming an idea, and then realize that the story wouldn't appeal to me as a reader, despite the fact ... | [
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"text": "It's often a good idea to note your ideas down the moment you have them and then look at them at a later point. ... | 2019/06/18 | [
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46,059 | I'm writing historical fiction which is set in ancient China. My MC is a historical figure who really did go into battle as a woman.
Women in the ancient world were abused and mistreated. Males slaves were often valued more highly than women. Even though my MC managed to rise above this, we know from history that she ... | [
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"text": "Something similar has been a plague for my story telling. I finally found some to ask that understood the basic challen... | 2019/06/19 | [
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46,070 | My mc poses some strange shadow powers which he tries to hide and in one quest he met his enemy who also has these powers. They both end up fighting each other and the mc slows her down and escapes from there. Then he realizes that they both were in the same city working in the same place so they end up fighting again ... | [
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"selected": false,
"text": "How does love work? It's strange. It needs attraction, it has chemistry and most certainly, it does not care who is f... | 2019/06/19 | [
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46,071 | I want to write a realistic fiction book similar to Thomas Hardy’s works, where he used techniques and Biblical references (they were also called allusions) to make his writing more meaningful, and to prove points about Victorian society. I am interested in the use of allusions which can be used intentionally. I think ... | [
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"selected": true,
"text": "Naming your character *Violet Raine* does not violate copyright.\n-----------------------------------------------... | 2019/06/19 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46071",
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46,085 | I am having trouble understanding why authors use multiple version of a character's name in the same story. I feel it can make it harder to follow the story.
Why do writers sometimes write the same character's name in different ways in their stories? e.g. Sammy/Sam Sm. | [
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"text": "**The same reason people in real life go by different names in different contexts.**\n\nA doctor might go by Dr. Gq... | 2019/06/20 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46085",
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46,097 | I have a story in mind which I am confident will fit a three-act structure very well. However, I am uncertain about the exposition that I have been writing, as it feels a bit stifled, almost as though the character is in a holding pattern waiting for the action to start. It occurred to me that I might begin [*In Media ... | [
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"text": "You can definitely start a three-act story with an in media res opening. A story having three acts is more about the num... | 2019/06/20 | [
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46,101 | After a couple iterations I came up with the "skeleton" or summary of my story.
I have read many places and guides saying "if it's not advancing the story and can be removed without affecting it, then it shouldn't be there".
The problem is that if I just go jumping from point A to B, it feels more like a summary rath... | [
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"answer_id": 46103,
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"text": "I tend to write more long-windedly, but I also understand where those guides you referenced are coming from. It r... | 2019/06/21 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46101",
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46,102 | How would you react if you saw the word “sparkling” being used as a diminutive of “spark” in a poem?
Although poetry does allow for potentially unlimited flexibility, as a non-native speaker I wonder if it sounds awkward.
Ideally, I would be glad to see any examples of this.
Thank you | [
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"text": "(Assuming I understood your question, and you mean 'sparkling' as in a baby spark)\n\nIf I were to come across this wi... | 2019/06/21 | [
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46,109 | I'm currently working on a project where I write events for a story driven video game. The limitation is that I have to get through a discovery, the consequence and the character's response to that in a very short time, otherwise the players may lose interest from having to read too much. Are there any techniques I can... | [
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"answer_id": 46112,
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"selected": true,
"text": "Sometimes with writing, what matters is getting the story down. If it is too long, or too slow, it... | 2019/06/21 | [
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46,120 | Imagine a fantasy story in which there once was a very powerful evil divine being, but it was defeated long before the beginning of the story. For the story it is very important that it was defeated, and things would be really bad if it was still alive somewhere, biding its time, waiting for revenge.
How can I convinc... | [
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"selected": true,
"text": "Readers establish a sense of the story they are reading in the opening pages. That's where you set the contract. If... | 2019/06/21 | [
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46,121 | Am I allowed to use art (album covers) in my book?
If not what sort of permission would I have to obtain?
The album covers are not in the public domain. | [
{
"answer_id": 46126,
"author": "Chris Sunami",
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "You would need written permission from the copyright holder, and would generally need to pay for it, unless yo... | 2019/06/21 | [
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46,125 | I'm developing a story with the following basic plot:
* At the start, my main character's motivating question is "Where is my brother?"
