source stringlengths 620 29.3k | target stringlengths 12 1.24k |
|---|---|
How to write a scene where the villain meets the protagonist? The villain was, like the protagonist, a child soldier/mercenary, who served with him. The villain was captured, tortured, and snapped. He feels a burning hatred for the protagonist, believing that he left him behind. The protagonist however feels heavy guilt, blaming himself for not saving him. Now. They meet each other, when the protagonist infiltrates a building and is then faced by the villain. Now, I don't know how to write that scene, though. Like what should I avoid? What clichés should I avoid for example? <Q> Western audiences are into heroic self sacrifices in "brother v. brother" conflicts, such as the archetypal death of Ben Kanobi at the hands of Darth Vader in Star Wars, Episode 4 . <S> Some, like the "death" of Neo at the end of Matrix Revolutions or of Ripley at the end of Alien 3 include Christian symbolism. <S> The hero's journey usually entails the correcting of wrongs in some way. <S> As such, perhaps your protagonist offers his life, soul, honor, etc., to his long-lost friend. <S> The villain does what he will with it. <S> Perhaps he then gets pulverized by bits of building falling on him. <S> That's up to you. <A> Write it like it is. <S> Write what happens. <S> Write from the hearts of the characters. <S> Bring it to the end you have chosen to continue to the story. <S> If they don't come to the end you want, maybe something is wrong with your plot, or with your knowledge of the characters. <S> The more you can expose the characters through their action and dialog, spoken or internal, the more readers will understand the characters, and the more they will be emotionally bound into the result. <S> It will matter who lives and who dies -- and how they live or die. <S> I'm picturing this as the climax of the story, with creamy character development leading to this resolution. <S> How the actual death happens needs to be consistent with the characters. <S> I would be disappointed if the villain died "randomly" by stuff falling on his head. <S> I think, without knowing your characters, that I would prefer the protagonist to actively kill the villain. <S> Rocks tumbling on him seems cliche. <S> Only you know the characters. <S> Only you know what is proper in the story, and consistent with the lives they live and their emotional state. <S> Only you know the secondary characters, their loyalties, and their capabilities. <S> I would suggest not worrying about cliche. <S> Write from their reality. <S> Don't take short cuts. <S> Show us all the scars and blood, physical and emotional. <S> Your story will be compelling. <S> Your villain will die as he must, and your protagonist will survive and be altered by the experience. <A> Personally, I'd think a few clichés to avoid are: 1) <S> This relieves the protagonist of responsibility in the kill; and to me makes for a less satisfying ending. <S> 2) <S> The villain realizes all is lost and kills themself. <S> Again, relieves the protagonist of responsibility . <S> 3) <S> Any long-winded explanation from either party. <S> To me, the best confrontation plays to the characters. <S> The protagonist feels guilty and caused the antagonist. <S> The antagonist agrees and hates the protagonist. <S> The antagonist feels completely justified in killing the protagonist; but the protagonist does NOT feel completely justified; he feels he is responsible for turning his brother into a monster and it is unfair that his failing will now force him to act again against his brother, and actually take the life of his brother after destroying it. <S> The antagonist is all too willing to play on this guilt and goad the protagonist, but somehow the protagonist has to choose to do the one thing he hates most in the world, and compound his own guilt, in order to save innocent lives. <S> Many final confrontations are too pat. <S> The protagonist dispatches the antagonist with bravado and a clever catch-phrase. <S> No regrets, no angst, no indecision, no emotion but vengeance satisfied. <S> The antagonists have zero saving traits, they are psychopathic evil and care for nobody but themselves, power and money. <S> This makes them easier to kill. <S> But that is cliché. <S> Still popular, but expected; in most movies the only twist or surprise is in exactly how the beleaguered antagonist manages to trick the antagonist, or pull a rabbit out of the hat to pull off the kill. <S> If you want to avoid clichés, don't make it emotionally easy for the hero to make the kill, and don't let the villain relieve him of one ounce of responsibility by acting stupidly or rashly. <S> Force the hero to make a deliberate kill he has to think about despite having a clear choice to let the villain escape.
| The villain does something stupid so the protagonist has no choice but to kill him, in self-defense of defense of an innocent. Do what is real for your characters. A third party intervening as a Judge deciding who should live, but that's probably been done to the point of cliche.
|
Should I worry that my storyline is very similar to another? I've written a story about anthropomorphic animals in a noirish setting solving murders. I came up with the concept and wrote the first draft about a year ago and am planning on releasing it soon. However, I recently saw a trailer for the movie Zootopia and realised that the basic premise is quite similar, even down to some of the characters. From the looks of things though, my story is far darker and more violent, and the humor style and themes are very different. I'm just worried that if released in such close proximity it might end up being accused of plagiarism. <Q> There are only a few basic storylines. <S> Some say there are only seven basic plots in all fiction . <S> What differentiates different works is the telling. <S> If the telling of your work reminds people too strongly of the telling of another work it will seem derivative. <S> But if the basic story structure does not resemble one of the story archetypes written into the human psyche, it will just seem boring. <A> In some cases, it comes about from two writers being influenced by the same previous works. <S> I remember, when X-Files was popular, quite a few people independently came up with TV series ideas that were basically "X-Files for kids". <S> Other times, the connections are less obvious, but the idea just seems to be "in the air" somehow. <S> Perhaps the sight of a generation staring at screens has spawned the current interest in zombie stories. <S> In any case, there's a fine line between one writer being influence by another (which is OK) and a writer plagiarizing another (which is not). <S> Although plagiarism of ideas (versus exact words) is explicitly not covered by copyright laws, that doesn't mean people can copy ideas with impunity. <S> This kind of sleazy idea theft has been the basis of some very expensive lawsuits. <S> In your case, since you didn't copy the other work, and your work is not similar to it in tone, I don't think you have much to worry about. <S> A film noir animal murder mystery is unusual but not unique. <S> The same idea underlies the comic book Blacksad, and Who Killed Roger Rabbit? <S> It's a niche genre. <A> George Lucas wrote a Flash Gordon movie, but couldn’t get the rights to produce it. <S> So he changed all the names of the characters and changed the title to Star Wars. <S> So short answer: <S> no, it doesn’t matter. <S> Plagiarism is when you literally copy/paste pieces of someone else’s work into your own, not when your story belongs in the same section of the bookstore as someone else’s work. <A> If you make your story unique and different, it doesn't matter. <S> Maybe you know "The Hunger Games" by Susan Collins. <S> The storyline is practly the same than "Battle Royale" by Coshun Takami. <S> The idea of a group of people stucked in a place killing each other, is the same, but Susan Collins put her own style turning it into a TV show. <S> Same story line, totally different results. <S> My advice? <S> Make the story yours. <A> I worry about doing this a lot when I'm writing my story, which right now is about cats and dogs who fight and go on adventures based on that. <S> It reminds me a lot of Warrior cats series. <S> And what's more, I decided to write this fantasy story right after READING the Warrior Cats series'. <S> I have read the comments above, and also think that as long as your story is your idea, it is fine. <S> Just don't write something based off of another author's plot. <S> If you came up with your story BEFORE you found another idea that is similar(like your problem), you know yourself that you aren't plagiarizing, since you didn't know. <S> It was YOUR idea. <S> But if you are inspired and just use a couple of the same main ideas, that's perfectly fine.
| If you came up with your story AFTER you found a different idea that is similar, you want to be careful not to base your plot in the same way. The publishers can still accuse you, of course, but no matter what they think, you aren't copying. It is very common for writers to come up with similar ideas—sometimes extraordinarily similar.
|
Is it a good idea to start each chapter with a snippet from a fictional book? I am writing a fantasy story in a medieval-like time. There is a lot of information I want to share with my readers, but I feel if I incorporate it all in the main story it will make it to long and tedious to read. So the idea I'm having now is to start each chapter with a few lines to explain things and this will be in the form of pieces of a fictional book that exists in that world. Is this a good thing to do, or will readers get irritated by the snippets? I will make them relevant to the chapters they are in. <Q> This is something that has been done successfully in the past by authors like Douglas Adams and Frank Herbert, but it has to be done just right <S> or you'll run the risk of annoying readers, like you said. <S> You should go ahead and write out the rough draft the way you want it, and then send it through your beta readers and see what their reaction is. <S> If they universally hate it, then you'll have your answer. <A> Readers are unlikely to get irritated. <S> There are several variations you can use on this theme, in fact. <S> For example, Orson Scott Card's classic Ender's Game was written in a third-person limited viewpoint following Ender around, but each chapter began with a conversation between third parties talking about Ender and the situation he was in, giving the reader some context. <S> Decades later, when Card wrote Pathfinder , which is thematically similar in many ways to Ender's Game , he took the basic idea and changed it around quite a bit: <S> The intro to each chapter is a small snippet of a secondary story that's completely separate from the actual main Pathfinder story, and not until the end of the book do you realize how they're related. <S> But I think my favorite use of the "quasi-related intro text" trope has to come from Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings . <S> Every chapter has a little intro to it, and different sections of the story have different themes. <S> One is a letter from one mysterious entity to another, talking about differences in opinion between the two of them over big-picture stuff. <S> One consists of research notes by one of the main characters into the workings of magic. <S> But the ones that will really blow your mind are the death quotes. <S> Several chapters simply begin with a transcript of the last words of various people, quoted with formal, dry annotations. <S> (Stuff like "Recorded 37 seconds prior to death. <S> Subject was the third daughter of a minor noble house.") <S> They seem mildly interesting, if a bit morbid, and if you've been paying attention you can pick up on a few details based on what various people say, but at the end of the book you find out who's collecting and annotating these last words and why, and it totally changes your perspective on them and then you have to go back over it and read through them all again! <S> Off the top of my head I can't think of any examples of using this device as a form of direct exposition instead of infodumping all over the reader, but it could almost certainly be done in an interesting and enjoyable manner. <A> As long as "a few words" is less than 50, sure, go for it. <S> It's additional interstitial information which can be useful to the reader, or can at least add background and flavor. <S> More than two paragraphs about the Merovingian boll weevil will probably annoy people, so keep it brief. <S> If you need more than that, either make it a prologue or find some way for a cabbagehead character to look up the information. <A> Opening extracts or poems give a slightly old-fashioned feel to a book, so if that's the goal, it could work. <S> In Dune, the extracts are a constant reminder that this is a story of an epic struggle in future history. <S> However, if the point is to shoehorn in more information, the beginning of a chapter is not the best place to do it. <S> If the information is vital, demonstrate it in the body of the story somehow. <S> Authors often add lengthy exposition because "the reader needs to know this. <S> " But it's surprising how much the reader can infer without being told, and removing such long, dry passages can greatly improve the pace of your novel.
| This is a fairly well-known practice, and if you keep it short, so the intro doesn't detract from the actual story, it works quite well. If you end a chapter in a cliffhanger, and then begin the next chapter with a five paragraph essay on the boll weevil and its habitat, you'll probably find that people will skip it.
|
How to portray a likable terrorist? The protagonist of my new story is a young cyberterrorist, who mainly attacks corrupt governments and uses his hacking skills to harm corrupt leaders and high nobles in his country. How do I write about (and what should I avoid when writing about) a terrorist who's supposed to be likable? <Q> If you haven't watched the movie Sneakers , I recommend it for research. <S> And think of this quote (supposedly from <S> a Gerald Seymour book ): <S> "One person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. <S> " <S> There are always two sides to a story. <S> A protagonist is likeable if a complete person: give him hopes (besides the bigger goal he is working for as a cyber terrorist) <S> let him love and be loved <S> let him be loveable (cares for his elderly grandma, rescues street kittens... <S> just not too stereotypical) <S> give him a history (but prevent stereotypical background, like a sad childhood... ) <S> make him funny or let him make people laugh because he always nails it with his quick wit give him friends and enemies <S> give him flaws and weaknesses... and strengths too <S> Sometimes it will be the small things that make a person likeable. <S> The snarky comment when somebody is verbally attacked at the supermarket, babysitting the neighbor's son while hacking into the enemy's base <S> so she can have a hour of uninterrupted sleep... <S> And there are character attitudes we always see as positive, like loyalty <S> ; kindness to children, animals, and persons in need; respect for the elderly; being funny without making bad jokes about vulnerable people; being reliable... <S> Take good and bad pieces, with a few more good pieces and try to mold a round and full person that is more than just the cyberterrorist with a talent. <A> He's successfully bypassed the firewalls of the air defense missile battery and targeted the throne room of a corrupt monarchy. <S> Black Ice defenses are tracking him down and he only has a few moments before they locate his computer center. <S> It's now or never, fire or flee, and chances are that he will never get this close again. <S> He glances down at the throne room security feed which he tapped into a few hours earlier. <S> Nuns, petitioning the king for aid! <S> "No! ... <S> anything but Nuns" Dashing to the wall, he yanks the main power feed. <S> Every computer in the room falls to black, invisible in the resulting darkness, both here and in the cyber world beyond. <S> With a prayer that the monarch's black ice defenders haven't marked his location, he resigns himself to letting the monarch live a little longer. <A> My main point would be to use humour. <S> Perhaps make him look forward to his next hacking session, and get him all excited for it. <S> Maybe you could have a classic saying for before he hacks something, to create humour. <S> You need to be careful that you don't cross over the line, and just create a sadistic maniac. <S> If you don't include themes aside from just the terrorist activities, your character could appear a bit one-sided, and only really cares about money he gets from hacking. <S> Oh by the way, maybe the reader would like him more if he wasn't entirely bad. <S> I hope this helped. <A> What is a cyberterrorist? <S> The definition of a terrorist is someone who wounds and kills people who are not acceptable military targets according to the laws of war, in order to cause fear and panic among his enemies and possibly change their policies. <S> All terrorists, by occupation, are evil criminals, just as all vikings, by occupation, were evil criminals. <S> A computer hacker will not be a terrorist unless he causes hospitals to lose electricity, planes to fall from the sky, and other disasters that kill people. <S> A computer hacker who doesn't disrupt things in a manner likely to cause death is not a terrorist. <S> Just as it is a crime to be a terrorist, it is a crime to cheapen the impact of the word terrorist by using the word terrorist to describe someone who is not a terrorist. <S> And it seems to be a literary crime to depict a likeable terrorist. <S> I hate the very idea of a likeable terrorist.
| In conclusion, I'd make a likeable terrorist by giving them different themes to their character, making sure they are not entirely one-sided, and also using humour. You are describing a dark hero and the best way to make a dark hero palatable to the a non-sympathetic reader is to draw a line in the sand, across which your character will not cross.
|
Trying to avoid being cliché Has opening a story with something like "I hurtled to my death", "I had destroyed the earth", or other outlandish statements like these become cliché? And if so, what are some alternative methods to hook readers? <Q> Depending on the tone of your book, you can make that work for you by making subsequent text sarcastic, funny, meta, or the intro to a flashback. <S> I had destroyed the earth. <S> Okay, it was just a bit of dirt in a test tube. <S> And I didn't really destroy it; I just washed it down the drain. <S> Fine, I was cleaning up after my lab partner. <S> Yes, she ditched me. <S> Again. <S> I hurtled to my death. <S> This one would probably hurt a bit more than the last three; Reichenbach Falls was taller than the roof of the hospital. <S> Still, there was nothing for it but to wait until I hit, regenerated, and woke up at the beginning of the next story. <S> What pastiche writers lacked in originality they certainly made up for in persistence. <S> I had destroyed the earth. <S> At last. <S> A ragged cheer rose from the survivors behind me, growing and swelling until the air was so thick with hosannas and applause and shouts of relief that I thought I might go deaf. <S> And if you think that sounds strange, you should hear how I got here. <S> "I have destroyed the earth! <S> And now I will go on to wipe out the sun! <S> And the —" Gorbo's ranting was cut short by a quick blast from Captain Amazing's laser pistol. <S> "I hate it when they brag," she grumbled. <S> And so on. <S> If you can't rewrite the cliché, subvert it. <A> You want to start a tale with an outlandish statement? <S> Go ahead. <S> Now, if the whole story feels 'unoriginal', then you can make some changes. <S> Write first, then rewrite and rewrite until you are satisfied. <A> Readers are not hooked by outlandish openings. <S> Readers are hooked by character, story, and setting. <S> You can introduce a character, story, or setting in an outlandish way. <S> (See Steinbeck's introduction to Monterey in Cannery Row for an example.) <S> Cliche only becomes a problem when it becomes a substitute for effective storytelling, when it feels like the author has reached into a bag of stock language because they had not the skill or the patience to think through and thoroughly imagine the scene, the story, the character, or the setting.
| But it will hook or not hook depending on its effectiveness in establishing character, story, or setting, not merely by being outlandish. Just listen to your heart, write and complete it.
|
Is it foolish to pursue a writing career while desiring complete anonymity? I am writing my first novel. When I finish, I'd like to try publishing it. I've read other questions regarding the publishing process and they suggest that an aspiring author must do things like book tours, interviews, etc. While I'm not opposed to those things, I would like to remain anonymous. In case anyone is concerned, I'm not writing anything inappropriate. I just value my privacy. I read another question about how practically to implement a pseudonym but I want to know how doing so effectively might hinder my entrance into the world of fiction. I'm willing to do things like radio interviews, podcasts, blog posts, etc as long as they don't require me to show my face or disclose personal information. How severely do you guys think this would harm me? <Q> I doubt this will harm you at all. <S> Many writers are introverts, and writing under a pseudonym is common—even traditional. <S> You don't have to do any promotion that would make you feel uncomfortable. <S> You can easily promote your book with written interviews. <A> The modern reality of writing is that putting words on paper is only a small part of the job. <S> To be successful, a story-product needs a marketing strategy. <S> Great writers get turned away every day by the big publishing houses, not because of faults in their stories, but because the authors don't include a preexisting fan-base, a legion of twitter-followers and a low-budget, high-promotion marketing plan with the submission letter. <S> The big publishers don't have to build their authors' communities anymore. <S> There is such a glut of supply, that they can pick and choose from authors who have already created their own following. <S> Self publishing is even worse, since getting people to read and review your creations is like pulling teeth. <S> The only hope many starting authors have is to leverage their family and friendships as the seeds for their reviews and online marketing. <S> If you choose to stay anonymous, you are cutting yourself off from every resource you have, except for your writing skill. <S> Unless you have an absolutely incredible story subject, whose title will instantly self-market itself to thousands of initial readers, you should seriously reconsider this choice. <S> Most of use dwell in obscurity no matter how loudly we try to shout our names. <S> Keeping your name silent seems counterproductive if you want to get your words into other peoples hands. <A> Historically there have been a good number of authors, both traditionally published and self-published, who have been very successful writing under a pseudonym. <S> There isn't really any reason why you couldn't do the same. <S> I myself have published over thirty titles using three different pen names, and I have had some moderate success with two of those. <S> Ultimately, it isn't your name that will sell your books, but the quality of the writing. <A> Of course it won't harm you! <S> Look at Thomas Pynchon . <S> He has been writing for more than 50 years and all we have is 2 pictures of his, and his voice has only been heard thrice on the media (Twice on the Simpsons and once in a promo for a book of his). <S> Despite his recluse though, he is considered one of the best American writers alive today. <S> If you want to remain like this, I think you should go for it. <S> Keep in mind though that if you start to gain some fame, fans and reporters will try to find out who you are, take your picture etc. <S> This has happened with Pynchon as well. <S> And nowadays, everyone has a smartphone with a camera, so it'll be easier to take a picture of you if someone wants. <A> So whatever strategy you will apply, you should be prepared for someone identifying you and maybe even dig through not public but not secret information about your life.
| I think that you might try to write under pseudonym, but if you will be successful, someone will do research and will find your true identity anyway.
