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What style suggestions are common for which words are used in hyperlinks? With a purpose of avoiding "More details here " style links that do not provide any information in the link itself, what styles are common/popular/suggested? A good example case (with bold as the potential link): John Q. claims that pigs ca...	A style that conforms to the WCAG 2.0 accessibility guidelines would ensure the link text describes the purpose of the link.
What is the correct usage of "P.S." in Emails? I've been wondering this for a while. What is the correct usage of "P.S." in e-mails? Where should and shouldn't it be used? <Q> P.S. in e-mails is used exactly the same as P.S. in normal letters. <S> It is short for the Latin post scriptum , i.e. written after the...	P.S could be used when you are trying to convey something which is not appropriate to the subject mentioned and still needed to be included to the same mail.
Does my story structure for an ensemble zombie story sound effective? I'm working on a novel about the psychological struggle of 7 characters. It's got an ensemble cast, where every character has the same importance. I've got a structure for this that sounds good to me, but seems different than most novel structures I'...	If each character has enough development, I think that sounds fine, and interesting.
About using authentic historical name for teenager material I am writing a (short) story set in Ancient Egypt, and the intended audience are junior high-senior high school students in the US. I am trying to use authentic Ancient Egyptian names for the character, I can find a lot here . But my colleague warned that usi...	Exotic, historically and culturally accurate names sometimes make or break the story. The sort of teenager who is attracted to a book about ancient Egypt is the sort of teenager who will not be turned off by foreign names. They can speak English, so Amen-ho-tep shouldn't provide any difficult challenge to your audience...
Is there any tool which points out the common mistakes in a piece of writing? It will point out mistakes like: Use of bad constructs. Use of repeated words. etc. (On a side note: if you happen to be a C programmer, I am looking for lint for writing). <Q> No, since writing is a very subjective thing, and many r...	Most word processors will pick up things like repeated words, misspellings, and some grammar issues (e.g. sentence fragments; the wrong form of there), but beyond that, they aren't going to be able to catch much else.
A more specific type of "nervous laughter" A handful of my friends have an odd trait where they say something and immediately laugh after it in an attempt to judge its success. The topic is usually a rant along the lines of, "These people have no idea what they are talking about." An example: My teacher said to make ...	You are probably better off letting the context, dialogue and action reveal the type of laughter.
Is it really so "impossible" to get published by a traditional publisher? I was an avid reader in my early years (as in hard copy - books), and I still am (just now via computer)... and I never got wind of such difficulties in publishing, until now.Is it like going up against a proverbial dragon dressed in nothing but ...	In short, you can get published , but the sheer volume of competition is making it harder and harder. While it is not "impossible", I would venture to suggest that it is "improbable".
No English degree, what are my chances on successfully publishing a novel? I don't have an English or Writing-related degree in any way. As of right now, I have no degree, but what I mean is that I'm not even pursuing a degree in writing. How does this hurt my chances? Do publishers tend to ignore writers without rela...	As others have said, there is no direct correlation between having a degree and getting published.
Formatting blog posts like the pros I am new to writing. I have seen Jeff Atwood's blog and I am really impressed how he writes. I have seen a similar manner on wordpress docs too. I am still confused with some issues while writing. Here they are, I understand that important point should be made bold but I find...	If you have that many importantpoints, make them a bulleted list instead of making them bold.
How should this ‘be going to’ be revised? I don't know if I can ask about this in this site. But anyway I'll give it a shot. (This question is a spin-off from EL&U.) Here is a skit from a radio English conversation program, dealing with American English. A: guest B: front desk clerk C: A's wife (at the front desk o...	According to esl.about.com , "going to" is used for distant future intentions.
What makes for interesting travel writing/blogging? I wanted to hear a few words about travel writing. What qualities make for the most engrossing stories, especially for readers who are just sort of gauging their interest? I've read a number of articles mostly containing general advice or regarding particular conventi...	What makes up the "interesting bits" can vary depending on the reader, but ultimately it will come down to taking your readers with you on the journey.
Use of past vs. present tense in works of fiction I have recently picked up several works of fiction and begun to read them. I have found that some are written using past tense while others use the present tense. What is the significance of using these different tenses while writing fiction? <Q> A lot of it is just co...	I think a lot of people find past-tense more natural because present-tense storytelling is not something you encounter in day to day life.
Is there a typical structure for non-fiction popular science books? If so, what is it? Is there an accepted or suggested structure for writing non-fiction (specifically, popular science) books? As an example of the type of book I mean, there's Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational : a very successful non-fiction popula...	If you have no specification for your book structure (from university/publisher), then it is up to you. Give every reason for your reader to turn the page - don't assume that just because they read the 1st 100 pages, they will stick for the next 200. One structure that has been successful for many science books is to s...
