qid int64 1 2.78M | question stringlengths 2 66.6k | answers list | date stringlengths 10 10 | metadata list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
46,543 | I began an assignment to write a short story for a Creative Writing submission to a publication and although it was accepted, I found that I struggled with the addition of dialogue to this first-person narrative.
I began by trying to avoid dialogue between the characters and kept the "dialogue" in my head as personal mental processings and ruminations. At some point, I realised that the story would need interactions between the characters in order to build relationships relative to the story and it was then that I was met with a mental brick wall. Further **thought lead me to realise that in reading stories in general, when it comes to verbal interactions between characters, I tend to lose interest, as it often feels awkward, forced, lacking depth and authenticity** . It's almost as if it ruins the atmosphere that has been carefully crafted, cutting into the mood like the slap from a dead piece of meat. A good deal of dialogue is small-talk, and I have to admit,I'm not a fan of small talk in reality.
*I'm interested in knowing the magic formula for writing dialogue to keep the reader, including myself as author, engaged in the story and connected to its characters.* | [
{
"answer_id": 46544,
"author": "Ash",
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"text": "There isn't one, fiction, both reading it and writing it is a subjective experience, everyone sees it differently so th... | 2019/07/10 | [
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46,546 | I would like to use the title of a TV sitcom *in* the title of my book. How do I find out if this is without legal ramifications? | [
{
"answer_id": 46549,
"author": "Cyn",
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"text": "There are [144 books with the word \"Seuzcelk\" in the title](https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=seinfel... | 2019/07/10 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46546",
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46,551 | When should a character refer his dad or someone close in third impersonal person? Let's say you have a character and his dad is the President of the United States. In what situation is it appropriate for the character to refer to his dad as "the President"? What if the dad isn't a President, but a musician, or another lesser known/important profession?
I am concerned about realistic interactions between people. I don't want my characters acting strangely in my novel, since the readers will notice. | [
{
"answer_id": 46553,
"author": "Liquid",
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"text": "You refer to someone indirectly when you want to emphasize distance.\n-----------------------------------------------... | 2019/07/11 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46551",
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46,558 | Should we avoid repeating redundant information after a dialogue and is there a way around this? Sometimes, you feel prompted to write the description of an action that follows a line, but that also seems to be redundant, and it leads to some pretty bad prose. How would you work around this?
For example:
>
> "**Here's the chip** in question." he said as he **handed the chip** to him.
> "It's a very old chip, make sure you take care of it."
>
>
>
Sounds redundant, but the fact he's handing it is also important somewhat, or can be important for what may follow. What would you do in this situation? | [
{
"answer_id": 46559,
"author": "infinitezero",
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"text": "Why don't you paraphrase the action? Say what he is literally doing. How does he give the chip? Is it in an en... | 2019/07/12 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46558",
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46,565 | I've met a few of these but the most recent instance was two characters discussing buying a third character a drink when they all got home, on the first reading this is a simple moment of comradery and thanks giving for what they owe that person. When reading the series again this moment takes on a more poignant note, the character dies in a later book, and knowing they never get their bottle of booze makes the moment very different.
I'm wondering if there's a specific name for these moments that are simple the first time and sad when reread because of the ultimate fate of the characters involved? | [
{
"answer_id": 46569,
"author": "Liquid",
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"text": "What came to my mind immediately is \n\nForeshadowing\n-------------\n\nForeshadowing is the art of giving \"hints\"... | 2019/07/12 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46565",
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46,576 | (For reference, I am queer.)
In my post-apocalyptic novel and in the short story from the novel's antagonist's perspective, my MC, UrasMt' love interest, Caspian, has/had two mothers, Pastea and Ezrith (Ezrith is the antagonist). Pastea was his biological mom, and Ezrith is his adoptive mom. Pastea was accidentally killed by UrasMt when UrasMt was a child, and neither Caspian nor Ezrith know about it.
I know the "lesbian/gay character dies" trope is extremely popular in the media, especially with shows/books/movies that want to avoid having LGBT representation, so they kill off the only queer character. The "lesbian/gay character has a dead lover" trope is also used a lot, and is pretty tired.
But I'm not using Pastea's death as a way to avoid LGBT representation--five out of six of the living named characters that I've written are queer.
With this context in mind, is it still bad that I have a female character who was in love with a woman die? And if so, how can I change my story or development to avoid any underlying homophobic tones? | [
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"answer_id": 46577,
"author": "Ash",
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"text": "Would you kill them if they were straight? If yes then you're not being homophobic, whether you're seen as being homoph... | 2019/07/12 | [
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46,582 | Should a comma be used after a dialogue tag and before the word ”as”.
For example:
>
> ”I don’t like this at all, ” he said, as the door closed behind them.
>
> Or
> ”I don’t like this at all, ” he said as the door closed behind
> them.
>
>
>
Is the comma required? Is this proper to extend a sentence after a dialogue tag?
Thank you! | [
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"text": "It is fine to extend a sentence after a tag, and the first form is correct: \"he said\" should also be followed by ... | 2019/07/12 | [
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46,587 | I'm writing a story in first person, but with a third person narrator for the secondary character. I was wondering if there were any books or stories to research how the first person character could effectively address the narrator in a chapter with competing POVs without confusion?
Oversimplified:
>
> I thought he was mad. Cuson remained stoic, remembering the time things happened at school.
>
> "Is everything alright," I said.
>
> "Didn't the narrator tell you," said Cuson thinking of home. "I'm not the sharing type."
>
>
> | [
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"text": "I'm in agreement with Amaheor here. It's just not a technique that is going to work. I'm trying to think of an exceptio... | 2019/07/13 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46587",
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46,589 | A story of mine has the following sentence:
>
> Atysri was possessed by a sudden, fierce urge to snatch the teacup out
> of her sister's hand and dump the contents into her perfectly arranged
> hair.
>
>
>
On further reflection, I realized this sentence is ambiguous: I never said which of the two gets the tea dumped on her head. Except, I'm not sure that the sentence really needs fixing - it wouldn't make sense for Atysri to get mad and dump the tea on her *own* head. (I tried to replace the pronoun with her sister's name, but the resulting sentence just felt... clumsy.)
Is there a way I can objectively tell if an ambiguous sentence will cause confusion and needs to be fixed? | [
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"text": "If the object pronoun, ‘her’ in this case, doesn’t have a clear antecedent then the sentence will be ambiguous. \n\nBy ... | 2019/07/13 | [
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46,590 | I've been blogging for a while and I only write my thoughts and opinions on topics such as world peace, social matters, art & culture, and various other topics. I want to make a living writing from those articles and I want to know the name of those type of articles so that I can market myself to clients. Are they called 'opinion' articles? I know there's such thing but I'm not sure if it applies to non-political topics as a lot of the definitions I read seem to be talking about political topics only.
Please note, that I can't make a living from my blog because I have online earning limitations in my country that makes it impossible to receive my money online. | [
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"text": "I'm used to seeing them called \"opinion pieces\" when they run in a print newspaper. Very possible that term co... | 2019/07/13 | [
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46,596 | I'm writing a story, it's not focused on romance, but that's an important part as well. The point is that I have two characters and I ended up ("accidentally") seeing chemistry between them, they have a good dynamic. With that, I really want to know how to develop a romance between them without being obvious.
How can I make the chemistry be perceived without giving evidence that they will be a couple in the future? I want to do it in a way that the reader can see the chemistry and the romantic potential that they have, so that they come and ship the couple without having any certainty that they will be canon someday.
I want the reader to have the impression that it will probably never happen, but that he still has a tiny spark of hope. As if thinking, "I know it will probably never happen, but I ship it anyway.", Anyway, what I meant by that, is that the idea is to make the reader think that he is deluding himself, and at the same time not (I think it's kind of confusing, sorry). Exemplifying would be like Romanogers (Marvel), Finrey (Star Wars), Stydia (Teen Wolf), or even Scalia in 6A of Teen Wolf.
So I ask again, how to develop a romance that is not obvious? How can chemistry be perceived without giving evidence that they will be a couple in the future? The funniest thing is that, unintentionally, I ended up shipping them, so I'm hoping they'll be together!
 | [
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"text": "I think it, sadly, depends on the genders of your characters. If it's a m/f couple people are much more likely ... | 2019/07/13 | [
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46,601 | I'm writing a satirical novella of sorts, based on the current American political climate. I'm exploring themes of race, political polarity, and youth. I do want to finish and possibly publish this novella, but I don't know *when* is a good time to do so.
If I publish it before the next election cycle, will it be too on-the-nose? If I wait, say, three years, will it be dated or irrelevant if something drastically changes within American politics? | [
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"text": "Satire is best served hot.\n--------------------------\n\nIn my opinion, you should try to publish it as soon as it's... | 2019/07/13 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46601",
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46,603 | In a post-apocalyptic novel I'm writing (which is the subject of many questions I've asked on Writing.SE), I recently cut out my entire Chapter 10-11. I was revealing the MC, UrasMt' finékinesis (death-force manipulation) to her love interest, Caspian, and her accidental killing of his mother and her own family, but in the middle of writing it, I realized that it was probably too soon, realistically, for UrasMt to reveal a part of her past that she'd blocked out after knowing Caspian for roughly a week.
At this point in the story, however, UrasMt' own actions are becoming more obvious to her, and my beta readers also understand that UrasMt is the one who killed both Caspian's mom and UrasMt' family. I just don't think it's the right time to reveal this to the *characters*, and I'm faltering a bit on identifying when *is* a good time.
If this helps, according to an [eight-point story arc](https://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-structure-a-story-the-eight-point-arc/), I think my story is moving from the *quest* stage to the *surprise* stage. | [
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"text": "What is the emotional context of this revelation, **to UrasMt?** You have the option of her revealing her ability, ... | 2019/07/13 | [
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46,610 | How would you write do the dialogues of two characters talking in a chat room? I am seriously wondering about the format. Should it look like regular dialogues, what about emoticons like OWO and ;) and XD?