|
Struggling to define a character without giving him viewpoint status I am a novice working on a historical novel with four viewpoint characters. Three of them will be involved in subplots connected to the main plot, and each character will have a character arc and will undergo change. The fourth will be the title character and "main" protagonist and and will be given correspondingly more space. I am undecided about giving a fifth secondary character POV status, namely the grandfather of the protagonist who will appear in only one or two chapters. This character has deep convictions and his life experiences have great meaning to the overall theme and so I would like to give him his own viewpoint, but I already have four POVs! My question is: How can I give a sense of this character's lifetime of suffering and disappointment without giving him his own POV? Is there some kind of technique? Is it possible to write something like the following about him? *John was aware of what imprisonment can do to a man. He had felt the agony himself and had seen its effects on others. The experience had changed him. He was no longer the bright young lad his father had once admired; the favored son who would conquer the world. The world had conquered him. *(Not actual text)** In other words, I am concerned about the diluted effect of having too many POVs for a 300-page book but I would still like to make this particular character's story important and meaningful. Is it possible to do that effectively through have description rather than quoting the character's own thoughts and feelings? <Q> If George R.R. Martin can have something like 47 POV characters per book, including one who is only in the prologue and then gets killed by a crow dropping a statue of a lion eating a dragon on his head, you can have a POV character for only two scenes. <S> Go for it. <A> So far as I can see, the extract you quote is having John as a viewpoint character, albeit only briefly. <S> It is not currently hugely in fashion for writers to briefly dip into another character's head when apart from that the book has a format in which POV characters all have a significant fraction of the text to themselves. <S> So, yes, in a sense you are violating a rule - but whether you care is up to you. <S> You could regularize it by making a feature of having brief episodes at the beginning of chapters in which the viewpoint of people other than the main viewpoint characters is touched upon. <S> If you do this, don't always kill them within a few pages, that's a cliché. <S> But that is not the strategy I would recommend. <S> How can you give a sense of this character's lifetime of suffering and disappointment without giving him his own POV? <S> Answer: by dialogue . <S> He is the protagonist's grandfather so there is no difficulty in arranging circumstances such that the protagonist and he will converse. <S> Whether the conversation that reveals how the grandfather has suffered will be one of many as part of a loving relationship or the sudden breaking of a long and bitter silence depends on your conception of the characters of grandfather and grandson. <A> It's usually better to plant yourself and describe the character through the eyes of the viewpoint character. <S> It doesn't usually require too much of a change. <S> Carla looked at John's gaunt face, his haunted eyes. <S> This was what imprisonment did to a man. <S> It was a face that had felt agony and seen its effects on others. <S> Prison had changed John. <S> He was no longer the bright young lad <S> his father had once admired; the favored son who would conquer the world. <S> Now the world had conquered him. <S> I assume that the viewpoint character knows all this. <S> If not, comment on what is visible, and reveal the rest later, in dialogue maybe. <A> The novel Cinder by Marissa Meyer (extraordinarily well written) has the MC for the first half (or so) of the book, then jumps to her doctor's POV for just one chapter to explain some of the technical stuff that is wrong with MC (she is a cyborg). <S> He is <S> a semi-important character and only the one chapter is in his POV. <S> The author also does different POVs throughout the rest of the series. <S> The first book is mainly in one POV (with a handful of other POV chapters). <S> The second book is mainly TWO POVs (the MC from the first book and the other main girl that was introduced in the second book). <S> The third book has three main POVs, the fourth book has 4. <S> There are also other POVs besides the 4 main characters (their love interests for example). <S> Hope that was clear. <S> Short answer: <S> yes, I think it's okay to have as many POVs as you want as long as each storyline is easily distinguishable <S> and there is a purpose for each one.
| I think it's perfectly fine to have a character's POV even if it's just in one or two chapters.
|
How to convey (screaming) hysterics in dialogue It happens to most if not all of us. Something extremely emotional happens to us and we're just hysterical. Logic doesn't work. You contemplate punching a wall because that will help . . . somehow. Perhaps you just had your big idea stolen at work, your partner is trying to console you but it only hurts you more, and you are screaming, crying, and about to burn your house down. Either way, you are manic and your voice carries that tone. I have been told that all caps and multiple exclamation point is bad style so "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!" is pretty much out. So what would best convey that kind of over the edge, spinning your wheels, shrieking kind of hysteric yelling? Would I just explain it after the dialog? For example: "Honey what's wrong?" asked unassuming husband of wife who was obviously freaking the f- out. "I don't know what to do," said wife in a way matching her frantic pacing of the house tearing her hair out because of reasons previously stated. <Q> All caps can sometimes be acceptable if they're used very sparingly (think once or twice in a book), but yes, it tends to be a sign of bad writing. <S> Extremes of emotion can usually be conveyed through action. <S> He swept the pictures from the shelf, sending them smashing to the floor. <S> " <S> Who the hell do you think you are?" he shouted. <S> "Answer me!" <S> His fist punched through the drywall. <S> Very loud screaming is better described than shown through ever-increasing font sizes. <S> Her words were shrill and deafening. <S> " <S> Get out! " <S> This gives you much more control over the impressions you create in the reader's mind. <S> You can describe the tone as hysterical, angry, manic, panicked, an indignant roar, a savage scream... and a million other variations that would be impossible to express merely by using capital letters. <A> Be a perseverent observer. <S> To be exact, the stuff they do subconsciously. <S> Clenching of fists, eyebrows extending, short fast breaths. <S> Show the anger or pain flowing out of the characters. <S> I am not going to give you an example, it'd be too easy. <S> Some people stutter when they are overwhelmed. <S> Some wave hands frantically. <S> Some sweat. <S> Some use "some" words repeatedly, when their mind is unstable. <S> Build the tension with words. <S> Show the reader how mad/angry/aggravated he is by describing his actions(all in narratives). <S> Blow it up with a single line of dialogue. <S> Use simple yet strong words for the blow. <S> When people are mad its highly unlikely to bring out the best of their vocabulary. <S> Following the description after the dialogue often misses the effect you seek. <S> Make the reader "feel" that its gonna blow up. <A> What you people are proposing doesn't work. <S> For example, if my character is hysterical cos <S> his wife been cheating on him and he goes off on a tirade and then exclaims: "...with the cook! <S> THE COOK!!! <S> " <S> None of your convoluted words will convey his emotion as dynamically as the classic shouting CAPS. " <S> THE COOK! <S> " I tell ya. <A> All you have to do is type something like this. <S> They took her away "Let me go!!!" <S> She screamed so loud that it echoed through the country. <S> Or "Dialogue" <S> He/ <S> she yelled so loud my ears bleed. <A> In my opinion, italics work much better than ALL CAPS. <S> They allow for more descriptive words after the dialogue as well. <S> For example: " Get away from me! " <S> He yelled, his broad voice deafening. <S> As opposed to:"GET AWAY FROM ME!" <S> He yelled.
| Make a note of things people do during such emotional aggravation. Using CAPS just seems a bit childish in my opinion.
|
Should a villain have redeeming qualities I know it is important for main characters to have flaws to make them believable and real. But should an antagonist have redeeming or good qualities, to make him more real? <Q> Everybody has redeeming qualities and everybody has flaws. <S> Any character that doesn’t have both is unrealistic. <S> I don’t think it is a good idea to separate antagonist and protagonist when doing character work. <S> Those are plot roles. <S> Character-wise, everybody sees themselves as a protagonist. <S> Everybody thinks they are the good guy. <S> Hitler thought he was the good guy. <S> Generally speaking, the only thing that makes someone a villain is they are willing to hurt other people to get their way. <S> But they typically have all kinds of excuses for that which enable them to see themselves as a protagonist in their own life story. <S> So a villain might still be nice to his dogs or give to charity or be a great baker, even while he is having somebody killed to achieve his professional goals. <A> I think it depends on whether you want the villain to be liked or not. <S> I think it is hard for people to believe in a good character who has no flaws. <S> But it is easy to believe in a villain who appears completely bad. <S> A bit of a double standard... <S> If you want him to be disliked by the readers, then it's probably best to keep him all bad. <A> In real life, very few people are "pure evil". <S> They have history that makes them the way they are and motivations for their actions. <S> So it would definitely be more realistic to have a few redeeming qualities or at least a background explaining why they act the way they do . <S> A character who is evil with no explanation as to why isn't very realistic. <S> People aren't just born evil (unless they have some sort of mental illness) and oftentimes something happened to them to make them the way they are, whether it was just how they were raised or a traumatic experience. <S> A few possible scenarios: 1) <S> Your antagonist was once a good guy <S> but someone did something to him <S> (killed one of his family members for example) and he wants revenge . <S> 2) <S> Your antagonist was traumatized early in life . <S> A lot of people who were beaten as children also beat their kids when they get older for example (obviously not always the case). <S> Some people also want others to feel the pain they feel , which is a good motivator. <S> 3) <S> Your antagonist is insane . <S> They have something wrong in the head and are literally psycho. <S> This can make for an interesting story because the character doesn't necessarily have to have motivations for his actions. <S> They can be completely random. <S> (Although a little direction or purpose is always good, even if the insane character seems like his actions are random.) <S> So, you don't necessarily have to make the antagonist "good" or have redeeming qualities <S> but I do think a good backstory and motivation is required to make the bad guy more realistic (unless he is psycho).
| So if you are creating some sort of anti-hero or just want a likeable bad guy then give him some redeeming qualities.
|
Describing a Traumatic Silence I am finishing a short story by describing how the silence of a deceased character is more unnerving than that character's cries before he died. Is there a simile to describe a traumatic or gut-wrenching scene? <Q> Silence itself can be unnerving. <S> A ghostly slice or emptiness can be eerie. <S> Or perhaps the calm after a tornado surrounded by the visual display of destruction. <A> You could mention that it's like a beating heart being ripped from someone's chest. <S> One second beating, the next silent and still. <S> When a dying person cries, there's still hope for survival but in the silence that follows death, it's a hopeless black void. <S> The silence symbolizes the shift from life to death. <S> You could describe it as "jarring". <S> Like the shock of a bucket of ice water being poured over your head. <S> I think "unnerving" fits pretty well too. <A> I'd call this " The silence of the lambs ". <S> While recent, this simile has wormed it's way into many heads. <S> Reference: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102926/ <A> Consider putting in blank lines and/or many spaces between words to represent the silence. <S> That makes the reader read “silence” and experience it along with the character. <S> It is a fairly common poetry technique but is also used in prose. <S> Example: <S> he breathed and breathed and thennothing
| There's something conclusive about dead silence.
|
Different ways to say "I looked"? I find myself overusing phrases like "his eyes flickered to (object/person)" and "he shifted his gaze to (object/person)". I use the words 'eyes' and 'gaze' a lot to describe what the character is staring at (ie. his eyes locked onto (object), or his eyes wouldn't move from (object), etc). I also overuse words like "stare" and "glance" as well. Any ideas how else to describe 'looking at something'? Or shifting one's gaze to something else? <Q> Consider the possibilty that your problem isn't a shortage of verbs, but an overuse of the concept of characters looking at things. <S> Maybe you are too intent on having your PoV character guide the reader's focus with his actual eyes. <S> Describing the action of looking, doesn't always give the reader something useful. <S> Perhaps you also need to find new ways to direct our attention, or just jump with confidence between your subjects. <S> Some basic examples: Instead of these... <S> He sat in silence at the campfire. <S> His gaze sank through the flames to Anna on the opposite side. <S> He stepped into the bar and took a glance around. <S> The locals did not look impressed with his fashion choices. <S> She passed him the letter. <S> He looked at it and recognised his father's handwriting. <S> Try these... <S> He sat in silence at the campfire. <S> The firelight played on Anna's face. <S> He stepped into the bar and killed the atmosphere stone dead. <S> Something about his fashion choices seemed to cause the locals some discomfort. <S> She passed him the letter. <S> The handwriting was as familiar as his own. <S> Okay it doesn't exactly answer your question, but it does addess your concern, 'I find myself overusing...' <A> You can observe something. <S> Something can capture or draw your attention. <S> Instead of describing looking at something, you could show the reaction to the event... <A> You can consider some of the following: <S> Noticed <S> Observed <S> Caught my eye <S> Eyed <S> Piqued my interest Hope that helps. <A> There is nothing wrong in using plain "looking" as the action, just follow it up with why and and with what emotions . <S> Ex: 1. <S> He ran into Emma last week, in the elevator, she looked beautiful.2. <S> He ran into Emma last week, he looked at her, she was beautiful. <S> (in the 2nd case, is it not obvious, that he looked at her. <S> Do we really need to emphasis on that he looked. <S> How else would he know she was beautiful?) <S> Yet if you still desire to have other options read on. <S> Your characters don't always have to "look". <S> The process of their eyes falling on someone/something, can be many things other than "looking". <S> Consider these examples <S> -he can ogle at someone/ an object-have a blank look towards the object(seeing not noticing)-eyeball an object-he can fall in a trance at seeing a girl- <S> his eyes can get hypnotized <S> (not literally)-something/ someone can enter his field of view while looking at something else.-He can "chance" on something accidentally. <S> All the best writing :)
| You can notice something, or become aware of something. Unless you explicitly want to focus on the way a character is looking, its best not to bring up looking at all.
|
A character who teaches how to build wealth I am looking for a character name to design a personality of a guy who teaches how to build wealth. In the real world, they are financial advisors. <Q> I'd advise against giving your character a name that is blatantly related to his character, unless you are writing a comedy. <S> Calling the rich man "Rich Dollarman" and the policeman "Jack Law" and so forth quickly sounds very lame. <A> When you're naming characters, one of the important things you'll need to remember is keeping the names consistent within your world. <S> Venkata or something similar might work better in that case. <S> Also, just because a character's parents may have given them one name <S> , doesn't mean that they actually go by that name. <S> Just like in real life, you can have a character go by a nickname. <S> or you'll have people confusing them. <S> If you have a Bob and a Rob, people will have a hard time remembering which is which. <S> Other than that, like Jay says in his answer, just pick something normal. <A> Some names that came to mind: Paige ("Pay") <S> Money (as a last name - Michelle Money is a real person so it's notan unrealistic surname) <S> Rick (his nickname could be "Rich") <S> Dollarman (as a last name - one of the other answers had this) <S> Possible combos: <S> Rick ("Rich") Money, Paige Money, Rick ("Rich") <S> Dollarman, Michael Johnson (completely random <S> but you could give him a money-related nickname). <S> Some people said not to name your characters directly but what if your character's name is the reason why they decided to get into 'wealth building' in the first place? <S> If a guy had the last name 'Money' it could motivate him to choose a career in a field related to finance. <S> If your character is a financial advisor, have someone give him a nickname related to his career . <S> You can call him "Wealth" or "Dollarman" or "Mr. Money" without it being his actual name.
| Or, just have their nickname be something related to money. And one more thing - don't make two character names too similar Just call him "Fred Miller" or "Bob Dalton" or some such ordinary sounding name. If all of your characters are from India, then having someone named Bob will be kind of strange unless he's spent a lot of time outside of India. Venkata might go by Vinnie when he's around friends.
|
Using country names in my book I wanna start to write my first book. My problem is if I could use real country names in my book. For example, can I say that the action takes place in USA, California, Los Angeles or in China or in Iraq? What if my book is a fiction and I transform the story into a conspiracy theory like saying that UK is trying to destory the world making a secret pact with Russia to land some nuclear bombs on the center of Europe.And what about using real-world problems in my book? For example; the refugees crysis, the earthquake in Japan or any other things like these? <Q> Publishers will include those disclaimers of liability in the frontpapers. <S> As long as your book is marketed as fiction, you don't have to worry about legal ramifications for including the names of real-world countries. <S> Now, for including humanitarian incidents or disasters, you'll want to examine how you're including them and why. <S> One-off references can contribute to setting, by rooting your novel in a particular time and place. <S> But if (for instance) <S> the refugee crisis in a certain country makes up a significant portion of your book's plot or setting, you'll want to do the research that will let you examine it in a thoughtful and empathetic manner. <S> Otherwise you run the risk of appropriating a serious event instead of reflecting on it. <A> Country names are not copyrighted features of someone else’s work. <S> You can set your work wherever you want to. <S> A caveat is that if you set all or part of your work in China and you don’t know anything about China, it will be unrealistic and the reader may lose their suspension of disbelief. <S> The adage to “write what you know” definitely applies here. <S> You can make up worldwide events wholesale. <S> Consider that the entire world blows up in many books and movies. <S> Aliens land. <S> Plagues wipe out all but a handful of survivors. <S> Go for it. <S> You can certainly be informed by actual events. <S> But again, if you don’t “write what you know” then you risk being unrealistic and taking the reader out of the story. <S> It might be better to create a fictional event that is informed by real life rather than describe actual events in an uninformed way. <S> But there is nothing stopping you from writing what you want to write. <S> You don’t have to ask anyone’s permission. <A> I think it is important to include a disclaimer in the opening of your book because in every book I have read, it states that it is a work of fiction and that businesses, locations, and organizations, while real, are used in a way that is purely fictional.
| If you are writing a work of fiction, you can write what you want.
|
Using profanities in novels I've recently read two quite "hard core" novels, both by famous authors. One was erotic fiction and one was a thriller which was very violent and gory. At the end I realized something: the F*** word was never used once in either book. Then, I realized that I don't actually see it a lot in novels, or perhaps the novels I read. Both the above books had a lot of sh**, damn, freaking, screw, bi**** etc, but not F*** or F***ing and variations. Is there some unwritten rule about this? Is it seen as very vulgar in novels? Or just unnecessary? Can it put readers off? Any thoughts would be appreciated. <Q> Be true to your characters. <S> If the characters swear, do so. <S> If they don't, don't. <S> Don't confuse your preferences or personality for your characters. <S> if you swear a lot, or not at all, that shouldn't reflect on how your characters speak. <S> One of the most common mistakes in even accomplished writers is judging their characters. <S> Write your characters with sincerity, and let your readers judge them. <S> If you are a good writer, they'll land on the conclusion you want them to make. <S> Important to note, though, that you'll generally only swear in character. <S> Exposition is objective, not subjective. <S> One other thing: crudity or profanity has little to do with verbiage, it is mostly context. <S> You said it yourself: a hard core novel that didn't use F once. <S> Consider:"She is so fucking smart not even her professors can keep up with her. <S> "vs"I'd pound her brains out if she weren't as ugly as a leprous orangutan. <S> " <S> One is a compliment, the other misogynistic. <S> The swear is nothing more than color. <A> At a guess I'd say it's probably a bridge too far for most publishers, but the other thing to remember is that it's pretty much top-of-the-tree as a far as profanity goes, so <S> once you've used it, where do you go? <S> If you want to represent levels/layers of emotion and associated profanities then you'd start small and build up, leaving the big stuff for when it's really needed. <S> Of course I'm speculating, but it's as a good a reason as any. <A> Can it put readers off? <S> Yes, by all means. <S> Are there rules? <S> Yes, don't turn off your intended audience, for obvious reasons. <S> I know that regional differences and religious views hugely impact what could be considered norms, but you should at very least gauge your language off the rest of the content. <S> On one extreme, if your book could otherwise be admitted into a local church library, why introduce potentially offensive language, and limit your audience? <S> On the other hand, if the content will be such as to attract an increasingly large audience among whom vulgar speech is second-nature, language used will have far less impact on acceptance than content. <S> I personally would rather encounter some mild language prior to questionable scenes so I would better realize the direction of the book (especially when reading alongside, or out loud to, others, e.g. younger siblings, friends, etc.). <S> That said, I would err on the mild side just to be safe. <A> There's no rule for not using the F word. <S> It just might be that the author(s) are avoiding it. <S> I recently read a book by Andreas Embirikos (whose style resembles that of Sade's) and he used the F word quite often. <S> Can it put readers off? <S> Depends on the book IMO. <S> If I was reading a book like the aforementioned one, I wouldn't be offended. <S> If I was reading a romantic novel, I might be. <S> But generally I wouldn't say that people are offended by these words. <S> They use them and hear them on a daily basis. <A> The limitation is on the publisher or agent but not for legal reasons, for marketing ones. <S> I always use an agent. <S> They will tell you what to do about this issue in particular (among others). <S> I've seen some ghetto drama where F bombs didn't break the top 5 on insults, for instance. <S> I personally write the story I see. <S> Finishing a book is an awesome experience. <S> Once you've gotten that far, it's time to consider the tone of your story, and whom you are trying to appeal to. <S> I find it a true head-scratcher that erotica mostly stays away from profanity (at least by the George Carlin standard). <S> Despite that, it does so well commercially. <S> The few times I've seen bestsellers like Grisham and Clancy cuss in print, it actually stands out in my mind. <S> However, consider comedians often swear successfully, both on stage and on paper, but you should be sure you're funny (with beta readers). <S> If you are self-publishing, you may give yourself a bad name if it comes across as crude. <S> My current work, not that I should just talk about myself, has A LOT of profanity. <S> The catch is it is 15th century historical fiction when many of our favorites were coming into use. <S> It remains to be seen whether they will survive the editing process.