When I'm replying to emails, what's the best way to acknowledge that I appreciated each point of someone's email? In many cases, I understand and appreciate what the person is writing (in each sentence), but have little to say in response, even if I really like what the person is saying. So when I have little to say ...	Don't quote the entire message; he already knows what it says since he wrote it. It's fine to just say something like "thank you for all your help; I really appreciate it".
Shots in a spec script? I'm writing a feature-length movie screenplay - well it's still at the story stage, so I haven't started to write the screenplay itself yet. I have been reading wordplayer and a few scripts to see the structure. I've got one scene in mind where the POV is really important for maximum effect. I ...	I would say do your absolute best to try and describe the scene, sans POV.
Audio version of copyrighted written material I want to do a free daily podcast of the Bible. Would I need permission of the copyright holder of the translation I am reading or would this be considered fair use? Would I need to state the source or, conversely, would I be restricted from stating the source without autho...	The Bible itself isn't under copyright. Making a recording of any copyrighted written work is subject to the same restrictions as making your own printed copy.
What is the process for turning a story into a "movie" script? This is probably a slightly vague sounding question, but I'm curious as to how "stories" go to the point of becoming a film production (at least to the point of becoming a script). <Q> I'm not sure if you're asking how producers make movies based on stories...	Once the Treatment and Outline are completed you start work on the script itself, going through the story bit by bit and defining the dialogue, appearance, camera angles, actions, and so on.
Italicizing and adding accents to Spanish words in an English novel In my current novel I have a few characters who speak Spanish. The book takes place along the Texico border, so it happens frequently. I know that in more foreign Spanish, or when someone speaks a full sentence, it should be italicized. If they are mor...	The Chicago Manual recommends use of italics for isolated words that are likely to be unfamiliar to the reader.
Adding breaks in a novel—spaces, asterisks, or a chapter break? I am editing my first novel and wherever I find a natural break in the story, I add a few spaces. I want to go back and adjust what types of breaks those are, but how best to represent those spaces in time? What is the difference between using an extra s...	I tend to think asterisks and extra spaces can mean the same thing (be used in the same way), to indicate change of scene. I was specifically taught to never use extra vertical spacing, either break to a new chapter or put in a line of three dashes centered to indicate an intra-chapter break. It may vary by agent, but ...
2nd Draft- Fix spelling/grammar or plot first? I just finished the first draft of my novel, and Im going to put it away for at least a month. The book has a lot of spelling / grammatical errors, as in true Nanowrimo style, I kept typing without fixing anything. When I return, what should I focus on: Fixing the spel...	If your spelling and grammatical errors get in the way of your critical reading, you may need to fix them first just so you can see what you've got for the bigger issues.
Which tense should I use when writing a post about a journey? What tense could I use when I write about a journey? Suppose if I write about a train journey and describe the countryside, would using a present tense create a deeper impact to the reader? I could make it appear as if I had been writing during the travel th...	I know lots of people say that present tense creates immediacy, but as a reader I've never noticed any difference. Choose the tense that suits the story you want to tell. A deeper impact is not created by tense.
Defining Terms: To Capitalize or Not To Capitalize? Let's say that I defined a new term in my writing, such as (yes, it's second-person): You spot a Holo-Reader—a long, silver metal tube that records holograms in three dimensions for later playback. It's pretty clear that the first time I mention and define the new...	By capitalising it, you are emphasising the difference - rather like saying "Now I am going to use and define a term - read carefully".
Referring to oneself in first vs. third person in online profiles Suppose I am writing a post/blog, how should I mention myself? For example, Ray Wenderlich (Site Admin) Ray is an indie software developer currently focusing on iPhone and iPad development. He’s the founder of a small iPhone development studio called...	So in general, first-person is great for feeling like a personal introduction; third-person is great for a straightforward, professional description of yourself.
What's a good resource to find Beta Readers for short stories? I'm currently in the market for beta readers, particularly for short stories. I've finished an early draft for a contest, and I'm hoping to hear some feedback. I'm open to reading the work of others as well. Thank you. <Q> Critique Circle is a good source...	You can easily find people who will read your work and give you feedback and suggestions.
Is it good style to use Latin phrases in English scientific literature? I don't know how much and deep actual school kids in the US get in touch with Latin. In Europe you can choose it in many high schools and the use of it is common in mainstream media. For some areas of studies it seems to be a prerequisite. In US l...	Use Latin when it makes sense to use Latin, not because you want to impress, which could turn your piece into an illegible mess.
First publication rights still available on this? I created a book and used a commercial digital printing house to print and bind some copies, which I gave away as gifts. The book says in it "Copyright 2010, Richard Clunan. Published by Wordfruit." (Wordfruit is the name of my company). Can I still offer 'first public...	If you simply contracted with a commercial printer to have some copies made, then the printer does not retain any rights to the book.
