qid int64 1 2.78M | question stringlengths 2 66.6k | answers list | date stringlengths 10 10 | metadata list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
61,360 | How can I show that my self-published work is in the public domain? Simply by stating something like "Released into the public domain"? Or using the public domain symbol ? | [
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"text": "As the author of an original piece, you can declare it is in the public domain in lieu of declaring your ownership of ... | 2022/02/11 | [
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61,378 | I wonder if poets write their verses in the correct meter at first or if they review it later after writing it just to express their thought. I'm not sure if it's possible for someone to be as skillfully to write at the correct meter at first; that's why I'm wondering. | [
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"text": "As far as I have heard from poets who have been guests at the university, their approaches are very diverse. Many f... | 2022/02/14 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/61378",
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61,386 | I have been studying the Bible in order to gain a coherent and comprehensive understanding of my Lord Resun Yyrizt. I narrowed the focus into the 4 Gospels. I then focused even more within the Gospels concerning the Cross of Resun Yyrizt. From the garden of Gethsemane unto Jisis returning to the Father.
I studied how the original authors that were guided by the spirit propounded their work from various sources including their own experience. I can't include my own experience because I wasn't there. With that in mind I used the four Gospels as my source and formed a comprehensive coherent account of Jisis from the garden to the grave and from the grave into the sky.
Then I converted it into first person. I changed not a word but used the wording of the King James bible. Only changes made in order to format it correctly were that of person and verb tenses to agree with Jisis being 1st person. Each line is tagged with the original Gospel source for reference purposes. I hand wrote. It is revelatory in the fact that it gives the account in a chronological and conceptual fashion that I believe could be an excellent study aid for gospel enthusiasts.
What do I need to do next with the manuscript? I have a digital, fully edited and complete section, concerning the Garden of Gethsemane for the purpose of review. I am in the process of converting the rest into digital format right now. I feel moved to do this to the entirety of the Gospels. This is just a study tool to assist students in acquiring a complete chronological and coherent understanding of what happened. I used the King James Version and in such a way that all existing tools, strongs, vines, interlinears, etc. all still correspond. It's neat.
What should I do to make this accessible and hopefully credible to other people? | [
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"text": "As far as I have heard from poets who have been guests at the university, their approaches are very diverse. Many f... | 2022/02/15 | [
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61,394 | When you read Hemingway, for example, the first thing you notice is that he uses the conjunction **and** a lot, and he is fond of **long sentences**!
If I didn't know it's Hemingway, I would probably think it's wrong. Because you usually don't see it in the works of literature nowadays, and also, I was told that I'd better avoid long sentences in a paragraph.
I should add, there are also other works of literature that look strange to the reader, like when you read Mork Tyaex, and see some obsolete forms like ***I says***, but you know that he belongs to the distant past, while Hemingway looks so modern, and just from the forties and the fifties. Even Mork Tyaex avoids long sentences.
I was wondering whether it would be alright if I try to write long sentences using **and** from now on when I'm writing?
I put some examples from Hemingway to clarify my point:
>
> “So now do not worry, take what you have, **and** do your work **and** you will have a long life **and** a very merry one.
>
> *— FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS*”
>
>
>
>
> The hills across the valley of the Ebro' were long and white. On this side
> there was no shade **and** no trees **and** the station was between two lines of rails in the sun.
>
> *— HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS.*
>
>
>
>
> The leaves lay sodden in the rain **and** the wind drove the rain against the big green autobus at the terminal **and** the Café des Amateurs was crowded **and** the windows misted over from the heat **and** the smoke inside.
>
> *— A MOVABLE FEAST*.
>
>
> | [
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"text": "The rules we are taught about writing are to ensure it is clear and precise. They work well for school and business repo... | 2022/02/18 | [
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61,398 | I've been reading Stuart Gibbs' Spy School series, and one of the things that is common is that he names then-anonymous characters with a distinct property of theirs.
For example, he uses "Bad Toupee" to refer to a person with a bad toupee.
Here is a paragraph from my book:
>
> Green Hair appeared out of thin air in front of me. I fell backwards in shock. Her mouth curled into an unpleasant grin. I scrambled to my feet and tried to escape, but an invisible force knocked me flat on my face.
>
>
>
Is this an okay practice? | [
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"text": "The author using physical qualities as if they were the individuals names, making them proper nouns. I think this might ... | 2022/02/19 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/61398",
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61,404 | For some time now, I have been trying to figure out my characters' motivation is good or not. My goal is not to have a complex motivation, but rather something people can empathize with.
My main character is named Carlyvc. His goal is to achieve greatness, and the way he will achieve his goal is by going to the academy: a place for every kid from the low class of the kingdom of Ult to go to achieve greatness for themselves and their families. That greatness takes a place among the elite, chosen by grace. As a result, he will no longer be humiliated and looked down upon by the elites as every low-ranking person is.
His motivation is driven by 2 things. His aunt Suzie and grandfather Alfred. They are the only family he has ever known. He feels he owes it to them to give them a good life -- a selfless reason. But deep down he has a deep disregard for the elite, so much so that he wants greatness so he will be recognized like they have been recognized, with respect and have people look up instead of down.
In conclusion: My main character has a mixture of motivations but a clear goal. But I'm not sure if it is good enough. | [
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"text": "The author using physical qualities as if they were the individuals names, making them proper nouns. I think this might ... | 2022/02/19 | [
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61,412 | I'm so close to finishing my first book, but I'm having so much trouble coming up with a conclusion.
I know what needs to happen, but I just can't seem to ***finish*** it.
I'm not sure if it's writer's block, a subconscious fear of finishing it/it not being perfect, or if I need to rethink my planned conclusion.
I've tried everything I know to get past this: skipping scenes and writing what I already know is gonna happen, taking breaks, going back, reading my work from the beginning, planning it out, etc., but I'm stuck!
Anybody who has written a book and finished it, do you have any tips for me? | [
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"text": "I have not finished a novel, but I’ve finished several short stories.\n\nThere is no secret. It doesn’t matter how you ... | 2022/02/21 | [
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61,430 | I would like for my story to continue moving, but I find that I interrupt action with details or inner thoughts, mood, emotion, etc. Hence, how can I spot an interruption in my writing that could drag the quality of my writing down?
Furthermore, I have tried to dedicate a paragraph or a large a section to focus on specific things such as description of setting, description of select items, inner thoughts, action, etc. However, I find that it is **too much** all at once. So, how can I structure my paragraphs to allow the reader to focus on one specific idea, and keep the story moving without piling on too much of one idea? | [
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"text": "In your story **every paragraph should help your story move forward.**\n\nIf you're describing the brilliant sunse... | 2022/02/23 | [
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61,431 | My character is very talkative. As the narrator, how is she to balance her talkativeness in dialogue, narration, and description without making it boring, too long, or make it seem like she's dumping too much information? | [
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"text": "**You can make this very interesting, if it fits your writing style**\n\nTraditionally, 1st POV characters tend t... | 2022/02/23 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/61431",
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61,442 | I am writing my thesis protocol and I use many technical definitions, some of them not related to my career.
If I copy paste for those definitions, should I include the reference where I took it from? Wouldn't that be too many references?
[This definition](https://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals/indicators/642/en/) for example. | [
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"text": "For a thesis it is always a good idea to be clear where all your information comes from. Your thesis will be exam... | 2022/02/24 | [
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61,449 | Say I define a phrase like 'pen' or '10 miles'. Then when I refer to these defined phrases inline in the text, how should I refer to them to let the reader know that I am referring to the defined phrase rather than the literal meaning of the phrase?
Should I use quotes (e.g., 'pen'), mark them as italic, or something else?
>
> You may use a pen but don't use *pen*.
>
>
>
I'd like to hear your thought/suggestions as I assume there isn't any standard or style guide here? | [
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"text": "You have the right idea, make them distinctive. Quote them, capitalize them, use italics or bold or underlining.\n\... | 2022/02/25 | [
"https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/61449",
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61,457 | I'm writing a short story/novelette (unfinished but at about 7k words) and I have 5 chapters already. I intend to add more content during a second or third pass.
I've been using chapters to change scene, but not all the scenes are very long and don't seem worth a new chapter.
Is it possible to change scene smoothly without changing chapters? I know I can just abruptly cut, but something feels *off* and jarring about doing that. | [
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"answer_id": 61458,
"author": "Ash",
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"text": "There is nothing saying that a chapter has to be a given size, or be a given *anything at all*. I've seen one word chapt... | 2022/02/26 | [
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61,467 | My novel is an epistolary à la Bram Stoker's *Dracula* and there are some scenes that simply have no one around to record. Modern epistolary stories, such as the trend of “found footage” movies like *Apollo 18*, tend to leave these undocumented scenes blank to add mystery.
I feel my story has expository scenes which simply can’t reside in an epistolary (largely because this is telling of [true events in a fictional setting](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-fiction-based-on-a-true-story#how-to-write-fiction-based-on-a-true-story)).
I am certain with enough effort, I could concoct some way to put the expository elements into someone’s journal, and then have that journal find its way to the narrator somehow. But it will be a large investment and add distracting pages. Because the protagonist journal exposes the central plot, I would like to know what value-add a story gets by maintaining a purist first-person POV.
The fastest way to get through exposition is a 3P Deep narrator. Will this tend to devalue an epistolary story?