| Third person exposition will almost never use any form of profanity. Be true to the moment, if the scene requires swearing, then swear. You really just need to make the language usage fit in with the book.
|
Describing a Character Traveling: Too much narrative? I am new to writing and I am trying to a write a novel. In the first chapter, my main character travels from her hometown to a different town far away. I want to use this time to give the reader a view of the kind of place she lives in and also hint at some things that will be touched on later. It's about three short paragraphs. But then she arrives at her destination. At first, I cut out her arrival and the description of the new town because I was afraid it was too much narrative, but when I went back and read it, it felt like she hadn't gone anywhere and was in the same place, so I felt like I still needed that description as well (around two sentences). Then she checks into her hotel (more description) and runs into someone there, which is where the action picks up. She is by herself, so there isn't much opportunity for dialogue during the transition from her hometown to the new town. I know all of this just sounds riveting. But if anyone could give me some advice on how to transition from one location to another without just listing the actions (the train arrives, then she checks into her hotel, then she goes to the bar, etc.), but also giving the impression of a new place, that would be great. Thanks! <Q> If there is no story there, just say: She traveled by train from London to Paris. <S> Then get on with the story. <S> You don’t have to “use this time” because that train ride takes time. <S> If there is story, you might tell it as flashback story the character recalls as she looks out the window of the train at familiar locations. <S> This is really a rewriting/editing question, though, not a writing question. <S> Then these questions are easier to answer in the context of the completed draft manuscript, either by you as you rewrite or by an editor as they edit. <S> Extraneous and/or missing parts become more obvious. <S> Programmers have a saying: “premature optimization is the root of all evil.” <S> For writers, it is premature rewrites, because rewrites are writing optimizations. <S> So it is usually better to write without questioning what you write too much. <S> The second draft is all questioning. <A> But if you want to describe it, you should. <S> A beautiful description is a beautiful description. <S> A couple short paragraphs well formed will be nice to the reader, even if that doesn't add much to the story. <S> Haruki Murakami uses a lot of descriptions that aren't that essential to the story line, but they are so beautifully described that you don't care <S> and it isn't a burden to read. <S> Just keep in mind that it will have to be interesting. <S> A description like A tree on a hill and then another tree and some houses etc will indeed seem boring and a burden to read. <A> For an example of just this being done brilliantly, read Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman . <S> A journey is a rite of passage, a gate between worlds. <S> Handled correctly is it a fantastic way to open a novel. <S> Note that Harper Lee makes it very clear that the journey with which the books opens is a significant journey for Scout. <S> Make sure that the journey is similarly significant for your character. <S> If the journey is merely a means of getting from one scene to another, it will be tedious. <A> A train presents a pretty good solution, practically and thematically. <S> You could have her stand at the back of the train and watch her old town recede into the distance while she has a few thoughts/regrets/memories about the town and about her old life there. <S> Then she can walk through the train noticing the passengers and how they are different and then stand at the front of the train and be excited/scared/pensive (or whatever) about the new place she's going to, ending as it pulls into the station. <S> Then cut to the next scene. <S> Hope that helps. <A> A lot of the time, the answer is to cut this sort of thing out. <S> That's because a lot of the time, things like this really only serve to fill space (or are there because the writer was afraid - for whatever reason - to leave the character unattended) and don't add anything to the story. <S> Judging from what you describe in your question, I don't think that's the case here. <S> Why? <S> Because you have already hinted at two functions this description can serve in the story: firstly, to set up details that will be relevant later on; secondly, to give a sense of what the character is feeling as she moves to her new town. <S> Now, I get the impression that you feel the first of these two functions <S> is fairly well fulfilled by what you've written, so, assuming I'm right <S> (and if I am, that you are), I think the problem is probably with the second function the passage could (and arguably should) be serving. <S> I recommend going back through this description - editing or re-writing as required - paying particular attention to the emotion that your character is feeling, her state of mind, and the sort of things she would notice and attach significance to while making the transition from her old home to her new one. <S> I think if you can pin that down, the section won't feel extraneous. <S> Instead, it'll be an integral part of how the story conveys the character's internal journey.
| I agree with the other posts that if there is no story, there isn't much point in described the travel. You should consider just writing and writing the story that you have without stopping to edit until your first draft is done.
|
Do most e-book writers just self publish on Kindle to start with? On a lot of writers forums and in articles, it seems like Kindle is the main platform most self-publishing writers use just because that one is the one that is referenced all the time. I was wondering if many writers ONLY publish on Kindle? Or do they publish first on Kindle and then see if their book does well before publishing on other platforms? I want my book to be available to as many people as possible, but in the experience of other self-published writers, is it best to just start with one platform and see how it goes rather than going to the trouble to publish elsewhere? Thanks for any input! <Q> Τhis is a highly opinion seeking question and isn't suitable for an SE site. <S> I'll try to respond with supporting facts. <S> I am talking only about publishing e-books. <S> Facts : <S> Kindle is by far the easiest "commercial" platform to publish your book, with the least barriers to get your work out there. <S> Kindle has reading devices and also apps for smartphones. <S> This gives it the largest digital content consuming user base. <S> No fee for publishing or showcasing your content. <S> Easy payment gateway for both buyers and publishers. <S> You can publish under multiple pseudo pen names (one for each genre). <S> My opinion : Making it so easy to publish <S> , it gets a lot of mediocre and bad content. <S> A good piece of writing tends to get lost. <S> Unless you can market your book, it might never catch the right audience. <S> Fiction novels are most difficult to gain user base. <S> People may or may not like your style, leading to bad reviews, if any. <S> Great place to put up non -fiction and self <S> help books, provided you are an expert in that field. <S> Buyers know what to expect from your title. <S> To get your name out there, it is a great platform. <S> Add a bit of marketing and you can see some decent sales, <S> provided that your book is good. <S> Kindle's KDP select program provides some aid in marketing your book. <S> But for it you must make your book exclusive to Amazon Kindle, i.e <S> you can't publish it elsewhere. <S> If you have put real effort and feel your book is good, you might try pitching it to publication houses/literary agents. <S> If you can invest in marketing, Kindle is a really good platform. <A> If you can produce a quality ePub file, and you don't have any particular interest in Kindle Select (which requires exclusivity), I see little reason to limit yourself to Kindle. <S> Why limit yourself to only Kindle readers? <S> There's a big world of readers out there. <S> Get your book in front of as many of them as you can. <S> Of course, using multiple retailers does create more work for you. <S> You will need an account for each. <S> The biggest nuisance is setting up your payment and tax details--each retailer has their own peculiar ways of doing that. <S> But you have to do this work only once per retailer. <S> A nuisance, but a one-time nuisance. <S> And using multiple retailers multiplies the amount of work per book. <S> Now have to describe the book and upload the cover and ePub files once per retailer. <S> It also multiplies the amount of effort to make changes (e.g. new cover, update to fix typos, update front- and back-matter, and so on). <S> Aggregators like Smashwords and Draft2Digital can greatly reduce the amount of work you have to do. <S> You upload your files to them, and they distribute to the retailers (including Kindle, iBooks, and many, many others). <S> The tradeoff: They take a cut of each sale. <S> I currently go direct to KDP, and use Smashwords and Draft2Digital to distribute my books to other retailers. <S> Some day soon I may go back to working directly with the major retailers (iBooks, Nook, Kobo, a few others). <S> But for now I'm (reasonably) happy to have Smashwords and Draft2Digital <S> do the nuisance distribution work for me. <A> Kindle is the most popular platform for ebooks. <S> If you publish on Kindle Select (exclusive) you are not trapped there. <S> If you want, you can add other platforms when the 3-month term has expired. <S> (You will then lose the bonuses from Amazon, of course.) <S> You will probably find it's easier to start with one platform, get a feel for it, then expand to others afterwards. <S> Each platform has its own way of working. <S> Kindle is a good one to start with. <S> It used to be that self-publishing was a black mark against an author, and it made it difficult to sell a book elsewhere. <S> These days, it seems to have swung the other way. <S> Why should a publisher take a chance on an unknown author when they can buy a successful self-published book and take it to greater heights? <A> The obvious advantages to publishing on Kindle for a self-publishing author is that there's no up-front investment. <S> You don't have to pay a vanity press to print thousands of copies of your book before you know if anyone besides your mother will buy a copy. <S> But their are print-on-demand publishers who offer the same or similar deals for print books. <S> I believe the most notable examples are CreateSpace and Lulu, maybe Lightning Source. <S> I did my last two books as both paper POD and Kindle. <S> I think producing a paper book is easier than producing a quality Kindle. <S> (To make a good Kindle book you really should hand-work <S> a lot of the HTML tagging, though you can get a quick-and-dirty Kindle out pretty easily.) <S> It's no harder to distribute: you can get a paper book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble very easily. <S> If you do one, the extra effort to do the other is pretty small compared to the effort you presumably put into writing the book.
| It's not so much a question of whether you should publish on Kindle as whether you should publish exclusively on Kindle (which gives you some bonuses, like a larger royalty, and distribution on Kindle Unlimited) or whether you should publish on a number of platforms.
|
Efficiency or correctness in communication? The language industry has a long tradition in the pursuit of correctness, based on manually drafted rules. However, the end goal has always been communicative efficiency, which is something that can now be addressed directly using empirical methods. Since there are systematic conflicts between rules and efficiency (or between normative and empirical rules), what kind of evidence would it take to convince writers to prefer efficiency to correctness? <Q> John Carroll did extensive research on an aspect of this in the 80s. <S> His finding are recorded in a book called "The Nurnberg Funnel" and lead to the development of a practice called "minimalism" in technical communication. <S> What Carroll observed was that people do not read manuals linearly. <S> They prefer to engage with the product, work till they get stuck, and then use documentation to try to get unstuck. <S> Carroll posited the existence of "the paradox of sensemaking" that says that what the reader already knows gets in the way of what they are reading and that it takes real world experience, and failure, to break down preconceptions and to actually makes sense of what the text is telling you. <S> This is only one aspect of the broader question you are asking about -- and perhaps a higher level case, but I think the principles and the evidence to support them might be helpful. <A> Hmm, but the whole point of "correctness" is that if everyone follows the rules, then we have a common ground for understanding. <S> For example, there's a rule that a pronoun should agree in gender and number with its antecedent. <S> So if I see the sentence, "Bob gave his girlfriend her book", I know immediately that the book belongs to the girlfriend and not Bob, because the girlfriend must be female, while "Bob" is almost surely male, and so "her" must refer to the girlfriend. <S> If we threw out this rule for whatever reason and said that "her" could refer to a man or to a woman, then the sentence becomes ambiguous. <S> Occasionally people say, Why do we make such a big deal about spelling? <S> If you write the word "difference" and I write it "difrans", we both know what it means, so what difference does it make? <S> My version is shorter and more efficient. <S> But in real life, the problem is that if you write "difrans", I can't be sure if you mean "difference" or "deference" or "diaphragm" or maybe dozens of other words. <S> I may be able to figure it out from context, but at the very least that's extra effort. <S> And if you use your own spelling for every word, where do I begin? <S> Thus, correctness should increase efficiency, not be its enemy. <S> Of course any given rule could be a bad one. <S> Like the silly rules, "Never use a preposition to end a sentence with", or "Be sure to not split an infinitive". <S> But the issue there isn't that rules are bad, but that these particular rules are bad, because we end up writing sentences that are awkward and hard to understand ("That is a rule up with which I shall not put") just to conform to an arbitrary rule. <S> So to convince ME to "prefer efficiency to correctness" ... <S> first you'd have to prove to me that those are in conflict. <S> A language with no rules at all ... <S> I'm not sure how that would even qualify as a language. <S> It would surely be impossible for people to communicate with it. <A> what kind of evidence would it take to convince writers to prefer efficiency to correctness? <S> Writers already prefer efficiency to correctness. <S> That is why we use computers instead of typewriters and before that, typewriters instead of shorthand, and before that, shorthand instead of longhand. <S> And all along we used fewer and shorter words. <S> Efficiency over correctness is also how English works. <S> There are no rules in English. <S> Nobody has ever managed the syntax. <S> You can’t write English for correctness. <S> It evolves constantly for more efficiency. <S> There are no masculine/feminine words. <S> “Thou” was dropped. <S> “Motor hotel” became “motel.” <S> Words are implied all the time, like referring to a mobile phone as a “mobile” or a computing device as a “device.” <S> If you look at an English book from 1800, it is barely the same language as today, and it gets more efficient the newer you go. <S> The only check on this is comprehension, not correctness. <S> In American English there are misunderstandings based on using too few words that you wouldn’t necessarily see in British English. <S> In California, where I live, people act out emotions rather than describe them when telling a story. <S> (I was like, “wow!” <S> and he was like “no way!”) <S> So if you are trying to get that process to go faster, the first step might be to recognize it is already going really, really fast. <S> And certainly, the writers are not holding it back.
| Correctness should reduce the effort required to decypher the meaning of a text. There is no single correct way of doing anything.
|
Where to find a place to publish a specific kind of work? I've written some stories about my adventures in the wars. I don't think they're Hemingway caliber, but I don't think they're bad. They're non-fiction and I am careful not to embellish for the sake of entertainment, so maybe mostly people with a similar background would find them appealing? Anyway, since they're not short fiction stories, which is what most sites / magazines seem to publish, I don't really know where to look. Could you point me in the right direction? <Q> You could always consider self-publishing your work. <S> Whether your stories are a collection of individual tales pertaining to different incidents or a continuous timeline of events, I'm sure you would be able to find an audience. <S> If you aren't familiar with what is required to self-publish, I would recommend visiting a forum where writers discuss the steps they have taken. <S> One that I frequent quite often is the Writer's Café , which is part of the Kindle Boards community. <S> You can find several authors there who can help answer questions and provide guidance on what you need to get you going. <S> Amazon basically provides the sales platform for you, so all you have to do is promote the book. <S> You can also make your book available in print by using CreateSpace , which is Amazon's print distribution model for self-publishers. <S> If you're interested in going through a traditional publishing house, then I would suggest considering a monthly subscription to the Writer's Market , which will provide you with a list of publishers and agents along with their submission guidelines. <S> This would be a quick and simple means of identifying potential publishers that you could consider submitting your work to, but it would involve more time and effort on your part. <A> First, figure out the bare-bones general description of what you've written. <S> From what you've said, I assume it would classify them Non-fiction military short stories. <S> I hit Google with 'non fiction military short story', and got the following links on the first page: <S> Goodreads 'most popular military non-fiction' and Goodreads 'best modern day military accounts', 'How To Write A Story That MEA Will Publish' at militaryexperience.org, and 'Nonfiction Short Stories - 3 <S> :AM Magazine' at3ammagazine.com (along with a few other less helpful links). <S> Try some similar searches, such as substituting 'army' (or whatever branch you served in) instead of 'military', adding 'magazine' <S> if that's the kind of publisher you want, etc. <S> If you are looking for potential publishers for a book (a collection of short stories), try looking for books that are the same kind of non-embellished military non-fiction short story collections, on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc., and see if there are any books in that niche. <S> If so, see who published them: you now have the name of a publisher that prints that kind of book. <S> And thank you for your service! <A> You should consider putting them on Medium . <S> It is basically a magazine that anyone can contribute to. <S> You tag your stories with keywords, and Medium readers follow keywords in the same way you can follow users on Twitter. <S> For example, there may be readers following every article tagged “war.” <S> So tagging your work should be done with great care, because you are basically choosing what section of the magazine your work belongs in, and which readers — interested or disinterested — see your work. <S> Investigate exactly which tags apply to your work. <S> Other magazine editors also look at Medium for articles to syndicate to their sites. <S> So it can be a way to get started publishing in other contexts.
| Probably the easiest place to submit your work would be Kindle Direct Publishing , where you can make your work available in e-book format.
|
How do I show a long amount of time has passed? How do I write the passing of a few years in a story? I have two separate character timelines and I want to show the characters aging throughout the story. Should I divide it up into parts? You can read what I have of my story here to see what different segments I'm working with and get a better idea of what I'm asking. <Q> One way to show passage of time is by referring to time-based events. <S> Over the course of a year you can use seasons for this; if we see your characters walking through the snow, and next see them walking through the fall leaves, we know that at least half a year has passed. <S> For multi-year spans, look for milestone events: a graduating student who we last saw entering college, somebody celebrating his five-year anniversary at the job, the birth and progress of children (could be relatives/friends and not your characters), the first fruit from the tree they planted as a sapling in the earlier part, whatever works in your story. <S> Another way, if you're using the close-character POV, is to use your characters' thoughts: <S> "Had it really been three years already since (prominent event from the earlier part)? <S> " and the like. <A> The key word in your little conundrum is "context". <S> Remember the basic elements of plot; setup, conflict, resolution. <S> The setup is just that; you set everything up. <S> Now understand that each new "timeline" is essentially a different context with a new setup. <S> What Monica above suggested with the seasons is essentially a way of signaling the reader that things are "different" in a way that can't be explained other then the passing of time. <S> You don't get autumn leaves in the springtime, nor snowfall in the summer. <S> You don't watch the wrinkles on your receding hairline at age 15 nor do you pop pimples when your 6. <S> Your task is this; think about what features each timeline has that is both distinct and readily apparent to the narrating character. <S> Then you must describe them in a way that is concise and relevant to the story. <S> Use these descriptions to separate them in your story. <S> Consider breaking it into parts, like chapters or sections, with said descriptions beginning each part. <S> Separating them is important, and you need to figure out how you want to do that. <S> Breaking it apart is just one possible solution. <A> You could go with the old direct method: " <S> Years later, Kate drove the same road..."
| Also consider just naming the time and date between each timeline.
|
Can an essay have a preface? I'm writing a multi-faceted essay that will fill multiple pages (I suppose that it could be considered a collage of essays that build on each other to support one larger theme). This is something I've undertaken for pleasure, with the intent of eventual circulation if peer review is positive. I placed acknowledgements, dedications, and a preface in front as I feel they complement the theme and help introduce the relatively lengthy piece. Generally, would academic standards permit such in an essay, or do I need to call this something else? As far as I can tell, the structure of an essay is fairly vague, but is typically small enough not to warrant such paraphernalia; would it seem out of place on an essay? Edit: I should have mentioned that I did some Google Searches about forewords/prefaces on essays, but what I kept seeing was, '...a foreword is an essay...' or the like. Note: I originally asked about putting a foreword on this essay, but should have realized that it was really a preface . <Q> If you're not submitting this as part of any assignment or for publication in a standardized format, where there are rules about content and structure, I say go for it. <S> Foreword, dedication, acknowledgments, preface, interstitial matter, footnotes, afterword, index, glossary, colophon, reader survey — whatever you want to add. <A> It sounds like you may be getting bogged down with semantics. <S> After all, what is a foreword besides an introduction, really? <S> There is a a sizeable portion of the academic community that is exploring academic-as-creative writing. <S> For example, using poetry as part of an essay or find a different way of presenting an idea than the standard MLA-cited article. <S> In other words: go for it. <A> Call it a (short?) book because many of the elements you've listed are commonplace in books. <S> You also hint that this project is growing, so it might in the end, fill the space between boards, but either way, many masterpieces have also been notable for their brevity. <S> Good luck. <A> An essay is an essay is an essay. <S> What I mean by that is, so long as you do not have specified requirements given to you by a professor or a publisher, your essay can reflect anything and everything you want to have included. <S> If you do choose to put it into circulation- <S> which I will almost always encourage people to try- <S> depending on how you release it, you may have to bend to make certain specifications. <S> However, while some publishers do have these requirements, you can most always find many who only want the work to be the best that it can be. <S> And if your foreword improves the quality of the piece, then you're golden. <S> If you still worry, consider finding a publisher and asking about their requirements for such a piece.