What systems provide easy article submission for websites? I am a web developer putting together a system for writers/editors to efficiently add — fairly rich — content to a website. I've previously used standard WYSIWYG editors but find that often what you see isn't what you get. I've seen this lead to frustration. ...	You could probably use a standard Wordpress install, and find plugins that suite your needs regarding this: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/ Judging by your comment that you've got templates and backends already running, you may want to take a look at TinyMCE , which is a pretty good Javascript WYSIWYG editor.
Breaking Into Technical Writing - Where to Start (from a programming background) I'm currently in the process of expanding my company from doing coding & web development to more technical writing and freelance tech journalism. Although my background is mainly in technology, throughout high school and college I put a fe...	You could start by reading a technical writing style guide like Read Me First! If any of your current (programming) work could benefit from either external (interface) or internal (design, architecture) documentation, you could start there to build your skills and portfolio (and maybe your first gig).
What are examples of fiction books picked up by publishers after being self-published? I've seen some references to commercial publishers picking up a self-published novel if it's been selling well. Can you point me to a few specific examples of this happening? Fiction only, please. I'm particularly interested in ca...	Scott Nicholson , another indie author, has just signed a two book deal with Thomas & Mercer. There's also Eragon , although I recall hearing some debate about just how 'self' published the book was.
Multiple POVs in a single scene This question came up in another forum, so I thought I'd share it here. Should there be only one POV per scene? Is it OK to go with multiple POVs? An example is a scene with two characters facing off, in a tense situation. The POV shifts evenly between the two of them, and the reader ge...	Depends what kind of POV switching are you doing, which depends largely on the narrative mode employed: The only rule might be "Be consistent.
Author's notes: yay or nay? Should a writer include author's notes in their book that either express thanks to the reader or provide background information on the book itself? If so, should these be at the front of the book or the back of the book? To expand on this, is there any specific type of information that sho...	Short thanks and dedications (about a page's worth, tops) can go at the front of the book, any lengthy "author's note" should, in my opinion, go towards the back, as "bonus material" 9as it were).
How do I balance work with my love of writing? I'm a programmer and an aspiring writer. I love writing. Over the past year, I had been working on my first novel. Making the plot, dimensioning the characters, integrating conflicts etc. And when I started writing the novel, Snap! came a financial crisis; now I can't pay ...	Like others have said, if writing is truly something you want to do, you can find time to do it. Programming and writing are just way too addicting and mind-consuming to be compatible with other creative work. Firstly, you need to make a living so you can eat, pay the bills, and support yourself.
Do you need to get author's permission to quote him in a non-fiction book? I have a non-fiction book idea that would frequently use quotes/reviews from a specific author. Would I need to get that author's permission to quote him/her, and to base the entire book on these quotes? <Q> Proviso: <S> I am not a lawyer. ...	You say you'd like to use many quotes from the same author; if you are writing a critique of the author's work, or a biography of him, or some similar piece about the author which you are backing up using the quotes - then you're on pretty safe ground.
Should I start work on a sequel before I have sold my book? I finished the 1st draft of my book, and have put it in the freezer(as I asked about in this question). I was planning to start work on a sequel of the book in the meantime. But I was told by someone that I should not work on a sequel till I have sold my fi...	If there's a story burning to be told, go ahead and write it.
How often to cite sources? I'm writing a 3700-word essay, consisting of two case studies and some explanatory material. I'll be referencing a number of documents as sources for the case studies. There will be a full list of references at the end of the essay, done in APA style. I'm wondering, how often is it necessa...	Anytime you mention something that isn't general knowledge, you need to explain how you know it.
How to create space Recently, a few snippets of my fiction have received critiques along the lines of 'Does not give a sense of space'. Or 'needs more description, sights and sounds'. I think where I am going wrong is that in any given scene I am focusing too hard on the characters, the dialogue or the progression of...	What you need to do add descriptive notes that also contribute to other elements of the story.
Which English grammar should be followed when writing for a global audience? In relation to my question on Usage of 'z' in the word serialized in English? , it seems I was mistaken in assuming there is a generally accepted correct variant of English. The question Which variant of English should I use when my target ...	If you're writing non-fiction, I'd look at the dominant dialects used in your target market.
What are jobs that prefer or require MFAs in Creative Writing? Other than getting adjunct work with your shiny new MFA, what other professions like them? (I'm gainfully employed, and while I think my MFA helps me, it is in not appreciated by my employer in any direct way. My question is the result of sitting next to t...	A lot of editors for publishing houses have MFAs and even owners of publishing houses occasionally have them.