For example:
>
> "Bzle, you're so funny! XD" she wrote. "I can't believe you did that!"
>
>
> "Yeah, I am the funniest clown on earth! ;)" he replied. "Oh, crap,
> time to sleep!"
>
>
> "Bye!"
>
>
> "Cya!"
>
>
> | [
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"text": "Write it as it is.\n------------------\n\nWhen you write dialogue, you don't write it up as formal English (or another l... | 2019/07/14 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/46610",
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46,617 | Ok, so, I am currently writing a book and 3 of my characters have the same name as in another novel. I didn't realize it until someone pointed it out to me. The names I picked are fairly common and used frequently in the real world. Is it a problem? Even though the books have absolutely nothing to do with each other? Do I have to change it for safety?
PS: The names are: AmmuiV, Ulovor and Kicob. Same names as in *Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children* | [
{
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"text": "The answer to your question depends on how strongly the set of names is associated with the ... | 2019/07/14 | [
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46,621 | What effect does compounding bring when used in the title of a song, poem, story? Sometimes, you see word that are made of two conjoined words, and you wonder what's the point of it. Does it make a difference if the title of your song is "bathwater" instead of "bath water"? There's this song by Britney Spears that's titled "Everytime" instead of "every time". What's the intended effect here, and when should we use it? | [
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"text": "Inventing new words, including by compounding, is supposed to be clever, or indicate a new concept that *should* hav... | 2019/07/14 | [
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46,626 | I have 40,000 words of a novel and I am not sure at what point to ask for constructive criticism. | [
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"text": "When you think the work is ready, probably sounds a bit daft but there is no hard and fast rule about when a piece is r... | 2019/07/15 | [
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46,651 | I've been working on a story for the last 4 years. It's just a personal project now and I've gone really in depth to clean up any plot holes I can readily see (thanks Cinemasins). I think I love this story almost as much as I love my boyfriend; it's a fanfiction (not the gross kind, a bringing-back-a-short-lived-90s-show-from-the-dead-because-it-was-great kind) of Ed Edd N Eddy. I'm in the editing stage now cuz this book needed a glow up, and I just finished the first chapter.
Based on Grammarly, it is 7,812 words long and has a 30 minute reading time and a 1 hour speaking time. My aunt, who is a 3rd grade teacher and doesn't seem to read more than the average elementary school chapter book, told me it was much too long and a chapter should only be about 10 pages long. This isn't an elementary school chapter book, and not even a middle school one. It's a book for Ed Edd N Eddy lovers to keep the show alive in their mind. My aunt seems to want me to feel bad but I still really love what I'm doing and it's making me happy. That's all that matters, isn't it? Should I really cut it down or is it fine to keep it how it is? It all seems to flow together, and when I read it, it didn't feel like it was that long. | [
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46,655 | In my exploration of story structure, I have encountered some conflicting advice.
In some instances, it has been suggested that the midpoint of a story represents the moment that the protagonist shifts from being a reactive character, simply reacting to whatever the story throws at them, to being a proactive one, choosing their own course from here on out.
However, I have also seen it suggested that the midpoint is simply the event that precipitates choice, a choice that the protagonist doesn't actually embrace until they've faced the crisis that follows, their 'darkest hour'.
In the story that I'm working on, I have been treating the midpoint as more the later, where a catastrophe strikes and the protagonist is left in a dire place that seems insurmountable. The second half of act 2 being the tale of how he faces his situation and decides he isn't going to take it lying down.
Does this approach make sense? Or should the protagonist really be making his decision at the midpoint as some suggest? | [
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"text": "For me, the midpoint is indeed when I shift from a reactive phase to a proactive phase, but I still need a scene, a... | 2019/07/15 | [
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46,659 | When I first learned about the "show don't tell" guideline, I believe it applied to everything. I have now learned there are many grey areas, like for example exposition, and that the most important thing to remember is that **emotions must be shown**, not told.
So, what about opinions? Attitudes people have, etc.? I'd say opinions and attitudes to certain things are integral parts of someone's personality, and if you're *telling* someone's personality, instead of showing it through their actions or conveying it through dialogue, then that's bad writing.
Here's the sentence in question that I am currently critiquing:
>
> He [Visa] squared his shoulders, ReenaCm respected confidence.
>
>
>
There is a conflict, between Visa and ReenaCm. Now, I reacted to the fact that it says, straight-up "ReenaCm respected confidence". I believed in such cases, one would show his respect and acknowledgement as Visa portrayed confidence. I.e.:
>
> He squared his shoulders. ReenaCm's forehead wrinkled as his eyebrows rose, looking at his apprentice's new posture.
>
>
>
Now, this writing is pretty terrible, but at least I'm showing his respect and acknowledgement. And another way I believe to do it, whilst still staying within the "show don't tell" guideline is to convey the information through dialogue/monologue/thought.
>
> He squared his shoulders. *This'll get him to listen to me. He respects confidence.*
>
>
>
Not only is the fact that ReenaCm respects confidence conveyed, but a little of Visa's personality is illuminated as well. Now, I probably did it a bit too on the nose, so that it is practically still "telling", but it is the concept I'm talking about.
Though, I honestly don't know. Perhaps it is completely acceptable and good writing to just write "...ReenaCm respected confidence."? Perhaps that is even better than my options? | [
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46,672 | In ordinary English usage, one would refer to a knight called 'Forename Surname' as *Sir Forename*, not *Surname*, e.g. *Sir Forename is distinguished in ...* But in academic writing, one would typically refer to someone as *Surname*, e.g. *Surname (2019) suggests that ...*
Does that fact that Sir Forename Surname is a knight mean one should address him as *Sir Forename* in an academic context, or do we ignore the general usage convention, keeping the academic convention without exception (even where it doesn't match the general one)? | [
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"text": "Usage will vary based on the style guide. Some will ask writers to omit the title. Others will conform close... | 2019/07/16 | [
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46,688 | **When writing a story, how do you find a good balance between the significance of different elements, such as plot, themes, and bold settings and characters, and the character arcs?**
In my case I have a great setting for a minor part of the book, and it is threatening to become much more significant in the mind of the reader than I had intended, imposing its own themes and emotional significance, but I don't want to lose the color it brings to the story.
I am writing a historical novel in which, currently, most of the story takes place in one country (England), significant backstory is set in a second (British Guiana), and significant plot developments happen in a third (France). The British Guiana backstory provides a significant catalyst for why my protagonists meet and get together (he's a naturalist who explores the rainforest there, she lived there in her childhood and attends his lecture about it), and it flavors a lot of the rest of the story and provides a few minor plot elements, but never becomes relevant again as a destination or setting.
I'm new to creative writing, but my instincts are telling me the balance between setting, theme, and character arcs is off. I'd like to give a satisfying ending to those two character arcs. The beginning of the story implicitly emphasizes BG and travel as thematically important because it's a point of connection for the main characters and their families. However, the plot and resolution force the characters to stay in England for the foreseeable future (because of what happens in France), and thus they must abandon any hope of both natural history expeditions and visiting BG. While the lack of further natural history adventures is acceptable and leads to character and plot development, the inability to reconnect with BG leaves me feeling let down, particularly for my female protagonist, who is homesick and might have reasonably expected to travel there with the naturalist. It's an open emotional thread that needs a conclusion.
**What needs to be changed to bring these elements into balance?**
Thank you! | [
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"text": "Since it's an historical novel involving international politics, I'll assume that you can't change major events ... | 2019/07/17 | [
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46,689 | I have this duo in my novel, they're always together in chapters. Usually the story alternates between them within their plot, though mostly leaning to one of the characters, as he's one of the MCs and he's pretty significant to the plot and world.
Though, since they're so much together, they get a lot of attention also in the chapters they're not the POV in. That's okay obviously, but in the latest chapter, the attention almost completely shifts to one of them, who isn't the actual POV of that chapter.
The reason for this is that the other character gets drunk. They're on this mission, and the POV character has a more passive role in it. That narrative asks for more attention to the doer, but that's not in-line with who is the POV, and the center of attention for the beginning parts of the chapter.
So, is it okay to shift the POV as the chapter progresses? The chapter will end with the POV being the center of attention again, there's really only a little segment where the other character kind of takes over.
**EDIT:** When I meant who is active, I mean we see things from their perspective, because they are the one who is doing something. We see their preperations, even though the actual POV is not in the same room. And their emotions are described, not directly, but through surface level cues. So I would say it pretty safe to say the actual POV shifts, and it isn't a *Jolzec and Watson* case. But as Galastel said in his answer, it is okay to shift POV, and it is really more of a question how. | [
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46,699 | I have in mind a character who is the protagonist's trusted ally throughout the story, but it is revealed at the end that he was the primary antagonist for most of it. This kind of thing has, of course, been done many times in the past, most recently in:
>
> *Spider-Man: Far From Home* with the character Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio.
>
>
>
I want this to be foreshadowed but still surprising, the "How did I not see this coming?" sort of twist. But once it's clear that someone else is pulling strings in the story, this character is probably an obvious first suspect to readers, given the prevalence of this trope. What are some strategies to lead readers off the trail and make the twist compelling? | [
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46,705 | In my story democracy crumbles in a nation, replaced by a powerful dictatorship. Our world has been invaded by servants of the elder god, Nyalathotep. Governments have been fighting back for years, only delaying the inevitable loss of our species. The only one successfully holding its own and representing some bastion of safety is this single country boasting a popular and charismatic leader. The problem is that it is an authoritarian, fascist dictatorship, in which civil rights are suppressed somewhat and the state has most of the power.
