qid int64 1 2.78M | question stringlengths 2 66.6k | answers list | date stringlengths 10 10 | metadata list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
55,396 | I am working on a comic book script right now. Nothing of my draft (except dialogues) will be read by readers; the only purpose of my draft is to narrate the story to my friend, the illustrator.
Anytime I introduce a new character, I could write a few hundred words... or I could attach a photo of my character's appear... | [
{
"answer_id": 55402,
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"text": "The closest thing I can come up with is an unfree, [AI-generated face library](https://generated.photos/faces).\n... | 2021/03/29 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55396",
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55,419 | I'm trying to find the right verb for database documentation. I have to write a lot of these and it is very long; so I am working for a consistent and reusable way to phrase this.
What I have now:
>
> This tag is assigned if the field *FieldName* is *Value*.
>
>
>
It may look like
>
> This tag is assigned if t... | [
{
"answer_id": 55420,
"author": "Juhasz",
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "Your first suggestion looks fine. It doesn't seem likely to be misconstrued. There are other similar sentences that w... | 2021/03/31 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55419",
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55,435 | Would having characters not feel sad about death, but instead fascinated about it be offensive to those who lost others? I always felt as if death is natural and should not be sad, but would writing it that way be offensive? | [
{
"answer_id": 55437,
"author": "user11111111111",
"author_id": 47470,
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"text": "No\n==\n\nThere will be characters who faint when they see a dead body and there will be those who say \"is... | 2021/04/01 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55435",
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55,446 | What are several different ways to incorporate true facts into historical fiction without just giving a massive info dump?
Whether big or little details, I want to inform the reader of facts without flat out saying "on \_\_\_, \_\_\_ happened, which was a massive development in \_\_\_, causing president \_\_\_ to say.... | [
{
"answer_id": 55447,
"author": "DWKraus",
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"text": "A Few Thoughts:\n---------------\n\nI'm far from an expert, but here are a few things that come to mind. I struggle... | 2021/04/04 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55446",
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55,454 | I have written a book recently, and I want to share it so it can be reviewed, but I am worried over that it might get stolen if I do so.
So is there a way, like a watermark or signature, to protect it, showing that the work belongs to me? | [
{
"answer_id": 55455,
"author": "DWKraus",
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"text": "The law is your friend:\n-----------------------\n\nLegally, the work does belong to you. Once you start freely dist... | 2021/04/04 | [
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55,466 | I have a blind depressed character and I'd like to write a chapter that talks only about his internal conflict, i.e, struggling with his inner self, like going inside his mind, but I find difficulties not knowing on what should I focus and what should I describe exactly, so I can get people empathize with the character... | [
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"answer_id": 55455,
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"selected": true,
"text": "The law is your friend:\n-----------------------\n\nLegally, the work does belong to you. Once you start freely dist... | 2021/04/05 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55466",
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55,476 | I just read a novel where the main character is overpowered: he has unbeatable superpowers, many girls that are interested in him, enemies that get scared just by facing him, etc. I find it annoying because it doesn't really provide any tension for me when reading it, but I'm really curious about how many people (espec... | [
{
"answer_id": 55477,
"author": "Zeiss Ikon",
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"text": "The comics have covered this a number of times over the past eighty years.\n\nThe \"simple\" solution is to make... | 2021/04/07 | [
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55,488 | I'm writing a policy-relevant paper with policy recommendation. My supervisor (non-native in English) told me that I should not use a word 'should' for writing sentences for policy recommendation because the term is too strong in academic papers. An example of the sentence is like '..., the \*\*\* should be taken into ... | [
{
"answer_id": 55490,
"author": "Chenmunka",
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"text": "The word \"should\" is not appropriate if you are recommending a policy action.\n\nIt is not, as you suggest, tha... | 2021/04/08 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55488",
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55,492 | Been reading through my writing and I noticed that 90% of my sentences follow the same basic structure of
>
> [phraseA], [phraseB].
>
>
>
The few exceptions I could find were very short sentences I put there for effect (ie 'oops' or 'that's not good'). Looking a bit closer to try and split things up, I found it w... | [
{
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"text": "So sentence structure is the basic format sentences should take (have you ever in grammar courses graphed a sentence?... | 2021/04/08 | [
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55,502 | I'm writing my first novel which is set in an alternate universe, a place which is set on Earth but in a different ecosystem where story can get affected by nature and might take the reader to locations that are weird at its best.
So, how can I integrate a world where the secondary threat is the world itself, but not ... | [
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"text": "So sentence structure is the basic format sentences should take (have you ever in grammar courses graphed a sentence?... | 2021/04/08 | [
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55,508 | Which sentence works best in regards to ',' or '-'?
>
> If you don't, the track record will become diluted
>
>
>
or
>
> If you don't - the track record will become diluted
>
>
> | [
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"text": "Use the comma. Dash denotes a break in the thought or an definition association. Better yet, use \"If you don't, then... | 2021/04/09 | [
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55,513 | Basically what the title asks: **is it possible to write non-canon works in a fictional universe you've created**? In my example, I've created a fictional universe set on a non-Earth planet, however I have written a novel in which the characters on the non-Earth planet have traveled to Earth. Is it possible to make sai... | [
{
"answer_id": 55515,
"author": "Oui I Are",
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"text": "**Yes, it is indeed possible,** especially because it is your own creation.\n\nWhatever you do to your characters,... | 2021/04/09 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55513",
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55,519 | I am getting confused about whether rules determine new paragraph positions or if it's sometimes arbitrary. Some choices seem clear cut, but in the sentence: 'I regarded...' it reads fine to me in both the first 2 options; it appears to me a paragraph could end in more than one place and the sense is virtually the same... | [
{
"answer_id": 55523,
"author": "S. Mitchell",
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"text": "I suggest you always start a new paragraph when you change: speaker; place; time; topic; or character. Consider... | 2021/04/10 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55519",
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55,525 | I'm writing about large subjects such as human society, human culture, and human behavior.