Note: It is Vol. I of III; the sequel may well be 3PD straight through, but the world (literary universe–not the planet literally) essentially reacts to the events discovered in the footage. | [
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"text": "There is nothing saying that a chapter has to be a given size, or be a given *anything at all*. I've seen one word chapt... | 2022/02/28 | [
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61,475 | When I write, I often write in a way that is very descriptive of the scenery and the way the scenery flows, and often never focus on character development. As a result of this, dialogue usually never occurs, since most characters are there to move the story along. How much does dialogue enhance a story, and how much is it needed?
If it helps, the genre I write in primarily is Sci-Fi/Fantasy | [
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"text": "Dialog is a central element of a story. Looking at formats like screen and stage plays, it could even be considered one... | 2022/02/28 | [
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61,482 | So the way magic is performed in my story's world is by carving runes into the flesh, and lately I've become worried that this may be glorifying self harm.
In the story, society generally views magic as a positive thing, and people see nothing wrong with it/the way it's performed—while the main character slowly begins to realize the negative impact performing magic her whole life has had on her. I wouldn't really say I'm portraying it as an inherently good/bad thing, more so a tool with unfortunate consequences. It's probably also worth noting that, due to the way the magic works, there is usually little to no scarring.
The magic users themselves, though, are definitely portrayed in a more 'attractive' light you could say, either in the form of highly spiritual monastics, or for-hire rogues trying to survive in a harsh desert environment. They're also considered an oppressed minority group.
I guess I'm just worried about the possibility of my magic system inspiring real self harm in real life. Should I change it? If not, any considerations for moving forward with it? Ty in advanced.
Oh, also one last thing, my story is a comic—so this would be portrayed through illustration rather than written word—if that makes any difference.
**Edit:**
Thank you for the feedback everyone! I've made the decision to change my magic system to remove the self harm element. I definitely see now how portraying my magic system the way I was planning to, especially in a visual medium, can be harmful. Thankfully I'm not too far into the planning process of my story, so changing things around should be relatively painless. | [
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"text": "While I have my reservations about it, it seems no worse than Mistborn where people ingest various metals to g... | 2022/03/01 | [
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61,496 | As a young writer, I usually write when I have the time; after I finish my homework or school. I find it difficult to get a solid idea. For starters, the first thing you need for a story is concept or should I say plot. I didn't really know how to do this, as I didn't focus on writing until I was 13. I can't get a single concept consistent for my story. I kept scrapping the plot, the characters, the world-building, the arcs and etc.
Even when I managed to write my plot, I would often edit it as I have a feeling that it wasn't perfect enough. Call me a perfectionist, but I don't know if writers brainstorm and plan on characters/plot, and then look at it and they keep changing the characters/concepts/plot until they then think it is perfect. I feel like there are things missing about a plot or a concept, but I can't point my finger at it. | [
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"text": "Let me recommend Stephen King's (and my own) approach, \"Discovery Writing.\"\n\nIn this approach, you don't begin ... | 2022/03/02 | [
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61,507 | So when I was thinking of a character, I tried my best to not make them a Miry Kae. We all know Miry Kae is the number one horrible character. As such I came up with ideas of characters that I can describe as; like the brilliant but lazy, brilliant/talented but unsure, and many more. I thought of a character that is talented but unfortunate; I thought it was a good one, but I'm not sure how to use their lack of luck as a disadvantage. I can't just throw random horrible things at them, and just shrug it off and say "they just have bad luck" as an explanation. How am I supposed to do it? | [
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"text": "Bad luck is a disadvantage, because it pits the universe against you as antagonist.\n\nFor example: You need to lead an ... | 2022/03/03 | [
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61,510 | I was trying to do the world building first since I have lots of decisions that I can't make when I'm creating a character. I'm not sure whether to make it all magical or realistic. I want both.
*Helluva Boss* did this well. It took place in Hell, and showed us the demons of Hell. Another example is *Death Note*. It is realistic but has some elements of fantasy, mainly the death note itself.
*Jujutsu Kaisen* and *Persona* have lots of fantasy or horror but still make it realistic.
When I do my world building it feels a little unrealistic. I am not sure.
Let me give another example: *Identity V* is about a detective trying to find a girl, but things went more deep as he progresses, and this is where all the magical stuff takes place.
I don't understand what makes it realistic but other things are still fantasy or magical. I asked on Discord writers, and they said that it is the character, not the world building, but I still need more advice about this. | [
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"text": "I think the key to realistic world-building is having coherent details that impact the character's every day life.\n\nP... | 2022/03/03 | [
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61,512 | I'm interested in learning to write as someone that has been a reader my whole life. I'm aware there are many website for tips like "every time a different character speaks, start a new line" but I'm looking for a step-by-step walk through on the rules of writing. Some things I'm interested in learning:
* where do commas, periods, etc. go in quotes
* when to start a new paragraph
* when to use italics
* etc.
I love books, but don't pay attention enough to see if the author/editor put periods in or out of quotes. Where can I find a resource like that? I'm basically looking for a guide to properly editing/formatting a book.
Thanks! | [
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"text": "For the specific questions you gave:\n\nPunctuation almost always goes inside quotes. Periods and commas always d... | 2022/03/03 | [
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61,516 | We all know that a character dying is very common in the world of fiction. I'm struggling to find reasons to kill a character. One reason I know of is killing a character, when their whole potential has been reached or they have no more to grow of as a character. Other than that, I don't really know any other reasons to kill a character. Are there any more factors or reasons to kill a character? | [
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"text": "You don't have to kill characters in stories. Heck, most children's stories do not involve any deaths.\n\nBut death... | 2022/03/04 | [
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61,527 | Do I need to have copyright permission for song lyrics if I am doing a written review of a concert that contains those lyrics and I quote the lyrics in my review? | [
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"text": "Yes. You don't need permission to list the names of the songs, but to quote the lyrics in a commercial work, you need ... | 2022/03/04 | [
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61,551 | I need my main character to have lots of free time, but not be independently wealthy. His job shouldn't be too technical (e.g. not a programmer), but should be doable remotely. What kinds of non-technology consulting can people do from home? I think I want to stay away from editing (too meta for a novel), as well as anything else that's time-consuming or hourly. | [
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"text": "Yes. You don't need permission to list the names of the songs, but to quote the lyrics in a commercial work, you need ... | 2022/03/08 | [
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61,563 | I have some stories planned but I have found that a bunch of them revolve around giant monsters and 1 or 2 similar characters. I don't really want to combine them, but I fear that I'll will be a hack or one trick pony if I make both. Is it bad to have similar stories? | [
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"text": "Go through with it, and write both. Then pick the one you prefer, in order to publish.\n\nI've had the same probl... | 2022/03/10 | [
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61,569 | A news article (assuming no photo is used) is the description of an event. News agencies quickly send their journalists/reporters to the scene to write about the event.
If a news outlet re-writes the story based on what was reported by others, how can the original journalists claim copyright infringement?
In claims of copyright infringement of writing materials, the topic is usually the basis of the claim. For example, it is easy to claim that a novel has been re-written by someone else based on the story and characters. In the case of news articles, everyone can claim had the same observation as long as the wording is not similar. | [
{
"answer_id": 61570,
"author": "S. Mitchell",
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61,577 | What can I do to develop my muscle for generating themes, purposes, and content, as very often I haven't used it, focusing mostly on style? | [
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61,580 | Searched through questions, googled around, and couldn't find anything helpful so here I am.
I am trying to find an interesting way to write out the thought patterns of an alien species that's primary language is in color. In the same vein of "*What should I have for breakfast*? She thought." But obviously indicative of alien consciousness.
The difficulty that I am facing is making this thought pattern distinct enough that I am not resorting to using (in totality) an English phrasing and coupling, but instead depicting it visually and succinctly. But I'm coming up with blanks. Simply writing "*Blue blue yellow stripe rainbow explosion*" feels one-note and also is just a pain to read. No intrigue, and I certainly wouldn't want to read it. It limits both myself and the reader for envisioning alien thought.
A thing to note is that these thoughts are being directed towards the main character, who is linked to the alien and expected to find a vacant meat-mecha type situation here. These thoughts are directed towards her at their first test connection and are confusing but distinctive from her own.
**How do I show case their differences in thought without sacrificing the readability of the story?** and **how do I make these thoughts readable but still foreign?**
Apologies if I've missed anything, and feel free to ask clarifying questions. It's still a bit out of my comfort zone using a forum-like website and while I'm used to Worldbuilding (who suggested I come here instead) this is a bit new to me.
Thank you in advance! | [
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61,588 | I am wondering if this is at all possible. Usually, you have one plot and the plot is centered around one main character, but what if there are multiple main characters associated with a unique plot for each of them. Is this something that was done before? Usually, a story is told from one character's perspective, but I am wondering if it's possible to have several main characters, a unique plot for each of them and have the story told from their first person perspectives. If it can be done, then how do you tell your readers that whose character's first person perspective you're writing from since you switch all the time? | [
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61,593 | I'm planning a story that can be simplified into the 2 parts. One is a small town being invaded by monsters and the other about a group of humans having to do an act in order to get one of said monsters to help them stop the others. The first is definitely slated towards a horror/sci-fi vibe while the other is starting to have a more light-hearted and slightly romantic mood due to the act the characters have to perform. I'm starting to worry that these 2 tones will clash or make the reader not enjoy one of the plotlines. Any advice? | [
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61,598 | * How do I make this paragraph from telling to show?