I want to show the downfall of this democracy and the rise of this fascist dictatorship. This story is about the transition and how the nation becomes so battered that it is forced to make this change, similar to the imperium of man from the grimdark Warhammer 40k franchise. However, that series only looks at the ramifications of an eternal war against the approaching darkness, rather than the journey to that point. This is a challenge, as most readers would have a problem with any positive portrayal of a fascist nation, and would have a hard time believing that the loss of civil rights ( freedom of expression, thought, etc) is ever necessary.
How could I improve the story so that readers would be able to suspend their disbelief? | [
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46,719 | In an omniscient third person, I have 8 (practically unrelated) events going simultaneously in different parts of a large mansion. I want to present these events as they happen, but I feel jumping around every two sentences is bound to cause confusion!
Are there any prose or typographical tricks I could use to make this easier on the reader? The idea is to preserve a sense of hectic momentum, so a *little* confusion would be fine.
Thus far I have tried taking the perspective of an inanimate object that naturally passes through these events at a rapid pace (An overly-aggressively thrown bouncy ball), but I found the scene(s) quickly became about the object rather than the events.
I suppose the exact feeling I want to elicit is a prose equivalent of, in film, the variable time single-shot scene. I realize this is impossible, but I think exploring the options I have would at the very least be educational. | [
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46,728 | I'm writing some short stories that are all connected and are set in the same universe, because I planned to put them together into a novel later. My question is: If I publish those short stories, can I later modify and extend them into a novel, even if they have been published before? Is that considered self-plagiarism or something? | [
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"text": "Consider [Nightfall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightfall_(Asimov_novelette_and_novel)) by Issac Asimov &... | 2019/07/19 | [
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46,732 | Sometimes, it so happens that I do some research for a story and find that a major plot point could never work in real life. At this stage, I can either continue with my impossible (for a non-fantasy, non-scifi setting) idea, or scrap it completely.
This happened to me earlier while I was writing fan fiction - given the informal nature of it, I simply let my character survive a wound that he shouldn't have survived, and then left a note at the bottom about what would have really happened.
**How can I do this in a more formal setting, like a short story or a novel?** Assume that I can't incorporate the research without reworking a lot of my story. | [
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"text": "I've read a few books that had an \"afterword\" section at the end, where the author would address the reader direc... | 2019/07/19 | [
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46,735 | How important are the author's mood and emotions while writing a story or describing a scene?
For example, while writing an erotic scene, is it important for the author to feel the same way as they expect the readers to feel when describing the scene?
Or for another example, should the author also feel happy, sad, etc. to match the feeling of the character and get the correct words in? | [
{
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"text": "It is **not important, unnecessary, and in fact utterly impossible**. You need to put yoursel... | 2019/07/19 | [
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46,749 | A short story I'm writing involves a stage in which the male protagonist talks to a stranger with the intent of asking them to do a favor for his friend. I want them to start having strong feelings for each other in the course of their conversation.
The challenge is that I don't want the reader to scoff at an unrealistic progression of what's supposed to be a stiff encounter. Going into the conversation, both characters shouldn't foresee that such possibility would occur.
Are there certain dialogue tropes or general pointers to help me build a deep, believable first-time exchange? | [
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"text": "The tropes\n==========\n\nIn my opinion this is a variation of [love at first sight](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwik... | 2019/07/19 | [
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46,766 | I am a little bit paranoid about plagiarizing, and I am confused since I have found two seemingly contradictory answers for this.
Suppose source X says "source Y says blah blah blah."
**One Answer**
From my google searches, it seems like it is always encouraged to go directly to source Y and cite that. If you do not have access to Y, then you can do a parenthetical citation like this: (Y, as cited in X).
**Another Answer**
In answers to this [question on english.se](https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/123797/plagiarism-how-to-cite-the-citation-of-your-source), people are saying that you must always cite both sources, X and Y. This is because the author of X did the work of finding the relevant source Y, and you must cite this.
What is the correct thing to do? | [
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46,774 | The participants describe everything needed for the story to continue, within the conversation. The environment, the emotions, everything. The reader gets to "see" it all through their words.
Has it been done before?
EDIT: I have written 5 chapters of a dialogue-only book. It started off in the usual format, until I realized that the fact that I have not been to locations will definitely show through. Its fleshed out like conversations between people now, with references to the environment thrown in. What I was looking for were references of books done like that, so I know how to write it in a way that others would ACTUALLY read the book and ENJOY the story.
Can anyone give me suggestions of books written in such away? Or can any other writer give me guidance on how to write it this way?
Thank you for all that have tried. | [
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"text": "The short story *Orange* by Neil Gaiman, from his collection *Trigger Warning* takes your ide... | 2019/07/21 | [
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46,777 | I am writing a rather dark, grey fantasy story. It is supposed to feature a twist that turns the antagonist's goal to not to be evil at all (just misjudged) and really trivial (despite requiring large dose of effort). The protagonist changes for the worse, but I still get the feeling that that kind of twist will undermine the whole dark-ish feeling and readers' expectations. Would it work? Should I rework that idea? | [
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"text": "I would like to offer a frame challenge: you're asking \"will X make my story not fit the 'd... | 2019/07/21 | [
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46,780 | I finished my novel and realised that I never mentioned my main character's age. In chapter two I said that she in in her twenties, but that's the only mention of her age.
I know that she is twenty-three, should I state this in my novel, or is it okay to leave her age vague? | [
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46,786 | I have to following tools available, looking for other options.
* Microsoft Word
* Sublime Text Editor
* Atom
* Visual Code
I'm a Software Engineer, who is interested in writing.
Thanks in advance. | [
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46,790 | Do we have to introduce the character's name before using their names in a dialogue tag? I am wondering if we can use the names without saying it's a man or a woman, and then making the characters introduce themselves and name themselves before using their names in dialogue tags.
For example:
>
> "My name is Zotn!" the man said.
>
>
> "Happy to meet you!" said Matthew.
>
>
> "Likewise!" said Zotn.
>
>
>
What are the various approaches for this? And when should you use them? | [
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"text": "The only issue to worry about is that your reader knows who is speaking and can remember who the characters are scene t... | 2019/07/21 | [
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46,795 | I can't remember where I had read it, but somewhere in Christopher Hitchens' catalog of essays is him saying that good authors usually begin by copying a better one, and then developing from there. He had chosen, probably for the best, Orwell's style.
I looked over the questions on this site and found no satisfying answers. How does one specifically copy a better author's style? As an example, I would like to write *more* like Christopher Hitchens. Not exactly like him, as I find that he has the habit of using too many useless, replaceable words, and that he tends to sneak in foreign words.
How would one analyze the writing style and then copy it? (I'll leave the developing up to me.) | [
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46,808 | Is selling individual chapters a valid marketing scheme? Is there anything against it or examples where it worked to sell a whole novel? | [
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"text": "Serializing a novel has been done before - traditionally this was done as part of periodic publications (so you... | 2019/07/22 | [
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46,811 | It feels silly to say, but I've got myself into a bit of a bind of a side project.
In a three-act structure (not what everyone uses, but a good reference point) you generally need to set up all expectations and major setting truths in the first act--preferably in the first half of the first act. At least, that is the common wisdom.
However, how does one then present a twist that is not character driven but setting driven? Strange events have happened and have been scientifically explained, even though they may have been implausible, but the twist is that it was, in fact, magic all along.
Does doing so betray the reader and their expectations? Is there any possible way to do it right, without foreshadowing it so hard that the twist is moot? | [
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"text": "To my way of thinking this is basically \"it was all a dream\" redux. I say that because you're effectively saying igno... | 2019/07/22 | [
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46,816 | TLDR: Tips and Tricks for storyboarding a novel? For someone who can't draw well enough to do the "Draw and describe method"
---
Hello, having read the "[Storyboard a Novel?](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/10938/storyboard-a-novel)" as well as some sources online and numerous failed attempts to write a cohesive novel (I have a great idea too long for a short story). I have decided to ask for help!
A lot of the methods I have read about require basic drawing skills - skills which I lack, I can hardly draw a stick man let alone two in the same space. Are there tools or apps or "old-school" approaches that would work for someone like myself. I know where I want my story to go, I just don't know how to get it on paper?
Also, this is my first question on this page. Please feel free to let me know a) if this is off topic or b) you require more information or details to help me out. | [
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46,825 | Can we have too many dialogue tags and follow up actions? I am trying to think of a situation where it might make sense to describe everything the people do while talking, but it also feels overkill, because there are too many actions being performed.
For example:
>
> "Is that your dream job? Being a cop." he said as he opened the door
> of the car, let him pass, and held the door open until he jumped into
> the car.
>
>
> "Yes, I wanted to be a cop!" Rumerz said as he made himself
> comfortable and put the seat belt on.
>
>
> "Oh, really? That's really strange, because you look like a thug. You
> dress like one at least." he said as he went to the other side of the
> car, opened the door, then jumped into the other side, and then closed
> the door and locked the door close and started the engine.
>
>
>
How would you fix this monstrosity? You can't really skip all of them, because otherwise the following dialogues and action wouldn't make any sense. I would like a special emphasis on what can be omitted and what needs to be said, etc. | [
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46,827 | In my post-apocalyptic novel, there are two "twists", but they're mostly tied up in each other. The first is that humans have developed different kinds of kineses, like hydrokinesis, telekinesis, and so on. The second is that the MC, UrasMt, has finékinesis, the ability to manipulate death, and she killed innocent people with that power. UrasMt has blocked out the memories of these events.
Since UrasMt is my MC and my narrator, the reader discovers alongside her in real time and through her diary entries that she killed people, but I do not explicitly state it until the rest of the characters find out. The characters (other than UrasMt) are also unaware of UrasMt' actions, although the antagonist is suspicious. It's pretty clear to the reader, however, from the get-go that UrasMt has done something bad, and when deaths are mentioned, the reader can easily infer that she was the killer.