* As the story progresses, other problems and motivations get in the way and slowly push aside the find-her-brother quest.
* At the end, she finds the answer-- that he's been dead all... | [
{
"answer_id": 46130,
"author": "Chris Sunami",
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"selected": true,
"text": "You need to distinguish between payoff for the character and payoff for the reader. The character may or may no... | 2019/06/21 | [
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46,129 | As a beta reader, I sometimes find myself frustrated at trying to find the right words and how to properly structure my sentences when I give a critique or just simple feedback. How can I work on becoming a better critiquer and formulating my words appropriately? | [
{
"answer_id": 46133,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Give specific feedback, not general feedback, make sure you mention anything that you do find especially good,... | 2019/06/21 | [
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46,138 | For a paper that I am writing, I have encountered an issue in which one of my sources has the same last name as myself, of which in in-text citations, makes it appear as if I am citing myself. Do I need to do anything special for such a case?
Thank you. | [
{
"answer_id": 46141,
"author": "Jason Bassford",
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"text": "From the *MLA Handbook*, 8th ed., p. 55:\n\n> \n> There are circumstances in which a citation like \"(BuranOx... | 2019/06/22 | [
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46,139 | [Real Women Don’t Wear Dresses](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RealWomenDontWearDresses) is when writers portray female characters possessing traditional feminine qualities as being less desirable, competent and reliable instead of their tomboy foils. They also tend to be presented as whiny and annoying, e... | [
{
"answer_id": 46140,
"author": "Amadeus",
"author_id": 26047,
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"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't understand the dilemma, just write it the way you want. Ultimately if you want a strong women that embraces... | 2019/06/22 | [
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46,149 | What I mean by "high and mighty" (though I realise this term does not exactly paint anyone in a nice light) are characters who know their worth and know themselves to be better than numerous other people, but are not condescending towards others and do not lack compassion and empathy. They are simply imbued with a sens... | [
{
"answer_id": 46155,
"author": "JonStonecash",
"author_id": 23701,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think that the simplest way is to show that they walk the walk in addition to talking the talk. Let's say th... | 2019/06/22 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46149",
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46,157 | I have an ambitious idea of writing fantasy/erotica and turning it into a web comic (and get crazily rich, of course), for that I need a username/pen-name.
I need it to be catchy and memorable first and foremost, but my problem is that it can be anything and everything and so I'm stuck.. I want it to be simple, but i... | [
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"text": "Do you have a favorite character in your web comic? Perhaps you can use her name as your pen name. Make it a name ... | 2019/06/22 | [
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46,165 | My protagonist uses a lot of extensive vocabulary and is quite verbose. The novel I am writing is a first-person narrative, and my protagonist is the narrator of the novel.
An extensive vocabulary and verbosity throughout the narration of the novel will be very frustrating and tiring for me. And maybe for the reader t... | [
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"text": "Do you have a favorite character in your web comic? Perhaps you can use her name as your pen name. Make it a name ... | 2019/06/23 | [
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46,174 | I have a tendency to forget to describe character's appearance. But I always describe them, though often a little while after their introduction. So, how long after someone's introduction is "acceptable" to describe them? In my case, (the case that prompted me to ask this question), the character is described in the sa... | [
{
"answer_id": 46176,
"author": "Secespitus",
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"selected": true,
"text": "Personally the dissonance whenever I have imagined a character for hours and maybe thought about their stories th... | 2019/06/23 | [
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46,180 | In the story I'm writing one character suffers from amnesia as a result of an accident. I want another character, with whom they were in love, to tell about their past in order to help regain their memory.
How could I write these scenes without falling into an info-dump, or without resorting to very long (one-sided) d... | [
{
"answer_id": 46181,
"author": "SFWriter",
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "We can't brainstorm on this site--so your question may be closed. But, my answer in the meantime is go ahead and w... | 2019/06/23 | [
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46,191 | I come from worldbuilding.stackexchange because people suggested I post [my question](https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/149538/how-can-my-story-take-place-on-earth-without-refering-to-our-existing-cities-and?noredirect=1#comment468873_149538) here:
My story shall take place on Earth with the human race... | [
{
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"text": "**This is not uncommon**. When writers want to refer to real people, places or events, but they don't want to ... | 2019/06/24 | [
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46,195 | If you read names from popular novels you feel like the names define characters. They fit perfectly to the personality of character. For an e.g. Hijrp Potfeq, Rocudq Langboz, Bison Bearzi, etc.