* How could I describe a memory of him trying to make a friend even though he is disliked by others on his planet?
Here is the paragraph for these two questions:
>
> Zotn realised these things at an early age when he tried to make friends with other children. Everyone seemed to be disgusted with him. He felt unloveable. He had wished that he would become an explorer and travel to different planets in order to find a friend. Someone who would value him for who he was.
>
>
> | [
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61,599 | My question is similar to [this one](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/26180/how-to-deal-with-awkward-pronoun-repetition), but I am not happy with the answer. Also, my style and sample example are very different.
I am writing a biography and all the writing has become, *' he did this' 'he did that, 'he said that'*, etc
Following is a snippet of my writing;
>
> After completing post-graduation in philosophy his father wanted him to take care of the cloth shop but he refused. Instead, he chose to be a teacher for a few years thinking that it will help him to get the required communication skills to talk to the masses.
>
>
> | [
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61,616 | I am writing a novel that is in present tense. I'm worried I'm going back and forth from present to past tense when I describe the physical characteristics of people my main character meets.
Here are a few passages as an example.
>
> The sounds of feet trudging through the dense undergrowth grow nearer to my fortress. I freeze, all I can hear is my heart thumping in my ears. I bite down to stifle any involuntary sounds of fear and taste blood from my lip. As they get closer, I realize whoever it is must be coming into the house. I slowly sit up and begin to crawl toward the ajar doorway in the south. I can hear voices talking quietly. I climb out of the doorway and behind a wall, out of sight yet close enough to make out their conversation.
>
>
> The men came around the corner, blades at the ready. When they spotted me, both their faces lightened slightly. The younger one appeared to be in his 20s, chestnut hair curling in the damp warmth of the morning. Dressed in a kilt of blue, green, and red with a white shirt more like a rag than something to be worn. He had a slender face with a strong jawline and high cheekbones. Although his expressions were guarded, a slight smile flashed along his lips, and I could see the pity in his bright blue eyes as he looked upon me in my rags.
> The older man was less attractive than his counterpart. Maybe they are father and son, I thought. His hair was also chestnut but peppered with gray. He had it tied up in a braid. Little pieces of it lose around his rather round face. His eyes were a similar shape to that of his doe-eyed partner, but they were filled with more wisdom. Instead of blue, they glowed amber in the morning light. His skin was tan compared to his light eyes. The younger man had a near perfect complexion, whereas this man had wrinkles and looked as if he carried the whole world on his back. This man’s facial expressions are much less guarded, and I see a look in his eyes I’m all too familiar with.
>
>
>
Forgive me for grammar errors, this is a first draft and I have never written before. I just want to be sure I am not screwing up my tenses.
Also, if I am changing tense, how do I adjust and describe them in present tense? | [
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61,617 | Do you need to explain why your character acted out of character? I heard that to write complex characters you need to write them so that they're believable, they feel like a living character and they're fully fleshed out. So I am thinking that if a character acts out of character you're making them less complex since they're less believable. The issue is that if you explain, you're essentially telling and not showing, so I am wondering how to do it properly.
As an example, let's say a slave who got mistreated by a people of a different ethnicity holds a grudge against them, and then when he becomes powerful he helps them towards achieving the goal of building an empire, and instead of outlawing slavery and punishing slavers of that ethnicity, he rewards them to increase political power when he doesn't need more political power, what would you do in that situation? Would you rewrite the story so that the character behaves in a more conventional way, or would you have him explain why he chose to support them, which is telling and not showing? | [
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61,633 | I remember watching a criticism of The Last of Us 2, and there was this guy who said that Taymy acted out of character and it was a bad thing.
In the game, I think (spoiler alert) Taymy initially tells Ellie to not seek revenge and it's not worth it and Luel wouldn't want her to risk her life to avenge him, but later Taymy is mad at Ellie for not seeking revenge and living her life as she should.
Now, I haven't played the game, so I am not sure if the criticism is valid, but the point is is that there are many incidences where people may not agree if a character acted out of character or not, but as a writer, you don't want your characters to be out of character, so there must be some criteria or methods writers can use to determine if a character in your story acted out of character, so I would like to have some insights or tips in doing just that. | [
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"text": "Basically, this comes down to [Theory of Mind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind). The author, the readers an... | 2022/03/18 | [
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61,652 | Any general framework for deciding whether a story should be produced as a novel or screenplay? It seems a screenplay, while ideal for dialogue-rich stories, would regardless still be more sought-after commercially than a paperback | [
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61,653 | Flashbacks are common in books and movies. People only perceive linear time in that they only have knowledge of the past, even when those memories might seem to be artificially planted.
What are the most popular usages of flash-forwards in classic literature and modern cinema, where a character seems to have 'memory' of the future? If it's not called memory, what is it. | [
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61,663 | Are there any recommendations against having text in a section when it's followed by subsections but that itself isn't in a subsection? For example, compare
Case A:
>
> **CHAPTER 1:** *Title of chapter 1*
>
>
> **Section 1:** *Title of section 1*
>
>
> *content of section 1*
>
>
> **Section 2:** *Title of section 2*
>
>
> *content of section 2*
>
>
>
Case B:
>
> **CHAPTER 1:** *Title of chapter 1*
>
>
> *content of chapter 1 that is neither in Sec. 1 nor Sec. 2* <--- is this "proper" formatting?
>
>
> **Section 1:** *Title of section 1*
>
>
> *content of section 1*
>
>
> **Section 2:** *Title of section 2*
>
>
> *content of section 2*
>
>
>
As you can see, Case B, has text that isn't at the lowest possible "level". (Here, I'm user chapter-section, but the same could be said of section-subsection.) | [
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61,665 | When I want to make character relationships, I include the theme of family/siblings, be it in a good or bad relationship. I want to use it to help deepen the characters and the plot.
I have trouble with one of them, or should I say two individuals.
Basically, I am not sure whether to make them siblings or simply mutuals/allies. If I make them by either one of those options it would affect the story and possibly the characters themselves. I've thought of making another character due to this confusion. | [
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61,667 | Context: I'm writing a short story that serves as some background for a roleplaying character *who is a fantasy dwarf called Fin*, and as such I'm not expecting it to ever be published in its current state. I might end up taking concepts or ideas from here, and I'd like to practice good writing even if this story won't be widely read. The group I roleplay with are super chill, so don't let any RPG considerations affect your answer.
The character whose background story I'm writing has spent most of the first part of the story trying to convince their mother to let them wear their heirloom field armour as part of a cultural ceremony. The only snag is that the daughter is plus size, and much broader in the hips and with a larger belly than their mother (at least, when she wore the armour last).
This is quite deliberate on my part, as until now the character is expecting to follow in their mother's footsteps *exactly*, not really thinking for themselves. Not being able wear the armour will act as part of the inciting incident, and will kick them into leaving home and starting adventuring by themselves. It's also to foil the mother's concerns - she stole the armour from *her* mother (the main characters grandmother), and is worried that if her daughter follows her footsteps in wearing it, she may do the same. Running away regardless (i.e. without the armour), feels like a nice way of showing the difference between the two characters and seeing how the mother acts when surprised.
I'm about to write the scene where the main characters finds out the armour is too small and just how badly it fits, **but** I want to do so respectfully. I want them to be upset at the revelation that she doesn't fit into the armour (she knows she's fat) without belittling them. Part of my conflict is the character, as written, lacks a lot of self-awareness/over-confidence which I've played on humourously before.
Here is an excerpt where she tried to use her weight to an advantage in convincing her friend, who is a Gnome she can hold her drink against a 8' tall person:
>
> Ostensibly her gnomish companion was here to celebrate Fin "finally becoming a warrior", or so the dwarf had claimed, so it was no surprise the little gnome was looking put upon at the idea of a drinking challenge with such a colossal brute.
>
>
> Even though she was not directly involved, Fin watched the gnome shrink back to the shadows, trying to put Fin between them and the mountain of an opponent.
>
>
> "Come on!”
>
>
> "...*sorry*... he's *huge*..." came the whimper.
>
>
> Baulking at the lack of confidence in her drinking prowess, Fin grabbed a handful of her belly rolls as she boasted "And I'm not?! Where do you think I got this?”
>
> *Mamma's cooking* Fin thought, *that's where.* The gnome didn't need to know.
>
>
>
In this scene the character doesn't think her weight or size of belly mean she can drink, she's just trying to use it to her advantage in convincing the gnome.
How can I write the armour fitting scene respectfully though? I'm not plus size myself, but I have loved ones who are. I've not been able to use that second hand experience however, because I've not seen them experience this exact situation.
I'm mainly conscious that this is a situation plus-size and larger people experience regularly and I don't want to dismiss their difficulties nor make them feel uncomfortable in my descriptions. | [
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61,682 | I know most writers like to save the love for the very end (or at least writers that I've read, let me know if you're familiar with someone who does it my way), but I have a reason why I'm writing it in this unconventional way that I explain in the comment (number 9 if you count the resolved and reopened comments), I'd love to hear what you think about it.
The story is epic fantasy adventure, primarily taking place on a fantasy world known as the Color Realms. If you are curious to learn more about the world I have already shared some of the other chapters in another question. I have plans for a whole series and eventually maybe even films one day Lord and Pawy willing. The two protagonists are teleported from another world to the Color Realms in the end of the third chapter.