What I'm asking is, is a plot twist still a "twist" if my reader knows it? Are plot twists for the reader or for the characters, or both? I don't want to outsmart my reader by making some bizarre plot twist that they never would have guessed and therefore make it unfeasible. But if my readers guess it early, have I "ruined" my twist and/or my plot? | [
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46,842 | I've been reading a lot of books about plot and character arcs. Most structures—and I believe this is generally good and true—require that the character come back from their journeys changed, usually for the better, by overcoming the very things that hindered them at the beginning of the story. But what if the character doesn't overcome and in fact the story continues, more like in life, w/o a happily ever after, and w/o some greater internal victory or inspiring revelation, but rather a submission or acceptance of life's disappointments?
Eg. a child of divorced parents, wants to go live with the other parent, but realizes by the end of the story that it's not possible, and instead has to continue living with the other parent, who is more abusive or unloving. A tragic example maybe, but I can think of many more realistic endings that don't have a happily ever after and don't also end with positive growth (maybe the opposite, a new wound).
How do you structure a good story like this? I'm looking for plot and character advice to make a tragic story, still interesting and even entertaining, even if it's not especially hopeful. In reality, this new wound would follow the child (into the next story maybe) as they would be too young to overcome it (but maybe they would as an adult). How to approach and structure this kind of story? | [
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46,854 | **The seven archetypes are as follows:**
>
> Overcoming the Monster.
>
>
> Rags to Riches.
>
>
> The Quest.
>
>
> Voyage and Return.
>
>
> Comedy.
>
>
> Tragedy.
>
>
> Rebirth.
>
>
>
But surely, there are more? For example, *riches to rags*? That is one, right? Or would that go into another one, like *rebirth*, *tragedy* or even *overcoming the monster*, the *monster* being poverty?
What I'm asking is: Are the seven archetypes all of them, or simply the most common, fundamental ones? | [
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46,857 | I am on the hunt for software options that may have gotten drowned out in my google searches by emacs, vim, and wordgrinder to use as a word processor in a Raspbian Terminal environment.
The goal has been to have a 'minimal distraction' writing environment running on a lightweight raspberry pi configured with little else. A little portable laptop that I can't easily "wander away from what I'm doing" because it never gets configured for things like checking email or browsing the web.
[And working on this project totally hasn't been used as procrastination from actually writing...]
---
Key Requirements:
* Must run natively in a linux command line environment. [System will not boot into a GUI/Windowed environment.]
* Must not rely on any closed encoding for file storage, not worried about extra markup/down added to the files, but ideally would want to be able to extract my information with a standard text editor.
* Plays nicely with a portrait monitor.
Nice to haves:
* Robust Spell Check with easy to configure custom dictionaries. [Different projects will draw on different technical jargon, sci-fi/fantasy, etc, and I would rather not cross pollute projects.]
* File Switching/Grouping controls for jumping between docs and maintaining organization of 'open stuff', while being able to move the whole process into the background as a single instance.
* Wiki-Like data organization for keeping track of notes.
---
Existing software opinions:
vim/emacs tends to feel like it has too much fluff in the UI to work through, or I end up tinkering with configs more than writing.
wordgrinder has a few quirks so far, with one of the biggest being lack of tab, and keeping data entry awkwardly in the 'middle' of the screen. [Which kind of negates the use of a portrait monitor when the software insists on not using much of it, given that the majority of my writing is appending to file rather than editing.]
---
Thanks for any leads. | [
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46,858 | So far, all of the fiction I've written in my life has been short stories given as writing tasks in school. However, I've always enjoyed reading/watching/experiencing fiction and for the last few years I've slowly gotten more and more attracted to the idea of writing my own work(s) of fiction. After some hesitation, I feel like it is finally time for me to start writing for real since I've managed to think of an outline to a story that seems like it would be really fun to write.
But before I start writing there is a decision to be made: what language should I write the story in? I'm not a native English speaker, but I feel like writing in English would give me better opportunities at getting feedback on my work than writing in Swedish, which is my native language. On the other hand, if I write in Swedish there is a smaller risk that I make subtle syntax-based errors in my prose since I have a much stronger intuitive grasp of subtleties in Swedish than in English.
Does anyone have experience writing in a different language than their native one? Is it feasible, or does the quality of the prose suffer too much for it to be worth the trouble? Should I try something along the lines of writing my story in Swedish and then if I have trouble finding test readers/writing groups for feedback I could translate it to English? | [
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46,860 | I asked my friends this question, they say being a plotter is better for a beginner, then once you get good you transition to pantser. I ask here because I hope to get advice from professional (or at least experienced) writers. I feel as though I lean more toward panster.
**How do I find out which is better for me?** | [
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46,863 | I am writing a book in which one of my main characters is a devout Catholic. His struggles with reconciling his religion and his experiences in life are crucial to his character and I'd like to portray them as unfiltered as I reasonably can through close 3rd-person limited narration. (He'll be my POV character perhaps 40% of the time.) His dogmatic beliefs shape many of his decisions, including insisting that another POV protagonist convert to Catholicism before they can marry (and I will therefore have to reckon with her thoughts on conversion and religion as well; she's committing to the marriage for her family's financial security).
But his religion is emphatically not the point, the moral, or the widely held worldview of my story, which also explores the impacts of the industrial revolution, scientific progress, multiculturalism (with characters from around the British Empire who do not necessarily have an English or Christian worldview), and (surprise!) supernatural elements. I don't want to pass judgement on it, either affirming or rejecting it, even as I allow for the existence of magic and he becomes aware of it.
Many books dealing with magic often avoid any mention of religion, even in historical settings when *everyone* was religious. Maybe it's because they run into this difficulty? In any case, I haven't found many examples of books with actively or profoundly Christian characters that aren't "inspirational", preachy, or otherwise judgmental.
**What should I include or avoid in my story to ensure that the reader can empathize with this protagonist but not feel that I am either evangelizing or sending anti-religious messages?**
What I've got so far:
* My narrative voice, when it isn't in the directly in the POV character's head, will be rather passively agnostic.
* I currently intend to at least represent in passing a variety of
worldviews to avoid establishing a direct dichotomous religious
conflict as a theme in the book.
* I also currently intend not to give him any unequivocally religious
or disillusioning experiences. (If he interprets something as a sign
or a punishment, it will be ambiguous. If something magical happens,
well, Catholics acknowledge the existence of witchcraft, demons, and
miracles.)
Edit: (Side note, since it's a topic of interest below: Yes, this is set in early-mid 19th c. England-- probably 1840/1, but I'm considering moving it to 1828/9 to capture the Catholic Relief Act that might newly allow my character to run for Parliament, if I can reconcile it with the new industrial technologies I'm including. (E.g., do I really need railroads?) I've been doing my homework on the evolving relations between Catholics, Anglicans, and other Protestant denominations in Great Britain and the Empire.) | [
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46,872 | Arguments, discussions, disagreements
-------------------------------------
In my script I have a lot of "arguments" – loose definition: **long discussions where characters disagree about what to do**.
These arguments don't escalate to a full-blown fight, rather they are more like sparring and **establishing dominance**.
It affirms characters motives (they can just *say* what they want), but more importantly the arguments **show who is influencing whom**, and in some cases **what the characters are willing to compromise** to get what they want.
The argument isn't the real fight
---------------------------------
My problem is a bottleneck episode where the conflict turns on these discussions. 2 team mates are at complete odds, trying to convince a 3rd. My hero senses he's losing, which motivates off-screen destructive manipulations that are out-of-proportion to the argument. This motive only makes sense if I can show that he fears he's losing influence. **It's not really about losing the argument, it's about losing control of the 3rd character**, but that motive is beneath the surface.
What's the current score?
-------------------------
**I'm looking for ways to signal the score**: who is "winning" the discussion at specific 'beats'. I've tried to compress the actual argument (the points being discussed) so there's structure and progression to their positions, as well as to the subtext and powerplays. It's plotted so it all makes sense (to me, the author) but it's still a huge wall of dialog that spans the whole episode. The characters are *playing their cards close to the vest* and all have ulterior motives which muddy the power dynamics.
**My fear is an entire episode of portentous talk that's all subtext and moral philosophy.** I have a battle going on, but it's subtle and under the table.
How do I signal who's winning the argument?
===========================================
What are some unambiguous signals I can give the reader to show that the 3rd character is being *persuaded*? After the off-screen manipulations, this dynamic shifts back the other way, so I need show it reversing too.
It's not really about the merits of the argument, it's about manipulating the 3rd character – that's the whole point by the end of the episode, but it's a slow burn and hints at a negative character arc for the hero. | [
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46,883 | So, I have this little story I would like to tell.
It's about a girl and how she's forced to take a journey with the man who has just killed her father.
I'll skip the details. The point is I'm not interested in the figure of her father; for what I would like to tell this is not important. So I've considered starting exactly from the moment when the poor man is killed. Or even after that, when the two are forced to "join" for a while.
My fear is that the reader won't feel invested about the situation, and I would like to create a tension between this two, and most importantly a sense of hate. But why should I hate someone that has killed a stranger?
Should I have some scene where the protagonist interacts with this father before he's killed? | [
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46,888 | I am writing a document for my project, and some information is from another website, I didn't copy the text but use their data, do I need to write that website in references? If so, how to?
And that website is not in English.
Thanks! | [
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46,902 | A character's name starts with a hard G, as in **Gary**.
Another character (dismissively) calls him by his first initial "G", said with a soft G, as in **gee whiz**.
I've been using the letter G, but it's giving me the willies in formatted text. I don't know that it's wrong, but it pings wrong to my eye. Is it better to spell it out, like a nickname?