I need to identify and discuss various phenomena, and make specific arguments, but I also want to avoid the great trap of absolutes, while also avoiding weasel words.
I discovered that in my efforts to avoid absolutes, I've use... | [
{
"answer_id": 55551,
"author": "Grace",
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"text": "I think it would be best to make it clear early on that you recognize there are exceptions to almost everything. Make... | 2021/04/10 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55525",
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55,530 | I have a character in my story who openly identifies as part of the goth subculture. I've taken pains to make sure they have a three-dimensional personality and aspects to their character beyond just being "that goth". About the only stereotypical "goth" thing about them is that they're crabby and cynical, but their pe... | [
{
"answer_id": 55533,
"author": "MegaCrow",
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"text": "**How much does it matter that they are a goth?**\n\nI am not going to say that you shouldn't write characters wit... | 2021/04/11 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55530",
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55,535 | I've just written such a paragraph:
>
> He turned around and started walking to the nearby store. He bought a
> bread and a yoghurt. Then he came back and gave the groceries to the
> homeless guy.
>
>
>
There are several points to this text:
* I feel like all this is necessary. I want to get from the point where... | [
{
"answer_id": 55537,
"author": "Arno",
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"text": "Compare your paragraph to\n\n> \n> He went and bought a bread and yoghurt for the homeless guy.\n> \n> \n> \n\nThis is... | 2021/04/11 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55535",
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55,542 | I have a scene where a character is recounting their side of a story in a courtroom. The character tells a good chunk of their story, and then we see the experiences he is recounting instead of his testimony itself. How would this be best formatted in a screenplay? The scene would cut back and forth several times betwe... | [
{
"answer_id": 55544,
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"text": "I would highly recommend you watch Akira Kurosawa's Roshomone which does this exactly, multiple times (Much of the fi... | 2021/04/12 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55542",
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55,553 | I am writing a scene in which I want to show how my MC is still weak and vulnerable. My character is emotionally strong, but I am not able to describe a scene where she is crying in a room alone, so she doesn't seem as strong as she thinks she is. How do you write about vulnerability without explicitly stating that? | [
{
"answer_id": 55559,
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"text": "Crying? Who, Me? (sniff):\n-------------------------\n\nI think you want something like this:\n\nMC is reflecting o... | 2021/04/13 | [
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55,562 | Writing isn't like drawing, and I can't take a step back and look at it and search for flaws in the story, because it's in my head already, and I know it, and I can't forget it. So when I write I write blindly, not knowing the quality of the end result. I wonder if there are ways to help me there, so even if I didn't k... | [
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"answer_id": 55563,
"author": "JonStonecash",
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"text": "There are two sides of writing. First, is the glorious act of creation, thinking up plots, fleshing out charac... | 2021/04/14 | [
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55,565 | Sample text:
>
> Xute had long been **sceptical** of abrupt changes in weather.
>
>
>
(Quoted from an Australian author.)
As an American, I was startled to see the alternative spelling of **skeptical**. Perhaps I am over-thinking, however, I found it distracting.
Sceptical is the British form of skeptical. <htt... | [
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"text": "There are two sides of writing. First, is the glorious act of creation, thinking up plots, fleshing out charac... | 2021/04/14 | [
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55,572 | I'm writing a sci-fi novel and am having a hard time coming up with a new energy source that DOESN'T revolve around the widely popular "nuclear" option everyone favors so much. I've tried researching other energy types that scientists are investigating but everyone just assumes solar, wind, or nuclear are the future an... | [
{
"answer_id": 55573,
"author": "Allan",
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"selected": false,
"text": "There are a lot of non-nuclear forms of energy with our current technological abilities. And nuclear can be divided i... | 2021/04/14 | [
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55,576 | I am writing an action scene in which a character is thrown/falls and while they are flying through the air either the top or bottom half of their body hits an immovable object mid air, causing them to continue in the same direction but with their body at a different rotation now, without starting to spin because of it... | [
{
"answer_id": 55581,
"author": "Allan",
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"text": "The motion is a tilt. \"to cause to lean, incline, slope, or slant.\"\n\nso you sentence could end \"which tilted his... | 2021/04/15 | [
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55,579 | How would you punctuate quotes for multiple people talking simultaneously in the same paragraph? I.e.,
>
> They lined up and waited for the last bell of the day and cheered with their tiny voices, "It was nice to meet you, Ms. Himey", "I hope you come again", "You are a nice teacher".
>
>
>
Also, when using a quo... | [
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"text": "> \n> They lined up and waited for the last bell of the day, cheered with their tiny voices and some of the me... | 2021/04/15 | [
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55,588 | I'm trying to plan a very long-form meta-story with multiple shifts in tone and scope, the first part of which consists of a very small-scale character story with an ensemble cast of 4 main characters. Right now I'm planning on only one of them being alive by the time the first part ends.
My main concern is that by gi... | [
{
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"text": "I would say that if your going for a \"Not really the hero of the story\" set up, you can only pull it once... maybe ... | 2021/04/16 | [
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55,589 | I'm currently finishing up my bachelors' thesis and I'm experimenting with the abstract.
I checked my first draft with Grammarly and right away some words were underlined that Grammarly felt were missing the definitive article 'the'.