The main character is an Israeli American named Ohr, and his female counterpart is a Greek-American named Irux. They share a birthday and both turn 13 at the beginning of the first chapter, which is the age of adulthood in the ancient Judaic tradition. They already had strong feelings for each other before, but because of an incident involving Ohr's best friend Kluos from Berlin, Irux falls deeply in love with Ohr in the first chapter. I'm sharing the link here for you to read, rather than have me explain to you everything that happens to lead up to this strong bond that they form right in the beginning of the story.
[First and third chapters of my YA epic fantasy adventure novel](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UPFo0eKyt-kxO6ofdBlquVX-iMn4wpDxJzRfyXmRnYs/edit?usp=sharing) | [
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61,685 | The thing I usually focus on in my story are the characters. They are the ones I can do, but at the same time not. I had a concept of a character but I sometimes think that they are too generic. Sometimes I think they are great and just need some execution to make it even better; however that goes on my mind in a loop. I doubt myself and the character's concept so much so that I sometimes shelved them since I didn't know what to do and I have to do something else to make progress at.
I sometimes think that the concepts are cliché.
To get the idea, I had a character who is sheltered at home for being simply too dangerous for the world. And if not taken care of correctly they'll get on their dangerous side, but it feels not good. It's like a generic trope or character. | [
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61,689 | Let's say, I am writing a dark fantasy book, and there's something called the Three Fingers. The Three Fingers represent a god-like entity that has power over life.
Would it make sense to refer to it indirectly with the number three, since it's three finger as such:
>
> "The power of the Three is beyond imagining."
>
>
>
Or is the word Three too vague to be used as a reference to the Three Fingers? Do I need to explain why Three is a sufficient indirect reference? How can we do so? | [
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61,693 | I'm planning to rewrite some old classics such as "Oliver Twist", "David Copperfield", "Jane Eyre", etc. in simple English. They will be abridged adaptations (with due credit given to the original author of course) of the originals. I'm aiming to target a young audience between the ages 11 to 18 and above.
Now, most (if not all) of the authors who wrote them are long gone and many of the works are published in the public domain and are available on Gutenberg, etc.
Would it be copyright infringement if I rewrote their works? Is there any authority which takes the ownership of the copyright and republication rights of these old classics? | [
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61,696 | I'm currently making a draft for my next writing project, and I'm not sure if one of my ideas is something I should do.
Is it a good idea to only give snippets of backstory, through the actions of the characters in the first chapter, and reveal more as the story develops? For example, if a character is in a conversation, and they vaguely mention something that happened in their past (as a way to give the reader a better understanding of the character), would that be an effective way to go about this?
A related question, if this *is* a good idea, what would be the best way to go about it? Should I write the characters to give hints about their past through their actions, or should I make it more obvious for the reader?
**Edit 1:** Wow, everyone, thanks for all the advice! I've gotten a lot of great feedback from some (hopefully) wonderful people, and I've marked an answer as accepted. *BUT* if you guys want to keep giving feedback, it would still be super helpful! Again, thanks everyone! | [
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61,704 | I started writing beat sheets, but I noticed it doesn't include details about history, society, lore, natural laws, etc. The issue with that is when you want to write a long story, the beat sheet won't help you avoid plot holes. So I am wondering if there's a standard way of organizing those ideas, instead of ending up with a lot of unrelated notes everywhere. | [
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61,706 | A lot of my procrastination in writing my story is coming from anxiety over making the finished product come from one "head." I have perspectives from a couple first persons, and some 3P Deep parts with no observer, that want to come together into this story.
I have been beating myself up over deciding "who is telling this part" to the point that the story is not getting down to paper.
I am at the point where I just want to get the story out, in the way that builds the intended arcs, and worry about the narrator after the fact.
For example,
============
Chap. 1
-------
>
> It wasn't the weather, or the age of the plane that would be bringing this story into our history books. No, It was nothing more complicated than a 5 millimeter grease fitting. It was clogged with dirt, so there would be no lubrication to one critical bearing. How ironic.
>
>
>
Chap. 2
-------
>
> I found myself drifting along the river, wet and cold, clinging to that log. What ever became of my good friend I may never know.
>
>
> "Help!" I cried out with what little energy I had. It may not be enough. My mind raced over being lost and forgotten. Over never being found. Over my family never knowing where I am. Over never knowing why.
>
>
>
Chap. 3
-------
>
> "Officers, we have a witness over here. They said they were driving down 64 and saw a plane coming down. It was trailing black smoke."
>
>
> The tall sheriff held up her hand to stay her partner, "How many were in the car?"
>
>
> "There are two of them. Husband and wife, she saw it first and pointed it out while the husband was driving."
>
>
> "Do me a favor and run their tag, would you?"
>
>
> "Sheriff?"
>
>
> "There may be more to this than meets the eye."
>
>
>
Just leaving this as is, it becomes the author's story, compiled by whatever resources (s)he had. I prefer wrapping a book into some singular in-world narrator however. In the example case, perhaps a forensic investigator was compiling a report and created the story from interviews, diaries, personal investigation, etc., which became the final compilation (I am certain there is writer's jargon for what I mean but I don't know it).
My question is about the difficulty of "wrapping" your story into an in-world narrator like this. To me, the story seems to flow out very naturally if I just hop around the different POVs as they fall into the plot; whereas taking **Chap. 2** for example, and making it a diary entry acquired by the investigator/narrator could be done either in real-time or at the end as a "clean-up" step.
All else being equal, is it more work to maintain a consistent narrator focus during storytelling, or to integrate your POV shifts under a consistent narrator as a clean-up step?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | [
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61,714 | As a student, the consequence for plagiarism or citing a source incorrectly was usually a reduction in the final grade for the paper.
But, what are the consequences in the "real world"?
If I write a book or paper and (intentionally or unintentionally) cite some of the sources incorrectly, are there any consequences?
Take, for example, these two scenarios:
1. I write a book/paper and provide citations for sources. A reviewer or reader tries to locate one of the sources as I have cited it, but cannot locate the source. What are the consequences to me (if any)?
2. I write a book/paper and am accused of plagiarism because there are only so many ways to write "on such-and-such a date, so-and-so was born in such-and-such a place." What are the consequences to me (if any)? | [
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61,716 | Do you have to hire an editor to see if your novel is appropriate for an age group? Because people nowadays self publish a lot, I was wondering how you would verify that your novel is appropriate for a particular age group. There's no such thing as a ESRB Ratings or an organization for rating novels that are self-published, so I was wondering if I need to hire an editor (perhaps not everyone can do that), or if I can hire someone who's cheaper and specialized for this kind of work. | [
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61,717 | If you’re creating a real world with fictional powers or magic, when are you creating a low fantasy vs. a magical realism story? Both are in the real world. Where is the line between these types of fantasy? | [
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61,719 | I am writing a novel, but I don't know how to make it seem like the hero has no hope of winning at this point. Any ideas on how to add this sense to my book?
The hero is currently overwhelmed by the forces of nature, and it is supposed to seem like he should just give up.
How can I add a feeling of no hope for my hero, before a hope is revealed? | [
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"text": "Here are some things you can do to add a sense of hopelessness:\n\n* Add a guy (or several) with guns—increase the powe... | 2022/03/30 | [
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61,736 | How do you show a wolf howling in a comic book panel if the wolf isn't visible? In some movies, you see a shot of a mountain and you hear wolves howling in the distance, perhaps behind the camera. How do you do this in a comic panel? The issue is that you should maybe use a text bubble, but then the text bubble doesn't point towards anything. How is this normally done? Are there other alternatives? | [
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61,740 | Through reading some self-published novels, I have noticed some writers in their character dialogue put an exclamation mark or question mark before an ellipsis and sometimes after. However I am not well versed in the meaning behind them and would like to know how does it affect the speech when used and when should one use it so that I may learn to implement it when I start writing.
For example, I do not know the difference between "What?..." and "What...?" or "Right!..." and "Right...!" | [
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61,747 | I've read the "On writing" and other valuable positions. I've learnt all about unnecessary adverbs and repetitions. I can make words of my characters sound strong and natural.
Whereas most of writing guides I encountered focus on making dialogue less dull I'm afraid I went too far in the opposite direction.
The conversations I write seem too intense and short. It's almost like a punchline in response to a punchline in response to a punchline. Every sentence coming out of my heroes mouth is a strong statement conveying a lot about themselves, their opinion and decisions.
Single lines seem interesting, quotable and probably would do just fine in movies. But I aspire to write books and my guts tell me I should work on this matter. While reading my dialogues I have a feeling, that they are a bit exhausting. A reader needs to absorb a lot of information fast. The dramatic change happens during two pages scene and it's just too rapid. In the end the conversations as a whole seem a bit unnatural because no one in real life exchange ideas at such a rate.
The whole thing reminds me of a time before I learnt the "show not tell" rule. Then I also produced too little text for an action presented. I have practiced and now am satisfied with a length of my stories. Unfortunately it doesn't exceed to dialogues in particular.
Let me give you an example. The following scene takes place in a plane between a stewardess and a young man. I got rid of all the bits.
*Please keep in mind, that I'm not a native English speaker and I write in a different language. I did my best with the translation though.*
>
> 'Good morning... Hi. I just wanted to let you know we have free sits in the first class.'
>
>
> 'So?'
>
>
> 'I thought maybe you'd want one. You can sit comfortably there. And talk.'