I have a character who is a professor of psychology, is chubby, easy going, interested in mystical things. I named him Rufus ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46200,
"author": "Cyn",
"author_id": 32946,
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"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Have more faith in your process, but run it by others.\n------------------------------------------------------\n\nRufus... | 2019/06/24 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46195",
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46,204 | I am a woman with aspergers and writing an autistic character has always been close to my heart. Fiera Allas, a fantasy powerhouse with immense power and sword skills has always struck me as autistic (possibly because of how much of myself I put into writing her) and I want more than just the few autistic people who ma... | [
{
"answer_id": 46206,
"author": "Ash",
"author_id": 26012,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "You'd need to highlight the challenges you think most typify the autistic experience. I'm an aspy *my* main personal ch... | 2019/06/24 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46204",
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46,229 | In my novel, the protagonist is depressed. In the story which is in my mind...
>
> The autumn leaves were falling as I was sitting alone and Gary Jules' "Mad World" was ringing in my iPod.
>
>
>
The setting is in 2013 and it was normal then to listen to MP3s and iPods.
But I've read that it's **lazy writing** ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46237,
"author": "Cyn",
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"selected": true,
"text": "Lots of novels go into detail about music, movies, TV shows, and other art and culture relevant during the setting of th... | 2019/06/25 | [
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46,232 | I've always wanted to get into writing but always found myself coming up with increments of an event that already happened or imagine something that would only happen a bit ahead, distracting me from where the story is currently at.
What would be the best plan for this? Backtrack every time I want to give extra detail... | [
{
"answer_id": 46235,
"author": "Amadeus",
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"selected": true,
"text": "I am an old-school writer without fancy software (I have tried it and don't like it).\n\nSo if I realize a previous ... | 2019/06/25 | [
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46,238 | I normally try to place myself in my character's shoes and I think to myself, "how would I react if I were in this situation?" Well one of my beta-readers commented on my work, and he said the chapter sounds like it was written in haste to go along with the panic and dire of the situation at hand. He said that's not a ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46240,
"author": "icanfathom",
"author_id": 25499,
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"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I've noticed something about many books and movies. Just as two characters are getting into a deep conversation,... | 2019/06/25 | [
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46,241 | I want to describe my first person perspective character who's narrating without doing the Wattpad "mirror scene." How would I go about this? | [
{
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"text": "This depends on whether you're using past-tense or present-tense narration: whether the narrator is looking back at... | 2019/06/25 | [
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46,253 | I am writing a stage play and would like to express my desires for casting and costuming of the characters. For instance, a historical character is of Irish ancestry (thus an actor with red hair and a convincing Irish accent would be desired) and every portrait I've seen of them has them wearing a certain style of clot... | [
{
"answer_id": 46255,
"author": "wetcircuit",
"author_id": 23253,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Dramatis Personæ\n----------------\n\nThe traditional character list is called [dramatis personæ](https://en.wik... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46253",
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46,259 | This question sounds similar to [this](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/21563/should-i-write-out-numbers-or-use-the-actual-numbers-ordinals) but I am asking something different.
It is said that Stephen Hawking [removed all the formulas](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/stephen-hawking-a-brief-his... | [
{
"answer_id": 46261,
"author": "Zeiss Ikon",
"author_id": 26297,
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"pm_score": 2,
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"text": "As a reader, if I find a novel in which the author has flouted standard writing style by not spelling out small,... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46259",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,272 | I'm having trouble finding and sticking to one word to indicate whatever value the user intends to use with my instructions.
For example:
>
> Select your preferred printer.
>
>
>
I'm wondering what synonyms for "preferred" you would use in such a situation.