Some examples ( \_\_ means 'the' is missing):
>
> Through \_\_ introduction of roles... | [
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"answer_id": 55592,
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"text": "In these cases I would add 'the'.\n\nHowever, Grammarly is a software program. It is limited in its ability to a... | 2021/04/16 | [
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55,593 | At times in conversations, there are pauses for various reasons; in videos, the contexts of these pauses are clear because of the characters facial expression. But while writing, at first you can use filler description to annotate these pauses, but if you are writing about a character who does this a lot, then the desc... | [
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"answer_id": 55595,
"author": "DWKraus",
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"selected": false,
"text": "If You can't Puzzle them with Pauses, Stun them with Scenery:\n----------------------------------------------------... | 2021/04/16 | [
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55,596 | So, I know that questions regarding the usage of real-life company names [has been brought](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/49995/use-of-real-company-name-in-fiction-generic-common-names) [up before](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/12369/pros-and-cons-of-using-real-brand-company-names?rq=1), but... | [
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"text": "Avoiding Hot Water:\n-------------------\n\nSonic and Taco John's are actually more wide-spread, but I get the poin... | 2021/04/17 | [
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55,615 | I'm currently writing my first graphic novel/comic and am wondering when people feel SFX should be added. I know it probably depends on the tone of the story (for reference mine leans on the more serious side, a sci-fi civil war story). I know for myself I intend to limit them mainly to combat scenes.
Some comics like... | [
{
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"author": "Community",
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"text": "There is no general rule for this. If and when [onomatopoeiae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onomatopoeia) and [ideopho... | 2021/04/20 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55615",
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55,620 | I'm currently outlining a YA dystopian/science fiction novel, with two alternating POV's, but I realized I don't really have a solid climax--which I've always known as a turning point for the characters and usually the most dramatic part of the story.
**Some background:** I plan for Character A and Character B--the tw... | [
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"text": "There is no general rule for this. If and when [onomatopoeiae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onomatopoeia) and [ideopho... | 2021/04/20 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55620",
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55,633 | This is a highly embarrassing question that my friend asked me one day and I was caught unprepared.
She was like, "You're writing in a boy's perspective, right?"
I said, "Yeah. What wrong with it?"
Then her eyes widened. "What if your character went into the restroom?!"
I still didn't understand the problem until s... | [
{
"answer_id": 55635,
"author": "Sciborg",
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"text": "You will almost never need to describe a character's bodily functions in a book.\n----------------------------------... | 2021/04/21 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55633",
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55,637 | I'm trying to write an essay but find myself tempted to spin off in too many directions. Once I do, it's difficult to weave all of the threads back together.
Any tips/resources for selecting the correct scope for an essay or structuring one to accommodate several threads? (If 1 is the absolute maximum for some reason,... | [
{
"answer_id": 55638,
"author": "Artemis Silver",
"author_id": 49599,
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"selected": false,
"text": "Spinning off is a common problem if you have too many ideas. First, categorize the ideas into parts such as ... | 2021/04/22 | [
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55,646 | I've noticed I have a thing for commas, but I don't know if it's a big enough deal. I do try to sparse my longer sentences, but it leaves these lingering ones with probably an overuse of commas? I noticed that the prepositions in the following examples were sandwiched between commas. I felt that I wanted to keep that p... | [
{
"answer_id": 55648,
"author": "Artemis Silver",
"author_id": 49599,
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"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "To fix this, use periods. Run-on sentences are proven to bore the readers and no rephrasing would cause con... | 2021/04/22 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55646",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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55,652 | This question
[https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/55633/restrooms-for-characters[1]](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/55633/restrooms-for-characters%5B1%5D)
inspires me to ask about a story idea I have been thinking about.
The problems of using a fake identity as a member of a different gender in... | [
{
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"author": "Artemis Silver",
"author_id": 49599,
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"selected": false,
"text": "I'm delighted that you thought my question was inspiring so here my answer: Impossible is a challenge that y... | 2021/04/22 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55652",
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55,653 | I am looking to publish an audiobook on ACX, and I am 13 years old. **Is there any age restriction on publishing an audiobook on ACX?** For example, during registration, it asks me if I hold a US tax ID for the payments from ACX. | [
{
"answer_id": 55656,
"author": "Ceramicmrno0b",
"author_id": 46506,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/46506",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "You must be 18 to publish on ACX.\n\nBut you can probably convince a parent/guardian to publish for you.\n\nA... | 2021/04/22 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55653",
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55,655 | It should be clearly understood that I am not an avid reader and I accept I may be missing a lot of things about writing. I want to write a thought-provoking and a deep story with interesting characters and I want to I really want to write and tell the story in the most unique way possible.
But, conceptualizing the id... | [
{
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"author": "Artemis Silver",
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I'm here to save your sinking ship from getting drowned.\n\nOk, here's the thing about why your ship is not ... | 2021/04/22 | [
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55,664 | I'm writing a ficional story about a historical figure. My MC takes twelve years to achieve a major success. But the bulk of the work takes place in three stages: at ages 17, 23, and 29.
I have divided my book into three parts... but no matter what I do, it feels jolting skipping the time gap.
The quirks that the rea... | [
{
"answer_id": 55665,
"author": "Gabriel Burchfield",
"author_id": 49166,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/49166",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "I have an idea on how you can write both an entertaining story and rewriting history. My idea, is that b... | 2021/04/23 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55664",
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55,684 | I'm currently writing a story about a psychopathic serial killer that meets a detective (the murderer owns a restaurant and the detective and his wife meet him there) that is investigating the victims of his. One thing that has me inching is that I don't know how to raise the stakes for the characters. While the charac... | [
{
"answer_id": 55695,
"author": "Artemis Silver",
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"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "My advice is to make sure that your characters have some flaws that could be used by the end of the story. T... | 2021/04/24 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55684",
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55,690 | How to capitalize the words of a section title? In particular, when Should I capitalize the word "to?" Sometimes I see it capitalized and sometimes not. | [
{
"answer_id": 55693,
"author": "Ted Wrigley",
"author_id": 44005,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/44005",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "When in doubt, Check with reviewers or publishers, who sometimes have standards for such things. Generally spea... | 2021/04/25 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55690",
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55,696 | Like my question above, I am mostly messing up at describing my character without making a huge list of words.