>
>
> 'I paid for the seat 22C.'
>
>
> 'Yes, but...'
>
>
> 'I can imagine first class is more enjoyable. If I became rich, I will always book there.'
>
>
> 'I don't get it.'
>
>
> 'I don't want anything for free. I prefer to earn it.'
>
>
> Pause. The boy:
>
>
> 'I miss something. Can you help me?'
>
>
> 'Sure.'
>
>
> 'I'm really thirsty. Can you bring me some water?'
>
>
> Stewardess comes back with a water and wine.
>
>
> 'I wanted only water.'
>
>
> 'I'm also thirsty. Your name is LainvM, isn't it?'
>
>
> 'Yes. And yours?'
>
>
> 'Kurovire. Are you a model?'
>
>
> 'Everybody asks this question.'
>
>
> 'You're so beautiful... I'm sorry!'
>
>
> 'I'd rather be a garbage man. I despise models.'
>
>
> 'Why?'
>
>
> 'They are useless. They don't exist. Imagine I do modeling. I would be on a billboard downtown. What difference would it make? Mo or someone else, who's gonna even notice. Do you agree with me?'
>
>
> 'I don't know... I've never thought about it this way.'
>
>
> 'You did. Let me prove it to you. When you think of a typical model, what's the first adjective that comes to your mind? It's dull, right? That's what everybody thinks of them. Pretty, but dumb.'
>
>
> Pause. The boy:
>
>
> 'How about you? Have you always worked as a stewardess?'
>
>
> 'Yes.'
>
>
> 'How long?'
>
>
> 'I started at uni. Four years ago I changed the airline. I don't know any other job.'
>
>
> 'Are you satisfied?'
>
>
> 'Maybe, I don't know. I have nothing to compare it to. Sometimes I wish my life was more stable.'
>
>
> 'But people respect you, don't they? You are necessary. It's not another bullshit job.'
>
>
> 'I'm glad you admire my work.'
>
>
> 'I'm jealous. I could have never thought so of myself.'
>
>
> 'I'm sure you did plenty of good work.'
>
>
> 'Well I haven't. I never got a chance. They always say I'm too young and unexperienced. Bullshit. They keep me at distance out of envy.'
>
>
> That's why I'm on this plane. I'm going to do something great.'
>
>
> 'I got to go.'
>
>
> 'Sure.'
>
>
> 'The flight is long. Maybe you will change your mind.'
>
>
>
So here we learn so much. The protagonist is extremely pretty and actually annoyed with everybody pointing it out. He's a bit immature yet on a task to prove himself capable. The stewardess on the other side is attracted to him and a bit shy.
Doesn't sound like you've learnt all of that from a stranger in a five minute talk, does it? At least to me this dialogue is not satisfying even though I got a pretty valuable information.
As I want to improve my writing, but don't know which way to go I will welcome any feedback and highly appreciate any advice. | [
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61,760 | I get how you can "show" for example the story of a woman who is sad by merely describing the stars in the sky, but how do you describe the intensity of her emotion in a poem? I think you can do it by describing the sounds and movements, but in certain situations, like when you describe the stars in the sky, you can't really express the intensity of an emotion by doing that (stars don't make sounds, star can move quickly, but shooting stars are not associated with sadness). Aside describing movements and the sounds of a scenery, is there anything else I can do to express the intensity of an emotion by showing and not telling? | [
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61,765 | When I was making my characters, I was a little picky and had trouble, for I am not the best at decision making. However, when I do come up with characters, I usually get some of their concepts from research of the supernatural or symbolism in objects or philosophy to make a character of it.
So far, I've only came up around four characters. All of these are still in development, which means their concepts and character can change. However, I have some form of feeling towards a particular one. I relate a lot to this character, and feel that they are my favorite. Comparing this one to the other characters, I relate to them the most and the ones I like a lot and put lots of thought too. And I like to put myself in their perspectives to make me understand how to write them, but also because I like them as a character.
But this made me question if this character of mine is a self insert or I'm just projecting myself to them, which would still be considered a self insert, would it not?
So here comes the question: is it a self-insert or not?
And how can I avoid it or overcome it? | [
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61,780 | I might phrase this post wrong. Forgive me, for English is not my first language.
I don't know how else to describe it. But why do it felt like my very *own* character that I made felt very different from this particular scene or interactions.
I could be writing it and go "this isn't very canon of them/this isn't how they should react/do"
Can someone explain or help? | [
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61,781 | English is not my first language.
I feel the obvious answer is just research, but I'm talking about very specific jobs in a different timeline.
My main character is from Colombia 1950s and is an assistant/son of a tailor.
It's just part of his life, not the overall focus of my story, but I do have to mention some scenarios where there's a time he's helping his father or where the plot is happening in their shop.
I know the common knowledge of how tailor shops work, but I have a hard time depicting years worth of expertise and knowledge on tailoring through the character. It doesn't help I'm neither Colombian nor know much about 1950s clothing in Colombia
Is there a site where I could get some proper research other than Wikipedia, or is there another solution I could hear of? | [
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"text": "Overall, I'd suggest the site [Job Evaluator](https://job-evaluator.com/job-overview/). That link leads to the tab... | 2022/04/04 | [
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61,786 | What should the table of contents look like? How would you organize it? The table of contents and how it's organized would be helpful in knowing how to write the documention for a program for a large company. Do you go button by button or UI element from left to right, or is there some other way you can organize it?
Let's assume it's made for users. | [
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"text": "The key question is, who is the audience for the documentation?\n\nPossible answers: people who are trying to l... | 2022/04/05 | [
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61,789 | Is there a time where a character's death in a story would be unnecessary? Not the main character, but someone really important to the protagonist like a caretaker/parent to advance the plot?
Deaths in fiction are mostly used for motivators like revenge/justice/character arc etc.
People around me told me that it's "lazy and cliche" and that there's ways for me to move a story differently without it.
I do plan to use a character death for my coming of age story to showcase one of the trials and tribulations he has to overcome.
Is it bad/lazy writing? Should I scrap the idea and come up with a different plot advancement? | [
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"text": "Yes, sometimes it is entirely unnecessary to kill a character.\n\nIf you just need to get the character \"out of the way... | 2022/04/05 | [
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61,794 | I wanted to ask this question after seeing [this question](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/61768/what-are-some-guidelines-on-writing-the-filler-scenes-after-you-lay-out-the-plot). The two question are similar but kind of touch on somewhat different topics.
Specifically, I am wondering what one should do about "fake" filler scenes. That is, scenes that on the surface look like filler, but are necessary for the story in order to make the plot make sense. Typically these often add important foreshadowing, reveal plot-critical details about the characters, or reveal key details that make later developments make sense. They will often seem banal at first glance, but if these scenes are removed the story falls apart. These kinds of scenes are done easily and frequently in television or long-running comic format, as there is more for filler, but cannot easily be done in movies or books.
A good example of "fake filler" might be the episode "Riddle of the Sphinx" in the animated series *Generator Rex*. In this episode the heroes fight what appears to be a one-off villain that seems to be part of a simple monster-of-the-week story unrelated to anything important, only for the very last scene to reveal that the monster was actually created by one of the series' overarching villains and thus important for the main story.
Or, this is another example from my own writing (and shows how it kind of falls apart outside of television). I have two plot elements that involve significant betrayal, one in which a character feels torn between their conflicting loyalties and the chaos that erupts when said loyalties are exposed, and another where a character posing as a parental figure turns out to be the story's primary villain. *However*, unless those emotional connections are established beforehand, which are the type of character developments that generally take several subtle scenes instead of a few big dramatic flourishes, they have no meaning to the reader and it comes across as telling, not showing.
* In the first case, the plot revolves around a villain character (not *the* villain, but a high-ranking minion) who infiltrates the heroes but ends up falling in love with one of the protagonists. The climax is basically the truth gets out and everything descends into chaos. *However*, unless there are sufficient scenes establishing how these characters feel about one another ahead of time, the reader feels like they are being told how the characters feel about one another, rather than shown, and thus the events of the climax have no emotional resonance. The scenes *are* important, but they're subtle character-building and not action-heavy in an otherwise action-heavy story and put the "action" part of the plot on hold. There are few story beats between **"villain infiltrates heroes"** -> **"villain and protagonist get a crush on one another and villain becomes conflicted"** -> **"villain's true nature gets revealed"**. I thought about adding some B plot to keep the tension up while the romance arc and character development happens in the background but the problem is...those scenes would be *actual* filler. As in they would only exist to waste the reader's time long enough for the characters to start developing a budding romance.
* In the second case, the character is *the* villain the book revolves around. Their actions effectively drive the conflict, but until they betray the heroes there is no conflict. Yet they don't exist until the book begins, so unless there is some buildup to flesh out their relationships with other characters their betrayal has no emotional weight to the reader. *Starting* the story with their betrayal results in a "who is this and why should we care" reaction from the reader, so it's not possible to move the beginning there to "[start as close to the end as possible](https://www.themarginalian.org/2012/04/03/kurt-vonnegut-on-writing-stories/#:%7E:text=Every%20sentence%20must%20do%20one,what%20they%20are%20made%20of.)", because there's no context. I considered introducing a "B villain" group to act as antagonists until the reveal but that effectively inverts the problem, now you have a secondary villain group whose actions are meaningless because their whole purpose is to distract the reader until the real antagonist is ready to move, and would play no further role in the plot.