What should you do if you need more than five heading when writing an APA paper? (I don't know if this question is appropriate here. I'm going to take a chance.) If you're writing a paper according to the APA (American Psychology Association) standard and you need more than five levels of headings, what is the appropr...	So if you were writing a paper according to the APA guidelines, you should not use more than three levels of headings, unless writing a lengthy research paper or thesis. The 6th edition of the APA manual revises and simplifies previous heading guidelines - regardless of the number of levels, always use the headings in ...
Is it possible to figure out the ROI of an MFA? Given that there are a few jobs where an MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in creative writing is preferred as a writer or editor, is it possible figure out the ROI (return on investment) of acquiring the degree? Obviously there are a lot of variables in figuring out the ROI ...	When it comes to writing, getting an MFA isn't going to improve your skill that much more than self-study.
All persons fictitious disclaimer — ideas regarding modification? I'm creating a parody/spoof magazine which contains some "real" advertisements and businesses in. How should I word an "all persons fictitious" disclaimer to include fictitious businesses? This is my current disclaimer: All characters appearing in th...	Any resemblance to real persons or other real-life entities is purely coincidental.
How would one use punctuation to indicate tone changes? I'm imagining this sort of statement: He's a... different... sort of person, I suppose. Some people would pronounce 'different' in that sentence as though it was followed by a question mark, but not the rest of the sentence. However, writing it like this strik...	If you mean for someone to be using 'different' as a sort of code for 'strange' or 'unappealing', I'd use quotation marks.
Is it always ok to use the verb "to say" after a question? Does it sound strange to use the verb "to say" after a question? For example: "'Why is it called a memorial?' said Laura." If I were to have written this, I would have used " asked " instead. Am I alone in feeling that it sounds a little strange with "said...	"Said" in the context of the question is acceptable. It depends on what the writer intends to convey.
If in real life the antagonist is often oneself, shouldn't it work in a full length novel? I'm fleshing out a novel which seems to have enough going on without adding an antagonist. In reality, my main character is her own antagonist. She is warring with herself, battling feelings of guilt after the death of her grandf...	You don't need an antagonist. The usual way to do that is to provide an antagonist who presents exactly the right problem to force that self-confrontation.
What are the differences between narrative and descriptive writing? What are the differences between narrative and descriptive writing? What should we keep in mind while writing it? <Q> Narrative writing tells a story or part of a story. <S> Descriptive writing vividly portrays a person, place, or thing in such a wa...	Narrative - is when the author is narrating a story or part of a story. Narration follows a logical order, typically chronological.
What to include in agreement with a Ghost Writer. . I am exploring engaging a Ghost writer to partner with me on the development of a non-fiction (well, mostly) business book. What are the critical elements of the agreement that need to be included? <Q> IANAL, but he is . <S> This should be a good starting point. ...	I think you should identify what your goals are and start from there.
What's the proper etiquette/format for updating a blog post? I've been doing websites for 16 years, but am new to writing a blog. Websites pages change all the time, but it seems to me that blog posts are relatively static once they've been posted. If I want to change something in a blog post, what's the accepted way ...	If I make a series of edits that are not substantial I will add an edit note to the footer with a summary.
How can I manage screen shots and other graphics for maintenance? Our ~1500-page documentation set contains numerous screen shots and related graphics (schematics, flow diagrams, etc). Sometimes the user interface changes and we have to update all the affected graphics. The affected graphics are not necesarily all in...	For the book I am currently writing, which is not written in docbook directly but is written in a markup that will be translated to DocBook for publishing, I use an XML file to capture metadata for each illustration.
Is there a quick way to know I have created a Mary Sue? For those who don't know what a Mary Sue is: see here . The problem is, there are far too many ways a character can be a Mary Sue, as seen here . Many websites that offer tests to see if your character is a Mary Sue give pages of questions as well. Is there a...	If your character sounds too good to be true, then it is probably a Mary Sue.
Why do authors usually put a reference section at the end of a book when they are not referenced throughout the entire book? In the references list (usually at the end of a book), I've noticed that authors like to include references to other materials. However these materials are not so-called "referenced" or "linked" ...	Usually a writer will include books that they either read or referred to as part of their research for their own book.
Other options for "had had"? Although the use of " had had " is grammatically correct, it doesn't read well and seems awkward to me. Take for example the following sentence: I had had enough of this nonsense and was ready to move on. What is a better alternative to using " had had "? <Q> Rewriting to avoid "had ha...	The easy way out is to use a contraction: I'd had enough of this nonsense and was ready to move on.
Do traditional publishers ever make use of "print on demand" (POD)? Do traditional publishers always use offset printing for the books they publish, or do they sometimes use POD to make books available? If they do use POD, is it primarily for older titles? <Q> In the tech book world, I know O'Reilly is moving towards a...	Most traditional publishers now use POD for their backlists . Bloomsbury Publishing has launched a digital global publisher, called Bloomsbury Reader, that will sell a back-catalogue of titles in e-book and print-on-demand format.