| If you are submitting it for publication or review, then you have to follow whatever the rules are about such submissions.
|
How to know whether to write in 3rd person or 1st person? How do I know, when I'm writing, which perspective I should write in? I almost always write with a 1st person narrative because it makes it easy to get great immersion in with the characters. Is it always okay to write in 1st person? In a piece of fiction writing, how do you know which perspective to use? <Q> Arthur Conan Doyle wrote all but two or three of the Sherlock Holmes stories in first person, from Watson's perspective, and you see the longevity and popularity of those works. <S> There are benefits and drawbacks of any perspective, but no blanket rules. <S> No one will think it's a problem if all the stories you choose to write are in first person. <S> You may get people suggesting that a story might be told more effectively in third, but that's a function of your story, not some arbitrary writing requirement. <A> I would say work around your strengths. <S> 1st person narrative, compared to 3rd person, requires a lot of dialogue. <S> You can explain a lot of expressions in 3rd person narrative that would otherwise require you to convey by dialogue. <S> And conveying silent emotional situations in first person is not easy. <S> Imagine yourself writing different emotions; see what you are comfortable with. <S> Seeing the nature of your question, I assume you have just started to explore writing; I would suggest 3rd person. <S> Once you get in touch with your inner genius and voice, you won't need to think what voice to use. <S> 1st person or 3rd person is not the only choice you have to make. <S> You refer to the word "perspective", it's more of whose (which character's) point of view you want to use. <S> You can choose to tell the story from the perspective of either of the two lead characters, or both. <S> You can always mix 1st and 3rd person, and character point of views in the same piece of fiction. <S> Just make sure it feels natural and doesn't confuse the reader. <S> Good writing requires a lot of effort to write and none to read. <A> I would suggest that you take a subset of your story and try both and let the story tell you which perspective is best suited for it. <S> All stories can be told in both perspectives but not all stories should be told in one or the other just because. <S> I myself mull over the idea for a bit before I progress and if I am confused <S> I certainly do the afore mentioned exercise. <S> It not only helps with selecting the ideal perspective but also helps with the detail I can put into a scene later on. <A> I would agree with the answers above. <S> It all depends on what you feel more comfortable with as a writer. <S> If you think your story would be better suited in third person than go for it! <S> As stated above It's a good idea to test your story in both narrative's to decide which flows easier. <S> Just make sure in whatever narrative you use that you state everything clearly and in detail, in first person I've found some description to be a bit harder than in third person. <S> Once again! <S> Do what your comfortable with always :) <S> Hope this helps.
| Use whatever you think will work best for your story.
|
What to do if your story seems too similar to another? My story involves a government run program for the paranormal and the main protagonist is a demon. My problem is that I don't want people to think "Hey , you stole that from Hellboy". <Q> This may seem somewhat cliché, but here's what I think <S> : You don't have to worry too much about what makes your story unique because what makes it unique is the fact that you are telling it. <S> No one else is going to tell the story the exact same way you are. <S> On the other hand, if you are telling the story and just keep thinking, "This is Hellboy ," then maybe you don't have the urge to tell a story. <S> Maybe you just want to watch/read/think about Hellboy. <A> I think as long as there's enough differences in your story compared to Hellboy, you'll be fine. <S> A lot of stories seem similar when boiled down to a simple concept, it's the finer points of character, plot, etc. <S> that makes the difference. <S> For example, Michael Crichton wrote two stories which were essentially about high-tech, somewhat unethical theme parks going wrong and killing their guests. <S> However, Jurassic Park and Westworld are different enough that it doesn't matter so much (and this is quite an extreme example). <A> " <S> Oh, that's a love story, just like Romeo and Juliett." <S> "A story about spies, just like James Bond. <S> " Etc. <S> Fortunately for those of us who like to read fiction, there is a lot of variation possible within these broad categories. <S> If your story matches somebody else's story in a hundred ways, if it sounds like you took somebody else's story and just changed the names of the characters and a few other details here <S> and there, then sure, people will rightly say your story is a rip-off. <S> But having a couple of points in common with someone else's story in the broadest sense ... I wouldn't worry about it. <S> Think of how many books and movies and TV shows have been written about a brilliant detective who solves a baffling murder mystery. <S> Or about two people who fall in love, then something happens to separate them, then they get back together and live happily ever after. <S> Etc.
| Unless you're incredibly brilliant and creative, any story you write will be similar to other stories in some ways.
|
Would a government care if my novel mentioned their controversial / questionable practices? I am writing a story about fictional events in several nations all over the world. Much of the plot is influenced by ongoing practices of many nations. (e.g. - torture, extra-judicial killings, big nations bullying smaller ones into economically lopsided treaties, destruction of natural resources, genocide, etc...) This includes some actions done by my own nation (U.S.A.) as well as several other nations. I don't want to omit these actions and policies, because that would take much of the tension and conflict out of the story. But I don't want to annoy or offend people of those nations if I describe the actions their governments do on their behalf. (Side note: My story also mentions many of the positive altruistic actions done by many countries, and how those actions contribute to the plot.) My first thought is that people have written about horrible atrocities before and pointing out that dictatorships and democracies do these is fair game. People have written about slavery, colonization, genocide, economic exploitation, etc... many times before. Is there anything foreign governments would do about it? Other than throw my books into a bonfire. <Q> You can write whatever the heck you want. <S> Unless your book reaches international fame and is a hit all over the world, governments will not pay any attention to it. <S> They may catch wind of your book, but unless a multitude of their people are reading it and they perceive it as propaganda that needs to be destroyed, you're fine. <S> You will not start a war with just a single book unless thousands, or perhaps millions of other people rally to the same cause and twist your book into something altogether different. <S> As it is a fictional story, most likely people will not take it that seriously. <S> Make sure you emphasize its fictional state and veer off the trodden path a bit. <A> One of two things will likely happen. <S> By far, the more likely is that it will reach a small audience of Americans, you will get your "props" from that handful of Americans, and that will be it. <S> Most foreign governments know that the American government disapproves of them, and will not pay attention to a "no name" American author. <S> The other possibility is that your book, or more likely, a book like yours, becomes the modern equivalent of Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Then some governments will be offended, and censor your book, but Americans, plus other "first world" readers, plus some citizens of the offended countries will praise it highly. <S> In that event, it could be in line for a Nobel Prize. <S> (But, this, the second possibility, is far less likely than the first.) <A> And on how famous you are or how successful your book is. <S> The United States has a pretty strong tradition of free speech, so you can criticize the government very freely without getting arrested or persecuted. <S> North Korea, no so much. <S> If you are living in country A and attack country B, and country B is an enemy of country A, there will likely be no repercussions. <S> Similarly, if you attack Christianity or Buddhism or Judaism, people may object, they may throw counter-criticisms, but that's likely to be the end of the story. <S> But attack Islam and your life may be in danger. <S> Make jokes about rednecks and people will laugh. <S> Make jokes about homosexuals and you may be charged with a hate crime. <S> Etc. <S> If you're famous, or if your book sells millions of copies, people you offend will take notice and maybe there will be some reprisals. <S> If you're like most writers on this site and your book sells hundreds of copies, it's likely that no one will particularly care. <S> It's pretty common for powerful people to say, "Nobody has read this book. <S> If we make a big deal of it, then everybody will read it to find out why we're making such a big deal of it. <S> Better to just ignore it." <A> It depends more the the people that you are offending. <S> However, if you are attacking a religious group (like the Islamic faith) or cultural group, or another people group, then you will offend someone. <S> Take care when doing so. <S> Similarly, I don't think other countries can do anything about it, although the people in said country may be offended by your book. <S> Like you said, they might ban the book or toss into a bonfire, but that's about it.
| Don't worry about what other governments will say; all they can do it ban your book. You are protected by Constitutional Rights to say whatever you want about the US without being arrested or whatever. You are living in the United States (along with me), so you are fine. That depends a great deal on the country you are writing about and the country you are living in.
|
Explanatory narrative in fiction For a little homework, I have a good story, but its not a story that can be told by letting it unfold and writing the events that happened. What I want to do, is tell a story of events in the past that changed the future to what it is now. I would like to have a narrator telling the story of what happened, like an omnipotent voice that tells you what's going on. To underline this omnipotent voice telling you the story of the past, I want to be able to describe the events and characters that were involved. I would like to be able to have a storyteller, describing what is going on in the story basically. How would I write this? <Q> As with most of the "laws" of writing, Show-Don't-Tell is more of a recommendation than an absolute rule. <S> It is not like some potential reader is going to glance at the first line of your story, then scream "TELLING!" <S> while tossing your hard-won words into the fireplace. <S> (unless this is for a writing class in which case ignore everything I have said here). <S> That having been said, I would question if an omnipotent narrator, (a.k.a. distant third person narration) is a good choice for a piece about suicide. <S> Suicide is an intensely personal subject and is overflowing with emotional and philosophical potential. <S> Every good suicide scene that I have ever written was written as close to the victim as possible. <S> Try a first person POV, spoken by the now-ghost of the victim. <S> You might be surprised by what you create. <A> It seems you've answered your own question. <S> How to tell a story that doesn't unfold naturally? <S> One option is to use a first-person narrator. <S> Your narrator can be as spastic as you need, jumping around in time, focusing on one idea then another, switching perspectives as necessary. <S> As long as they clearly orient the reader with each transition, making clear where and when we are each time. <S> Keep in mind, though, that scenes are typically more engaging than exposition. <S> Have your narrator tell us stories about people in places doing things. <A> Sounds like what you are looking for is an understanding of what a framing device is and how it works. <S> You should understand, though, that not even a framing device will disoblige you from creating a narrative. <A> All stories (narratives) unfold. <S> It you ain't got a narrative, you ain't got a story. <S> One thing happens after another over time told by someone. <S> Of course, the time ordering is your choice. <S> It can be chopped up several ways and played with many ways. <S> You can tell it any way you want. <S> The question is: Does it work? <S> Will people want to read it. <S> If I tell you how to write it, I would be writing it for you. <S> That said, it you only describe the event, it sounds pretty b-o-r-i-n-g as in: He took 50 pills while sitting on the bed in the cold, uninviting cellar and then died. <S> What may interest a reader on the other hand are the cumulative factors that led the poor person there.... <S> Just try it, I am sure you Cann do it.
| You are "allowed" to share your story using whatever technique or method you choose.
|
What is the best practice for writing a character that speaks with a whistle lisp? For a character that whistles when pronouncing the "s" sound, how can I write in the lisp effectively? I tried using multiple "S"s, but it reads as a snake-like sound, which I don't want since there are elements of the character being snake-like as well. How do I make the whistling "s" lisp really stand out? <Q> Affected speech is really hard to do. <S> Few are the authors I've seen pull it off, and sometimes even the masters fall short. <S> A few points of advice. <S> If it's not important to the story, ditch it. <S> It's nice to give your characters personality and traits to bring them to life, but unless his lisp is integral to the story, give him a third nipple instead. <S> Save yourself. <S> If it must be affected speech, you have two paths available to you: overwhelming success or dismal failure. <S> There is no try. <S> Among those books whose authors pulled off affected speech: Lenny (and half the other characters) in Of Mice <S> And Men Diana Gabaldon's Scottish brogue in Outlander Gollum in Lord of the Rings Hodor in Song of Ice and Fire (pardon my snark) <S> Among those who failed: pretty much all the rest. <S> If you still must, don't write it out phonetically. <S> For all the reasons I listed above. <S> " <S> Well, there'n seven apples when I sat down," whistled Fidge, " <S> But no sooner as I stood up to see the sunset as I heard a sussurus over- <S> " Stephanie punched poor old Fidge right in the face, and he tumbled backwards over his bench with a terrible holler and clamor. <S> I can't say as I blamed her either. <A> There's no real way to do that that I can think of. <S> There is also no way I know of for signifying a whistle using only English letters, so the only thing you could really use here is to say that the character has the lisp afterwards. <S> For example, if the character says, "Green potatoes are more like teddy bears," you mights afterwards say something to signify his lisp, like A severe lisp had turned all of his S's into whistles, <S> or, if we know about the lisp already, something like <S> The whistles his lisp somehow produced turned his very serious statement into humor. <S> If you don't want to do that (it does seem sort of tedious to write and read) <A> It's best to just write the character's speech normally, and tell the readers that he has a lisp. <S> Nobody wants to slog through dialogs full of misspelled words. <S> Maybe you can remind us of the lisp throughout the piece by showing other characters' reactions. <S> Have you read A Prayer for Owen Meany? <S> Owen has a horrible loud voice. <S> Check it out, even to just read a few chapters. <A> How about going with this♪? <S> Possibly with the note raised as superscript. <S> After an initial description it serves as a reminder to the reader. <A> I personally used a "th" to substitute the s's.
| Have the character speak normally, and tag his lisp as needed. you might consider changing the lisp to something easier to write, like if S's turned into Th's, or Sh's, or something; or, as this can be hard to read, just remove the lisp altogether.
|
How do I keep from plagiarizing others? I would like to start writing blog articles online as a guest writer. Most blogs have guidelines that have to be loosely followed; like what the niche should be, if it needs to be a list, and a bunch of other ideas of what they're looking for. Let me give you a for instance of my thought process with a hypothetical situation. Let's say this blog is about handyman work. They want tips and tricks for house crafts or basic construction. Now, I don't know much about this, so I decide to research the idea. Now, this is where I start to get confused. How do I research tips and tricks without plagiarizing these other articles? I don't have a lot of experience with most things, but are all articles out there personal experience only? How do I research in a way that doesn't plagiarize others, while finding my own interesting article? Much appreciation to everyone's constructive criticism. <Q> If you don’t know anything about handyman work, then don’t write about handyman work. <S> You’re right, it will be hard to write anything original about handyman work if all of your knowledge about it is direct from a book with no practical experience or knowledge of the basics to draw on. <S> That is not to say that research is not important. <S> It certainly is. <S> But research is not going to enable you to write articles that compare favorably with articles written by someone who has years of schooling and years of practical experience on a subject, and who has also done research on that subject. <S> And today, there will be millions of such people writing about any particular subject that you might choose. <S> So you might start by making a list of the 5 things you know best and the 5 things you are most passionate about. <S> There may be some overlap. <S> And then ask yourself if you have something to say on those subjects. <A> I would suggest that you cite the original source, if you are researching ideas that others have done. <S> If you write: <S> This how to do X thing. <S> Y method can be used, as shown [here]. <S> then you are not claiming it as your own work. <S> Anyone else can then access the original poster's website, from which you have done your own research, and will know that that is where you have got the information from. <S> Also, if you are directly copying any text from said article/blog post, then you will need to add them as quotes. <S> You can, however, summarize or explain in your own way what they have written, such as Person A uses X technique, which is good for achieving Y effect. <S> However, make sure to take note to "Never do Z if attempting X technique", as Person A states in the article. <S> Obviously if you are drawing from your own experience on anything, then there is no question of plagiarism. <S> However, plagiarism comes when you attempt to pass of the work of another as your own, hence clearly referencing whose work your research has come from will not be plagiarism. <A> Mike. <S> C.Ford writes: "I would suggest that you cite the original source". <S> Seemingly sensible of course. <S> But as OP wonders, "are all articles out there <S> personal experience only? <S> " Sometimes you see the same idea or even wording in several places (especially on the internet where everything is treated as public domain and authorless). <S> It can be hard to tell what the "original source" is. <S> Giving credit where it is due also means not giving it where it is not, and this can be tricky. <S> So you may have to do some sleuth work to get to the truly original source. <A> While ethically correct, giving credit and creating links to other sites would be antithetical to the aims of a content marketing blog, which is to attract potential customers to a site and to demonstrate the expertise of the company. <S> So linking to other sites as the source of information would defeat both aims. <S> On the other hand, there is no copyright on ideas. <S> It probably won't be very good copy, if you don't understand the topic you are writing about, but if the copy itself is original (however unoriginal the ideas may be), it is not plagiarism.
| If you can write new copy about how to do handyman work based on what you have read about handyman work you are not violating copyright or committing plagiarism. One of the most important maxims in writing is “write what you know.” Generally speaking, when people blog about something, it is the thing they either know best or are most passionate about, or both.
|
Is it possible to publish a single copy of a book? When I finish a novel, I'd like to get just one copy printed to give to my parents. Would a publisher do this? How would I get a publisher to do this? Note that I am not going through any people to edit it, I literally just want one copy published when I finish it (I ask now as I'm at the halfway point). Also, would it be too long at 56k words at the halfway point? I think I'll split it into two parts, or acts. <Q> Yes, there are print-on-demand publishers who will do this no problem. <S> Here in the U.S., I know of CreateSpace and Lulu. <S> If you live somewhere else, try doing a google/bing/whatever search for "print on demand publishers". <S> Check out their terms. <S> You want someone who doesn't charge any non-trivial one-time fee to get started. <S> (Like in the U.S., Lightning Source is the other big POD publisher, but they'd be a poor choice for one copy as they charge a one-time setup fee <S> , I think it was $75 last time I checked <S> but that was years ago.) <S> I do this every year. <S> I like a calendar/appointment book in a certain format. <S> I used to search office supply stores every year to find something resembling what I want. <S> Now I just make my own. <S> CreateSpace charges me something like $7 to print and ship it. <S> I've done this for, I don't know, 5 or 6 years now, and they've never complained about me printing just 1 or 2 copies. <A> Yes. <S> At FastPencil.com, if you select the "Private Publishing" option to get a single copy of your book for $9.99, plus shipping and handling. <S> There are a variety of customization options available, including the option to have back-of-the-book and/or front cover text and cover art. <S> There are a variety of pre-packaged formats FastPencil offers to customize the feel of the text itself, with various fonts and font sizes and margin widths that change the way your text will appear on paper. <S> In my experience FastPencil has been quick and efficient, and generally the quality is good. <S> I have had one issue with them---a book that was bound improperly so that the paper became mostly detached from the binding pretty much upon taking it out of the box. <S> I haven't had a chance to contact FastPencil yet, as this was quite recent, but in the past they have had good customer service, so assuming this is a fluke and that it will be fixed, this shouldn't be seen as a major strike against them. <A> Here's one in the UK , for a start.
| I don't think you could get a traditional publisher to do it, but plenty of print-on-demand companies will do it for you.
|
Using the name of fictional characters/series in a different context I was wondering about if I could use the name of the fictional character Magneto in the scifi book I'm writing. There is no direct connection between the Marvel/DC universe and my book. Instead, I was going to have a character be genetically modified to produce the "Magneto" protein, which lets them detect magnetism. Is it okay in this case because I'm using it in a different context, like as a parody? I'm actually going off of a discovery of a magnetism sensing protein where journalists referred to it as that. Its not nearly as important as the first thing, but I was also wondering if I could mention some other scifi/superhero thing in a new context, like describing a laser weapon as being "like a Star Wars laser blaster" or something, again being different in its details and context (I made a point to describe a real world laser that can theoretically operate at very high powers minus a few technical problems). <Q> You're probably safe in how you are using these references, however you have to be the judge of how much you are using and <S> how you want your audience to view your work. <S> Parody is fine, and is acceptable to the farthest extent as it is seen as being almost satirical and not taking away or competing with the original work, but highlighting and referencing it. <S> I found this helpful article that I think probably describes your question best and should help you determine whether these references are acceptable or not. <S> http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-rule-copyright-material-30100.html <S> As a quick note, it may also be helpful to review the use of copyright law under the people you reference. <S> Steven Spielberg for instance is notorious for legally protecting his work and going after things he considers rip offs, so be careful, just because it is well known <S> doesn't necessarily mean it will be well received by the original source. <S> My last personal recommendation is aside from the "Magneto" reference which I thought was really clever and interesting, unless you are writing a parody it is always better to try and describe it as best you can instead of referencing it. <S> It'll grow your skills in descriptive writing, and will help your reader a lot as a reference can be very distracting from the rest of the narrative. <A> I would hesitate to use the name if there any sort of powers associated with it. <S> It's one thing to say a guy is a big as the Hulk, it's another to make him have super strength and be called that. <S> I was going to suggest Magneton, but that's apparently a Pokemon. <S> But still, much less likely to cause issues. <S> Blasters are generic. <S> " <S> Lightsabers" are copyrighted. <S> You can have laser beam swords, just not that term. <S> Again, one reference like "he looked like a Boba Fett reject" is fine. <A> According to this site proteins are usually named ending in '-in', so maybe something like "magnetin" might work?