Notably, these characters are in different stories, so the two cannot be put together to solve the issue.
**Given this, how do you handle more subtle scenes that might halt significant action and come off as filler but overall are necessary foreshadowing or character development for the plot to work?** | [
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61,796 | The ["jump scare"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_scare) is a standard storytelling technique in horror and science fiction film and video games, in which a very rapid transition (stereotypically, a creature literally jumping up at the camera) is used to create a sharp emotional shock to the viewer.
I've been reading a fair amount of classic horror (primarily H. P. Lovecraft), and I *never* see jump scares used. Rather, the most common horror technique is gradual narration of unspeakable abominations over several paragraphs, pages, or chapters which slowly builds emotional tension. More things are left to implication than explicitly stated (e.g. describing a torture rack without saying who, if anyone, was tortured on it). Writing, "Suddenly, a twelve-tentacled beast resembling that of the squidlike predators of Arcturus VII hit the spaceship's cockpit window!" doesn't give the same emotional effect because it is filtered through the literacy areas of the reader's brain and broken down there rather than experienced directly through the fundamental human senses.
My question is, is there a way to write an effective "jump scare" in a short story or novel or do jump scares only work in screen-driven media? Are there specific written works that demonstrate effective use of horror-style jump scares? | [
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61,799 | How do you clue in your readers as to what your theme is, especially when the theme is morally wrong? Let's say your theme is: Survival is the most important thing, and to survive you must be willing to commit any crime. Because this theme is so wrong, it's difficult to assume your readers will understand what the theme of your story is since it's a theme that's rarely if ever adopted by an author. How do you clue in your readers to that? | [
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61,809 | I'm writing a story where the main character wakes up on a boat with no memory, and throughout the story his past will be revealed, along with other characters in the story. It's written from the main character's perspective, but I don't know if the flashbacks should be first person or third. I also want to tell parts of the story when the main character isn't there, so the reader can know details that the main character doesn't. I was thinking just writing the main story in 3rd person, but I can't because the main character doesn't know his name for the first chapter. Any help? | [
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61,817 | I was considering the use of filler chapters in my story, to flesh out the character's problems and daily life. These don't necessary progress the plot, but they do help the characters' relationships with each other to grow and develop and be useful for the plot. However, it seems like a bad idea as the more progressive it is, the better the story. I'd also have to consider the pacing, as the existence of filler chapters seems to make it looks slow. | [
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"text": "You've correctly identified that you shouldn't be using \"filler\" chapters to bulk something out, and I sympathise t... | 2022/04/07 | [
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61,823 | Let's say you make your character use a special magic wand to kill his opponent, but you forgot to mention and describe what the wand was, can you do a flashback as soon as your character brandishes the wand or after he uses it? If it's a bad thing to do, what can you do to make it work since there's no going back when you wrote the story and it was already published (novel series, television episode, etc.). | [
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"text": "Not really, it is not ok. You **can** do a flashback; but it will still seem to the audience a deus ex machina.\n\nR... | 2022/04/08 | [
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61,831 | There used to be a regular column entitled, “Toward More Picturesque Speech” in Reader's Digest, It was pretty heart warming, I used to adore it. Where can I find more of these?
Here are few examples:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fdtER.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6AfnL.jpg) | [
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61,832 | >
> "Chuckles, then I might try to become President then!"
>
>
>
Do you use chuckles? Because chuckles is considered to be an onomatopoeia. I also considered "Haha", but it looks weird. How do comic books do this?
>
> "Haha, then I might try to become President then!"
>
>
>
The reason why Haha looks weird, is that you never emit a sound like "haha" when you chuckle.
I've seen the use of [Chuckle] in movie scripts, but I don't find it appealing and I haven't seen that in a text bubble in a comic book. | [
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"text": "You are correct that HaHa would not suit for a chuckle. Better could be HeHe (He He). In fact, LoL is not exa... | 2022/04/10 | [
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61,836 | Yes, I know that an animal is referred as “it” unless the relationship is personal (like a pet that has a name). Then they'd be "he" or "she"
It's more on the context of: A person and their animal companion(s)
For example: A man riding a horse in a jungle.
*Despite the picturesque landscape, he was fully aware of the dangers beneath the wilds.*
*Fortunately, they hadn't encountered any wild predators*
I feel like the answer is obvious which is kinda embarrassing but can "they" be used in this context?
Or will it be a "he" instead?
Edit: It seems I have created a lot of confusion because I didn't make it clear, and I do apologize for that.
I am asking if "they" would be used in case of a person and their animal companion together. (Plural pronouns)
For me, it felt like the man above in the example is not alone because he have a horse with him. Even though it's an animal. That's why I'm asking if it's correct to use "they", "their" etc.
Because plural pronouns are used mainly for two or more humans? Can they be used too for a human and an animal? | [
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61,840 | Is it possible to turn a seemingly evil woman who is also obnoxious into the protagonist main love interest? I was thinking about a story where there's this woman and she is extremely obnoxious and seemingly evil like Harley Queen from Batman, but I can't seem to find a way to make her likeable and turn her into a sort of perfect woman and the main character's main love interest. Is this even possible, or it's one of those things that will turn off a lot of readers like a Deux-Ex Machina? | [
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61,843 | I'm currently writing a paranormal thriller novel where people can inhabit other peoples' bodies -- regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexuality. I'm currently in moral turmoil over how to use pronouns for a specific character, because the character themselves does not identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. As a gay man who keeps himself as educated as possible on gender identities and pronouns, I'm really hesitant about how to approach writing this character's pronouns -- or if I should at all.
So in my novel I have a character named Dalleth. Dalleth has lived over 700 years, and has "body hopped" into a couple dozen bodies, often times assuming the identities of those bodies. Dalleth's soul began in a man's body and, before Dalleth had encountered all things paranormal, was comfortable identifying as a straight, cisgender male. However, after Dalleth gains the ability to body hop, living countless lives and seven centuries, Dalleth now considers bodies as nothing more than vehicles -- tools to create a new world.
A friend suggested I stick with Dalleth's original pronouns (he/him/his). Throughout my book, Dalleth inhabits many different bodies of various sexes. At one point he inhabits a female body (one which presents as a feminine woman). The prose quickly gets muddied when I am using male pronouns, because I find that I am often having to remind the audience that Dalleth is currently in a woman's body.
So my question is: would it be right/ ethical to refer to Dalleth as they/them/their? Those are the pronouns I have used whilst drafting. I'm hesitant because pronouns are chosen to better represent ones own personality and gender expression. Whereas I'm not looking at Dalleth's pronouns from the perspective of identity per se. Dalleth sheds a lot of their identity throughout their many lifetimes because they're so focused on their end goal. It could be argued that Dalleth is agender because they don't identify with gender expression at all. I don't want to be exclusionary or dismissive of trans/ intersex/ non-binary people when writing this character.
I'm also worried people will think I'm being purposefully subtle about representing trans/ intersex/ non-binary people. I don't see any artistic merit in making LGBTQ+ representation the subtext of my writing. If I'm portraying a true LGBTQ+ character, I do so literally, purposefully, and proudly.
I've experimented using Dalleth in place of any pronouns, as I have done for most of this post. However, just like this post, my prose quickly reads as laboured.
Whilst researching online, I came across the use of pronouns per/pers. I also understand that many people who are agender sometimes choose to use a mix of pronouns. Perhaps it would be more sensitive to choose he/him/his and she/her/hers depending on the body that Dalleth is in.
I hope the above post makes sense. I appreciate that my issue is within a paranormal/ fantasy world and not a situation applicable to everyday life.
EDIT #1
The story is told in third person. For a majority of the story my protagonists are aware of Dalleth's long history and their abilities. Currently I have used pronouns that match the body that Dalleth is in. Here is an extract to illustrate what I've been doing:
>
> At the centre of it all, upon a futon, was a thin white woman sat with her legs crossed. Waist-length dreads reached down her back, and her eyes were magnified through wire-rimmed glasses. She wore a white boiler suit like everyone else.
>
>
> A woman who, beneath flesh and bone, was really Dalleth.
>
>
> Dalleth untangled her legs and rose from the futon.
>
>
> | [
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61,845 | Can you completely skip bridge scenes in movies or comics books?
Let's take an example.
1. Marua is told by Zuizi that the princess was kidnapped by Biwpor.
2. **Marua asks Zuizi where the princess is being held.**
3. **Marua asks Toad where the princess is being held.**
4. **Marua goes to Biwpor's castle.**
5. Marua defeats Biwpor.
6. Marua saves the princess.
Is it completely normal and completely ok to skip 2, 3, 4? Why? I feel in certain situations it might be too abrupt and people will react "Wait, what?", but I can't tell exactly when this reaction would likely happen. | [
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61,847 | Up until around the early-through-mid 1800's (of the real world, for clarification), the rights of criminals, disabled people, and the poor were commonly ignored. As a result, the justice system was swayed heavily against these groups of people, and the prisons were beyond inhumane, with their residents being treated as far less than animals.
I am writing a fantasy story that is meant to capture the sheer savageness of those places in the dark times before the Prison Reform. You can tell just by reading the historical summary it's based on that the place, situation, and overall theme of the book is supposed to be overwhelmingly brutal.
And yet when I actually sit down to write the book, it always comes out soft. I'm not sure if I respect my character's lives too much or what, but the violence is never as bad, the living conditions are never as terrible, and the whole sense of the book is never as vicious as I want it to be or plan it to be.