Would something more direct like "target" be more fit... | [
{
"answer_id": 46273,
"author": "Amadeus",
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"text": "One possibility is to not use the adjective: \"Select a printer\".\n\nAnother is to use the adjective appropriate to... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46272",
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46,274 | I am someone with no formal writing background, who has come to love writing for the fantasy adventure role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons (fifth edition) during my free time.
I am currently running the adventure that accompanies the Starter Set for 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, titled *Lost Mine of Phandelver*... | [
{
"answer_id": 46276,
"author": "Ash",
"author_id": 26012,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26012",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "It seems to me that you, and in fact all RPG content writers, should be able to use a purely third person perspective w... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46274",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,279 | My story takes place in a relatively near future setting where gender stereotypes have become a thing of the past. Unlike a recent [question on another site](https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/q/149651/22685), physiological sex-specific traits are still very much present in society, but they *no longer have any si... | [
{
"answer_id": 46280,
"author": "SC for reinstatement of Monica",
"author_id": 22074,
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"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "My suggestion is to casually alude to it. I'm taking up the 'men is dress' example you menti... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46279",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,284 | I have a five book series and I have plotted them all out. The main bad guy wins in the end. My problem with this is my girlfriend keeps telling me that bad guys winning will make readers upset that they invested in the heroes only for them to die or lose. So now I am second guessing the entire series.
Can a book ser... | [
{
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"author": "Amadeus",
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"selected": false,
"text": "No, I don't think it would be okay for a bad guy to win in the end.\n\nReaders don't like it. They read for fantasy... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46284",
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46,289 | Can we dialoguify sounds? By dialoguifying I mean turning something that shouldn't be put in quote when that something correspond to sounds into a dialogue by putting it between quotes and treating it as a dialogue.
For example:
>
> "Bang, bang, bang, pow." Celine banged on the door. "Bang, bang, pow,
> pow." she ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46291,
"author": "Community",
"author_id": -1,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/-1",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I wouldn't recommend this.\n\nAnything that appears in quotation marks is meant to be taken literally. When I first read... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46289",
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46,292 | A character in my fantasy novel is called Beowulf. I named him such at a time I was unaware that this character existed in mythology, and was at least a little established. I didn't think much of it at first, but multiple people commented on it (seeing his name only). So naturally, I fear that this might be a problem. ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46296,
"author": "s.anne.w",
"author_id": 30558,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/30558",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I, personally, believe that while people may comment 'Hey! He's named after that Beowulf myth!' I doubt they would ... | 2019/06/26 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46292",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,303 | I have written my novel as a 'first person singular' and in past tense. There are lot of times in it where I have written it as I will say it while speaking. I have used phrases which have implied meaning but it's not technically accurate. Following is an example:
>
> "Ahh **don’t worry,** it means nothing, all it me... | [
{
"answer_id": 46304,
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"selected": true,
"text": "Yes, that is acceptable. In dialogue, the only thing I'd say is **unacceptable** is trying to duplicate \"sound effe... | 2019/06/27 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46303",
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46,318 | The question is similar to [this](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/12561/can-i-change-between-the-use-of-past-tense-to-present-tense-for-the-story-being) but the answers does not answer me. In my general fiction novel, which is told in first person singular past tense, I encounter moments where I am confused... | [
{
"answer_id": 46331,
"author": "NofP",
"author_id": 28528,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/28528",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "Still happening... in the past\n==============================\n\nPast tense indicates something that was present, in t... | 2019/06/27 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46318",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,322 | I am writing a fiction story about a elite unit, SFD (Strike Force Delta), during the Third World War. The war is basically extremely variable, it lasts from 2025 to 2030. I like to call it the 'mixing pot war' because all of the theaters of the war mimic previous wars in that area. Instead of having nukes, the countri... | [
{
"answer_id": 46336,
"author": "Cocquecigrues",
"author_id": 40008,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/40008",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "The sergeant could be unfair towards the other character while being in denial about it or without even real... | 2019/06/27 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46322",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,327 | I’m writing a non-fiction book. The book is based around a blog I wrote. There were comments on the blog from family and friends, do I need to get their permission to use these comments or can I just put them in the book? Many thanks, Pabe | [
{
"answer_id": 46407,
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"author_id": 40049,
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"selected": false,
"text": "Pabe, you can assume that a certain amount of reproduction from your web site to your book is fair use. They... | 2019/06/28 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46327",
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46,332 | The story that I'm currently working on is in a very far future. Clearly, people will speak a different language then.