| But not if you're going to use the term/item/name repeatedly.
|
Length of a scene? Really, just how long should a solid scene in a chapter be? And what about when characters move setting but the topic is still relevant to the scene? How long would that be? Currently my scenes in chapters are only about 2 pages long and it still feels way too short. Is there a rule of thumb? <Q> Each one should contribute something to the story. <S> Then, of course, the scene should end when it's accomplished that. <S> A paragraph, a page, whatever, then move on. <S> It sounds like you think yours aren't doing enough. <S> In that case, dig into the details, end the scene later or start it earlier. <S> Play around with it. <S> Rewrite it a hundred times. <S> For what it's worth, my writing tends to expand and contract several times. <S> I'll start with not enough detail, then I'll dig in and write way too much, then trim it down. <S> (In the final draft some of those scenes become nothing more than a sentence if that's all they deserve.) <A> I agree with what Ken said, and would also add this: Look at other books in your genre. <S> They won't all be the same, and some may be completely opposite, but sometimes, you'll find a commonality in them. <S> I write thrillers, and they tend to have shorter chapters, so that's how I write. <S> Also consider your Point of View. <S> If you are writing in third person limited, then you'll probably need to change chapters (or scenes) more often as you change POV characters. <S> But if you're in first person, in one person's head the entire book, you may not need to change scenes so often. <S> But the biggest thing is just to figure out what your story demands. <S> If the scene needs a lengthy chapter (for example, your climax scene), then stay with it longer. <S> If it doesn't need much to accomplish what you need it to, then stick with a few paragraphs and move on. <S> You shouldn't dictate how long your scenes are by "rule of thumb" because then your story often won't sound right. <S> You'll either have scenes that say too little or too much for what the scene demands. <A> The length of an "average" scene is about 750 words. <S> But anywhere from 300 to 1200 is fairly normal. <S> Keep in mind <S> that scene length varies by genre. <S> Scenes also tend to be longer in the beginning as there is more description and exposition. <S> Depending on the level of overall action, they can be shorter towards the end where there is more tightly-worded action. <S> Here's a good analysis . <S> "Active" scenes tend to be longer than "reactive" scenes (scenes vs sequels), unless you're putting a lot of time into aftermath or decision-making. <S> Also, remember that these are just averages.
| Scene lengths naturally vary based on their content, and it's better to not have all scenes be the same approximate length, as that can get monotonous. Think about what your scene is meant to show.
|
how to write an essay in less wordy way This is an essay I excerpted from a writing course material.I need to omit uncessary words which make the essay wordy and longer than they should be.. The following is the original passage. Every single time I had to do a writing assignment, I was always really unhappy and miserable. Due to my complete lack of confidence as well as my total inability to express ideas of mine on paper, I believed that I had to work almost twice as hard as any other student in this world. This included spending hours and hours looking at a blank page and spending more hours editing essays of mine, just to make sure I had really appropriate content, organization, and grammar. Since English was not my first language, I was concerned that I would not do so very well at the university. When I entered the class offered by College Writing, everything changed in a positive way due to the fact that my writing skills increased throughout the semester. In the beginning of the semester, I had a lot of trouble with my first couple of essays; however, with careful analysis, patience, and my will to succeed, I started to write essays that I was quite proud of. I learned that if I could relate any topic of any essay with my personal experience, I believed that these essays were truly good, and would submit it to my instructor. The following is the passage in which I omit words I think I don't need. Every ( single ) time I had to do a writing assignment, I was always ( really ) ( unhappy and ) miserable. Due to my complete lack of confidence as well as my total inability to express ideas of mine on paper, ( I believed that )I had to work almost twice as hard as any other student in this world. This included spending hours and hours looking at a blank page and spending more hours editing essays of mine, just to make sure I had really appropriate content, organization, and grammar. Since English was not my first language, I was concerned that I would not do ( so very ) well at the university. When I entered the class offered by College Writing, everything changed in a positive way due to the fact that my writing skills increased throughout the semester. In the beginning of the semester, I had a lot of trouble with my first couple of essays; however, with careful analysis, patience, and my will to succeed, I started to write essays that I was quite proud of. I learned that if I could relate any topic of any essay with my personal experience, ( I believed that ) these essays were truly good, and would submit it to my instructor. What can I do more so as to make it sound succinct <Q> Well done on the first pass. <S> There are a few other places where words can be omitted. <S> If the option to add words (and punctuation) or otherwise restructure sentences is on the table, even more words can be omitted. <S> However, since you didn't state that as an option, I present the following, further streamlined version: <S> Every time I had to do a writing assignment, I was always miserable. <S> Due to my complete lack of confidence as well as my total inability to express ideas (of mine) on paper, I had to work (almost) twice as hard as any other student (in this world) . <S> This included spending hours (and hours) looking at a blank page and (spending) more hours editing (essays of mine) , just to make sure I had <S> (really) appropriate content, organization, and grammar. <S> Since English was not my first language, I was concerned that I would not do (so very) <S> well at the university. <S> When I entered (the class offered by) <S> College Writing, everything changed in a positive way due to the fact that my writing skills increased throughout the semester. <S> In the beginning (of the semester) , I had a lot of trouble with my (first couple of) essays; however, with careful analysis, patience, and my will to succeed, I started to write essays that I was (quite) proud of. <S> I learned that if I could relate any topic (of any essay) with my personal experience, these essays were truly good (, and would submit it to my instructor) . <S> Most of what I've omitted is clear from the context of this essay. <S> For example, there's no need to keep mentioning essays. <A> I'd also suggest better sentence flow, especially avoiding repetition- <S> e.g. <S> Due to my complete lack of confidence as well as my total inability to express ideas of mine on paper, I believed that I had to work almost twice as hard as any other student in this world. <S> becomes (note added comma, and 'the' for 'this' as well) <S> Due to a complete lack of confidence, as well as the inability to clearly express my ideas on paper, I believed that I had to work almost twice as hard as any other student in the world. <S> Hope <S> this helps. <A> Tips for streamlining: <S> Use the simplest tense Remove repetition Remove <S> unnecessary adjectives <S> Every time I (had to do - not the simplest tense) did a writing assignment, I was (always - repetition of 'every time') miserable. <S> Due to my (complete - unnecessary adjective) lack of confidence as well as my (total - adjective) inability to express ideas (of mine) on paper, I had to work (almost) twice as hard as any other student (in this world). <S> This included spending hours (and hours - repetition) looking at a blank page and (spending - repetition) <S> more hours editing essays (of mine), just to make sure I had (really) appropriate content, organization, and grammar. <S> Since English was not my first language, I was concerned that I would not do well at the university. <S> When I entered the class offered by College Writing, everything changed (in a positive way) due to the fact that my writing skills increased throughout the semester. <S> In the beginning of the semester, I had a lot of trouble with my first couple of essays; however, with careful analysis, patience, and my will to succeed, I started to write essays that I was quite proud of. <S> I learned that if I could relate any topic (of any essay with) <S> my personal experience, <S> these essays were truly good(, and would submit it to my instructor). <S> Hope that helps and isn't overdone now!
| I'd cut down on 'my's and 'I's, and consider using simpler terms (if you like how it sounds.
|
Why end sentences with commas instead of periods when the sentence is in a quote? I've seen styles where writers end sentences with commas if it is inside double quotes and styles where writers end sentences with periods. For example: "She's late again." mumbled Jason. versus: "She's late again," mumbled Jason. Why is it considered common practice to end a sentence with a comma instead of a period? <Q> Because you are attaching your speaker tag to the dialogue being spoken. <S> If you were using an action tag, or separating the speaker tag from the dialogue, then the quoted material stands alone and uses a period. <S> Other punctuation varies. <S> Examples: <S> "She's late again," mumbled Jason. <S> [comma] " <S> She's late again." <S> Jason looked down the street, hoping vainly to see her. <S> [action tag; period. <S> speaker is implied to be Jason] <S> "She's late again." <S> Jason made an irritated noise, then said to Maria, "Can you look out the window and tell me if you spot her?" <S> [speaker tag for a different sentence; period] Jason sighed. <S> "She's late again." <S> Maria nodded. <S> Jason asked, "Can you look out the window and tell me if you spot her?" <S> [speaker tag for two different sentences; speaker is implied to be Jason for the first; periods throughout] <S> "Can you see her?" asked Jason. <S> [Because this is a question, even though it's a complete sentence, it ends in a question mark before the quote, and not a comma.] <S> "I see her!" <S> Maria shouted. <S> [Same idea, with an exclamation point.] <A> "She's late again" is a quote that is a part of a sentence, not the sentence itself. <S> The rule is that you separate the quote and speaker tag with a comma. <S> Therefore, you put a comma after "again" and a period after "Jason," which is where your sentence actually ends. <A> The rule is fairly simple. <S> "She's late again," mumbled Jason. <S> Where the tag does not refer to the act of speaking, a period is required. <S> The action is contained in a separate sentence. <S> "She' late again." <S> Jason sighed. <S> When using question or exclamation marks the correct capitalisation method is to disregard the special mark and treat the sentence according to the rule: <S> comma (no capital if referring to act of speaking). <S> Period, new sentence, capital letter if tag does not refer to the act of speaking. <S> "She's late again!" <S> boomed Jason. <S> "She's late again?" said Jason. <S> "She's late again!" <S> He checked his watch.
| A comma is required when the tag refers to the act of speaking.
|
Voices of young children, how to write? I am currently writing a narrative featuring many young children. Some of the children are under the age of five, and I'm wondering what the best way to write dialogue for their age group would be. I know that when they're young, they have trouble pronouncing certain consonants and consonant blends, like "l", "r", "v" and "th." When writing dialogue, would we express their mispronunciations and treat it like a dialect? Example: " Homewess ?" Three-year-old Billy asks. "What does dat mean?" "It means we haveta wiv in a box," four-year-old Flora answers. " Wiv in a box?" Billy cries with wide eyes. "I wike wiving here!" or "Homeless?" Three-year-old Billy asks. "What does that mean?" "It means we have to live in a box," four-year-old Flora answers. "Live in a box?" Billy cries with wide eyes. "I like living here!" Is it best to leave it to the reader's imagination, or to actually transcribe what their saying? <Q> As someone with a speech impediment myself (far more pronounced as a child) <S> I cringe reading this type of dialog. <S> If it's important to the story, perhaps you could describe the type of impediment (like mixing up w/l sounds in this case) or have another character comment on it (for example if the child is being mocked, the other character might use "wiv" in dialog to emphasize the error). <S> There are also other types of ways in which children speak differently than adults that are less uncomfortable and still 'cute' if that is what you are going for, like mixing up similar sounding words, common (realistic) incorrect grammar mistakes, if it is a very small child using made up words/nicknames for people, and so forth. <A> Like Lauren Ipsum said, don't overdo it. <S> I personally prefer a slight dialect over the example you gave, which would become cumbersome if used in more than a few paragraphs. <S> Also, don't make their grammar perfect. <S> I don't mean that you should use garbled grammar, but rather some slight errors, and omissions. <A> Personally, I find this style of dialogue (and even when it's done in other media) extremely annoying and (as a father of three) completely unrealistic and unrepresentative of how children speak. <S> Certainly, some children have trouble with speech and pronunciation, however it's not as cartoonish as often implied. <S> A stammer or stutter is not, however, uncommon, nor is physical emphasis for their words. <S> But again, don't over do it. <S> Instead of writing an accent, you'd be better served, as others have suggested, in keeping the dialogue simple. <S> Children don't use large words or complex sentences. <S> And a lot of them don't even make sense half the time. <S> And they repeat themselves. <S> A lot. <A> Don't do it. <S> It will annoy <S> /irritate/confuse people who have never been around children or don't like children. <S> People who have been around small children already know what they sound like. <S> As long as you have firmly established that they are very young children (and given your dialogue attribution, this is questionable) then do as Stephen King says and start the detail on the page, but let it finish in the reader's mind. <S> That's always been sage advice. <A> Just write the children's dialog normally. <S> Intentionally misspelling chunks of text makes reading difficult and slow. <S> (And if reading a story is too hard, I'm putting the book down.) <S> If it's important for a character to have a speech problem, just tell us what it is. <S> We're pretty good at interpreting the words on the page into the character's voice. <S> See this question. <A> i find this type of writing very quickly irritating. <S> If you ask the reader do do an extra effort understanding what you write, you break the narrative flow. <S> Use phonetic writing mininimaly, and only if you have to. <A> Writers seem to believe that readers need every last bit of detail in order to realize the author’s vision. <S> But the truth is, readers aren’t actors who need direction in how to act out a scene exactly. <S> In fact, some of the best performances in acting are the result of the actor winging it or otherwise improvising. <S> Give your readers a chance to improvise.
| Tell them a child is speaking, use uncomplicated language, and they’ll read your dialogue in a child-like voice automatically.
|
How to write about what you don't know? I am a strong believer in writing what you know. Everything I write is at least partially based on something that I have experienced. My problem is that for plot reasons, I need one of my characters to grow up in a culture and environment I am not familiar with. I need at least a chapter in that area. My goal is to portray the culture and belief of that region as a native. I thought about reading books located in that area and maybe speaking with natives. However, it is in a region that is not portrayed in movies and seldom in books. Yet enough of my potential readers are familiar enough with the area to spot made-up things. Are there any methods to facilitate simulating an empirical knowledge of a relatively unknown area? N.B. this is not a duplicate of Writing about a subject on which you have no expertise? , which is about technical writing. I found a partial answer in How to do research to write characters from a different culture? <Q> The bit "Yet enough of my potential readers are familiar enough with the area to spot made-up things. <S> " leads to the conclusion that you should not do this. <S> Unless you want to invest the necessary time researching and reading about this community, then, it seems a recipe for disaster. <S> That shows up, and not in a positive way. <A> I am writing a story set in the US during the 1920's. <S> Even though this is in the US, I'm only 60 years old <S> so this is a different culture from me. <S> I have been doing a lot of research as I've been writing. <S> From the hotels for rich people and what floors they would have been on, to what a gun might be called, to what cars would be on the road, to what might the laws be like, to what sort of musical entertainment might have been available in a speakeasy. <S> Google has been my friend! <S> This is what introduced me to the Stack Exchange community. <S> If you can't be there in person, then do the next best thing: research. <S> In a few weeks I'll be watching some movies set during the 20's and 30's to make sure I've got the slang right. <S> At least the characters speak English! <A> In my experience as a reader, most writers who have done this successfully seem to have spent a lot of time interviewing a range of people native to the area. <S> I don't think there's any great shortcut around this. <S> If you don't want to, or are not in a position to do that kind of research, you might want to replace the real location with a fictional one. <S> Of course, that will just replace the effort put in on real research with worldbuilding. <S> A good example of a novel successfully written from interviews (although I'm not personally in a position to judge the accuracy of the result) is Pearl S. Buck's classic The Good Earth . <S> The book presents as extremely authentic, probably because it's a composite story built from the real life experiences of innumerable villagers whom Buck personally interviewed. <S> I can sympathize with this question, because I dislike research, and avoid it when I can. <S> But I've come to accept what a decisive difference it makes to the final result.
| If you don't have any experience about something, you will always get interested about different aspect of it, or present it in a different light.
|
Should I use different fonts in my manuscript? My novel contains emails, titles of news articles, parts of technical journals, and snippets of computer output in addition to regular dialogue and action. Is it common/acceptable to use one font for computer output and emails, another for news articles, and something else for regular dialogue and action? I consistently use the same font for each throughout the story. <Q> I'd say yes if you're careful about it and don't overdo it. <S> Different formatting can be useful in quickly alerting the reader that the text is from an article or an email, particularly if it begins a chapter. <S> I wouldn't make it a third of the book, but used judiciously, sure. <A> Many publishing houses have requirements on submitted manuscripts that involve using a particular font (fixed width seems to be popular). <S> However, if you're planning to self-publish, then I'd say use different fonts. <S> I'd limit yourself to no more than 3 different fonts as a rough guideline, just to avoid confusing the reader. <S> But keep in mind that font choice is a design/layout choice in the publishing process, so if you're using a professional editor or layout person (which hopefully you are), then you'll need to work with them. <S> They may have their own ideas of which fonts and how many are acceptable. <A> I think what I've seen most commonly used is the same font throughout, but that anything which the characters read, such as from a computer, in print, or on signs, and I think even excerpts from audiovisual media, is italicised and has wider left and right margins Less commonly a different font, such as one mimicking handwriting or the actual font of the text, might be used. <S> It can help to build character. <S> I recall some novels making use of a dot-matrix style script when those printers were in common use, or a mish-mash of different fonts to mimic the cut from newspapers ransom note. <S> Either option can potentially work well. <S> The first keeps the onus purely on the reader's imagination, the second provides more of an illustration.
| If you're planning on submitting to a traditional publishing house (i.e. print media), then you're probably going to want to avoid using different fonts.
|
Border between fantasy and space opera Fantasy is often fitted to medieval age. Space opera is often fitted to far future and all those futuristic is only background that says it is science-fiction. Also, in space opera can be present various things that cannot be (or rather should not be) present in classical science-fiction that thinks about relation of human and machine or so - for example Force from Star Wars. Such Force (or anything similar with different name) could be present also in fantasy and effect would be probably the same. So, regardless of weapons, where is border between fantasy and space opera? <Q> There are no watertight definitions when it comes to fantasy, the Gothic, and science fiction. <S> In my personal opinion (which, though educated, is still only a possible reading), the best way to approach this is through Tzvetan Todorov's definition of the fantastic. <S> In a nutshell:- if the world remains as you know it and everything is explainable within the existing laws of nature ( <S> even probabilistically so ; e.g. faster-than-light is, lo and behold, possible because this and this), then it's science fiction - if the world is not the same, and the laws of nature must change, then it's fantasy.- <S> if you don't know, then it's Gothic (or steampunk, or whatever you wanna call it to feel better) <S> In other words: <S> Fantasy: <S> There are unicorns, I don't care why. <S> Live with it Science Fiction :There are no unicorns on earth, but we just found an alternative world where there are. <S> Gothic <S> :I know there are no unicorns, but I just saw one running down the street. <S> Have I gone mad? <S> Am I losing my mind? <S> Or are there really unicorns? <S> But will anyone believe me? <A> In simplest terms, the narrative of a space opera must occur primarily in space, and it must contain some concept of events that affect a multitude of planets. <S> Fantasy (again, in simplest terms) just means containing elements of the fantastic (what most people would consider magic or the supernatural). <S> The line between the two is blurry (as most things involving genre are), but the difference would be in how you'd characterize the setting and the narrative. <S> If it occurs in space and has an epic or larger than planetary scope, I'd call it space opera. <A> In your mind the barrier is. <S> Hmm? <S> Bad Yoda jokes aside, aside from hard core rigid genre-ists (think Tolkein fan fiction) <S> everything is a continuum. <S> You could call Peter Pan a space opera in a way. <S> It's an epic with space travel, but generally it's more of a fantasy. <S> Similarly the Cameron movie Avatar is a clash of a science fiction Earth culture and a fantasy based Pandora culture within the same fictional universe. <S> It brings to mind greek epics where swords and technical ingenuity clashed with magical beings. <S> And as Clarke is quoted ad nauseum "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. <S> " <S> A theme which was ever present in his work. <S> Epic Sci-fi almost always has some kind of mysticism, which others answering here have noted. <S> What some call hard magical fiction, has the same high degree of technicality as hard science fiction. <S> A magical universe can have very complicated laws, both large and small, which govern how one operates upon them, little different to quantum physics, chemistry, etc. <S> And there's plenty of real world occult sources to draw on if you want a whole treatise on what one practitioner thinks is the correct way to look at something, for example. <S> Once you throw in broadly referential works like Hitch-hikers guide or Adventure Time, or <S> yes I know lots of things that predate those. <S> The genre lines can become almost meaningless. <S> And speaking of things predating things, there would be no Star Wars without Dune, and there would be no Dune without millennia of cultural knowledge, practices, myth and religion. <S> The division of science and magic is quite a recent idea.