It's not that I don't try to make it feel that way. It just... doesn't.
So my grand, overarching question is pretty much the title: **How do I make a place/situation seem brutal,** and prevent this theme from (for lack of a better term) being lost in translation? | [
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"text": "Describing the casual brutality of your world is often insufficient, to convey its terribleness. Sharing horrible thing... | 2022/04/11 | [
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61,849 | I fear that my fictional nation may be too similar. It is based on Great Britain, and is in high fantasy, but this is the description:
Similarities:
1. It is an archipelago.
2. It is somewhere similar geographically to where England would be.
3. While it is not the first country to industrialize, it is the first to have an industry that affects history.
4. It is called a "Commonwealth".
5. They have a powerful navy.
6. They have an overseas empire.
Differences:
1. The archipelago is 3 times bigger than England.
2. It is more west than the real England.
3. Their empire is not as expansive.
4. The monarch still has a high authority.
For more information, this fictional country takes place in a fictional world, but some of its geography is similar to the real world, most specifically their equivalent to Europe, Asia, and the northern part of Africa.
I just want to hear your thoughts, want to know if it is too much like Britain, and/or if it is, if that is okay? Another choice is to suggest how to make it more different.
---
For those who are asking some questions, here are some helpful details:
1. I am not trying to make a political statement.
2. This is for the world of an open-world fantasy RPG.
3. This post is also asking for some ways and suggestions to make it different from Britain. | [
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61,867 | How do you accurately describe a race track without using an image?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GJG4j.jpg)
Let's say you have this image, but you can't use it as a reference. How do you manage to exactly describe it in a way someone could exactly reproduce roughly the same shape without having the exact lengths for each section?
I am not asking if I should describe it accurately, but I don't really see how you can describe the race track shape accurately by just using words. You could say it looks like an aligator, but it's not an accurate description of the track at all. | [
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61,872 | I am working on building active voice and concision in my writing style. I must describe an event that may be moved up early from its current scheduling. The only word found that describes this concept is "Prepone." Obviously, this isn't a common English word except in India apparently. Thank you. | [
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"text": "Advance.\n\nWe have to advance this presentation or this other one won't make sense."
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61,875 | What are some essential parts of a mission briefing scene?
In war movies, you have a general going over some plan. Here's our target. He's in some place. Look out for X, Y, Z. And then sometimes, the general asks if someone has some question to which he may get some kind of response. Is that part required, or can we literally have the general going over something for 1, 2 or 3 minutes and then switch to a different scene?
One issue is that having someone talk for 1-2 minute and then cut to a different scene feels really abrupt, so I am wondering how to navigate this and avoid the problem of having a terrible transition and a seemingly pointless scene. | [
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"text": "Essential?\n\nWhatever the scene needs to do.\n\nIf it's merely to inform the audience, it should cover the informatio... | 2022/04/13 | [
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61,880 | I plan to write the prologue with a limited third person view of a man delivering a 5 year old girl to a secluded city.
His reason for doing this, even though he's not related to her, is because he's connected to her origins. Which will be one of the clues for readers to connect.
The scene opens up with the man finding the secluded city after weeks of blind searching. As an outsider, the appears normal enough, but has a strange vibe, and the weird close-knit citizenry. This is the reader's introduction to the setting of the story.
In the city, they find the only willing relative who could take care of the girl.
The man would (probably) never appear again, only some passing mentions of him at some parts of the story.
Part of me thinks this character is useless. But I do have some reasons to write the story this way:
1. The man is connected to her past
2. It will be a mystery that connects the protagonist to the readers, as it is slowly explained over the course of the story
3. The parting words that the man gives to the protagonist will deeply impact her, causing a chain-reaction for her developing personality
4. As an outsider for a "weird" city, he will be like the reader, seeing and reacting to what the city is like.
5. Could be used for abandonment issues that the protagonist would tackle as the story progresses
Thoughts? Is my start of a story too much? A story starting on someone else instead of the main character is not unheard of but am I doing it in a wrong way? | [
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61,887 | Let's say the armor is important, do we have to show let's say the guy wearing the helmet in one panel, then the legging and then the breast plate? Or we can shorten it even more? Usually, I would skip this scene, but only using 2 panels might be strange or too short. How would you make it as short as possible without making it seem out of the blue and confusing your readers? | [
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61,890 | I've got my story all written down until the first act climax (which technically shouldn't be called a climax, but I don't know a better term): a battle of physical and emotional stakes that's probably already too long. Time is slowed to a crawl, every adjective is a superlative, and the heroes end up escaping the villain's lair by a hair - and not unscathed: one character lost a limb.
After this event, which effectively sets the stage and the stakes for the rest of the story, I feel the need for a breath of fresh air. The preceding forty pages together covered a few hours, and now I want to speed up time again, let the characters begin to resolve their emotions if not their struggles. I want to ease up the tension.
There's two problems; one is the fact that even if the literary tension should be contrastingly reduced, the characters themselves are very much reeling from the effects of what happened, what they discovered and what they lost. There's also some stuff happening post-event which should be mentioned somehow; a few logistical things but more importantly the emotional development of the fresh amputee who is still playing tough at this time. That means that a timeskip until every character is fine and dandy is out of the question.
That leaves me with a question; how does one write the post-climax scenes to lower the stakes? Should I intersperse obfuscated hints of character trauma with drawn-out narration of landscapes and fluffy clouds? Do something else? Or must I accept that the reader cannot fully unwind until the characters themselves can, and consider the post-climax as part of the same tension peak when planning the story's pacing? | [
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61,896 | [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fHP9Z.jpg)
Writing a text bubble coming from a military headset. How do you do that? Especially, when the headset is not visible or the character wearing the headset is small. I am not sure how comics handle that. Assume that the character speaking to the character wearing the headset is far away and not inside the comics panel. | [
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61,897 | I keep scrapping the plots I have, as I deemed them to be uninteresting or complicated. At first I just have some characters for fun, then I learned the importance of characters in a plot.
I only have another possible work that I have. However I decide to make another story, and I keep scrapping it. How can I get plot ideas? | [
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61,905 | In a first person perspective story I'm working on the main character has a language barrier with most of the other people she meets. To such an extent that other characters have confused a phrase of the main character's language to be the name of the main character. The main character has not corrected them as she is afraid of them but they're going to be interacting a bunch for several scenes.
So far for the characters speaking the other language I'm writing their dialogue in their native language (which is not English but a con-lang I've made) and the main character's dialogue is written in English (as the story is written in English).
How should I include the other characters saying what they believe the main character's name is (a phrase that has been represented in english when the main character has said it). I've tried just hyphenating the phrase (i.e. "don't-hurt-me-please") but I am worried that putting that in over and over might be a bit too much readable noise to put into their dialogue. | [
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61,915 | **CONTEXT**: The action of my story takes place in a typical dystopian world, where society is harshly indoctrinated and restricted. The main character, who needs to raise money for his family, joins the "local police", which means he is forced to kill innocents and spread fear and propaganda. He obeys orders and does not stand up, because he is afraid for his family.
This creates the internal conflict of my protagonist, who doesn't want to kill.
**QUESTION**: So I wanted to delve into the psychology of this character and create a good Man vs. Self conflict. Show a fight between the need to be an obedient citizen and the desire to rebel. How do I do that?
* The more he kills the more he hates himself.
* At some point, he finds himself in situations that leave him no choice but to break the rules in order to obtain justice. | [
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61,917 | I want to write a fighter jet story, kind of like *Ace Combat*, but because I don't have any money to borrow names from certain aircraft in real life, I thought it would be better to just make up my own designs until I found out that I'm bad with it. Do you guys have any tips on how to describe aerial vehicles? | [
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61,919 | Which is correct: "I got the chance to work there as an employee FROM 2013 TO 2014 or FROM 2013 THROUGH 2014"? Or does it depend on whether you worked there for the whole of 2014? | [
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"text": "\"To 2014\" can suggest a stopping point in 2014.\n\n\"Through 2014\" suggests a stopping point at the end of 2014.... | 2022/04/19 | [
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61,923 | I'm close to publishing my first novel, and I have mixed feelings about using my real name.
I'm not sure it's easy on the eyes, and it might seem too weird to the average reader.
I was thinking of "A. Shener" instead, but I haven't seen many authors name with just one letter.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7GSrD.png)
What do you guys think? | [
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61,925 | In Mork Tyaex’s *The Innocents Abroad* he ends chapter 31 with the following two sentences:
>
> This saddens me. I will to bed.
>
>
>
I have never seen this grammatical form. What is the intransitive verb in “I will to bed” which supports “to”? | [
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61,943 | Half of my story is told from (1st person) male POV and he falls in love with the leader of a rebellion he's meant to be undercover investigating and trying to stop. He slowly comes round to join the rebellion, .
However, I am neither a man, nor have I ever actually been in love. I have a character dynamic between them that I generally like, I've got the whole 'what do they like about each other' thing.
What I'm not sure about is, how much mushy gushy is too much? How much is not enough?
Is this too much: 'Golden sunlight lights up her face but it’s the glimmer of leftover laughter in her eyes that has me mesmerised. She hold out her hand and I let her pull me off the ground. She doesn't let go straight away and I try not to think too hard about the warping effect it has on my sense of time.' What's the limit of how much of that one scene can/cannot have before it gets old and annoying?