Now, I wondered if it can make sense to (partially) create a conlang for the story even though I don't plan to write anything in that language in the final text.
I see two potential advantages of thi... | [
{
"answer_id": 46337,
"author": "wetcircuit",
"author_id": 23253,
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"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> Does creating a conlang but not using it actually have the positive effects suggested…?\n> \n> \n> \n\n**N... | 2019/06/28 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46332",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/5162/"
] |
46,352 | So, I've been working for about a month now on my latest novel but have come across some issues in regards to recollections of past events.
I'll outline what I mean, because that's a bit general...
It's based around a psychiatrist and a patient discussing the patient's life.
The main problem I'm having is transition... | [
{
"answer_id": 46353,
"author": "Amadeus",
"author_id": 26047,
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"selected": true,
"text": "That's tough, it sounds like a hundred page wall of dialogue to me.\n\nTo eliminate most of it, I'd resort to flashb... | 2019/06/29 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46352",
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46,357 | This might be a very trivial question but I don't know what to google to get an answer so asking anyways.
In this dialogue;
>
> "I have such a miserable cold, your sarcastic remarks are hardly
> making any effect on me," he commented.
>
>
>
Should the phrase '**he commented**' come before or after what he comme... | [
{
"answer_id": 46359,
"author": "Amadeus",
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"selected": true,
"text": "It depends on the context. If you think it is clear to a reader who is speaking, don't use a tag. \n\nIf you think i... | 2019/06/29 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46357",
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46,363 | I'm a member of a Discord server for people interested in completing an entire novel during NaNoWriMo (and Camp sessions). At one point, a discussion arose around writing by hand vs. typing out your story.
Someone mentioned that they prefer writing by hand, because it's fewer distractions, although it makes revisions ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46364,
"author": "Ash",
"author_id": 26012,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26012",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "Please note that I used to hand write everything and only type up what I felt was worthwhile later, largely due to a ra... | 2019/06/30 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46363",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,373 | I have enjoyed writing prose for years and have a few short stories penned. I would like to build up to a novel but believe I have identified a potential weakness in my storytelling.
My style is grounded in visual language, and always has been. I grew up with a lot of film and TV, and have a good knowledge of filmogra... | [
{
"answer_id": 46377,
"author": "Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum",
"author_id": 553,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/553",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think the main advantage is *interior life.* You can use narration or thoughts to give us what one ... | 2019/07/01 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46373",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,374 | I just saw a two-person play where one character did the majority of the talking and the other seemed to exist only to give the other character someone to talk to. I've seen this happen in books and TV as well, and sometimes a normally strong character will take this role temporarily. Usually the conversation plays out... | [
{
"answer_id": 46375,
"author": "Matthew Dave",
"author_id": 32552,
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"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "I believe in this case, a 'sounding board' fits the bill, simply a person to bounce concepts, dialogue, and ide... | 2019/07/01 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46374",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,387 | I'm writing a novel with many POVs, and this is a very flexible story. It started out with a few POVs who had one plot, and now there is a lot more, having been integrated in between those previously existing POVs. But now I'm thinking about adding a new POV that brings a ton of implications. A vampire POV.
The reade... | [
{
"answer_id": 46391,
"author": "EDL",
"author_id": 39219,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/39219",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think you can look to Hijrp Potfeq for inspiration to answer your question.\n\nEvery book introduced new species. Som... | 2019/07/01 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46387",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,403 | In my story the protagonist goes to live in a health resort. The receptionist presents her with a brochure of activities. At the moment I have written like this in a word document;
>
> After patiently listening to my story, she pulled out the resort
> brochure and pointing out with the pen in her hand she said;
> “He... | [
{
"answer_id": 46405,
"author": "Chris Sunami",
"author_id": 10479,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/10479",
"pm_score": 5,
"selected": true,
"text": "Typically, in a prose novel, you would describe the brochure, not reproduce it.\n\n> \n> After patiently listen... | 2019/07/02 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46403",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,425 | I recently came across something I wrote in 4th or 5th grade, where the MCs, a girl and a boy, were superheroes. One wore a blue costume with knives, and the other wore a pink one with flowers... BUT PSYCH! The girl wore the blue one! And the boy wore the pink! Your stereotypes mean nothing to my unsharpened-pencil wie... | [
{
"answer_id": 46426,
"author": "Matthew Dave",
"author_id": 32552,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/32552",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "If you're just doing it for its own sake to bask in your own 'cleverness', it stands out like neon in a window... | 2019/07/03 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46425",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,431 | The way I am currently designing a story with three distinct POVs. An issue I am running into, however, is that one of these has much more to do in the first third than the other two while having less to do later.