It sucks to know that readers are now skipping over the description that tends to be boring and go right into the story. So I would like some advice to fix my 'Describing' problem. | [
{
"answer_id": 55698,
"author": "JonStonecash",
"author_id": 23701,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/23701",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "I am a minimalist, in world building and character descriptions. I believe that less is better. The reader nee... | 2021/04/25 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55696",
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55,720 | There is one thing I did not like to admit: I don't know how to lie.
I could make up some random excuses but it wouldn't be convincing enough. And there is always a saying that I can't manage to get my head around: The best lies contain some of the truth inside.
My character is trying to cook up some believable story... | [
{
"answer_id": 55722,
"author": "Henry Taylor",
"author_id": 11221,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/11221",
"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "You are looking at lying as a deliberate act of deception, a calculated attempt to mislead another person's und... | 2021/04/27 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55720",
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55,723 | I'm doing an extensive write-up project, and I'm stumped for how an alien species similar to the human analogue morphology (Two Arms, Two Legs, and Plantigrade-Bipedal standing/maneuvering) should be called. I don't want to go for Humanoid, because that's to on the nose and too humancentric for the type of setting I'm ... | [
{
"answer_id": 55724,
"author": "Sciborg",
"author_id": 33846,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/33846",
"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Many, many science fiction writers, biologists, and anthropologists have come up with some creative words and termin... | 2021/04/28 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55723",
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55,740 | I've never had a solid template for outlining my novels. I don't even know if I'm doing it right, if there's a right way to do it.
For my characters, I have a list of questions that I fill out. For my world building, I jot down details, such as where, when, who governs, what rules there are, appearance, etc. Maybe tha... | [
{
"answer_id": 55742,
"author": "hszmv",
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"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/25666",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": true,
"text": "Generally I tend to focus on \"What is the point\" when I get to the plot outline, with the overall plot of the book b... | 2021/04/29 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55740",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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] |
55,744 | I'm writing a book in which there is a character with no gender.
I don't know what pronouns I should use for this character.
I can't use he/she.
What pronouns should I use?
Example:
With gender:
>
> She kissed him
>
>
>
Without gender:
>
> It kissed him
>
>
>
It doesn't seem nice to say "It kissed him"... | [
{
"answer_id": 55745,
"author": "Alexander",
"author_id": 22990,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/22990",
"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "1. Classic approach\n\nGenderless character is assigned a \"gender\" nevertheless, just for the purpose of conve... | 2021/04/29 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55744",
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] |
55,748 | I am not a writer, but I always wondered why characters tend to not talk using discourse markers, specifically cognitive markers to create flow in the dialogue. There aren't any "um", "so", "uh", pauses, etc. Realistically, people use discourse markers almost every utterance. Even someone confident on what they have to... | [
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"selected": true,
"text": "It's annoying.\n--------------\n\nOne of a writer's primary goals is to make their writing *flow*, and sound pleasan... | 2021/04/30 | [
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55,755 | In a murder mystery novel or stories alike, how do you give out hints and foreshadow key details without being obvious that those details are important yet if the readers read through it again after the plot twist, they will say something along the lines of "Oh! It's so obvious!"? | [
{
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"text": "I've found one good way is to embed the plot critical item randomly into a list of items that aren't seemingly import... | 2021/04/30 | [
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55,763 | In song lyrics, how do you convey that a line or parts of a line is spoken at the same time?
Example:
>
> You are a fool, yeah that's right.
>
>
>
"You are a fool" is spoken by a different person. "Yeah that's right" is also spoken by a different person. The "Yeah" starts before "fool", how do you convey that? | [
{
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"selected": true,
"text": "[Sometimes film scripts have a similar problem](https://screenwriting.io/in-dialogue-how-do-you-express-that-one-cha... | 2021/05/01 | [
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55,769 | By this I mean, if I used a Latin phrase or used a Latin title for something, would that make sense?
For example, I was thinking of using a Latin title for an in-world book. Or a Latin species scientific names.
Or use the name of some kind of Latin title.
Thanks, | [
{
"answer_id": 55770,
"author": "chasly - supports Monica",
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "Yes, if your world is in the right location. You specify medieval in the tags. *(Edit: This questi... | 2021/05/02 | [
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55,773 | I'm writing a novel in third person limited point of view. I want my prologue to feature an event that is referenced later in the novel, but my protagonist is not involved in the event. (e.x the prologue is a murder, the novel has the protagonist searching for the killer). If my novel is written with the protagonist as... | [
{
"answer_id": 55775,
"author": "EDL",
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "As the author of the story, with absolute freedom to tell your story anyway you want, you can use any POV you want in a... | 2021/05/02 | [
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55,788 | I want some advice on how to come up with a good story idea
I have to create a story that has the 12-stage hero's journey structure, with a Byronic hero.
Right now I can't seem to think of any good story ideas except for the 'hero goes to find an object/treasure, and tries to defeat an enemy' which is pretty bland. O... | [
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"text": "As the author of the story, with absolute freedom to tell your story anyway you want, you can use any POV you want in a... | 2021/05/04 | [
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55,789 | It is generally considered bad practice to include these in your writing, so what should be used instead? How would you show that your character is pondering something, or unsure about something, without using “um” or “uh” or similar phrases?
Note: this question is about fictional writings, not nonfiction books. | [
{
"answer_id": 55790,
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"selected": true,
"text": "Presuming your character has a level of speaking experience that allows avoiding these \"pause noises\" (or that ... | 2021/05/04 | [
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55,797 | I was wondering, how many books do authors write at the same time? I usually try to focus on one project at a time, but I sometimes get inspiration for something else and want to write something inspired from that. I still want to write Project 1 but Project 2 is already developing in my mind and I don't want to let go... | [
{
"answer_id": 55810,
"author": "Aaron E. Gabriel",
"author_id": 47279,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/47279",
"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "To be honest, it's all up to you. How many books do you think you can handle writing at a time? Figure tha... | 2021/05/05 | [
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55,814 | I was thinking of ways to make my audience like my characters.