| If the fantastical elements dominate, then I'd call it fantasy.
|
How to refer to myself in a research paper? Okay so I have collected personal spending data of myself and significant other over a period of 6 months. I'm quite happy with the data and would like to present it and write it up as a research paper. I'm not going to be publishing it but would like to do it for fun (and a bit of practice can't hurt). The dilemma I am facing at the moment is that I cannot figure out how to refer to myself or my significant other as participants in the study. I have been trying to figure this out for a few days now and google is really giving me a hard time. I cannot find a single thing relevant to what I am trying to do. My first issue I have come to is that I am captioning a figure that reads similar to this. Figure 1: Average daily spending vs time for myself (solid line) and significant other (dotted line). Is this the correct way to refer to myself and significant other? It feels much too informal for my liking. I have considered making a small statement that states that myself will be referred to as "participant A" and my significant other will be referred to as "participant B", but this might add unnecessary confusion. Is there a standard on this? This has been driving me absolutely crazy over the past few days and would really appreciate any insight or suggestions. <Q> I'd go with the approach you've already hit upon here: <S> I don't think it's going to add any confusion. <S> If participant is a bit too long, you could also use the term subject if that would help. <S> Now, if the fact that you are participant A and your SO is participant B is significant (I don't know what your thesis is), than you may want to continue using similar language. <S> I'd opt for self and partner to keep it succinct. <A> Generally it is considered problematic when the researcher is also the subject of the study, because of possible confounding effects . <S> For example, you expectations could change your behavior; this is called the Rosenthal effect . <S> Also, in a single-subject design such as yours, any results could be caused by your possibly non-average personality, circumstances, or mere chance, and therefore not be representative of the population. <S> In normal research, what you report would be considered anecdotal evidence . <S> Nevertheless many self-experiments have been undertaken, especially in medicine , when experimenting on another person would have been unlawful or unethical. <S> As for your question, the single most important rule in scientific writing – besides truthfulness , of course – is clarity <S> Any reader of your paper must easily understand what you did. <S> The fact that you were the subject of your research must not be cloaked behind obfuscating terminology. <S> Instead of calling yourself a "participant", which suggests that you gave instructions to another person and observed his behavior, <S> speak of yourself as yourself. <S> And make it equally clear what the relationship to your "significant other" is, as far as it is relevant to the study: is that person your husband/wife (implying legally joined finances) or a boy/girl-friend (possibly living in their own flat). <A> Interesting notion. <S> If you consider how a normal scientific research paper is set up : Title Authors Abstract Introduction <S> Materials and Methods Statistical analysis <S> Discussion of Results/effect of bias Conclusions Suggestions for further research <S> Financial disclosures <S> I would place your chosen name in both abstract and introduction but not in author or title. <S> You can then use such nomenclature throughout. <S> The name itself doesn't really matter; personally I'd make it funny in an ironic way. <S> A recent brain protein was named "sonic hedgehog," for instance. <S> You should also disclose in the discussion section the bias of being one's own researcher.
| I have considered making a small statement that states that myself will be referred to as "participant A" and my significant other will be referred to as "participant B", but this might add unnecessary confusion.
|
How can a writer efficiently manage many text snippets? I have a large amount (a couple thousand) of rather small text files with short notes or stories. I use them to generate ideas on topics I'm writing about. My problem is that these are just text files on my computer; there is no index and no database. Every time I write something, I add new files. I'm looking for a software that can manage all those snippets and has a full text search engine built in. The best solution would be something that I can run on a server, so that I can access my library from anywhere. What are you guys using? How are you mastering your snippet collection? <Q> I use Evernote and MS One Note for all of my writing work. <S> You can make separate/unlimited notebooks for everything, save web pages and items from the web. <S> You are also able to search all your text in both. <S> You are able to make audio files in both that you are also able to search. <S> Both of these programs are great for writers and they both work on all platforms and there are both free and premium versions. <S> OneNote is part of Office 365, but there is also a web version which is free. <S> They are laid out differently, it just depends on which one you like best. <S> I use them both for different things, especially when I am doing research on the web - I use EverNote when I am using Google/Android and OneNote when I am using Explorer/Edge. <S> You are able to access your files/Notebooks from anywhere/device/platform. <A> Windows will already do this for you if you just turn on the search contents option. <S> -Open <S> any folder -Go to Tools / Folder Options -Select the Search Tab -Check the radio button for Always search file names and contents. <S> The search will take longer than normal and the results aren't going to be really beautiful, but it'll give you what you want. <S> If you're not using Windows, you can still do this - just do a google search for "Search in Text files linux/mac" and you'll get a bunch of answers. <A> I haven't used it for exactly this kind of thing, but I'd recommend Confluence . <S> It's a wiki software that does full-text searching of everything in it (even attached files). <S> I use it primarily for storing a large collection of PDFs. <S> It's fast, and it's intended to be installed on a server. <S> The $10 for the cheapest license is very affordable for the functionality you get. <A> The Literary Machine ( http://www.literarymachine.com/ ) is exactly about storing, finding, and connecting lots of small texts (and more). <S> I never used it much, but the concept was very nice, so it is not really a recommendation, but a research hint. <S> It is local, not server, Windows, I presume. <S> The current version is free (see the download page ) but a little old.
| In Evernote, you are able to create tags for all of your work that makes it easier to search and catalogue everything also.
|
How do I write from a non-person point of view? I am writing a novel with an ensemble cast. Each chapter is told from a different person's point of view. Some of the chapters are about a non-sentient machine that communicates with the human characters. It's not a sentient android like R2D2 from Star Wars or the killer machine from the Terminator movies or Data from Star Trek. It's no more self-aware than a very sophisticated machine, but many of its actions and communications drive the plot and decisions of the other characters. This character will never become sentient during the story. It will never have feelings the way your laptop never has feelings. How would I write from its point of view? Edit to Add: This character only seems intelligent and sentient. It does not comprehend human motives. It considers human requests baffling even when it understands the requests. It seems extremely intelligent in that it has access to extraordinary amounts of knowledge and can even put that knowledge together in unpredictable ways. <Q> A few possibile viewpoints: <S> An omniscient narrator who describes what the machine does and says. <S> One of the nearby sentient beings, when any are available to observe the machine's important actions or communications. <S> Reports from someone who pieces together the machine's communications and actions from available evidence after the fact. <A> Write it as data inputs and responses. <S> INPUT: <S> USER 1 enters roomRESPOND Y/N? <S> YOUTPUT_$content: {greeting}; {Salutation: 'Good'} {TOD: 1415, 'afteroon'};INPUT: <S> USER 1 response {"Good afternoon yourself. <S> Did you finish compiling that report?"}SEARCH_DB6b.46: report {SMITH, CHARLES: activities prior 72 <S> hours};LOCATEDCOMPLETE <S> Y/N? <S> NET COMPLETION: 4.7 hoursOUTPUT_$content: {apology}; {report SMITH, CHARLES} {STATUS}; and so on. <A> You don't need to overthink this. <S> Readers will accept whatever reality you present to them so long as it is consistent. <S> Just create a set of rules for the robot's AI then write the character as you would for a human. <S> For example: It can only use 100 basic words and key phrases. <S> It will only process the world as raw data. <S> It doesn't see colors or humans; it just sees shapes and movement. <S> It doesn't ever make a personal judgement about the world. <S> It only comes to logical conclusions based on its programmed parameters. <S> The fact you're expressing its thoughts in English and not binary code doesn't really matter. <S> Readers won't question its sentience as long as you follow the rules of its AI. <S> What you need to keep in mind is that a machine really doesn't have sentience. <S> So you can't truly express its thoughts in words without giving it a veneer of human consciousness. <S> But just as we see things on a computer screen translated from code, so too will readers assume the English words they read are translations of code. <A> What is your story purpose for giving the machine POV? <S> Why does the reader need to get inside the machine's "head?" <S> Now if you intend for the machine to make an important mistake at some point, then I can see using the machine's POV.
| If you want to show the machine's limitations, it can be done with a POV human struggling to get the machine to understand.
|
Is it okay to have a character who doesn't actually have a name? The character in my book doesn't have a name. I mean, he probably does, but its not used by any other character in the book, including the character himself. He has a generic name, kind of like the The Dark Lord or something along those lines. I've read a lot of books with characters like these, but they all seem to end up mentioning his name and using them. Is it taboo to never actually use the character's actual name but keep on calling him the generic name or rather, title ? <Q> The answer to this and your other similar question is the same: <S> Your Mileage <S> May Vary. <S> If you can get it to work, go for it. <S> In Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, the main villain is always referred to as "the gentleman with the thistledown hair. <S> " <S> The book has done very well, so it doesn't look like <S> that was a dealbreaker. <A> According to the wiktionary , a "name" is "any nounal word or phrase which indicates a particular person, place, class, or thing." <S> Implications: "The Dark Lord" is a fully valid name. <S> There is no reason whatsoever why a character should not have more than one name. <S> As a matter of fact he can have as many names as intelligent entities who are referring to him or her. <S> I don't think multiple names can be ranked. <S> They refer to the same thing, and there is no reason why one should be better or more powerful than the other. <S> Additionally, recall that a number of languages have rather "telling" names. <S> Indian and Turkish names, to my knowledge, can usually by literally translated, for example into phrases like "The one with the skin like moonlight", the same goes for a number of Gaelic names and so on. <S> These names are in league with the likes of "The Dark Lord", we just don't understand it because we don't speak the language. <S> My point is: We name things. <S> All the time. <S> I'm not even sure our brains can process thought about things that we haven't previously named, even if that name is horribly clumsy such as "that weird wiggly thing on the other side of the road". <S> tl;dr : <S> You do name your character. <S> It just so happens that your name is not a canonical first name such as John or Mary. <S> However, in my opinion, that is not a problem. <S> Consider Moby Dick. <S> The first line of this book is "Call me Ishmael", indicating that his real name is something else. <S> Yet, to my knowledge, nobody has ever complained about this. <A> This is at least the third question you've posted about revealing the name of a character. <S> I think you're obsessing over this tiny point way too much. <S> Just give him a name and be done with it. <S> Most stories start out identifying the main characters' names in the first few paragraph, usually in a totally nonchalant way. <S> Often at least one main character is named in the first sentence. <S> Lots of stories start with a statement like, "George lived in a small apartment in Chicago with his wife Sally." <S> If there is some good reason in your story why the main character's name should be unknown or a secret, okay fine. <S> Otherwise, just give him a name and move on. <S> Just start the story, "Fwacbar, the Dark Lord, thought he was the only man alive" or whatever, and get on with the story.
| He's never given a name at all. There's no rule about it one way or the other.
|
Making a big deal out of revealing a character's name Does there always have to be a big, showy production about the revelation of a character's name? I was thinking that I'd just slide the name in quietly, in an off-hand manner. Probably the reader might not even realise that they're even reading the protagonist's name there. Is that a good idea? Or is too extreme? <Q> Your phrasing seems backwards. <S> In fiction, there is almost never a "big, showy production about the revelation of a charactedr's name". <S> Usually character names are introduced quite matter-of-factly. <S> "When Bob arrived at work he met his friend Charlie." <S> "Sally entered the room. <S> " <S> Etc. <S> We just say the person's name and that's it. <S> Like if the character has amnesia and doesn't know his name. <S> Or if the character has been keeping his identity a secret. <A> Perhaps you're too over focused on the name and other details. <S> To the reader, we only care if the name is way too hard to remember, too long, ridiculous, or if the other charcter are saying it way too much. <S> But, yes, if they can't remember their own name, it would make a good revelation. <S> Other than that it shouldn't be a big deal at all. <S> It's the characters and story that matters more. <A> It depends on context. <S> Why has the character's name never been mentioned? <S> Why does no one know it? <S> What label, nickname, or epithet are you using to describe the character instead? <S> I would mention that as a reader, I'd be surprised and maybe do a double-take or two to wonder <S> why more of a big deal wasn't being made at the reveal. <S> If the other characters have been desperately trying to establish the person's name and it shows up <S> and there's no fuss <S> , that won't work. <S> But if you can make it work, go for it. <A> No, there should never be a big showy production about the revelation of a character's name. <S> (Unless it's absolutely necessary to do so.) <A> The only case I can think of in which the reveal would be a big deal is something like this: <S> Person A is connected to person B <S> Person B is connected to person C Person B <S> tells person A about person C without mentioning the name of that person. <S> The situation between person B and C (which person B tells person A) is intimate/extreme/personal/secret, for instance a romantic affaire with explicit details and stories or something illegal, which would have great consequences to the people close to person C should they find out. <S> This could also be health-related, confidentiality-related and the list goes on. <S> Point of sudden reveal: <S> PERSON A IS ACTUALLY INTIMATELY <S> CONNECTED TO PERSON C, making the entire situation suddenly dramatic compared to "before knowing": <S> Example 1: <S> B is having sex with C. C <S> is A's sister, brother, whatever. <S> Example 2: <S> B explains partying with C. A is C's therapist and knows he/ <S> she is under-age. <S> EDIT: <S> Another example could be B referring to C as "the hero", with A suddenly realizing that B is talking about his nemesis (C). <S> I hope my point is obvious by now..
| The only time you'd have a "big showy production" would be if the writer had built up some big mystery about the person's name.
|
How do I organize my writing process? Let's say there are elements of good writing such as: Characters, Conflict, Dialogue, Ideas, Mood, Plot, Scene, Style and World You want to start focusing on one of them. Which do you think is the most effective order? Do you invent a universe to place the character in, or do you just invent a character and follow his journey? What is the right way to organize all these elements to serve a great story? Do you start with setting, characters or plotting? What kind of instruments (such as generators, note-taking applications) do you use? It's hard for me to organize my own planning process...it's like trying to tidy a very cluttered room: you don't know where to start, and where are you going...I believe I need to make a sort of a skeleton for the work and then work on it, for I am very prolific when there are a clear plan and message. <Q> There is no One True Way. <S> Every writer is different. <S> Even the same writer may have two different approaches to two different books (or series). <S> JK Rowling plotted out the entire seven-book Harry Potter series in her head on a train ride before writing them, but is still working on the Robert Galbraith books (which, so far as I know, do not encompass a single arc). <S> JRR Tolkien created his Elven languages and then made up the LOTR universe to have people to speak them, but then separately created The Hobbit as a bedtime story for his children. <S> Some writers must do a lot of background work (universe, character, plot) before writing. <S> Some must jump in and see where the story goes organically. <S> Neither is wrong; neither is right. <S> You have to do what works for you and the story you're telling right now. <A> With time and experience, I was able to solve this problem by myself. <S> Here's how to get organized: <S> Setting - knowing where we are:I start with developing a fantasy world in my mind. <S> I create maps. <S> I gather hundreds of pictures from Pinterest and Tumblr to illustrate my world and its cultures. <S> When the world is ready, as if you are boiling eggs: Throw in some Characters: <S> What works best for me is creating characters on the basis of ideas sprang during roleplaying. <S> This helps a lot, because the characters are actually developed by different story tellers, so they are more believable and unique. <S> Then by all means: Stir trouble: create a conflict:Each character has a compelling need, good if they even struggle against each other. <S> Every character must want something the entire time. <S> Scenes: Try to list the possible situations the characters may encounter. <S> For instance: "Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. <S> " Make a logical sequence of these. <S> Spill. <S> Everything:Just start writing from the first sentence, and trust in God for the next. <S> Try to follow you little plan, but don't be afraid to modify as the story blossoms. <S> Write your entire first draft. <S> Leave aside for one week. <S> Let the sunshine in. <S> Do different stuff, get inspired. <S> Return to your work with clear mind, pure hands and hot heart. <S> Please your audience:Think of who is going to read your book - and translate your first draft into his language. <S> For example, if you write a non-fiction book for teenagers call it: How to Score Chicks, not How To Seduce Women. <S> Make sure you take the reader by hand and slowly and deliberately lead him to the resolution of your book. <S> Writing Buddy <S> :Find someone to edit the book together with. <S> It's best to work paragraph by paragraph. <S> Polish it <S> :Put the finishing touches to your masterpiece. <S> You must have a feeling of content from the accomplishment. <S> Work on the book until it makes you happy. <S> Write a sequel: <S> Seriously. <S> This sells. <S> Regards: LF <A> And then I write a word. <S> From that word, I get a sentence. <S> Then I build a paragraph in a style that reflects how I feel at the time of writing. <S> By the end of the paragraph, I will generally have the glimmering of an idea and a character (or two) will have strolled into view. <S> Because there is a view I will have to describe the scene. <S> The way that the characters inhabit the scene will set the mood. <S> If the characters seem like they want to say something then there will be dialogue. <S> Sometimes the dialogue leads to conflict, but if not then I will inject it at this point. <S> From this foundation, I will continue to lay down paragraphs to build up the world layer by layer. <S> Something always occurs to me to write - word by word and line by line. <S> Sometimes the characters tell me what they want to do and at other times the conflict tells the characters which direction to run. <S> It's not until I get to within a couple of paragraphs of the end that the actual ending suggests itself to me and when it does, I simply aim my writing towards that goal and complete the arc of the plot simultaneously. <S> Generally, at this point, I will go back and either delete or radically alter the first paragraph because usually, it will have no bearing on the rest of the story. <S> I then scan through the rest of the tale adjusting internal consistency, grammar and syntax as I go. <S> Then I read it all back making any minor adjustments as I progress. <S> Then I'll read it aloud. <S> Then I'll get the programme to read it back to me. <S> Then I'm done. <S> Maybe I'll involve others at that point. <S> Maybe not. <S> I write everything in WordPress usually. <S> I have Grammarly installed and this checks my prose for basic stuff like spelling and accurate comma placement.
| True, there are elements of good writing: character, conflict, dialogue, idea, mood, plot, scene, style and world; but when I'm in the mood to start a story I will generally begin with nothing at all.
|
Can I use an abbreviated two-digit format for year in a resume? Can I use '14, '15, '16, etc., instead of the full four digits? <Q> Why? <S> Is that extra bit of space needed for something? <S> My advice is to stick with the generally accepted four digit year. <S> While resume styles evolve, this is not the place for you to push the envelope. <S> You want the reader to have no objections to your resume to start getting into their heads. <A> When abbreviating a year, remove the first two numbers and indicate the omission by using an apostrophe: <S> 2009 becomes ’09 <S> (not ‘09) 2010 becomes ’10 <S> (not ‘10) 2525 becomes ’25 <S> (if we're still alive) <S> Notice <S> I said apostrophe, not single opening quote. <S> You could use whatever you want on your resume, your choices will make your resume more or less effective, also depending on who will read and how you articulate different solutions for presentation. <A> Like others, I don't recommend it. <S> Why? <S> Because people who read resumes do not treat them like a book. <S> Your resume will go into a big pile (or the electronic equivalent) that someone has to go through. <S> They're going to skim each one to give a rough yes or no <S> and then they'll go through the yeses more carefully. <S> Anything that interferes with this process or makes it harder for the resume screener to interpret is going to increase your chances of being sent to the no pile. <S> Seriously, you're saving one digit. <S> How is that worth it? <S> Now, you can save a couple digits with date ranges. <S> 2012-14 instead of 2012-2014. <S> That is standard and easy to skim. <S> But avoid the '12 bits. <S> It's something that someone reading carefully will figure out but harder on someone skimming.