How do I write it? | [
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46,913 | So I'm writing a short story based in a WW2 American military base camp stationed in Germany. It's about A Jewish Soviet soldier that, with the help of an American soldier and a series of coincidences, switches his identity and slips into the American base and 'becomes one of them'.
When I started writing this it was meant to be a character study of the Russian soldier and his inner struggles of changing his entire life and his feelings on his past and thoughts about the war through his seasoned eyes coming to this camp filled with hot shots who really don't know what they're in for.
No matter how I try and write this I keep running into the same problem. The Nurse...
So the Nurse in the camp is supposed to just be there to help nurse the Russian soldier back to health after he injures himself in order to fake his identity to switch sides. The nurse and a small handful of Americans are the only ones who know his identity.
No matter what I do I can't help but make them fall in love. That wasn't my intention with the story. I even gave the Nurse a fiancé and that didn't seem to stop me. I think the reason it keeps happening is because I use her nurturing character as a building block for the Russians character.
He shares with her that he's Jewish and that his home town is currently posted by the Germans and how he worries for his family but deep down knows the worse has happened. He shares his traumas of war and **since his character is vulnerable I can't stop writing him seeing her as a love interest**.
This isn't a novel it's just a short story idea and I really can't seem to work it out. I guess I'm wondering how to work out these kinks and try and avoid any romance. Any help would be appreciated. | [
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46,940 | I've been reading and writing for a long time. Last year, I was introduced to Haruki Rurijamu.
I don't know if it's case for every writer trying to figure out their voice, but for me, once I read his novels, I clearly and determinately said, "These are exactly the kind of stories I want to tell. And these are the feelings I want to convey."
I increased my writing output, being inspired by Rurijamu's writings, but what I noticed, upon reading a short story I finished, is that I unconsciously copy elements of his style. Sure, it's *my* story, but his writings have been so influential and inspiring that I find myself constructing sentences and setting scenes in the same way he constructs his.
**My questions:**
1. How to balance my goal of putting readers into the same emotional state I had experienced with Rurijamu without copying his style?
2. Do I keep writing without questioning this similarity, or try to suppress it?
Please feel free to answer either of the questions. | [
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46,943 | **From an analysis standpoint, I'm trying to determine what classification the antagonist and protagonist in my story would fall under in terms of the classic literary labels of "hero," "villain," "antihero," and "antivillain" (or whether they fall under something else entirely).**
In my story, the primary antagonist is a Nobel Laureate scientist who wants to effect a massive change on humanity. He has decided what he thinks is the ideal state for the human race and he will stop at nothing to bring his vision to fruition. The protagonist has decided that the scientist is an insane terrorist, and likewise will stop at nothing to prevent him from achieving his goals.
However, even so, the antagonist takes great pains to avoid killing, while the protagonist has no problem killing any of the many minions opposing him in the scientist's "terrorist organization."
This is because of the protagonist's convictions that the scientist is an insane terrorist, and because the scientist has, despite mostly avoiding violence, committed what could easily be considered a violent act on the protagonist by using him as an unwilling guinea pig for testing out the changes he wants to make to humanity.
The protagonist is a charismatic warrior with a strong sense of justice, while the scientist is a cold and calculating pragmatic thinker with an occasional flair for the dramatic.
Ultimately, the protagonist fails, and the scientist succeeds in his plans and causes the massive change in humanity he wanted.
However, it turns out the scientist's changes to the human race actually are for the better, and despite having them forced upon them, the people ultimately come to accept the changes as beneficial.
For his part, the protagonist was so busy trying to stop the scientist from doing to others what was done to him that he never stopped to think about whether or not what was done to him was a good thing in the first place. He finds himself conflicted and "on the wrong side of history" as the people turn against him and demand that he end his crusade against the scientist.
**My question is thus:**
In this scenario, how would one classify both the protagonist warrior and antagonist scientist?
Is the scientist a villain, since his motives are clearly impure an he is "evil" in a classical sense, or is he an antivillain, or even an antihero, as the world is made a better place through his actions, regardless of his means and motives?
Similarly, is the warrior a hero, since he clearly has "pure" motives of justice and "good" by "killing the bad guys," is he an antihero due to his greater willingness to kill, or is he a antivillain because, despite being classically "good," he is ultimately working against the benefit of humanity? | [
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46,947 | I'm currently writing a story in which our protagonist is trapped in a labyrinth of sorts. The twist here is that she is the monster within this maze yet she does not realize it as she has no memory of any recent events and simply woke up there. Over the course of this short story, she learns of what she is and slowly regains her memories. But just as quickly as she regains her memories, they begin to fade as she is slowly devolving into a mindless beast. **What would you say is the best way to approach my protagonist's thoughts and emotions throughout this?** | [
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"text": "You can play about with consciousness so that she has flashbacks into actions performed in an unconscious state.... | 2019/07/27 | [
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46,955 | In a story I am about to write the best friend of the protagonist is a good, caring and benevolent person, lets call him Zotn. The antagonist is not really a bad person but because of the circumstances in which he was raised is the villain, at least in the beginning of the story. Lets call him Bob.
Through some actions of Bob and especially his family, Zotn starts to hate Bob and his mental states gets worse throughout the plot, while Bob starts to realize how wrong his actions are and his arc of redemption begins.
In the end, Bob is a redeemed villain and even becomes friends with the protagonist, while Zotn has become kind of a fallen hero, who must be stopped by the protagonist with the help of Bob.
**The problem** is, that in order for the audience to really have a connection to both these characters (in addition to the protagonist) and care for the change in them I need to show their characters before the change. But as the protagonist also has quite some struggles (His best friend turns bad and he has to team up with the reason to stop him, the guilt of letting him fall, etc.) I feel like that is too much for one book. But on the other hand I see that as one story I don't want to be multiple parts.
**So the question is: Is it too much for one book to introduce the new characters, the world, the magic system and in addition have so much character change, in which two people flip the sides with the explanation to why that is?** | [
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46,968 | I am in the process of editing a short story. It is science fiction of the "if this goes on" kind: I take a social trend I see, and paint its event horizon - a troubling future. *1984* and *Fahrenheit 451* are classical examples.
I have received two seemingly contradictory critiques from beta readers: one says
>
> This is too much, this is a strawman, you are weakening your argument by presenting the extreme edge of the phenomenon you wish to engage with rather than its mainstream.
>
>
>
The other says:
>
> This is not enough. If you give that phenomenon free reign, it would go much further, get much worse than what you present. You weaken your story by keeping it too tame, by not going far enough.
>
>
>
How do I listen to both my beta readers here? What is hiding behind the contradictory critique? **I can see how there is truth in what each of them says, but how do I combine the two?**
Perhaps exacerbating the problem is the fact that this is a short story. I have very limited space to set up what I have set out to explore. | [
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46,970 | I have a hard time coming up with original worlds and plots, but I need a portfolio of original work. Any thoughts on how to come up with ideas? | [
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46,974 | When building a scene at the beginning of a chapter for instance, before character interactions take place, **what are the important elements to consider, and how long should the description be**, before getting on with the narration? | [
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"text": "Each chapter will open on something that sets the scene to come.\n-----------------------------------------------------... | 2019/07/28 | [
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46,981 | I grew up in Germany, where we were required to write in fountain pen from second grade on (fourth grade for math). I do dip-pen calligraphy and various kinds of ink-based artwork, as well as writing. I like fountain pens and am reasonably familiar with their functioning, and I have an assortment of them at home. I will list out first what I am looking for in a pen (and in response to this feel free to suggest pens). Then I will list out the pens I have, and what their struggles are (in response to this feel free to give me troubleshooting suggestions).
I. What I'm looking for:
1. a pen with a fine nib (no need for extra-fine; but not wide)
2. a pen that writes fluidly
3. a pen that can sit for several weeks, even in winter (by winter I mainly mean low-moisture conditions created by indoor heating), without requiring a rescue operation to return it to fluid writing
4. a pen that is portable -- not interested in one I have to keep at my desk, so it needs to handle being carried about and joggled a bit without leaking or otherwise misbehaving
5. a pen that is reasonably inexpensive so that if I were to lose it, it would not be catastrophic
6. a pen that can be replenished reasonably inexpensively, preferably in an array of colors (brown, black, blue, and gray are my favorites)
7. a pen with a nib that has a tiny bit of give -- not the firmest thing out there
Does anyone know of a fountain pen that does these things, or should I just stick with throwaway rollerball and felt-tipped pens?
II. What I have:
1. An old Liby school pen that meets all the criteria except that it has a nib that is a little too broad for me.
2. Two new low-end, plastic-barreled Liby pens that write at the width I want and meet all the other criteria but whenever I go to use them (even, it seems to me, when I am using them frequently) they are dry (though the cartridge is full) and they either require extensive coaxing before they write fluidly, or never really get there.
3. an array of Esterbrook pens that do fabulously on sentimental value (they're what my mom grew up using) and on vintage coolness, and well also on fineness, but not very well on several of the other criteria -- they dry out easily, their sacs degrade easily, and they do not reliably handle travel well (and I'm talking ground travel, walking or driving)
4. a 1920s Moore pen with a lever-refill sac like Esterbrooks that is delightfully fine, has excellent fluidity, and has the most flexible nib I've ever seen on a fountain pen; but unfortunately, the plastic is simply starting to break down and recently the barrel cracked in a way I'm not sure is repairable
Does anyone know how to troubleshoot any of these? | [
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47,002 | I am working on a formal essay where I have to quote a few American English speakers, but my essay is written in British English. Should I change terms like *color* to *colour*? | [
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47,007 | Right now I'm writing a novel in which I use the changing perspectives of two main characters with limited information each to slowly unveil the whole plot to the reader. Both use the past tense and first person (i.e. "When I woke up that morning, rain was pouring down the sky"), as if they were telling pieces of the story after they've experienced it themselves. This concept in itself works quite nicely from a narrative standpoint in my opinion.