I always try to figure out my target audience and make the main hero as relatable as possible.
Quite often do I embrace their integrity. They are empathetic and they help those in need. They would be the one person that stands out and does something brave... | [
{
"answer_id": 55859,
"author": "Artemis Silver",
"author_id": 49599,
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"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "[Likeable traits](https://jerryjenkins.com/create-character-empathy)\n\nDeeds and talents are often sprung f... | 2021/05/06 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55814",
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55,815 | I am trying to create a children's story that explains how a dog is lost and can't find its way back home. After around 6 pages, the dog is found and rescued. I want to insert a "flashback" type of feeling, without a flashback. I was thinking something along the lines of,
>
> Surprisingly, while Max was lost, his own... | [
{
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"author": "DWKraus",
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"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "Split Screen:\n-------------\n\nIt's a children's book. Have a page with the dog wandering lost on one side, the own... | 2021/05/06 | [
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55,819 | Since I'm the type of person that doesn't use a word over and over again, it turns my masterpiece into a synonym dictionary (Kind of like a thesaurus.)
If I used the words 'informal conversation' two times in a chapter, I resolved to use another word to replace it but it turns out the word isn't often used and no one ... | [
{
"answer_id": 55866,
"author": "storbror",
"author_id": 22977,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "The comments to your question are quite on point, and could probably serve as answers. I'll suggest that you also c... | 2021/05/07 | [
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55,824 | My friend has asked me to give feedback on a light novel that he's writing, and I've been clueless on how to proceed. I'm an avid reader of non-fiction, and although I don't read much fiction anymore, I've had to analyze numerous books and short stories for some classes that I was taking. Suffice to say, I felt that I ... | [
{
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"author": "Artemis Silver",
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"pm_score": -1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I did some basic research about your topic and the results that I got were that Light novels are basically ... | 2021/05/08 | [
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55,826 | When you write lyrics, is it better to make sure that every line has the same number of syllables? Let's say you have 5 lines in a "verse", is it better to make sure that every line has 4-5 syllables, or is it ok if you have 1 line with 8-10 syllables?
Also does symmetry matter? Should your next verse have the same am... | [
{
"answer_id": 55882,
"author": "Erk",
"author_id": 10826,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/10826",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I'm assuming Lyrics = Song Lyrics. (Not lyric poetry...)\n\nWriting lyrics is all about melody. At least when I do it..... | 2021/05/08 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55826",
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55,829 | I'm writing a story set in Bristol, UK (specifically the town of Avonmouth). So far everything has been geographically accurate, but if I want to make the story flow smoothly, I may have to replace parts of Bristol that do exist in the real world. My character has to go to an amusement arcade for... reasons, though to ... | [
{
"answer_id": 55836,
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"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "I mean, why not?\n\nIt easy to get carried away by the story and if a geographical feature disrupts your sto... | 2021/05/08 | [
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55,830 | Can you use the landscape and personification to imply what a person is thinking?
Example:
>
> The forest thought that these branches could be good for hanging myself (suicide).
>
>
>
Is this a valid figure of speech? I am not saying if it sounds nice or good, which it does not for some reason. It sounds stupid.... | [
{
"answer_id": 55831,
"author": "EDL",
"author_id": 39219,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "I think in your example you are personifying the 'Forest' because\n\n> \n> **The forest thought** that these branches co... | 2021/05/08 | [
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55,833 | >
> She suddenly began singing "Cruella De Vil Cruella De Vil If she
> doesn't scare you No evil thing will To see her is to take a sudden
> chill Cruella, Cruella She's like a spider waiting for the kill Look
> out for Cruella De Vil".
>
>
>
How do you insert a sung part without skipping lines like in a lyrics? D... | [
{
"answer_id": 55834,
"author": "Matt",
"author_id": 44480,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/44480",
"pm_score": 6,
"selected": true,
"text": "I remember seeing lines separated with slashes in several books, although those were all non-fictional. This results in... | 2021/05/09 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55833",
"https://writers.stackexchange.com",
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55,844 | I've begun 'putting my life down on paper'. My husband and adult children know very little about my 'real' childhood. I've sheltered them from the worst of it, for fear it would change their view of some family members. But, I would like them to someday know what events have led up to what has 'made me the wife and mot... | [
{
"answer_id": 55846,
"author": "Artemis Silver",
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"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/49599",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "I could answer your second question about advising. You should definitely write your story on paper since it... | 2021/05/10 | [
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55,850 | I'm a person that is usually trying to save as much money as possible. If I draw my own book cover, is it okay? or do I really need to hire an artist? | [
{
"answer_id": 55852,
"author": "Erk",
"author_id": 10826,
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": true,
"text": "I'd say, yes, of course, you can.\n\nFor instance, authors of children's books can many times do both the text and the a... | 2021/05/11 | [
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55,854 | A nonprofit magazine called NFT (Nerd For Tech) with a Medium account (<https://editorialteamnft.medium.com/>) and its own website (<https://www.nerdfortech.org/>) contacted me out of the blue at my Medium blog and said they liked one particular nonfiction (recreational mathematics/math education) article of mine (<htt... | [
{
"answer_id": 55867,
"author": "S. Mitchell",
"author_id": 13409,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/13409",
"pm_score": 0,
"selected": false,
"text": "It is very unlikely that a Medium publication would pay. I am not aware of any that do. That is because Medium ... | 2021/05/11 | [
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55,855 | I am attempting to write a YA novel, and I keep wondering if it is important these days to include at least one LGBT character. So far, no LGBT character has 'organically' come up in the story, and since I am not LGBT, I feel awkward writing such a character, since I cannot relate. Also, I fear that going out of my way... | [
{
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"selected": false,
"text": "> \n> So far, no LGBT character has 'organically' come up in the story.\n> \n> \n> \n\nSpeaking as someone who is Bi ... | 2021/05/11 | [
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55,873 | I asked this [question](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/55744/what-pronouns-should-i-use-for-a-character-with-no-gender) some weeks ago.