| According to this source the correct symbol to abbreviate year using two digits is an apostrophe :
|
How to express character thoughts in the third person without using dialogue? I am writing a third person story that focuses on a main character. Sometimes I want to express the internal thoughts of the character, but I don't want to use internal dialogue in italics. What's the best way of doing that? This is what I have so far: Mandy arrived at 3:00pm, but he was nowhere to be seen. Her mind immediately flooded with panicked thoughts. Was making the request via email inappropriate? Had he gone back to California already? Was he simply caught up in the traffic? She realised she was simply being neurotic and so took in a few deep breaths. The yoga techniques she had learnt might have seemed silly, but they certainly were better than worrying. She paced around, taking in the sights of the street. However, after an hour of waiting it was clear that he wasn't coming. The three questions are obviously something the POV character is thinking, as are the comments about the yoga techniques. I thought this would be clear, but I get complaints from my readers that the text shifts POV. What's the best way of approaching it? I know I can just use internal dialogue in italics, but I personally always find that it spoils the flow of reading. <Q> You've written the thoughts themselves very well. <S> When I read those, I feel as if I'm in her head. <S> What pops me out of the viewpoint are the places where you tell us that she's thinking: <S> Her mind immediately flooded with panicked thoughts. <S> She realized... <S> These are not her thoughts in the moment. <S> They are some narrator's commentary on what's happening in her head. <S> And that is where the viewpoint shifts occur. <S> If you get us into the character's head, you don't ever need to say "she thought" or "she realized. <S> " <S> That sort of commentary is unnecessary because every word of the story comes to us through her perspective. <S> Every sensory detail comes through her senses. <S> Every bit of reaction and opinion and thought is her reaction and opinion and thought. <S> We know this because you've drawn us into her head. <S> You're doing fine with her thoughts. <S> Drop the parts where you tell us explicitly that she's thinking. <S> Edited to add this example <S> : Mandy arrived at 3:00pm, but he was nowhere to be seen. <S> Where was he? <S> Was making the request via email inappropriate? <S> Oh, God, had he gone back to California already? <S> No. <S> That was silly. <S> She was simply being neurotic. <S> She took in a few deep breaths and felt her heartbeat slow. <S> (I'm not happy with my transition between the first and second paragraphs. <S> But I hope you get the idea. <S> No need to say she's thinking. <S> Just write her thoughts.) <A> Internal thoughts are usually expressed either by italics or by quotation marks. <S> You have to be extra careful to make it clear that these are the character's thoughts and not the narrator's voice forgetting his role in the book. <S> One way to do that in your paragraph is to rewrite the questions: "Mandy arrived at 3:00pm, but he was nowhere to be seen. <S> She panicked. <S> Maybe that email request was inappropriate, Mandy thought, or has he gone to California already? <S> Probably he was simply caught up in the traffic. <S> She quickly realised she was being neurotic and..." <A> No special formatting or quotation marks or even textual cues are necessary. <S> Just write the thoughts. <S> It's done this way all the time. <S> I picked a book at random at Amazon ( The Noise of Time , by Julian Barnes) and flipped through until I found an instance of a character thinking. <S> The overnight case resting against his calf reminded him of the time he had tried to run away from home. <S> How old had he been? <S> Seven or eight, perhaps. <S> And did he have a little suitcase with him? <S> Probably not... <S> The thoughts are written in third person too, and readers know what they are without any extraneous nonsense explaining what's going on. <S> Your example is fine as-is, but I think "Her mind immediately flooded with panicked thoughts" is unnecessary. <A> I am in the odd position of thinking that the sample texts in the answers given by Dale Hartley Emery and Thanasis Karavasilis both read well despite the fact that in terms of the advice given they directly contradict each other. <S> And I thought that your original formulation was fine - in fact I liked it best of the three. <S> DHE is advising you to consistently omit all the insertions of "she thought" or equivalent tags and just go straight to third-person recapitulations of the character's exact thoughts. <S> TK is advising you to consistently put them in. <S> To me DHE's recommended style reads as slightly more fast paced and tense, at the cost of being a little less clear than TK's recommended form. <S> Your original had a mixed style. <S> Personally I thought yours was a happy medium. <S> You mentioned that "I get complaints from my readers that the text shifts POV." <S> Meaning no disrespect to your beta readers, but given that you sensibly started by explicitly telling the reader that these are thoughts with the words "Her mind immediately flooded with panicked thoughts", I think you shouldn't worry too much. <S> It was certainly clear to me what was going on. <S> When it comes to clipped sentences like "Had he gone back to California already?" the "rule" that one must never shift point of view scarcely applies. <S> Very short phrases or questions that come in a stream of thoughts aren't really perceived as having a POV. <S> Even if technically there is a shift from the character's POV to an unspecified narrator's POV <S> it is in practice obvious who is doing the thinking. <S> It is the POV equivalent of omitting the personal pronouns in casual speech, e.g. everyone understands that "Seen Harry around recently?" is short for "Have you seen Harry around recently?" <S> I conclude, boringly, that there is no "best way" to do it. <S> It is a matter of style and personal preference. <A> Your original example is good deep POV. <S> Deep third-person POV is nearly as intimate as first-person POV. <S> The one case where you will have to resort to italics is if the thought is in first person, which you may need to do infrequently. <S> The italics are needed to show the reader you really meant the momentary shift in person.
| If you don't want to use any special formatting and you’re writing in third person, you can just tell the reader what your characters are thinking.
|
Types of characters for three protagonist I have noticed that (in fiction) when the protagonists are three children, they normally follow these stereotypes: one is the hero (whose parent is famous), another is a nerd girl (best student in the class) and the last one is a freaky/weird kid (best friend of the hero). For example: In "Harry Potter": Harry is the hero (son of a famous wizard), Hermione is the nerd girl and Ron is the freaky kid. In "Mucha Lucha": Rikochet is the hero (son of a famous wrestler called "Lone Star), Buena Girl is the nerd girl and The Flea is the weird kid. In "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters": Ickis is the hero (son of Slickis, a famous scarer), Oblina is the nerd girl and Krumm is the weird boy. In "Naruto Shippuden": Naruto is the hero (son of the 4th Kage), Sakura is the nerd girl and Sai is the weird boy. I assume that this is not a coincidence. So, my questions is: which is the origin of this combination of these three stereotypes? Is there an ancient and famous book which uses this combination (and that serves as inspiration for later works)? <Q> First, the author wants the protagonist to have broad appeal. <S> Because he is intended to be a reader-substitute, he cannot be unusual in any way that is not unambiguously positive. <S> He can be smarter, stronger, richer, or better-looking, on the theory that every reader wishes to himself be smarter, stronger, richer, and better-looking, but nothing controversial. <S> He is unlikely to be a follower of an unpopular religion, a minority ethnic group, overweight, noticeably old or young, or odd in any other respect, unless the work is explicitly aimed at people who are themselves already in the same situation. <S> As a result, the hero tends to be rather bland. <S> He's usually a white, heterosexual male in his twenties or thirties, handsome in an uninteresting way, unexceptional except in his heroic qualities. <S> So the author finds himself with a dull hero. <S> What to do? <S> I know: a sidekick! <S> The reader is not supposed to want to be him. <S> But now we have two males wandering the landscape, alone together. <S> That will strike the more liberal readers as sexist and the more conservative ones as gay. <S> So let's add a female. <S> But the female cannot be comic relief, that would be sexist or un-gallant. <S> And making her a distaff mirror of the hero would be boring, redundant, and rather obvious. <S> Leaving us with two choices: either she is the Action Chick, kicking ass and taking names, or she is the Smart Chick, supplying solutions to unsolvable problems as and when the plot demands it. <S> My advice, for whatever it's worth, is just avoid this whole line of reasoning completely. <S> Don't try to make your protagonists "likeable" or "relatable". <S> Make them unique . <S> Make her an old, fat, racist lesbian with one leg and anxiety issues. <S> Make him a superstitious ailurophobe who exposes himself on the bus and never showers. <S> Something different. <S> Something interesting . <A> All three characters draw from typical archetypes/stereotypes, and I guess that this specific composition feels the most balanced. <S> You can learn more about these typical archetypes in this very interesting undergraduate thesis about Harry Potter: Sörensen, J. (2013). <S> Archetypes and Stereotypes in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series . <S> BA. <S> University of Gothenburg. <S> The research can be applied to many of the trios you are referring to. <A> If you think about 'Star Wars' you could find a similar structure. <S> In the first movie (1977) the hero is not the Jedi, but Jan Solo. <S> With him, besides Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is old (but in any case he dies), you have two friends, a boy and a girl (later you will know that they are brother and sister). <S> One time, many years ago, George Lucas talked about it during an interview. <S> He explained that the story was taken from another very ancient book (I don't know what it is called). <S> I think that you can find the interview.
| A sidekick can be eccentric and unattractive, he can be fat, skinny, cowardly, forgetful, superstitious, foolish, really anything, because he is mostly comic relief. I think the trope is less of a conscious choice than the result of a series of decisions by the author. I am not sure there is a certain origin for this specific combination.
|
Should I use contractions in a technical tutorial? In a technical tutorial which fits better: In this tutorial you'll learn or In this tutorial you will learn or in general does it make no difference? <Q> It depends on how formal the context is. <S> If you're writing a short blog post about getting started with a new game, "you'll" probably won't be out of place. <S> If you're writing a tutorial as part of the documentation set for expensive enterprise software, it's more common in my experience to avoid contractions. <S> If your company or publisher has a style guide, follow it. <S> If they don't or you're self-publishing, decide how formal you want to be: "you'll" is more folksy and <S> One tangential note: I try to avoid making promises about what the reader will learn; who knows if my reader will actually get it? <S> I talk about what we will show, not what you will learn. <A> It makes no difference to the reader. <S> Or if it does, they will probably prefer the less formal. <S> It makes a difference to some companies, but most are discovering that a more informal style makes them seem less stuffy and more approachable. <S> The idea that a "formal" style was more appropriate for technical communication has two roots. <S> One is in the entirely appropriate desire that technical communication should be precise. <S> The other is in the use of language as a form of class distinction, in which certain forms are used to distinguish the speech of the educated from that of the uneducated. <S> The latter is largely moribund among the general population, but still popular with a class of editor and grammar fiends, for more or less the old reasons: as a mark of distinction, to set themselves apart from the hoipoloi. <S> The concern with precision is as relevant as ever, but there is an increasing recognition that a formal precision that is not actually expressed in the language of the reader does nothing to lead the common reader to correct action. <S> In any case, contractions do nothing to reduce precision. <A> If you want to seem a professional, don't use personal style and short forms. <S> In this case I propose use sentence like this: <S> Tutorial "title of this tutorial" shows how to doing sth... <S> < Tutorial "title of this tutorial" introduces the reader to the...< Tutorial "title of this tutorial" is an introduction to the topic... <S> < Tutorial "title of this tutorial" presents information about... <S> < <S> Google helps you to find good examples, such as listed below: <S> https://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/ <S> This tutorial introduces the reader informally to the basic concepts and features of the Python language and system. <S> https://developers.google.com/apps-script/articles <S> These tutorials are designed to help you start using Google Apps Scripts more quickly. <S> https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/using-branches <S> This tutorial is a comprehensive introduction to Git branches.
| "you will" is more formal (but not stuffy).
|
Naming fictional races with original names vs with words from other languages My novels contain several fictional races, but I have been trying to decide how to name them. Therefore, I must ask: is it more common for science fiction/fantasy writers to completely make up the names of races or to use words from other languages? I have seen examples of both (for instance Darth Vader means dark father). I wish to use the less common method, whichever it may be. <Q> In general, it can be both. <S> Authors will often take a foreign language and edit it into a new language. <S> For example, Tolkien's elf language was based off Finnish, and in fact, he was linguist. <S> A reason why he made lord of the rings was to have somewhere to use his made up languages. <S> Because of the sheer difficulty of simply creating a name off the top of your head, I would have to say that copying another word and editing it is the more popular method. <S> On a side note, I should probably point out the amount of endings that are cliche in fantasy. <S> They include: -dell (surrendell), -far (fellenfar), -fell (evenfell). <S> Those make it so easy to make new words, that I literally thought of those examples off the top of my head. <S> A tactic I personally find helpful, is to say your idea's out loud, and see if they actually sound good in a sentence. <S> Like, "The Urterall armies are going to attack.". <S> I should actually point out how 'urgal' from 'The Inheritance Cycle' inspired me to think of that just now. <S> I took the -ur sound at the start of the word, and took it from there. <S> I hope this helped with naming your races! <A> If you are looking for the less common way, the most prominent way is to use combinations of foreign languages and meld them into a unique one. <S> This is often great for an English audience that is not fluent in other languages, but if you are planning on selling your novels internationally, it might shatter the suspension of disbelief if a reader sees a word that they know. <S> I hope that helps at all. <A> You could use letter substitution ciphers or anagrams to make different versions of short English words with basic meanings. <S> Then modify some of them to sound better. <S> If you do this with a few hundred basic English words you will have a few hundred basic words in an imaginary language. <S> Then you can assemble them into words and names each consisting of 2 to 4 of the short basic words. <S> And modify some of them to sound better, assuming that the speakers of the language have done the same over the centuries. <S> Your readers will thank you for that. <S> And you can do the same for several languages in your story if it is a science fiction or fantasy novel with lots of characters from different societies and cultures. <S> Some of your characters might sometimes react to the liternal meaning of some of the names, especially if they think they are not very appropiate for those ho have them. <S> And other characters might sometimes react to the associations of a name: <S> "Your parents named you after Bloktar the Terrible?" <S> "No, they named me after my great grandfather, Bloktar the Humiliated. <S> They hoped I might bear up to that accursed name as well as my great grandfather did. <S> ""Did you kill your parents?""No, but I'm still considering it."
| Overall, I believe that maybe taking some words from different languages and changing them slightly might work, as it is easier to write, but it might be more interesting to make a whole new language and really catch your readers off guard.
|
Do I need to make use of paragraphs when writing a novel and if so, how? This might be a stupid question but I am trying to write a small novel, and my structure just doesn't seem right. The text just flows continuously until the end of the chapter (with dialog being typed on their own lines). Do I need to make use of paragraphs, and if so: Do I just write start a new paragraph after a certain number of lines (if so how many lines would constitute a paragraph)? OR Do I just use indentation at the start of a particular line to mark a new paragraph? I have seen in some novels, the text is structured like I described mine except after a certain number of lines there's an indentation at the start of a line. <Q> Like all rules, only break it if you understand why it works, and you're breaking it deliberately to create an effect. <S> Paragraphs break up the copy into more digestible chunks and make it easier to read. <S> A paragraph can have one to a few thoughts in it, or one thought can be spread over multiple paragraphs. <S> This can make it hard to read, because your copy becomes a wall of gray text. <S> Some readers like stream-of-consciousness; some characters need it. <S> It doesn't work for me as a reader, but it may work for you as a writer. <S> You have to write your book and share it with others and get feedback. <S> If you use paragraphs, the length is dependent mostly on content, with some influence of "rhythm" — your inner ear telling you that this is a natural pause point for a thought. <S> For formatting, you indent the first line of a paragraph rather than using an extra return. <A> In a novel it is conventional to start a new paragraph when you change: -- speaker (yes, every time) -- place -- time -- character -- topic <S> You can change the 'meaning' of your text just by where you choose to place a new paragraph. <A> You have already selected an answer; however, as you mentioned your book has a lot of flow to it. <S> You may want to think about forgoing them altogether or deliberately formulating a structure that fits your piece of writing. <S> Consider, <S> On The Road - by Jack Kerouac , it was first typed out on a long continuous scroll. <S> This book is revolutionary both in its style and content for its time. <S> If you were to maintain a consistent approach it may provide a more immersive experience and set your book apart from others. <A> Well, this is an issue perhaps related to whatever software you're using, though for the life of me, I can't imagine what that may be (everything should be standardized). <S> Of course your question "Do I need to make use of paragraphs" confuses me - it's a question I would not expect from someone writing anything, let alone a novel. <S> FWIW: <S> Text on the left shows paragraphs with simple line breaks (without indentation). <S> Text on the right shows first-line indentation. <S> The example on the right is preferred for fiction. <S> As for how many lines would constitute a paragraph... <S> There's not a single right answer to that, and probably it's not a valid question either. <S> A paragraph is a text region that - more or less - encloses a group of sentences that are related to each other. <S> For instance, it might be a description of a certain item, or someone's feelings in relation to a certain situation. <S> Which means, a paragraph can be 2 or 122 lines long. <S> There are no rules (or, to put it this way, there are but you are free to break them - provided you know <S> when or how; like Todorov said, you need to know what it is <S> you're sacrificing before you offer the sacrifice ;)
| If you don't use paragraphs, what you're writing is just stream-of-consciousness. I'm sure you know, conventionally novels have some form of paragraph structure.
|
Length of segments in rotating POV When rotating POV between multiple characters, how long should a segment in one POV be? I'm writing ensemble 3rd person and tend to like to let the story dictate its own pace. However, I'm concerned that as the chapters are relatively short, the POV changes — usually 3 POVs per chapter — are very frequent, and the segments may be jarringly short. <Q> I don't see the length of each segment done in a particular character's point of view as the issue. <S> I've seen excellent stories split into many short glimpses of the world through multiple characters' eyes, and I've seen stories equally excellent split into just two halves consisting of Character A's view of the story followed by a contrasting second half from the POV of Character B. <S> What can be a problem with short sections in different POVs is failure to make the identity of each new POV character clear at the start of each section. <S> If you go for short sections, I recommend starting each section with either of a single-word announcement of the name of the character we are following, or stating the viewpoint character's name in the very first sentence. <A> You have to write your story and let other people read it, and ask your readers if it feels too jarring. <S> Maybe one POV per chapter is correct, or maybe your story requires a frequent POV shift. <S> But there's no generic template or requirement. <A> As others have already said, there's no right or wrong answer. <S> Personally, however, I feel that having more than one POV per chapter (with relatively short chapters) is too much chopping and changing, and can quickly become either confusing or distracting (either way, it means that I'll quickly become disinclined to continue reading). <S> I would like to ask why you need multiple POV's within the one chapter? <S> Are the POV characters together within the scene? <S> Can the presence, and actions, of other characters be noted by a single POV Character? <S> Multiple POV's work quite well, especially with epic-scaled stories. <S> Robert Jordan and George RR Martin both do(/did) <S> the one POV per Chapter style quite well <S> , it kept the story moving and is fairly easy to follow. <S> They also move around the timeline with the POV's, and allow you to identify when something is happening, and this is what I think makes it successful. <S> Steven Erikson also writes a multiple POV style quite well - again often referencing the same event in multiple sources to allow you to slot it into a timeline without it being force-fed to you (often across multiple books as his world is massive). <S> Brandon Sanderson does a multiple chapter POV style (with the Stormlight Archives in particular) that works well, and progresses the story along nicely but isn't, in my opinion, quite in the same realm as Erikson, Jordan and Martin - those three have epic worlds, with epic characters that just have so much depth to them. <S> All of these series though have one thing in common - it's clearly stated whose POV it is, either at the start of the chapter or the start of the part. <S> There is a distinct break between chapters/POV's/Parts and it is made clear through the use of a title (and also the voice of the character) whose POV you are in, and this is what I think is needed. <S> It's a solid, visual clue for the reader to get them in the right frame of mind for the next character and allow themselves to stay immersed in the story. <A> I’m working on a novel with multiple POVs, and my rule is one POV per section, where “section” means a part of a chapter that describes one scene, event, conversation, or such. <S> Typographically, sections are separated by a blank line (or <S> * * * at a page break), and the first line isn’t indented. <S> I adopted this style from the books on my shelves; it seems fairly common. <S> I generally try to make it clear to the reader fairly early whose POV it is, by internal monologue or something else <S> only that character could know, but there’s at least one short section where it’s not at all clear whose POV it is, and it doesn’t really matter. <S> As for length, a section is as long as it needs to be to achieve its purpose. <S> One might run ten pages, another half a page. <S> I just write and read, rewrite and reread. <S> If a transition or juxtaposition seems awkward, I fiddle with it until it's better. <S> There are very few fixed rules in the writing game.