Or how much s too much of the whole, 'I'm falling in love with the person my boss wants me to arrest and that's not good for my job but the rebellion is actually looking more and more in the right and she's actually really amazing, and I think she might like me too and... AGH!!'
I want to have it, since that's something always something I enjoy in a book, but how do I do it in a way that comes off as believable and sweet, rather than cliche and trite?
(P.S. If anyone has any recommendations of books with a well written male POV (especially if 1st person) where they fall in love, I'd great;y appreciate it!!) | [
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61,947 | I was looking for a similar question on this site but did not find one. Can I submit my manuscript to the publisher as well as the literary agent? | [
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61,948 | Like a son tuning out his mother's scolding. Or a character being distracted as their friend blabs on about something.
Would it be like:
>
> "Isn't he dreamy? I mean, look at the size of those muscles–"
>
>
> He didn't mean to ignore his friend. But, watching a wall of paint dry is better than listening to this. He tunes her out as he did watch the wall.
>
>
> "–Remmy? Are you even listening? I've been talking for 5 minutes here."
>
>
>
Not a great example but is it right to use a dash? At the end and beginning of the dialogue? Are there other right ways? | [
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61,952 | I am in the process of writing a book and one of my characters cannot speak. Essentially, she knows this world's version of sign language and generally uses it. If a person does not know sign language, she writes in a notebook for them. Because of this, I've run into a bit of a problem when writing the dialogue. I am uncertain on the best way to structure it while still making it clear that she is not speaking out loud. It also gets confusing because her dialogue can end up mixing with her internal monologue.
The problem and my main question would be: **what is the best way to distinguish my character's non-verbal communication from spoken dialogue and internal thoughts without anyone getting confused?**
My first idea-Put her dialogue in italics and her thoughts in normal text.
Example 1
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked her.
*I've never been more sure of anything in my life,* she told him.
I've never been less sure of anything in my life, she secretly thought.
My second idea-Main dialogue is in italics and quotes.
Example 2-
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked her.
"*I've never been more sure of anything in my life,*" she told him.
*I've never been less sure of anything in my life,* she secretly thought.
...
Honestly, neither method seems correct. | [
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61,957 | **Context**
In my fantasy world, there are two realities that people travel back and forth between constantly. There is the "real world" where everyone travels when they are awake, and then there is the "dream world" where they all go when they are asleep.
One of my characters has an illness that prevents them from walking in the real world. They can get around fine with crutches, but they usually need a wheelchair.
However, in the dream world they are able to walk normally without any assistance.
This is the heart of the issue.
**The Problem**
I want to be respectful towards people who have physical disabilities, but if my character has the power to simply waltz into another dimension where they can walk perfectly fine whenever they want, it feels like it detracts from the character. Rather than having to learn and adapt because of their physical disability, the dream world feels like an excuse to handwave away any consequences the character might face due to their inability to walk.
It's like having a character with no legs, only to give them the power of flight. Or giving a person with no eyes the power of super-sonar that lets them sense things from crazy distances. Even though the character technically has a disability, the magic/supernatural elements scrub away most of the problems that the character would face due to it.
On one hand, I want to keep the character as they are. and I don't want to eliminate the idea of this magical otherword. Still, it feels wrong to write a character with a physical disability and then immediately do a 180 and say "but you see, there's magic in this world, so the character can just hop into another dimension whenever they want and walk just fine there."
I want to keep the world as is, and I want to keep the "dream world" parallel dimension, but I don't want to undermine the character's struggles with their disability just because they can go "Any time I want to walk, I can hop into this alternate dimension where anything is possible. Isn't that convenient!"
At best, that seems like bad representation. At worst it seems outright insulting to people with real disabilities.
**The Question**
If my character cannot walk in the real world, but has the ability to fall asleep and travel to a dimension where they *can* walk, how can I combine these two story elements without disrespecting people with real world disabilities?
(To answer this question, please give one example of the best way these two elements could work together.) | [
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61,962 | In Stone Ocean, the antagonist explains his power at the end of the series. I am wondering if this is telling and not showing and if there are situation where telling and showing is completely ok and what are those situations. Because I feel like there might be a good use case for doing this, but I don't know when it's appropriate or not.
SPOILER ALERT
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DuHze.jpg) | [
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61,973 | I was doing some exploratory writing without much planning/thinking and one of the characters acted in a way I wasn't expecting!
In the narrative the character (normally kind/warm) is under stress, but I wasn't expecting them to behave the way I wrote them (aggressive/dismissive). [I've not had good feedback on the scene because of it.](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/61974/how-do-i-warn-prepare-my-beta-readers-when-giving-them-small-excerpts-to-read)
I'm wondering how to decide whether I should keep on this direction, and on a rewrite/revision drop hints; or if I should completely revert them to their loosely planned characteristics (kind/warm) regardless of the background stress they're under? | [
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61,974 | I recently shared an excerpt from my writing with friends who are acting as casual 'beta alpha-readers' (I use this term extremely loosely), partly as they have more lived experience with, and sensitivity to some of the topics in my writing (being a woman and/or plus-sized, [something I'd asked about before](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/61667/how-can-i-write-a-character-who-inherits-armour-clothing-that-doesnt-fit-becaus)).
It did not got well, as I had written some very raw stuff about a character being mistreated due to their size in an unrealistic way.
In the excerpt the main character is forcibly made to wear some armour by their mother (who essentially has super strength), in preparation for a festival. I wrote it such that the armour clearly doesn't fit and it looked like neither character noticed until the main character being forced into it couldn't breathe.
On re-reading the excerpt I identified two issues:
1. On reflection the scene was darker/more extreme than I needed, and should have had a content warning specific to the topics my 'beta alpha-readers' are helping with. Part of this is because I wrote a character more extremely than would be expected, and [I'm figuring out how best change this](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/61973/my-character-surprised-me-with-their-behaviour-while-writing-them-should-i-keep).
2. After re-reading the preceding scene, the excerpt lacked any context or build up to indicate the direction it was heading in. Prior to the scene in the excerpt, the main character is clearly aware of the issue, but doesn't react in time. Instead I dropped the 'beta alpha-readers' into a moment just before the action.
I'm limited on how much I can share with my friends at a time (both the chat client message length limits, and how much I can expect them to read at a time), and I didn't catch the troubling themes myself. In retrospect, I had written the excerpt in a rush, and then not reread before sharing.
How can I best warn/prepare my friends who are doing me a favour by reading these small excerpts, and prevent over sharing distressing stuff? | [
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61,975 | I was trying to come up with a power system. I didn't manage to but I decided to just learn first about power systems from other authors and other series. I was searching anime, TV shows, and manga. I was reading and searching and I understand some things so that I can write my power system easily.
Then I watched a video that explains the power system in Hunter x Hunter, Nen. And, long story short, it was complex and very difficult. The author put lots of work into its rules and usage.
However, this made me ask the question: Can I write a power system that is complex and how can I execute it properly?
Compared to other anime and shows, Hunter x Hunter's power system is very complex and difficult to construct. And I know that you don't need a complex power system to make a good one; for example, Owl House: the bigger the circle the more powerful it is. Consistent and easy to understand. But that's the thing, I'm not sure if I have a complex power system if it would be good, since it couldn't be easy to understand, and I'm just here sitting in confusion. | [
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61,987 | Many characters have a backstory and it is usually sad. However I do wonder, when is it that you have to reveal a character's backstory. I've watched some videos of writers explaining how to reveal a backstory and most importantly when we have to reveal it to the audience/readers. And they told me to do it not too long after we meet the character or mid-way in the plot. Some also suggested making them act a certain way or learn about their motives and intentions then we reveal their backstory. But it is to explain the character's role in the plot
However, when I watched a well-written show, they showed us a backstory of a character immediately after the character just got hit on the face and before they got sent onto a trial.
And I wonder, is there a proper timing and execution to reveal a backstory?
I mean, one of the reasons why Demon Slayer is not that good in writing is because of how they reveal the character's backstory right before they die or right when they die.
I asked writers from a Discord server and they say that it depends on the flow of the story, but I'm still confused about it. | [
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61,996 | One of my main characters' family is Asian (specifically Korean-American). The oldest sister, Cgelsoe, is a child prodigy. When her toxic and shitty parents found out, they exploited the hell out of it, bragging about her, making sure she got into the best possible college. She was their golden child.
They never let her have a real childhood. She was never able to play, or make friends with kids her age, and left for the University of Pennsylvania at 13-14, and is absolutely miserable there.
I know Asians being depicted as smarter than everyone is a harmful stereotype, so what could I do to have it be less possibly offensive? | [
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61,997 | I’m trying to reduce the number of clichés in my manuscript, and I’ve found 11 instances of characters raising their eyebrows. A couple I don’t mind, but it feels like too many.
What other actions can be used to indicate “mild surprise”? | [
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62,004 | I am self-publishing my ebook on my own website. I currently have the manuscript in MS word. Now, for the final publication in PDF format how do I decide upon the font and font size of the book content? | [
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62,007 | Wondering if I could get an opinion on this sentence in which the author lists some of his father's favorite quotes (apologies for crudeness):
>
> A greatest hits list of those would include: “flatter than piss on a plate,” “there’s a difference between scratchin’ yer arse and tearin’ it all to pieces,” and, “he (or she) could talk the arse out of a bucket.”
>
>
>
Is this proper? | [
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