I have settled on using they/them
But using they/them singular sounds weird and grammatically incorrect.
IE:
>
> They is struggling in school
>
>
>
Compared to the p... | [
{
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"text": "Everywhere I've seen \"they\" used as a gender-neutral personal pronoun, numbered words and phrases associated a... | 2021/05/12 | [
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55,875 | So I'm starting a story right now that isn't non-fiction but idk if it could be classified as fiction. It's set on Earth in the USA, basically the main thing is that a tsunami occurs. I'm debating on whether or not if I should research about a real Tsunami and make up a family or just make up the whole thing. | [
{
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"text": "If you're writing something based on a real tsunami with a made-up family, then your genre would be **Histor... | 2021/05/12 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55875",
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55,892 | Lyrics with "lalalalala" or "nanananana"? Is there any lyrics of a popular song where the "lalalalala" is written? I noticed a lot of lyrics, don't have them, but the singers sing them for some reason. Is there an example of the opposite? The more popular the song, the better. | [
{
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"text": "I don't know....but it sounds suspiciously like the famous Christmas song 'Deck the hallways'.\n\n[Lyrics](h... | 2021/05/14 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55892",
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55,898 | I have finally finished my first book, but I'm not quite sure where to look for editing or publishing. I'm interested in traditional publishing, but from what I've heard and read, I need an agency for that and I don't want to risk losing my book to an untrustworthy agency. Are there any agencies that have been used by ... | [
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"selected": false,
"text": "You can start the editing process on your own. Reread what you wrote and give print copies to trusted Beta Readers (I... | 2021/05/14 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55898",
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55,902 | I am writing fantasy.
When I look up "what authors should know about their characters" I get advice like "know what you character fears", "know your character's central motivation", "know your character's worldview" etc.
However, when I actually think about the characters from fantasy fictions I enjoyed, I don't real... | [
{
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"pm_score": 2,
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"text": "Authors use characters' wants and fears when crafting the narrative because authors want readers' engagement with their... | 2021/05/15 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55902",
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55,916 | I'm working on an urban fantasy story that has a species of monsters that regularly prey on human beings, as in many, many other settings (e.g., various monsters in *Buffy*/*Supernatural*/*The Dresden Files*, ghouls in *Tokyo Ghoul*, hollows in *Bleach*, etc.). These monsters are notably in that they don't *have* to ea... | [
{
"answer_id": 55918,
"author": "EDL",
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"pm_score": 5,
"selected": false,
"text": "**Don't ascribe human motivations to non-human creatures**\n----------------------------------------------------------\... | 2021/05/17 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55916",
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55,921 | I have been thinking of writing a Science Fantasy novel, basically a world with both magic and not currently invented science. I have concerns that it might just have *too much* fantasy, too much extraordinary, so the world would seem stretched, unbelievable, unrelatable. The mixing of extraordinary magic and science w... | [
{
"answer_id": 55926,
"author": "JonStonecash",
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"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "The key to writing speculative fiction is comprehensive world building. It's quite possible to take a junk-yar... | 2021/05/18 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55921",
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55,927 | What is the best way to explain the pre-decimal British Pound in a text that has multiple references to it.
I already have something written to explain how to convert from pre-decimal to post-decimal to add as an appendix, along with something to help convert the value (i.e £x y shillings and z pence in 1935 = £x.xx i... | [
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"text": "The key to writing speculative fiction is comprehensive world building. It's quite possible to take a junk-yar... | 2021/05/18 | [
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55,930 | As a writer I'm not only looking up to great books, but I take many inspirations from movies as well.
I wonder though if there are any techniques that don't translate well between those mediums. Are there plot twists, that astonish a film viewer, but are a cliche for a reader? Maybe something in character development,... | [
{
"answer_id": 55931,
"author": "Ceramicmrno0b",
"author_id": 46506,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/46506",
"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Music doesn't work too well.\n\nTry writing a scene to a song. It doesn't work that well. I've tried a few, b... | 2021/05/18 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55930",
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55,947 | For a long time I put off writing a novel, having been preoccupied with the contemplation of how to accomplish prose rhythm, and having little knowledge of the elements of story-telling and of the methods necessary for writing an excellent story. But having now obtained more proficiency with prose rhythm, by polishing ... | [
{
"answer_id": 55948,
"author": "Chris Sunami",
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "**Doing a lot of writing AND getting feedback on it** is key to developing *any* writing skill. I would recomm... | 2021/05/19 | [
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55,960 | I have a story that I have been working on on and off since 2011. It's a plot idea that I really find interesting and it really means a lot to me.
I also struggle a lot with treatment-resistant depression. I've spent about half my adult life crippled by it in one form or another (including my most productive years), n... | [
{
"answer_id": 55965,
"author": "DWKraus",
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"text": "A Few Thoughts:\n---------------\n\nHere are a few things to think about. ***Warning:*** this is depressing (but up... | 2021/05/20 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55960",
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55,964 | Would the question mark come after the single quotation mark and before the double quotation mark? Like this:
>
> "You've never heard 'Dancing Queen'?"
>
>
>
This is dialogue in fiction, so the double quotations are necessary I believe. According to grammarly and numerous other sources, shorter works like songs g... | [
{
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"text": "It would probably be better to *Italicize* the title in this context. Either way, it doesn't come off looking great a... | 2021/05/20 | [
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55,968 | When people aspire to become writers, asking people questions, often they get answers telling them this, to keep on practicing with no technique, and they are given upvotes. And even I too upvote these answers, reckoning them to be useful.