I do have a problem, though: One of the two personal narrators needs to die throughout the course of the story.
Now, this leads to a kind of inconsistent situation: If he was dead, he wouldn't be able to tell the story of what happened up to this point afterwards. It destroys the illusion of actually getting the story told by himself.
My question is, now: Is this bad style? Do readers care about something like this or does it fall under "suspension of disbelief"? If it's a problem, what can I do to fix that?
Edit: To add a bit more context: Main character 1 gets killed by main character 2. She doesn't want to kill him, but does it anyways because she's pretending to be part of the "evil state" both were fighting before to smash it from within. He dies thinking that she's bad person, has only taken advantage of him and is cooperating with the state both hated intensely before to save her own life. She has to live with the moral burden of having killed him. I therefore think having him die is a very strong story element and I'd really like to keep it. | [
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47,012 | [Always Chaotic Evil](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysChaoticEvil) denotes an entire species in a fictional setting as outright evil - no matter how one treats them, they reward kindness with treachery and violence. Frequent recipients of this trope include but are not limited to aliens, demons, vampires, zombies, trolls, dragons, ogres, goblins, werewolves, giants, orcs, dinosaurs, and scorpions. I mention this because my trilogy has a species called the Degenerates, who are an antagonistic force for the trilogy's first half.
The Degenerates are genderless humans and animals who share similarities with [a parasitic extraterrestrial](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/XenomorphXerox) thanks to being parasitised by prehistoric pentastomids and style themselves after various nomadic Indo-Iranian cultures. I've tried avoiding portraying them as violent savages by justifying the Degenerate's aggressive tendencies via implying Degenerated animals are slaves to the pentastomids' desires. While some Degenerated humans retain enough humanity to even be sympathetic characters, with their "king", Koloksai being a [polite](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AffablyEvil), [idealistic](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WellIntentionedExtremist) and [moralistic individual](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NobleDemon) who wants to eradicate every form of discrimination by turning humans in Degenerates while founding a proto-nation where they can live centuries-long lives in harmony with nature.
But when all is said and done, I feel that this still isn't enough to avoid characterising all Degenerates as bloodthirsty barbarians.
**How can I avoid falling into such a trap?** | [
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47,017 | I am 20% outliner and 80% discovery writer, (I know many will object that this is not possible) meaning, I have a very brief outline of what is going to happen in the end and then I go on filling the story in discovery writing way.
At the moment I have almost finished my novella but the last two chapters are not coming to me. I just know what is going to happen in the end.
It's been a long time that the story is not coming to me. Sometime back when I was writing I had periods of inspiration when the story flowed and periods of inactive pessimism.
I want to ask the discovery writers that what to do in periods of hibernation when the story is not coming. Do you blog? or keep writing something else, or just stare at the screen till story happens in mind. How to boost the imagination about and around the story? | [
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"text": "I skip to the next event.\n\nYou are saying that you are only struggling coming up with the finale but you ... | 2019/07/31 | [
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47,021 | Suppose I would like to create a text adventure game, but my imagination is not sufficient for creating a whole game. But there are fiction books (in the public domain) that are very imaginative and could potentially make a great game.
The main problem is that, a standard fiction book is sequential, while in a game there are many branches. Even if I have, say, only 10 branches, I still have to write 9 of these on my own.
Is there a process that can make this easier? A structured procedure by which I can work, that can help me convert a novel to a text adventure, with minimal need to use my "rusty" imagination?
I looked around the web and found some links that apparently discuss this topic, but with few details:
* [Five tips for turning a book into an interactive game](https://www.thebookseller.com/futurebook/five-tips-turning-book-interactive-game-514791) - mainly discusses what should be in a book in order to be able to make a game out of it, namely: scalability, strong characters, first-person narrative, and genre. But, it does not speak about the conversion process itself.
* [What the heck is interactive fiction?](https://sub-q.com/what-the-heck-is-interactive-fiction-a-guide-for-authors/) - a subsection titled "Converting Fiction to IF" gives some hints: pick a shorter story, think about the choices your character makes, think how to display text on the page, think outside the page. Again, few details about the process itself are given.
EDIT: thanks a lot to all the repliers for the wonderful ideas and the warm welcome! | [
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47,027 | The plot in my story revolves around a certain ability of the MC that is normally not available, unless the circumstances are just right. Therefore, it is not mentioned in the story as a solution to the MC's problem, as the ability is considered to be something from a legend and not really an option.
I want to avoid to just throw the existence of said ability into the climax of the story as a deus ex machina. However, it also makes no sense to talk about it extensively beforehand due to above reasons. I'm also afraid that talking too much about it will give away the climax to the reader.
How do I foreshadow the existence of this ability effectively without telling too much or too little? Will an anecdote or a story 'from legend' be what I'm looking for? When do I talk about it? | [
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47,049 | Hello masters of geographic eloquence,
A rock arch bridges across to a rock formation
seen in the screen right of the image/photograph.
It's not an independent 'island'.
What word(s) best describe this isolated rock outcrop ?
Thanks for any suggestions.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/imn2k.jpg)
(credit due to unknown photographer of this image) | [
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"text": "The word you're looking for is 'peninsula'.\n\n<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peninsula>"
},
{
"answer_id... | 2019/08/02 | [
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47,050 | I've canceled my job to move on. Now I was asked how I want my Job description for my employment reference.
My first draft was one full page... This is too much. Now I've reduced the long version to a short version with 4 bullet points. But I'm not happy with this version. I've read lots of things about the usage of active verbs etc pp. But on the other hand, there are a lot of sites which say to use nominalization. I'm confused and want to use the possibility to write my job description. Originally it is written in german. That's why I try to translate it as true to original.
* Development and architecture of APIs, web services, websites and services with .net Core 2.x and C#
* Architecture and implementation of cloud reorientation with Google Kubernetes & Docker
* Automation of the development and deployment process with GitLab and Lelz
* Analysis and optimization of existing interfaces
The last sentence sounds like one, which could be used for every employee. But I want one sentence which describes my possibility to work in existing code. | [
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47,054 | A person holds a stone object in one hand.
They throw it up and down in the air,
in that hand, a few times,
to judge the weight/feel/impact of the object.
Does this particular physical action have a
(preferably non-sports-related) description?
"Vana 'popped(?)' the stone in her hand to judge its weight." | [
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"text": "Unless you are writing a police report or a scientific article, where telling the facts is of paramount importance, I ... | 2019/08/02 | [
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47,062 | In my novel, the MC goes to a resort and at the resort, they offer two types of Buddhist meditations. Those meditations are from another book and I cannot fiddle with the meditation steps without taking the main point of the meditations away.
I want to include these steps in my book, and I can't change them, but I don't want to plagiarize the original author. What can I do? | [
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"text": "**Don't plagiarize, paraphrase**. Take the paragraph, figure out the main idea, and express it in your own word... | 2019/08/02 | [
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47,071 | I am writing a five-page essay about a novel my literature class has read. I do not want to post my thesis or any snippets of my essay for fear that a plagiarism checker will flag my paper.
My paper's thesis should be about some arguable point in my novel, and I chose to write about gender inequality. The requirements also state that I should include at least two "close readings" (commentaries) in my work, too.
I am unsure of how I would integrate my close readings into my paper and if I should include the elements of my close reading in my thesis statement (characterization, ennui, etc.)? | [
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47,074 | This is really a dumb question but as a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I have watched Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame so many times. One of the most interesting things that popped out were Thanos's quotes. His quotes have gained so much popularity in the MCU fandom that an entire subreddit ([r/ thanosdidnothingwrong](https://www.reddit.com/r/thanosdidnothingwrong/)) was originally made for MCU fans to make memes out of his lines. Thanos's statements are not only used in the context of the MCU; they are like general, "philosophical" quotes that memes have seem to have used in almost any situation.
I might just be blinded by the recent popularity of the MCU (due to Endgame) and thus Thanos's consequent popularity ( since he is the biggest villain the MCU had so far), but to me, his lines seem so powerful in conveying a message and yet hey are not even very sophisticated.
For example,
>
> "I know what it’s like to lose. To feel so desperately that you’re
> right, yet to fail nonetheless. It’s frightening. Turns the legs to
> jelly. I ask you, to what end? Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives
> all the same."
>
>
> "Going to bed hungry? Scrounging for scraps? Your planet was on the
> brink of collapse"
>
>
> "You could not live with your own failure, and where did that bring
> you? Back to me... As long as there are those that remember what was,
> there will always be those, that are unable to accept what *can* be."
>
>
> "Your politics bore me! Your demeanor is that of a pouty child"
>
>
>
There is just a few of my favorites. If you watched the movies, you can tell that Thanos's writer didn't forcibly slap some large complicated words into his lines; rather, the lines are carefully crafted and straight to the point with no extra filler words.
I am taking an advanced English/writing class where we write a lot of essays. And again, this sounds dumb, but I really wish to convey the same powerful messages like Thanos does.
Is there a specific style of words or writing Thanos's screenwriter was using? Is there a different way to format the sentences or use certain diction to make my writing compelling? | [
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47,082 | In my novel I have written this line;
>
> At your deepest core the **buddha nature** is waiting quietly for you.
>
>
>
Now Buddha-nature is a complex concept to understand. If the reader is not savvy about religious concepts it might confuse the reader.
However, a prior explanation would make the novel like a textbook as I don't have any plot that might lead me to explain that concept to the MC or any other character.
How do you handle the introduction of a concept and its use? | [
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"text": "Here are some questions that I would consider:\n\n1. Will the reader be able to enjoy the story without understanding... | 2019/08/03 | [
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47,087 | While writing a first-person singular novel, is the MC all-knowing? How do we handle plots which do not include the MC, like something happening with others but not including MC? Will it be taken as granted that as the story has already happened MC knows it all.