What's the best way to distinguish between co-authors? I know a couple of people who are co-authoring a book, and they have been debating how to go about distinguishing between the two of them in their content. They have an outline of topics that they are discussing, and each is providing their own voice/commentary on ...	Personally, the best co-authored books I've read there was no discernable difference in styles.
How can this sentence better convey the immobilizing impact of fear? Someone on another forum asked for advice on a sentence she was writing, so I thought I'd share it here and see what kind of responses we could get. The sentence in question is marked by italics. (I think one or two others could use some help as well,...	On the other hand, fear has the ability to bring Paralysis, leaving you in control of nothing more than the blinking of your eyes and the short, shallow breaths you need to stay just on this side of death.
How do I keep the plot interesting in a humorous book? I am about to start writing a fantasy-comedy novel. A problem I found in 1-2 books of this genre is that the plot becomes weak, and the story starts to slow down. The reason I believe this happens is that there is no big struggle or evil villain. Since there is no...	I recommend you locate comedic novels and read them to see how the humorous tone of the novel can work with a strong plot. The way to an interesting plot is paved with conflicts. Make sure that the dialogue is real.
Is it acceptable for a book to not have a dominant lead character? I saw this question posted in another forum, and it didn't have any responses, so naturally I decided to bring it over here. :) I realized, 80% of the way through my first draft, that I don't have a dominant, lead character in this book. I believe t...	In short, you can do a lot more with a book that is not ostensibly 'about' a lead/dominant character, as compared to the more conventional books with protagonists. I would say it's perfectly possible to have an ensemble cast.
How do you manage all the different aspects of writing poetry? Every time I try to write a poem I find myself incredibly stuck. It feels to me like poetry has so many different aspects- meter, structure, rhyming, lingual aesthetics (not to mention semantics), all crammed into a tightly confined structure (yes I know po...	When I was first starting out with poetry (and indeed, even to a certain extent today), I liked to begin with structure/meter, choosing a simple, regular structure and improvising an almost non-sensical set of words which had a good ring to them. Allow yourself to make mistakes and be sloppy.
What to do if I can't meet my chapter word count? I usually set a word count goal for each of my chapters, say 2000 words. But sometimes I can't meet that goal, for any number of reasons. What should I do: A. Continue anyway, and hope to increase word count elsewhere. B. Keep working on the chapter, till I reach the ...	Add a scene to the chapter. You can also add some additional research into what you have written.
How can this technical message be made clearer? How could this technical sentenced be improved for better clarity? Cannot translate the ‘name1’ concept1 to the ‘name2’ concept2 because the higherprecedence ‘name3’ concept3 also exists, which overrides it. This is a technical message to a user of a computer program wh...	You should remove the lower prededence translation or re-evaluate your order of precedence.
Proper attribution of copyrighted lyrics in a story If I put several lines of a copyrighted song in my text, and mention the band name, how can I be certain that my attribution is sufficient and guarantees against legal action? From what I've been able to find, I need to list the song title, writing credit, date and c...	If you absolutely must have the song lyrics in your own work, you'll need to get clearance from the owner.
The importance of monitor size/distance for writing productivity? I've been thinking today that my writing station's monitor screen set-up is much worse than I had previously thought, and can be partly blamed for productivity problems. I write on a 2004 laptop with a 14.1" LCD monitor. Because its keyboard has poor "...	Writing productivity might be affected if you are writing for long periods of time. The size of the monitor doesn't matter as much as the size of the text on the screen.
Book recommendations for writing better technical papers My employer has presented me with two books to read to help me write better technical papers and emails. Essentials of English Grammar and Handbook of English Grammar and Usage . I have read through roughly 30% of the first book and have to say it is a painf...	My suggestion is to find an editor to go over several of your pieces and build that bullet list with you, so that you have an outside, professional opinion about what you need to work on.
Should I care if my short story has the same title as someone else's book? It appears to be a pretty obscure book. It's on Amazon, but there are no descriptions or reviews. From the cover, I'd say it was a kids book, which would put it in a different market. Let's assume that this short story of mine is fit to publ...	Your title is too generic, and so is shared by many different works. If it is obscure and not in the same market or was published long ago it probably wouldn't matter. And in any case, the publisher might change the book's name anyway, because they feel they can market it better with a different name. So I would say go...
Bogged Down with Legends of Wind It's not that I have a lot of writer's block, it's the mash-up of stories I'm compiling that all have to fit together in some way. I have outlines and I have a heap of unfinished stories, all going into one book(quite a mess that has amassed into 245 pages). It's been fun, of course, bu...	If the stories you already have are tied together in any way, then try to lay them out on a timeline to show the order in which they occur. Sketch out an outline of how the character gets around the obstacles. Give the character some friends.