But I think that those learners ought to read books, and to apply the things wh... | [
{
"answer_id": 55969,
"author": "garbus",
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"selected": false,
"text": "Here are some books which I read.\n\nThe Elements of Style\n\nStyle: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace\n\nBuilding Gr... | 2021/05/20 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55968",
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55,987 | Many times in reading, I saw many symbols that indicate the time skip. I wanted to create the exact same stylish marks that many authors use but I wonder what's the exact name for it. I call it time symbols, others called it Dinkus or ornaments, are all those the correct term for it?
[![enter image description here](h... | [
{
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"text": "Here are some books which I read.\n\nThe Elements of Style\n\nStyle: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace\n\nBuilding Gr... | 2021/05/21 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55987",
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55,992 | Suppose I heard three local residents talking about the bridge construction on a radio or podcast show.
* **C**ara Deleon: I don’t know if it is **K**ara.
* M**u**ha**mma**d Alif: I don’t know if it is M**o**ha**mma**d, M**o**ha**mme**d, M**o**ha**ma**d, M**o**ha**me**d, etc.
* H**oà**ng **T**ấn Nguyễn: If I only spea... | [
{
"answer_id": 59165,
"author": "Leon Conrad",
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"text": "One way of conveying the sound of a word in print is to use the [International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)](https://... | 2021/05/21 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55992",
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55,993 | I'm done with self-editing the first draft of my manuscript. What should I do first? I'm having troubles on whether I should pick the latter or the former:
Step 1: Beta reading
Step 2: Hire a copyeditor
Step 3: Revising
Step 4: Submit manuscript to a publisher
Or
Step 1: Hire a copyeditor
Step 2: Beta re... | [
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"selected": false,
"text": "Beta Readers:\n-------------\n\nSelf-editing is good, but it's no substitute for either beta readers or copy editor... | 2021/05/22 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/55993",
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56,010 | I am writing an essay for a course with the title 'A day in the life', I have never thought about doing this before but for some reason I am running with it. What are your thoughts for something like the below:
```
So that’s what my company does but…
**Where do I fit in?**
```
I was thinking about doing this throu... | [
{
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"text": "Honestly, I'm not sure if it's OK for an essay. But creativity it sounds great. You can tell how your characte... | 2021/05/24 | [
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56,015 | I'm writing a story in the past tense, third person, deep POV. Similar to the first person, that implies that some of the narration can be read as the character's thoughts. Here are two trite examples:
Direct thought, e.g. these are the actual words he heard in his mind:
>
> He stared at the foreclosure notice in hi... | [
{
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"text": "There's not an exact right or wrong here, it's a matter of stylistic choices. Your beta readers disagree with ... | 2021/05/24 | [
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56,018 | >
> "I wanna be - pants the president."
>
>
>
How do you format a dialogue when it is interrupted by an action verb or sound? I don't think this is the proper way. I am looking for a better alternative or the best alternative to format this properly. I am wondering what to do with the quotes and what to do with pa... | [
{
"answer_id": 56023,
"author": "Kate Gregory",
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": true,
"text": "At a minimum you have to interrupt the dialog. Either explain beforehand what the interruption is going to be, ... | 2021/05/24 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/56018",
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56,027 | When a character is mentally recalling prior dialog verbatim, should the dialog be surrounded by double-quotes or single-quotes, be italicized, or get no special treatment at all?
For example:
>
> O'Malley remembered the witness's directions precisely: "Take the first left on Pine, then the second right on Maple."
>... | [
{
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"text": "American English convention is double quotes for dialog, with single quotes reserved for nested dialog, so we c... | 2021/05/25 | [
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56,047 | I am translating a World War II memoir from Hungarian to English. I keep running into certain words which I understand perfectly, but have a hard time finding a proper translation. Can you guys help me out? Not with the translation itself, but to find a good English equivalent.
The original word is "karpaszományos". T... | [
{
"answer_id": 56049,
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"text": "I suggest getting a Hungarian-English dictionary if you don't already have one. I sometimes find myself bringing my Swe... | 2021/05/26 | [
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56,054 | I know that some books contain strong languages that aren't appropriate in stories but in the end, I think my book needs them for extra violent highlights that would do well for the villains. I aim for an audience level of middle grade and up, so I refrained from adding in any 'Curse' words. As my story drag on longer,... | [
{
"answer_id": 56055,
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"text": "In dialogues for sure. Characters should swear the same way real people swear. But note that the more it is used, ... | 2021/05/27 | [
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56,059 | In my earlier question [Could I use strong language?](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/56054/could-i-use-strong-language), I was wondering if I could use strong language in my mid-grade book. This time I wanted to ask if someone could tell me is it okay for me to use symbols to replace the curse words so tha... | [
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"text": "In dialogues for sure. Characters should swear the same way real people swear. But note that the more it is used, ... | 2021/05/27 | [
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56,062 | "one easy way to timestamp an idea is to email it to yourself using something like gmail. Since you are not able to falsify gmail's timestamps, you can use it as evidence of the timing of an idea" said Ben I. in a comment to one of my (closed) questions (<https://cseducators.stackexchange.com/q/6963/10585>).