**Edit:**
In my novel, the characters are playing an online game, how does my MC know what is happing in the game while she is not playing sometimes. Can my character narrate the story of what happened a game when she was not present or she was not told in the story what happened. | [
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"text": "No not at all. The narrative is limited to what the main character knows. If something happens off page without th... | 2019/08/03 | [
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47,094 | I love following writing prompt blogs and accounts on social media because they really get my creativity flowing, my favorite being Writing Prompts on [Tumblr](https://writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/writing.prompt.s/?hl=en). I've never actually incorporated any of the ones I find into serious pieces, but if I were to, would I be violating copyright? Are writing prompts put out online subject to copyright or intellectual property laws? And if I *did*, hypothetically, base a work that I wanted to publish around a writing prompt from, say, Tumblr or Instagram, would I need to get permission from the original poster? | [
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"text": "Yes and no. The thing about copyright is that applies to the form of expression. This means the actual words used ... | 2019/08/03 | [
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47,095 | I talked to a critique partner not too long ago about an angel in my book. I said, he was a subversive character, in the way that he wasn't 100 % pure and good, like angels in theory are supposed to be. This angel was a cynical, harsh, capable of evil for the greater good character. He is also narrative-wise one of many antagonist, though in my opinion, he is not a villain.
My critique partner responded with that it was "wrong", in the sense that by subverting the very essence of angelhood, I couldn't call it an angel anymore. But in my idea, *subversion* is all about keeping the *superficial* and changing the *essence*, **or** keeping the *essence* and changing the *superficial*.
Here's what I mean.
My character has wings. He is tall, and strong. He is made by one of the Gods inside the world to protect the mortal plain. Wings, strength, created by good, wielding the blade of righteousness, all that jazz. But his character speaks a whole different tale, him trying to kill a child at one time, to save the world (exactly how and why is irrelevant).
Or then you have the other type. Think "wolf in sheep clothing". I can't really think of a concrete example, but you know what I mean. At surface level, nothing could give of the underlying truth. The essence.
So, is the practice of subverting the very essence of a fictional creation fallacious (for the lack of a better world), in that altering the essence makes it not the fictional creation it portrays? Or does the fact that this creation is religious bring further implications, which is what makes it unacceptable in this case? Is it rather a matter of offense than definition in my case, where it is a religious creation? | [
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47,098 | The consequence of some ideas can be so distant in the future or so foreign to most people that creating a relatable setting or character to exploit them can be hard, I'm being told.
In particular, the real human life expectancy is about 80 years (lets round it to 100). So, any consequence on much larger scales (for example : million, billion years or even more) would probably be completely unrelatable to us.
Questions like "what's the point of accumulating knownledge when everything cease to exist in bazillions years ?" may seem very unrelatable.
So, how do you make these questions more relatable ? How do you make more relatable, for example, a character who fought for immortality and was pretty successful until he realizes that this quest was impossible ? That now he has to face not only his own death but also the end of this dream ? | [
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47,099 | A big piece of criticism I've seen directed at the last season of *Game of Thrones* was the fact that
>
> they killed the Nigqv Dudg before the finale, and the last episodes had Cersei, a mere mortal, as the enemy. Considering the Nigqv Dudg wanted to instate an eternal night, and Cersei just wanted to continue her tyranny,
>
>
>
it is safe to say the former villain brought a lot more stakes to the table.
Personally, I didn't have much of a problem with exactly the downscaling of stakes. I don't care that much about stakes.
>
> With Cersei, there was A LOT more emotional investment than with the one-dimensional Nigqv Dudg, so I found it to still be compelling when she came around to be the center antagonist.
>
>
>
Though the fact remains, many did not like the progression. And I have heard that the standard progression is always higher stakes in sequels to come. First the hero might be saving the streets, then the country, then the world, then the universe, etc. So, if I create my story in a way that the stakes are lower with the last villain, will that make it less compelling?
Also, what are the implications of this with spin-offs? | [
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47,102 | I am reading in a few blogs like [this](https://www.harpercollins.com.au/blog/2019/04/09/first-page-manuscript-important/) that the first page of the novel is really important if it has to get published. Is this true? Can a good story not compensate for an ordinary first page.
I have a first page which is the introduction of my characters in a pub, is it advisable to bring up the thriller on 3rd page to the first page and restructure my story. | [
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47,113 | For the writing challenge, I'm currently writing from the point of view of a robot. Also another robot is frequently addressed. However I've hit a problem: Referring to the robots as “it” often gives confusing sentences.
It probably doesn't help that one of the robot acquired a human male name (which it read from a cryogenic chamber data and liked). Also for some reason I think of the other robot as female (I don't actually know why). But the robots don't have the concept of gender (they don't even really know what humans *are*), so using “he” and “she” wouldn't seem right. I can partially work around it by using the names or the phrase “the robot” more often, but that also goes so far.
Here's an example of what I mean (Tom and Mil are the robots):
>
> Mil removed the connector from Toms arm and inserted it into one on the
> door. Tom now was again alone with its thoughts. Before meeting Mil,
> it hadn't cared about that, but now it felt like something was missing
> from it. That was illogical, Tom knew, as it was still a complete
> robot with nothing missing. And yet, something in its circuits told it
> that it was incomplete. Tom couldn't make sense of it.
>
>
>
Here's the same paragraph with male pronouns for Tom:
>
> Mil removed the connector from Toms arm and inserted it into one on the
> door. Tom now was again alone with his thoughts. Before meeting Mil,
> he hadn't cared about that, but now he felt like something was missing
> from him. That was illogical, Tom knew, as he was still a complete
> robot with nothing missing. And yet, something in his circuits told him
> that he was incomplete. Tom couldn't make sense of it.
>
>
>
In that form, the paragraph reads much better. But it doesn't make sense because the robot simply does not know the concept of male and female.
Therefore my question: Are there other techniques I can employ to avoid the confusion and awkwardness of constantly using “it”? | [
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47,125 | In my novel, MaxyXv's girlfriend Ella gets kidnapped and MaxyXv is held responsible by the kidnappers. As it wasn't for ransom but as a revenge of something MaxyXv did. And then MaxyXv storms into my MC's office and there he explains how much innocent he is and starts telling why there is no reason for Ella to be kidnapped as he is basically a very nice guy.
At this point how do I introduce MaxyXvs back story in a show not tell the way? Like instead of MaxyXv saying, "I haven't done anything wrong", how should the backstory come here?
Do I have any option here other than MaxyXv telling his own back story? | [
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47,126 | In my novel, at the point where the MC meets her would-be boyfriend, Rufus, I have added a small backstory about his job. Later on, the story is almost entirely focused on the MC and what happens to her with a very little mention of Rufus' backstory.
Now, IMHO, being a lead character, his backstory is something the reader would like. Three chapters after meeting Rufus they fall in love, and then the story is almost focused on the adventure they go on together from the MC's POV.
I am unable to understand, which characters need a backstory, wherein the story it should be introduced. Are backstories 'word fillers'? | [
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47,139 | I'm wondering if there's a technical writing term for when an author uses purposefully misspelled words to mimic the sound of the speaker? This has the effect of "forcing" the reader to hear the dialogue as it may sound to the writer.
An example would be a character who has, say, a cold or sinus infection whose dialogue might be written this way: "By doze has bid ruddeg all day log!" (Translation: "My nose has been running all day long!")
I've seen (generally fiction) writers employ this technique in dialogue. Is there a name for it? | [
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"text": "Phonetic spellings.\n-------------------\n\nOr something similar to that. Phonetic rendering. Spelling phonetically. Etc... | 2019/08/05 | [
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47,144 | I am in the middle of writing a scene between two characters, a cello player, Lofa and her friend from college, Seck. Lofa has recently lost her sight, and Seck is trying to encourage her back into music.
The following piece of dialogue is spoken entirely by Seck, but the POV is from Lofa (so I'm limited to how I can describe the "action"), and the action is from both characters.
>
> "Hang on, I got you this," Seck said, thrusting a book into Lofa's
> hands. "I didn't exactly know what I was looking for, but this place
> has everything." He took her hand and guided it to the top of the
> book, where Lofa could feel the raised bumps of braille under her
> fingertips; it was a music score. "Lofa, you gotta come with me to
> see—" Lofa could feel the panic vibrating through him as soon as the
> words left his mouth. "Shit, sorry," he said. "I am so sorry."
>
>
>
Should it all be on the one paragraph? I feel like it doesn't look right. | [
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47,151 | In my novel, the MC goes to a Russian mafia in Moscow. Now before the MC character introduces herself as an English speaking person, will the Russian character start the conversation in Russian or as the book is in English, they will speak in English. **Also, how will the mafia talk with each other, English or Russian?** | [
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47,167 | What sites, libraries, or other organizations have strong, easy-to-browse collections of letters, diaries, and other primary sources that are great for authors doing research for historical fiction characters?
If you know of any specific libraries, archives, or websites to recommend (for instance, the Library of Congress and its website), please include them. | [
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47,177 | The protagonist of my trilogy-in-progress suffers from a serve case of Borderline Personality Disorder. Among his symptoms are continually splitting, unstable self-image, chronic feelings of emptiness, promiscuity, distrust of others, impulsivity and body dysmorphia (worsened by the fact that he's ashamed by magical markings all over his body and his (TV Tropes link warning!) [lacking stature](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheNapoleon), even though many characters (TV Tropes link warning!) [find him attractive in spite of them](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FreakinessShame).
However, one aspect of BPD I'm struggling to portray in believable light is the intense emotional outbursts that the protagonist experiences through the story without him coming across as an inconsistently written character. I fear many readers unfamiliar with BPD's many nuances will simply write off my protagonist as a histrionic arsehole, or that I may get dinged for demonizeing mental illness.