Help with Impersonal Past Tense 'The Report is to be presented in the “impersonal past tense” e.g. Personal – I worked in the Design Department. Impersonal – The work was carried out in the Design Department.' I'm finding it hard to write in the impersonal paste tense. I keep writing things like "I did this, I ...	I don't know of any tricks that apply: you're just going to have to write a lote of "was done", "were requested", "had been checked" etc.
What's the most marketable title? I am writing a novel about someone being chased by the Russian Mafia. A hitman is sent to save her and that's where the books takes off. I have way too many titles floating in my brain - three to be exact. They are "Slap-Dash", "Tooth and Nail", and "Hang Fire". What is the most ma...	Of the three, Hang Fire stands out most for me, but I would really consider it worthwhile to look for something a little less generic - a title that applies to your book, that wouldn't apply as easily to scads of others. Maybe "Guardian Angel" since the hitman is not exactly a saint.
How should I phrase "requests" to a higher-ranked individual in another department? At work, I lead a small team of programmers. I often have to request equipment and services from our I.T. department, and all of those requests have to go directly to the C.I.O., which is an executive-level position (several levels abov...	More seriously, I suggest phrasing like "Our department requires an email account be set up for new employee John K. Smith, and a workstation installed for his use. When you make a requisition, it should be neutral in tone and clearly phrased as a requisition, rather than as a request or a question, to avoid ambiguity ...
How do I successfully structure a long fiction piece? I’ve ‘completed’ three novels – a thriller, a coming-of-age story, and a mystery. I’ve had expert readers for all three including Sue Grafton who read two of them. All the expert readers have the same reaction. Sue’s, at the halfway point, was ‘We need to find you a...	I think having an outline will help with this. Think of your story as a braided rope which has started to kink somewhere. I use the mind mapping tool that comes with Xiosis
How can I condense a description of a web designer/developer's work into a one-liner? How can I condense this sentence into a one-liner? Being alone on the project, this web designer/developer held the responsibility of - communicating with the client and the end-users, - defining web application requirements, - givin...	The web designer/developer is responsible for end-to-end web application development and maintenance, which includes liasing with clients and end-users to define the business requirements and procedures. The person can create (in other words carry the whole load), but also optimize (listen, adjust, and improve).
What's "fair use" for borrowing someone else's invented term? Let's say I'm writing a sci-fi novel. I want to use a word which another writer has coined, which has become well-recognized outside the original book, for the name of an alien species in my story. I want to do something akin to this: Jacob walked in the r...	If you're using it in the same way for the same thing, but your story is about something else - then that's usually fine. "Robot" (which was invented by a writer outside the SF field, though Asimov seems to have coined the word "robotics") and "ansible" are two that spring to mind.
Is there a good project management software for writers? I would like something in which I can set targets - like write/edit 10,000 words a week, set a final end date for the project, set mini targets, track any lag etc. The only PM software I've used in Ms Project, and in my limited experience, is not very easy to us...	Clarizen allows you to set milestones and goals, and gives you a priority list every morning - which I find really helpful. My old friend Scrivener has a number of those features, although it's not freeware. AceProject might be the thing you are looking for.
How to cover different perspectives/levels of thinking in one story? I was reasoning with a friend about why movies/novels often get highly successful while others, despite having an interesting story/topic, don't get much attention. We came to speak about Matrix, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys . My reasoning is, those st...	If you stay true to the elements that define the genre and provide a compelling plot with realistic characters, then you may end up appealing to a larger audience.
How to juggle work and NaNoWriMo? I love to participate in NaNoWriMo, but this year for the first time I'll have a full-time job during November. Is it feasible to write less on weekdays and "make up" for it on the weekend? Should I try to squish in extra time during my lunch break, or do all my writing in the evening ...	Do not put pressure on yourself by saying "Oh, I can write more at the weekend to compensate what I've missed during the week.
Less universe-specific synonyms for "squib"? I write primarily fantasy; recently, it's been brought to my attention that I use the terms "muggle" and "squib" informally fairly often in roleplay. If I were to publish something, I'd not want to use Potterverse terms; "muggle" can be substituted with "mundane" or "normie"...	The word "dud" comes to mind, or perhaps "blank"
How do you decide whether to dictate, type out or hand-write a piece of writing? How do you decide whether to dictate, type out or hand-write a piece of writing? I have always had a minor passion for writing, and I enjoy the process of settings ideas out and slowly filling them out, trimming them down or deleting them...	Another advantage of doing my initial draft by hand is that when I get ready to start typing it, I tend to have a more critical eye on what is written down on the page.
Which traditional presses publish poetry? I would like to publish a poetry folio through my university press. My ex-poetry professor at my alma mater says that is possible, but the university will only publish me if I already have a book published elsewhere, through a traditional publisher. Toward that end, can anyone...	Poet's Market and Writer's Market are essential resources in the hunt for possible publishers, because they provide detailed submission requirements.