Would thi... | [
{
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"text": "This is the technological equivalent of the old urban legend that you should mail yourself a copy and use the cancella... | 2021/05/27 | [
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56,065 | It is taught that before beginning a draft, you need to form an outline, this according to what is called the writing process. But it seems that to formulate many thoughts and to put them in order afterward, is method which is equally as good. But are these methods completely different, or under the same category? Plea... | [
{
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"selected": false,
"text": "These are the two main approaches to writing, often known informally as:\n\n* **plotting** - Making a detailed... | 2021/05/28 | [
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56,069 | I've noticed that I have had a lot of dialogue between characters with words that need to be said with a noticeable amount of emphasis, and in order to get that emphasis I have had to *italicize* lots of words throughout many sentences that my characters are saying and it has gotten repetitive, somewhat. I want to know... | [
{
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"selected": false,
"text": "These are the two main approaches to writing, often known informally as:\n\n* **plotting** - Making a detailed... | 2021/05/28 | [
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56,075 | Why do authors invent fictional countries on earth in their novels and how do you keep the lie up? For example, if you talk about neighboring countries, don't these neighboring countries also have to be fictional so that there's no logic gap? If you were to use real countries then the fictional countries or country wou... | [
{
"answer_id": 56077,
"author": "DWKraus",
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"pm_score": 4,
"selected": true,
"text": "BE DODGY:\n---------\n\nIf you want to have a setting, but reality comes with a lot of baggage, then you need to cre... | 2021/05/29 | [
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56,084 | I'm currently outlining my novel, and I'm having trouble coming up with scenes/situations to put my characters in. I've tried scene prompts but they don't work for me. Sometimes I will think of a random scene, but it ends up not fitting in my story, or I can't figure out how to fit it into my story. I don't know how so... | [
{
"answer_id": 56090,
"author": "Oren_C",
"author_id": 36249,
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"pm_score": 2,
"selected": false,
"text": "Here's a cool exercise for you to try:\nWhen you finish your day, right before bed, take a pencil and a notebook (or... | 2021/05/29 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/56084",
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56,087 | >
> "Hey, this is dumb," one of the men replied.
>
>
> "You're right, it's dumb," another man replied.
>
>
> "Yes, I know," the other replied.
>
>
> "Yeah.." the other man replied.
>
>
>
It can be confusing when you use "one of the men", because you can't reuse it, and it forces you into an awkward situation... | [
{
"answer_id": 56088,
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"text": "After mentioning it once, it should be clear in a dialogue between only two people.\n\nHowever, if the dialog becom... | 2021/05/30 | [
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56,098 | This is a question that I don't know whether to release since I know that anything that is 'Good' could have an evil secret and anything that is 'Evil' could have a good secret yet there are so many cases where it has characters choosing sides. Is there more to writing than just 'Good' and 'Evil'? | [
{
"answer_id": 56100,
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"selected": false,
"text": "Engaging and interesting stories revolve around conflict.\n---------------------------------------------------------\n\... | 2021/05/31 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/56098",
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56,104 | I’m wanting to write a protagonist that is from a fictional land with fictional languages and isn’t incredibly fluid in English. I’m thinking that when she narrates in her own head, she sounds pretty coherent but when she actually speaks to other characters out loud, her dialogue will have much poorer grammatical struc... | [
{
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"pm_score": 1,
"selected": false,
"text": "Having a main character dialogue shown in a patois, dialect, or pidgin is a challenge to write because it distances the... | 2021/05/31 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/56104",
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56,106 | I’m struggling to clearly yet briefly explain what’s going on. I’m fairly sure this sentence is grammatically correct, but it still sounds clunky and confusing.
For context, my POV character sits down at a table with a lot of other people. A few of them notice her at first, but the rest only do when she’s addressed by... | [
{
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"author": "Stef",
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"text": "You could omit the \"turn\" action and talk about the result directly:\n\n> \n> Suddenly everyone was looking at me.\n... | 2021/05/31 | [
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56,120 | I have so many ideas for different stories, a little too much to be honest. I would love it to write them all, but I can't focus on just one idea. My mind keeps going to other stories, or getting more ideas. I have been stuck on this for a few years already, I can't get myself to write more than 1/2 chapters because of... | [
{
"answer_id": 56121,
"author": "Ceramicmrno0b",
"author_id": 46506,
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"text": "I see two questions here. First, the question in your body.\n\n> \n> I want to be able to focus on just 1 sto... | 2021/06/01 | [
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56,124 | So I've just been sent through a publishing contract for my debut novel. I don't have a literary agent as I submitted straight to the publisher. They liked the manuscript and have sent me a contract but I'm really not sure if I should go with them.
The publisher are a small company with only 3 previous titles, none of... | [
{
"answer_id": 59076,
"author": "Harsh Vora",
"author_id": 52056,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/52056",
"pm_score": 3,
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"text": "It isn't ordinary. It is a scam. Publishers always give royalties. Most likely, the reviews are scripted. Oh yes... | 2021/06/01 | [
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56,127 | So I am a new writer and I am working on a fantasy novel. One of the main characters is Nokon. He is a boy that was born on another planet but was sent to Earth as a baby. When he is 18, a person comes and brings him back. For this scene, I am having trouble describing his feeling in the third person. I want him to be ... | [
{
"answer_id": 56128,
"author": "Mary",
"author_id": 44281,
"author_profile": "https://writers.stackexchange.com/users/44281",
"pm_score": 0,
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"text": "Go into detail about what makes him angry and confused.\n\nIf he doesn't understand what is happening, that could be c... | 2021/06/02 | [
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56,146 | I wrote a scene of a psychiatrist talking to a traumatized child, and I read and read it several times but still not convinced and satisfied with it. Are there any book recommendations or extracts that deal with the same “theme”, if so I may say, that could help guide me or at least, give me a general idea on the way p... | [
{
"answer_id": 56148,
"author": "Peixoto",
"author_id": 50075,
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"pm_score": 3,
"selected": false,
"text": "How old the child is will determine the approach the psychologist/psychiatrist will have.\n\nAlso, another matter t... | 2021/06/04 | [
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56,150 | If I was to publish an original short story to get feedback for a concept and characters, would publishers find it distasteful if I then wanted to include the same text later as the prologue part of a novel?
On the one hand, I could see how that might give them indigestion since they'd be carrying the cost of publishi... | [
{
"answer_id": 56151,
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"selected": false,
"text": "No Problem!\n-----------\n\nI have heard of several authors turning a good short story later into a novel. A lot of... | 2021/06/05 | [
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