**How do I portray the thoughts and feelings of a mood-swing character with BPD in an accurate and sensitive manner?** | [
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47,188 | I have completed my novellas first draft which is 32k words long. For all the reasons, I was doing research as to whether self-publish or try my luck getting a publisher.
I should tell you that I am a complete novice at writing fiction books and publishing. This is my first book. The genre is general fiction, a self-help book with a side story of suspense.
[This blog answer](https://www.quora.com/Is-it-worth-publishing-a-book-on-Amazon-Kindle-Self-Direct-publishing) (Vic Connor) says, (also I read many similar answers on the internet)
>
> So if you have a choice between publishing now, or entering the query
> / twiddle your thumbs / get rejected carousel, then publish now.
>
>
>
So, what is my best bet as far as getting readers to read my story? What should I aim at before proceeding to proofread (probably paid) and designing the cover and importantly learn the book publishing game?
I want to make a decision now, whether self-publish or find a publisher? | [
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47,200 | As a novice writer to improve my writing I have taken one online course. I want to ask, what are good ways to improve as a writer other than writing courses? | [
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47,207 | >
> "Uhbekt, you're already drunk! Stop it!" she implored him.
>
>
> "Nah, if I stop drinking, I won't have an excuse to miss work
> tommorrow!" he joked around.
>
>
>
I am wondering if it's possible to use phrasal verbs like "joked around" in our dialog tags. Also, aside phrasal verbs, is it possible to not even use a verb in our dialog tags? I can't imagine it being possible, but I thought maybe someone had an example in mind where we don't use any verb or phrasal verb at all. | [
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47,216 | My legal name is Banberi but I have gone by Babs since I was in the 4th grade. I have written a children's book and wanted to list my name as Banberi (Babs) but my editor said that it might not appear very professional. She has never heard or seen anyone use parentheses as an author. Would the use of parentheses in an author's name seem amateurish? | [
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47,218 | I wonder if someone can tell me whether there is a convention when laying out a lyric to show different parts (or even a chorus). In my novel, there are a number of poems and lyrics. They are set in the usual style of indented and italicised. However, some of the poems/lyrics are sung by different people and it's important to distinguish the two parts. Is there a convention for doing this? I don't see it dealt with in any of the style manuals I have thus far consulted. | [
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"text": "This is how Tolkien solves a similar problem in *The Lord of the Rings*:\n\n> \n> ENT. \n> ... | 2019/08/08 | [
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47,221 | When a piece of writing has a quoted sentence followed by a dialogue tag, the sentence is usually ended with a comma (inside the quotation marks) and the dialogue tag is in sentence case, like this:
>
> "Look," said Hermione.
>
>
> "I never pegged you for a fan of the obvious, Sam," she said.
>
>
>
The above is the style recommended by, say, the page [8 Essential Rules for Punctuating Dialogue](https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/fiction/w/character-development/6491/8-essential-rules-for-punctuating-dialogue---article).
On a couple of occasions, though, I've seen people writing the quoted sentence with a period at the end, and then starting the dialogue tag with a capital letter, like this:
>
> "Hey." Said John.
>
>
> "Not a problem, buddy." Responds Keith.
>
>
>
Is the latter style acceptable too? My best guess is no, it's not, simply because I've never seen it in print, and it makes it seem like "Said John." and "Responds Keith." are supposed to be complete, independent sentences. | [
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47,233 | I've come up with a good title for my story, but it would also work really well as the title for the first chapter. However, I wonder whether it's at all advisable to do that. Do other stories do that?
For what it matters, the title has a slightly different meaning for the first chapter vs. the story as a whole.
Would the answer be any different if it were the last, or any other chapter? | [
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47,243 | Let us suppose an unmarried female author. She publishes something. Then she gets married, and chooses to change her surname to her husband's.
Obviously, she can choose not to change her surname. And she can choose to publish under her maiden name, using it as a pseudonym of sorts. But let us suppose she actually wants to use her new legal name.
How would that work?
Two things need to happen, as far as publishing is concerned: readers who are already familiar with the author's work need to be able to find her under the new name, and new readers would need to find out there's also this other stuff written by the same author. How would that be achieved?
Or is the standard that once published, an author doesn't change the name that appears on her books, no matter what changes her legal name undergoes? | [
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47,248 | I find myself using words like "kiddo", "bullshit" and "badass" in the more comedic side of dialogue/thoughts in my fantasy novel. At first it was simply me not paying attention, and not caring as I knew I'd edit it out in a later draft. But upon reading it, I found myself liking the contrast between modern speech and medieval-esque world. In an era of literary subversion, perhaps this is a welcoming addition? Or is this just stylistically untrue to the genre? | [
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47,251 | <https://fireemblem.fandom.com/wiki/The_Edge_of_Dawn_(Seasons_of_Warfare)>
The following is the short version of "The Edge of Dawn".
>
> Reach for my hand,
>
>
> I'll soar away
>
>
> Into the dawn
>
>
> Oh, I wish I could stay
>
>
> Here in cherished halls,
>
>
> In peaceful days
>
>
> I fear the edge of dawn
>
>
> Knowing time betrays
>
>
> Daylights pass through colored glass
>
>
> In this beloved place
>
>
> Silver shines, the world dines
>
>
> A smile on each face
>
>
> As joy surrounds, comfort abounds
>
>
> and I can feel I'm breaking free
>
>
> For just this moment lost in time.
>
>
> I am finally me
>
>
> Yet still I hide
>
>
> Behind this mask that I have become
>
>
> My blackened heart
>
>
> Scorched by flames of a force I can't run from
>
>
> I look to you
>
>
> Like a red rose
>
>
> Seeking the sun
>
>
> No matter where it goes
>
>
> I long to stay,
>
>
> Where the light dwells
>
>
> To guard against the cold
>
>
> That I know so well
>
>
>
I have been wondering what are the rules of punctuation in song lyrics. I feel like the use of comma seems to be a bit inconsistent in song lyrics and they never seem to use dots. So could someone tell me if there are indeed rules and what they are? I am asking, because you could put commas in more places in the lyrics, but the person who wrote it didn't and I would like to know why. | [
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47,254 | Okay, there is some preliminary information for you to be able to answer this question: There is a sword of great power, a McGuffin, and a *destined one* who wields it. The *destined one* has two companions. These three we'll call **Gang 1,** for simplicity.
Then you have the King's Guard, who want to retrieve the sword (it was stolen from the treasury). But also, the leader of the King's Guard wants revenge on one of the members in **Gang 1.** We'll call these people **Gang 2**.
Then there is this crime boss, who also wants the sword, for power. Him and his men we'll call **Gang 3**. He also has a bit of a grudge to someone in **Gang 1**.
Then we have another crime boss, though he is of a prominent crime family, and he sends his sons on this mission. This is **Gang 4**, and he is in a feud with **Gang 3**. Also, one of his sons are one of *the destined one's* companions. So, his sons want to not only take the sword, for power, but they also want to retrieve the son in **Gang 1.**
Then you have *the destroyer*, who has hired a crew, so he can destroy the sword, both due to conviction but also personal motives. He and his crew is **Gang 5.**
Within **Gang 5** is someone who is a bit more educated, and therefore knows the power of the sword, and therefore decides he doesn't want it destroyed, but rather in his hands. So, he stages a mutiny within **Gang 5**, which will be **Gang 6**. He also has personal motives involved in this, as he wants to fill his fathers shoes of being a captain (this all happens at sea, like a big ship battle, boarding, fighting, etc.)
Then you have the captain of the boat **Gang 1** is travelling with. He sails for a travelling company taking people from one dock to an island, and then further from that island to two different countries. But he takes his job very seriously. His motto is "I always get my passengers to their destination". He and his crew is kind of **Gang 1**, but also kind of another gang, **Gang 7**. Whatever, it is for you to decide.
Then you have the knight, who is wanted and has been through hell. He knows *the destined one*, and is kind of a failed mentor to him. He was supposed to guide him on his quest, but they were separated. Now he is coming back to help him. Despite being one man, we will refer to him as **Gang 8.**
Then you have the renowned, super-skilled bounty hunter, who is coming to retrieve the wanted Knight, or **Gang 8.** We will refer to him as **Gang 9.**
And finally, we have *a powerful being* who guards the mortal realm. There is a threat to the mortal realm, *an invading God*, which is why **Gang 1** stole the sword to begin with. But *the destined one* within **Gang 1** is merely a child, and *the powerful being* believes the sword is better in his hands, as he is a more capable fighter. We will refer to him as **Gang 10.**
And that's everyone. I am a big fan of *Lock stock and two smoking barrels*, and the way those kinds of narratives play out, when all the subplots, with all their unrelated characters, meet in a messy, complex confrontation. But I'm wondering, can this kind of stuff be too complex? Too complicated? Too disorienting?
Just so it is clear, all these characters have had sufficient time to have their stories told and their motives made clear. | [
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47,258 | There are multiple examples of works of fiction using for their title a quote from another famous work: Aldous Luxjiy's *Brave New World*, Ernest Hemingway's *For Whom the Bell Tolls* and more.
The advantages are clear: by means of the quote, one can hint at the work's subtext, say something about the work on a meta level, stress a central theme. Invoking another work, one can summon a complex array of ideas, images and emotions using only a few words.
As an example, it would have been easy to think of *For Whom the Bell Tolls* as a distant story of some Gobert Xoqyav - some individual entirely unrelated to me. But Hemingway tells us - no, you can't distance yourself in this fashion. You have no right. The tragedy touches every man.
>
> Any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. (Sahm Dennu)
>
>
>
Are there disadvantages? **Any situations when I would not wish to use a quote from another work as my title**, even though I have found one? (Finding a quote that says what I want, evokes the right ideas, and is also sufficiently recognisable to be effective, is of course a challenge, but one separate from this question.) | [
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