Because of this, I am considering not running the POVs chronologically next to each other, even though th... | [
{
"answer_id": 46432,
"author": "Amadeus",
"author_id": 26047,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26047",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I don't think it is too important. I read a story (can't remember the name) in which two POVs were presented, one f... | 2019/07/03 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46431",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,444 | So I am trying to write a story for a game.
I am more of a systems guy so this is uncharted territory.
I try not to follow examples ("make terrible things happen to the characters") but rather the philosophical aspects as that opens up a lot of possibilities in how a game can be made fun.
* What makes us as humans in... | [
{
"answer_id": 46449,
"author": "SFWriter",
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "**Question**: What makes a story interesting?\n\n**Answer:** Here are the things I find make stories interesting.\... | 2019/07/04 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46444",
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46,445 | I am wondering if how we name a version of a spacecraft differs from how we name a version of a software. For software, I usually see things like "2.0.32.32" or something like that and sometimes they may be preceded by some letter or word. Is there an universal standard for telling how you should format the name of the... | [
{
"answer_id": 46453,
"author": "JonStonecash",
"author_id": 23701,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/23701",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "I developed software for many decades for several organizations. The standards for versioning were varied, but ... | 2019/07/04 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46445",
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46,446 | What kind of humor do you find appropriate for your sci-fi stories?
I realize that the question might seem so broad, but I think the target group for most sci-fi stories has a sense of humor that could be specified to some extent. For example do you use dark humor, spicy humor, situational humor, etc. and at what leve... | [
{
"answer_id": 46447,
"author": "EDL",
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "There isn't a general answer to your question. Humor in story stories and novels, regardless of genre, is a function of... | 2019/07/04 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46446",
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46,456 | For a while now I’ve had an idea for a YA series brewing in my mind.
The series takes place in an urban setting much like our world now, but each human has the ability to wield an Element corresponding to their eye colour - blue is Water, brown is Fire, green/hazel is Earth and grey is Air.
Here is some of the lore:... | [
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"selected": false,
"text": "There isn't a general answer to your question. Humor in story stories and novels, regardless of genre, is a function of... | 2019/07/05 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46456",
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46,457 | I started writing a novel directly tied to my background in which the protagonist and her surrounding environment have many characteristics in common with mine.
As I wrote the first chapter, I realized that my novel idea is heavily dependent on racial and cultural themes around immigration, cultural integration and b... | [
{
"answer_id": 46458,
"author": "Amadeus",
"author_id": 26047,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26047",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Narrating what she did, instead of where she is from, is always a good idea. Here's why!\n\nWhat she did (and what ... | 2019/07/05 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46457",
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46,469 | In a fantasy series that I’ve been working on for some time now, there is a character that I’ve always kind of seen as not having sexual or romantic attraction. Originally, I did have a love interest planned for him, but it always felt extremely forced to me, or like I was trying to incorporate a storyline that didn’t ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46472,
"author": "wetcircuit",
"author_id": 23253,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/23253",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> I don’t know if he could possibly just say something along the lines\n> of “I just don’t feel that way ab... | 2019/07/06 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46469",
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46,479 | I open Hemingway's *The Sun Also Rises* at random (chapter 9).
>
> 'I haven't seen you since I've been back,' Brebk said.
>
> 'No.'
>
> 'How are you, Jile?'
>
> 'Fine.'
>
> Brebk looked at me. 'I say,' she said, 'is Gobejt Qofn going on this trip?'
>
> 'Yes. Why?'