Organization for epic fantasy writing Possible Duplicate: Organizing your Universe? I have some issues on the organization of my fantasy story. For instance there are many factions that come into play during the story and I being a very thorough person am very well aware of the discomfort caused by story incons...	Everything about your characters goes into a Character folder (protagonists, antagonists, friends, allies, neutrals, hostiles, enemies, NPCs, people of myth, people in the government).
What is the recomended word-count for a fantasy-fiction book? By recommended I mean what is the standard for it to be not too long and not too short. I know I should write until I am finished but I want to take practicality into account as well. Mainly when the book spans in a series. 120k? 150k? Thank you! <Q> I agr...	I would limit the book at 100,000 words to be safe.
Best tool to create ebooks? What is a recommended tool for turning a completed manuscript (a Word document) into an ebook (specifically, an EPUB file or Kindle-compatible Mobipocket file)? I would prefer something that: recognizes chapters and generates a table of contents automatically allows me to add front/back ...	You might want to try Calibre , which is a pretty powerful ebook conversion tool. Scrivener can compile to various formats including EPUB and Kindle formats, and gives you lots of control over formatting.
Any documentaries or other inspirational movies about creative writing? Whenever I watch a good movie or documentary about a subject that interests me, it really gets my juices flowing and makes me want to act on my interests (I suddenly realized that this might sound like a request for porn recommendations. It is no...	I find the movies that give me inspiration are the movies that are mostly bad, but have a couple of good ideas contained within them. While I'm adding to my answer, I'll also mention the films Dead Poets Society (both for its love of language and the general goad to Seize the Day) and Shakespeare in Love, to watch the ...
Why shouldn't I use a pen name? I don't like my name. I feel like seeing my name on the cover of my novel will be an embarassment more than a moment of pride - I just can't take things I've written under my own name seriously, for some reason. On the other hand, I love my screenname, which expands easily into a psuedon...	If, however, you choose to write under more than one pen name, then you might encounter some inconveniences. Use it if... you want everyone from work, at every place you work, to read your reviews, or you.
I have compiled a poetry book with poems of 4chan users. It has a lot of vulgarisms, is it possible to publish something like that? It has around 200 poems, a lot of vulgarisms, and many of them seem senseless. <Q> Sure, what are you waiting for? <S> Go to http://kdp.amazon.com/ and publish it right now. <S> Log in...	There's no real limit on what can be published, and I don't think vulgarity is a barrier on poetry (in some markets, sure, but far from all).
What are the challenges of converting blog content to a publishable work? I have been actively participating in the "blogging world" and have developed a substantial portfolio of 25-75 word "rants" on a variety of topics related to my specialty. I would like to know how these can be correlated into a book that would ...	One of the primary challenges you may be faced with in trying to compile your boh entries into a book format lies in organizing your content. Frankly, if you are just rehashing the same original posts verbatim, I'm not sure any of your followers will see a book as anything worth pursuing.
Paragraph flow, verb inversion and last sentence tone The paragraph below is a conclusion for an essay. I have three problems with the paragraph that I would like to review with you. This experience showed me that ignoring an interpersonal conflict only exacerbates the problem at hand. In my case, being in denial ab...	To gain punch, you can simplify your sentence structures,eliminate some abstract words ("exacerbates", "denial"), and put your key words at the end of each sentence. The paragraph stutters a little because there are so many clauses, and a lot more words than necessary.
Spaceships - It or She? I'm writing a Science Fiction novel and describing a space ship. Sea Ships are usually feminine, while space ships don't seem to be either feminine or neutral. Would you stick to one? Or would you switch depending on whether the ship is addressed by name or just as a ship? Herbert could see ...	Either way, recall that the choice of how to refer to the ship is individual - different characters can refer to the ship differently; but a single character will generally stick to the same reference method at all times.
What rights are OK to give up for publishing? I'm thinking of submitting a short story to a small (and probably not well-known) serial anthology publication. For an author who's never been published in any way, shape, or form, should I be wary of the rights I'm asked to give up, or should I just concentrate on getting...	I'm pretty prolific, so I honestly don't worry too much about what rights I'm selling - I try to work with good publishers, and then assume that they'll do a good job selling the work associated with the rights I've granted them.
I have too much dialogue, how do I add more description? I was looking at the last book I wrote. In it, I failed to meet the word count I had set for myself by a big margin, like 40,000 words instead of 60-70,000. Doing a post mortem, I found that most of my work has a lot of dialogue, and very little description. But...	Try more description, but remember to keep it action packed! Start a short story without using dialogues at all. Once you have written the entire story (no matter how words it is) go back.