>
> 'Don't you think it will ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46480,
"author": "Matthew Dave",
"author_id": 32552,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Hemingway is a great believer in *minimalism.* Heck, there's [a software program](http://www.hemingwayapp.com/... | 2019/07/06 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46479",
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46,482 | Is there a specific name for the plot device in which the story's "Big Bad" has a cunning plan to use some monstrous being to further their diabolical machinations. This may be something summoned from elsewhere, brought back from banishment after earlier issues, or even the creation of magic or mad science. But when it... | [
{
"answer_id": 46483,
"author": "Oren_C",
"author_id": 36249,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/36249",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I think Fzazkanstuuf fits this category almost perfectly. In Fzazkanstuuf the protagonist had created a creature tha... | 2019/07/07 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46482",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,485 | I'm writing a non-comedic fantasy novel, and I find myself using onomatopoeic words, like "SLAM!" and "TWISH" (for the shooting of arrows). To my knowledge, onomatopoeic words are almost only used in cartoons and comic books/manga. Perhaps also in cinematography which is derived from set genres. But what about using it... | [
{
"answer_id": 46486,
"author": "Ash",
"author_id": 26012,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26012",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Fair warning: as a reader I have a pet peeve about onomatopoeia; I dislike it intensely as it tends to break my flow wh... | 2019/07/07 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46485",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,492 | How do we handle pauses in a dialogue?
Let's say that character A speaks and then after a pause character A speaks again. How should we separate the two moments, should we write two lines of dialogues or should we cut the two lines of dialogues with a brief description?
For example:
>
> "Was the computer software h... | [
{
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"selected": true,
"text": "You indicate pauses with action, even mentioning the pause. (Or, as Cyn says in comment, with other exposition or th... | 2019/07/07 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46492",
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46,493 | I had started writing my novel in the first person. Later on, I planned some plot twists along the way.
For these plot twists to happen, the protagonist shouldn't be aware of the consequences/interpretation of certain events; some go back to when she was in school. Eventually, my protagonist will experience a moment ... | [
{
"answer_id": 46495,
"author": "Amadeus",
"author_id": 26047,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26047",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> Is she supposed to be aware of everything happening around her and **to** her if I'm writing in the first per... | 2019/07/07 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46493",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
46,497 | Looking for software recommendation.
I am hoping someone can help me, I am developing a book for children that covers mental illness and I want it to be flexible based on demographic or personal details (can be electronic or hard copy).
What is given to a 6 year old with panic being differently presented to a 12 yea... | [
{
"answer_id": 46501,
"author": "April Salutes Monica C.",
"author_id": 36670,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/36670",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "To build on my idea in the comments -- a chatbot framework may be helpful, even if that's not your... | 2019/07/08 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46497",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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46,510 | More specifically, how can one write a novel that examines or even argues against cultural moral values and laws without... dealing with legal fallout as the author?
I realize this may be asking to eat my cake and have it too, but I think it is always important to question the status quo. I am not inciting riots or an... | [
{
"answer_id": 46511,
"author": "Shadowzee",
"author_id": 34057,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/34057",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": false,
"text": "Making political, moral or legal arguments in novels can always get you backlash, especially when it is obvious w... | 2019/07/09 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46510",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/24863/"
] |
46,527 | I often see place or species names shortened in scientific journal articles and would like to know what the correct protocol is.
Can I shorten **"Gough Island"** to just "**Gough**"? Or **"leatherback turtle"** to "**leatherback**"? | [
{
"answer_id": 46541,
"author": "Amadeus",
"author_id": 26047,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/26047",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Typically, if we are going to introduce any shorthand for a long name (including initializing it), the first time we... | 2019/07/09 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46527",
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46,530 | I am writing a story that involves time travel, and I have a chapter where a character from the future interacts with his present-day self. This chapter is written from the present-day self's POV.
Early feedback on the chapter indicates that I'm not doing the greatest job distinguishing between the two instances of th... | [
{
"answer_id": 46532,
"author": "Liquid",
"author_id": 25517,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/25517",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "I think it may be solved using the same term consistently.\n\nFrom what you wrote:\n\n> \n> \"the man\", \"his older ... | 2019/07/10 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46530",
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