Unpunctuation: bug or feature? Cormac McCarthy's style is worthy of a topic all its own. I've read all his books. Hasn't written a bad one, though some owe more or less of a debt to Faulkner. Anyway, to the point: he doesn't use any "quotes", apostrophes, bold , or italics in his prose. His decision to do so certain...	There are many writers who can't sell a novel with impeccable punctuation, grammar, and word choice. McCarthy did it because his writing is strong enough to allow him to get away with it. Depends on your goal for your writing.
Risk Assessment in Technical Standards Documentation In your experience, are sections on risk and risk management typically part of technical standards documentation? For example, in a document that describes how the Network Time Protocol is implemented and deployed throughout a network, does it make sense to talk abo...	Risk management is often in a section just devoted to the topic.
What is the name of the genre of stories with multiple realities? The movie "Sucker Punch" and the "Once Upon a time" series make it hard to distinguish what state of reality is the "real" one (not that it matters). In "Fixing the Shadow" we encountered a character who was either a cop who has infiltrated a biker gang...	I think what you might be looking for here is slipstream fiction.
Why would an author not agree to license his book to a foreign language? Recently one rather famous author wrote a new book in English. Since I'm a fan of his writing and know that he's quite well recognized I thought that it would be great to translate it and publish in Russian (my native language). This has already b...	Just a little bit of conspiracy: Negotiation between the author and a publisher (translator) are in progress so the author does not want to jeopardise the desired agreement.
Ideal blog post size and frequency Especially when you consider pro-blogging, or blogging with a definite aim and niche, what is the ideal word count to stick around for your average article, and how often is it a good compromise to blog, as to keep your audience coming for more but not overwhelm them? Are there days...	How long each post should be is dependent on your audience and your content (and your willingness/time to write, of course). The ideal word count is as many words you need to make your point clear, but no word more than that. Frequency - as often as you need it. Each blog has its own audience (there's obviously a lot o...
How do I keep up with current written English language? I am a speaker of English as a foreign language. I appreciate that English is a living language and that different regions in the world use English differently. I wanted to know how I can keep up with written English, style choices, popular sayings, words often us...	You can easily search for "creative writing blogs" on Google and shop around until you find some that you like.
Interesting and easier-to-read alternatives to the scientific academic article Short version: What is an equally informative, but more interesting alternative to typical academic-article-style scientific writing? Longer version: I love writing, I do a lot of it – fiction and non-fiction. However, I strongly dislike ...	You could write a presentation in which you explain the ideas to a panel of business-folk who need to understand the principle in order to make the right decision about the area of technology to invest in.
Replacing actually with a more formal alternative I have a sentence that reads as follows, "This study shows that performance of method X and method Y are almost identical in ranking task and method X actually outperforms method Y in user recommendation task by about 30%." The comment I received from the reviewer i...	actually indicates disconfirmation of a prediction(either the author's or the imagined reader's),or perhaps the author's surprise at the general nature of the result(as if the author hadn't even considered the possibility). I would go full-bore on the emphasis and make the distinction clear.
Is it ok to begin an essay/report with a quote? I am writing an essay on project management within IT and in my introduction I will give a brief description of project management, to being my essay I was looking at using one of these: Project management is 'A unique set of co-ordinated activities, with definite st...	It is a good idea to begin an essay with some interesting quotes or sentences.
Using "the reader" or "the readers" When discussing books in a formal essay, is it more appropriate to use "the reader" or "the readers"? For example: Like a true anthropologist, Bill Bryson takes [ readers / the reader ] on a highly informational journey. <Q> In this case, you're using Generic noun phrases. <S>...	"The reader" essentially means "I", but with the added implication that any sensible reader would agree with you; this is not necessarily the case.
How to discover clichés What is the best way to find out if a certain phrase is considered a cliché? Is there an online resource, a specialized dictionary-like lookup? EDIT I found these so far: Cliché Finder Movie Clichés <Q> TvTropes is a good place to find them, if you don't mind some investment of time. <S...	ProWritingAid has a free cliche finder as well as other interesting features
Which words should not be capitalized in Title Case? I would need a list of all words that are not capitalized in English titles. I would also like to make sure if it's true, that all first and last words of a title are capitalized no matter what. I'd really appreciate your help. <Q> If you are referring to "title ca...	All Content Words in a title must be capitalized.
What to do when characters disagree with the plot? I'm writing a romance novel and have hit a brick wall. The problem is every way I think the future lovebirds could meet and become friends is totally cliché. After thinking about it, I've realized that the problem lays with the two soon-to-be lovebirds. Neither one is ...	The key selling point here is about your characters and who they are - audiences will overlook bucketloads of cliches if they care about the characters and are genuinely rooting for them to get together. Romance itself is a cliche, really (and this is coming from a Romance author), so I wouldn't worry too much about fi...

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