| It depends on how the section fits into the overall work and what its purpose is: to advance the plot, to develop one or more characters, to set up a situation that will be resolved later, to resolve a situation set up earlier, to drop a hint about something. There's no one right answer.
|
What is the best way to set a dark tone to a story? I want to write a short horror story. What are the best ways to set a dark tone or mood to the story? Just in a short introduction, if I want to introduce a character or place as a place I would not like or a person I would not like, what is the best way to do so? This story would be based on a slight mix with the supernatural with realistic touches. Let's say I have a seen where I have to build up tension till a certain character meets a ghost or demon, how would I do so? <Q> Remove the notion of 'sight'. <S> Vision is by far the most important way we have of seeing things; fear comes greatly from what you're unable to perceive. <S> So add some unknown. <S> Remove sight, increase smells, sounds, and any other form of perception. <S> There is nothing so frightening as the anticipation of what's coming to you, so make sure to stretch the phases of unknown to their maximum. <S> Anticipation is your best tool. <A> You can even retype a chapter or two to get a feel for how that author/tone "feels in your fingers." <S> Here are a few specific examples of what might work (and they are kind of in priority order as well): <S> (short story tip: start with the climax) <S> In general dark stuff that happens and dark things that characters have to do should help get things dark - death and depression; death by sword for adventures; death by cancer for more adult dark stuff... <S> A light contrast to the darkness will make things even darker, e.g. hopelessly hopeful character (that bites it) <S> Descriptions and metaphors that allude to death, decay, destruction, what have you, think morbid thoughts while describing everyday things E.g. chest drawers like toothless life sucking jaws, or a bone white full moon (cliché warning), <S> oh and night, and darkness Listen to depressive, dark music while writing, it might contaminate the pages <S> Here's an exercise: Your character's father has just hanged himself in the barn. <S> Describe the barn from the character's point of view. <S> Then edit the text and remove all references to the hanging. <S> How have you described the barn? <S> However, I don't think you have to have so much "dark tone" in there. <S> Just a few well chosen words here and there... <S> or it risks turning into melodrama or exaggeration. <S> And, you shouldn't start with the tone, if that's what you're doing. <S> Your first step should be to develop the characters and the plot, and write the first draft. <S> Once you have that, see what edits you can do to turn things darker. <S> You could develop the darker things and remove some of the lighter. <A> This is a very generic question, because a) it depends on many things; b) there is more than one way, and more than one good way <S> Do you want the story to be supernatural, explained, or ambiguous? <S> " <S> Supernatural" means there are, indeed, demons, ghosts, and goblins. <S> " <S> Explained" means you're just imagining it, or you're being taken for a ride - it's the so-called "Scooby Doo Gothic". <S> Ambiguous is, well, self-explanatory. <S> Some general tips: try to unsettle your reader. <S> The best way to do this is to opt forambiguity. <S> Demons are scary, and so is madness, but it's even scarierwhen you can't differentiate between the two. <S> try to include the reader. <S> Use metatextual strategies, try to make the reader realize that the reality of the text and his/her own reality need not be two separate things. <S> "Some time" is better than "five minutes", and "a field of unknown length" is better than "a field as long as a football stadium". <S> Use "marker words" related to your genre, as well as to the point above. <S> Examples: "endless", "infinite", "vast", "unreal", "hazy", "uncanny", etc.
| There are many ways to do this, but perhaps the easiest and a quite effective one is defamiliarization Be ambiguous when you describe time or setting. A protagonist that follows a negative character arc has the potential to leave your readers with a sense of doom and gloom To learn writing a specific tone; read books that has the kind of tone you want.
|
How to create a title I am at a dilemma, as I cannot title my novel. So I created these questions. What creates a good title for a novel? What should I include/not include in my title? At the moment, I have come up with 'The Day Before', however I believe that that's quite generic. On the other hand, it does fit the plot, as the end of the novel begins to revolve around what happened the very day before the day in which the first chapter is set. So, after writing that paragraph I came up with this addition. How can I make my title original? <Q> I recently watch 7 editors choose stories for anthologies. <S> They had read all of the stories a month or two earlier, and were now considering them in front of a live audience. <S> Every now and then, an editor would pick up a manuscript from the pile, read the title out loud to the audience, and say, "I have no memory of this. <S> Give me a minute... <S> " Then they'd flip through their notes. <S> Two of the stories were called "Payback." <S> Fine stories both, but <S> the titles did not help the editors recall them or distinguish them. <S> Then there were the stories where the editor would read the title out loud, and everyone in the room would instantly recall the important details of the story. <S> (Sorry, I can't give examples. <S> The stories haven't been published yet.) <S> What we in the audience learned from this: One key goal of a title is to help the editor instantly recall the story. <S> Probably the same for readers, and for word of mouth. <S> So find a title that helps people instantly recall some key ingredient that makes this story unique. <A> 1) What I like to do is go to a book store and look at the titles in the genre I am writing in. <S> If you do that, you will notice that books from the same genre often have titles that are similarly structured. <S> For example, thrillers have short one or two word titles that relate to things hard, cold and dangerous. <S> YA SF also has one word titles, but these words are mysterious and emotional. <S> YA romance has humorous phrases. <S> And so on. <S> So, get an idea of title conventions in your genre. <S> These exist because they sell, so use them to create a structural frame for your title. <S> 2) Try to write down what your novel is about in a few words. <S> Brainstorm and don't censor yourself yet. <S> What is the moral premise? <S> What is the plot? <S> What is the end? <S> What is the character's handicap? <S> Etc. <S> Collect as many short phrases and words as you can. <S> Then try to rephrase these ideas, fitting them into the structural frame you deduced from looking at genre titles. <S> 3) <S> While you do that, try to imagine what your target audience wants. <S> Why do they read? <S> How does your book satisfy their desire. <S> Use your intimate familiarity with your readership to further shape and finetune your title. <S> 4) Show a selection of possible titles to your trusted beta readers, your husband/wife, your agent, your writer's group, and ask for their feedback. <S> 5) Select a title and submit your manuscript. <S> 6) Get rich. <A> There are two ways to approach this: marketing <S> artistic <S> Though they aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, an excessively obscure title might be risky in terms of the former (although, it might also help; you never know). <S> My advice is to ignore any marketing concerns and focus on art. <S> A title must be: indicative of the book in question (can you imagine Jaws being called The Seaside Town instead? <S> interesting. <S> There are several ways to achieve this, but some ideas can be: obscure words; alliteration; deliberate bending of grammatical rules - Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would not sound as... <S> strange with the article included. <S> participating in meaning-rendering mechanisms. <S> Think of a title that makes sense when you have reached the last page of the book. <A> When I am Writing my titles I make a list of what I think is most important about the story. <S> Then what I do is I reread parts of it. <S> then I brainstorm and write words that come to me, about and from the book. <S> I will read them then try and make a something that sums up the book. <S> For instance, I wrote a story about a well that holds all the memories of the world. <S> I titled it well of memories. <S> Then I search for the title, I came up with just to ake sure it not taken. <A> One technique is to read your story through and highlight phrases that pop out. <S> Then choose one or a few and tweak them if necessary. <S> Take your short list to your writing group for feedback. <A> ' <S> The Day Before' Worried it doesn't stand out? <S> Try restructuring it to make it slightly more unique - and make sure that still fits. <S> ' <S> Before The Day'? <S> Bend your perspective. <S> ' <S> After Yesterday'? <S> Run the words through www.thesaurus.com and see if something new pops. <S> 'Auld Lang Syne'? <S> Make something up 'Jabberwocky'? <S> Go straight to the sequel 'The Day Before II'? <S> And when inspiration strikes and you find the perfect name, Google to see who else has already written a novel, poem, song or play with a clashing title that. <S> Happy New Year!
| Pick a phrase from your novel that is significant.
|
PhD thesis: how to visually separate the "general conclusion" chapter from the last part Suppose the outline of my PhD thesis looks like this: Acronyms Preface Introduction Part I: some topic Chapter 1: ... Chapter 2: ... Part II: another topic Chapter 3: ... Chapter 4: ... Conclusion Recommendations and outlook Glossary etc. From the table of contents it is immediately clear that the Conclusion chapter is on the same level as the parts, and it is therefore a conclusion about the entire work. In the actual body of the thesis, parts are indicated by a full page with "Part I: topic" on it, a relevant picture and probably a bombastic quote of some kind. My question is: how do I visually separate the conclusion from Part II, such that when reading the entire book it is clear to the reader that "ah, this is the end of Part II and now we get something else entirely"? Is there a standard way to do this? Any ideas? <Q> Each field has their own formatting habits, and each university/school/department their own. <S> Most often, you number them separately so that you have: 1 Introduction 1.1. <S> Aims of the Research 1.2 Theoretical Background and Primary Works...... <S> 3. <S> Aspects of Femininity in *Frankenstein <S> * 3.1 [a title] <S> And so on... <A> I really don't think there is a reliable way to do this visually in the text simply because whatever visual cues announced to the reader that they have started Part II have long been forgotten before they get to the end of it. <S> You can always do things like devoting an entire right page to "Part I", "Part II" and "Conclusion" but that is no guaranteed that the reader will recognize their significance when they encounter them so many hours apart. <S> Also, at the semantic level, it is unlikely that they are holding a hierarchical structure in their heads as they read. <S> Even if we organize a long work hierarchically, this is more for our convenience than for the readers. <S> It may help them get an initial sense of the work from the TOC, if they bother to read it, but when they are actually reading, the will read linearly. <S> They will experience one thing after another, not one thing inside another. <S> If you want to make sure they <S> they know they have arrived at the conclusion of the whole work, the most reliable way to do it is to announce it in the opening of the conclusion itself. <S> In Part I we looked at some topic. <S> In Part II we looked at another topic. <S> To sum up, some topic and another topic both lead us to the conclusion ... <S> And after all, this is the job of the conclusion, to remind the reader of the larger structural and logical unity of the argument, which they will likely have lost track of during the long read. <S> In short, don't rely on visual clues to guide the reader as to the structure of your text. <S> Do it in the text itself. <A> Although different fields will assuredly have variation in formats, doctoral candidates are expected to design their own research protocols and report them in a meaningful way. <S> As such, I don't think there's a wrong answer per se as long as it doesn't put off your Primary Investigator or thesis committee. <S> You've already decided to give Part I and Part II their own title pages; you should consider staying consistent and give the Conclusion <S> it's own title page in the same format. <S> This is assuming your conclusion takes up a few pages. <S> However, I think I'd leave out the clever ideas and separate page from the bibliography. <S> Good luck.
| The conclusion would be the last, before any appendixes (that's where your acronyms, bibliography, etc should be)
|
How do you believably write a moron? I've heard a lot of people ask how to properly depict intelligence in a written work, but I'd like to go in the opposite direction. I want to know how to write a moron/fool without having them be the over-the-top, in-your-face "Patrick Star" type character who spews non-sequiturs and stumbles mindlessly into every trap he can find. A character in my story is naive and dim, and I want to know how I should write her so that she can be believable and, while making some facepalm-inducing decisions, genuinely tries her best to make the best decisions possible. <Q> Interacting with people who think differently is a good way to start. <S> Using the word 'moron' is a bad place to start. <S> I have very strong spatial thinking skills <S> - I can imagine things in 3D and can intuitively understand how mechanical things work, but I'm very bad with numbers and math. <S> My wife is nearly the opposite. <S> She thinks in words and logic, but has problems understanding things spatially. <S> She struggles to understand things that are obvious to me <S> and I struggle to understand things that are obvious to her. <S> In other words, while we both are very intelligent, we're also different. <S> You might try understanding this by imagining thinking about something that's difficult for you to understand - take for instance the relationship between gravity and time (look it up... <S> it'll blow your mind.) <S> Then imagine what it would be like if listening to someone give directions to the nearest bathroom <S> were just as difficult to understand. <S> Then imagine if everything were just as difficult to understand. <S> Imagine the emotions you'd feel if everyone else could understand things easily while you can't. <S> And then you can probably start writing your character. <A> By being one. <S> Putting yourself in someone else's shoes and thinking like them is an integral part of writing fiction. <S> If you can’t identify with a simpleton, err sorry, learning disabled, differently-abled person; don’t bother to write one, or a novel for that matter. <A> By not backing off from bad ideas and stupid questions. <S> We all have these. <S> We have them countless times every day. <S> The only difference between a moron and a smartass is the speed and ease in recognizing shortcomings of these ideas. <S> So start off writing the character like a normal smart character. <S> Then whenever you have a wrong idea about what the character would say, conclude, understand, do - take a step back, evaluate if the shortcomings are something your "moron" could miss, and then apply them. <S> Follow normal logical (or emotional) track, but trim all non-obvious contributions to the decision-making process.
| It is essential that the character comes to life. I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but just on top of my head use decision making based on your childhood, and adult moments when you where drunk, sick, or half-asleep.
|
Describe person attempting but failing to suppress a laugh There is a scene where a character is trying to be level-headed and professional. However, something happens that is funny to him. He lets out a satisfied chuckle but tries with partial success to hold it in as it is not entirely appropriate. The whole process is mostly subconscious. The viewpoint in the scene is a different character. How can I describe that concisely? I tried: He stifled a satisfied chuckle. He suppressed a satisfied chuckle. but I'm not convinced that sounds good, or that it means exactly what I intend. What are some other options? <Q> If you are in the student's viewpoint, here are some possibilities: <S> Write his opinions about: what's so funny <S> what's so satisfying what makes <S> chuckling inappropriate Say something like: <S> He stifled a chuckle. <S> He tried to stifle a chuckle. <S> He snorted. <S> ... <S> Write whatever he notices about any noise or expression he makes. <S> Write his reaction to whatever he notices thoughts and emotions about whether the chuckle leaked behaviors to cover it up ... <S> Describe the professor's reaction to the stifled chuckle, which would indicate how successful the viewpoint character was in stifling it. <S> Some of this won't fit if the whole incident is truly subconscious. <S> But then, if it's subconscious, you can't mention it from his viewpoint. <S> The thing you can do even if it's subconscious is describe the professor's reaction. <S> This could trigger the student to realize that he just chuckled. <A> Personally, I think it's the "satisfied" that throws it out. <S> You could, perhaps try something like: <S> A small chuckle escaped before he could suppress/stop it. <S> He gave a small chuckle, briefly amused at something, before continuing on... <S> He snorted, a small grin flashing across his face. <A> Here's my try: <S> He glanced up from the fire to see if Adeline looked inspired, or was at least paying attention, but he was only faced with a red Adeline trying hard to suppress her laughter, then failing when the King made eye contact with her. <A> His eyes were bright and laughing above tight, withholding lips. <A> One way is trough dialogue. <S> "How unfortunate for all involved." <S> "Was... did you just smirk?" <S> "I wouldn't... dream of it." <S> "Why're you turning your back on me. <S> Your shoulder are shaking. <S> Oliver. <S> Oliver! <S> " <S> "I am. <S> Simply enjoying the view. <S> Yes." <S> "Damn you Oliver, this isn't funny!" <S> I yelled at him, beating my fists over his back while his shoulders shook. <S> Or you can do it <S> trough internal monologue. <S> I narrowed my eyes and stared down Oliver. <S> Was. <S> Was that a smirk just now. <S> His face was the picture of professionality, but just a moment ago I could have sworn...
| Then you could write his reaction to that realization.
|
How do you force a turning point in a narrative that is supposed to be precisely about the lack of such devices? Please, before flagging this question as subjective or generic, take a moment to read it through. IMO this is a valid, specific question, albeit a bit complex. To try and unpack the admittedly obscure title, I will use an example: Imagine you have a character who plans her life and daily activities according to "fate" or "signs". Let's say she has suffered some past trauma and thinks she is fated to never meet a kind man. Now, assume you want to introduce a turning point in the narrative journey, something that will make this woman realize that there is no such thing as fate. Any thought on how to achieve that, since the idea of a turning point seems intrinsically connected with the very notion it tries to dispel (the presence of fate)? EDIT:Based on Anir Mass's input, I'd like to clarify this a bit:By "turning point", if the term isn't transparent, imagine something in the direction of a "Deus ex machina" device. In our case, then, the question becomes: How do you "awaken" someone from their fallacious thought that life should be lived according to signs, if such a device (i.e. that would cause the awakening) can be construed as a sign itself <Q> I see your problem, humans can show striking ingenuity in constructing narratives to support the notion that everything is a divine sign. <S> I can only come up with two solutions: The chaotic one. <S> Rather than trying to destroy her narrative, have her realize that different narratives can be constructed around the same events and take agency as the writer of her life. <S> The lazy way to do this is to introduce her to a teacher figure with such a radically different worldview from hers that she will have to reconsider everything she knows, someone who will plunge her life into chaos by showing her the forking paths where she sees clear road signs. <S> It seems much harder to replace this with an impersonal force, but hey, maybe it is possible. <S> By the end she should ideally have enough self-awareness to note the irony of the situation - how fateful the encounter that made her denounce <S> the idea of fate was. <S> The satirical one. <S> Look up "Inside Amy Schumer - The Universe" with Bill Nye on YouTube for reference. <S> See how the ridiculousness escalates? <S> You can have your characters' beliefs become increasingly monstrous in their selfishness. <S> Then any reminder that she is not the center of the universe should be enough to make them crumble. <S> Good luck! <A> I hate to try to divine motive, but are you sure this is a story question? <S> It sounds more like you are trying to make an argument than tell a story, more like you are trying to find a way to convince that reader that their lives are not governed by fate than that you are trying to find a convince the character. <S> The destruction of someone's life view is worthy matter for fiction, but the focus should then be on the experience of abandoning one view or adopting another. <S> It should not really be germane whether the new view is more correct than the old one (per the author's view). <S> If the work is actually an argument for one life view against another, it is a polemic, not a novel. <S> Then the question becomes, what are the arguments against fate, which would clearly be off topic here. <S> But if the topic is, what it the experience of conversion from one worldview to another like, then there are countless conversion stories you can look at, a surprising number of which are more about the nature of the experience of conversion than about the rightness or wrongness of the new/old views. <A> So basically, the question is, how can she change her mind on fate, given that she takes every event that happens to her as fated? <S> That's a tough one. <S> Well, a turning point here could be an intellectual one. <S> Let's assume, <S> as you mentioned, she believes she's not fated to meet a kind man. <S> Rather than having events prove her wrong by introducing her to a kind man, despite her expectations, perhaps you could try changing her mind on the matter, by seeing how unreasonable her belief is. <S> This starts with emotions, then thought, then conviction changes slowly, almost imperceptibly. <S> 1- <S> she meets a person who has a similar, more extreme belief, in fate2- that person makes a bad, or a series of bad decisions that the main character sees as ridiculous and wrong.3- <S> such decision ruin the character's life in some way <S> (death? <S> suicide?), which affects the main character emotionally.4- <S> This leads to her blaming her friend's silly notions <S> 5- then a realization of similarities in concept, if not in form6- the main character revises her own beliefs.7- <S> The main character makes a decision. <S> Remain in the comfort of old beliefs, or get rid of them, even if driven only by grief and doubt. <S> The most important part here, in my opinion, is the decision. <S> That is what would make a reader relate to the main character or not. <S> In any case, this is my take on it. <S> Hope it helps. <A> For example: Chaos. <S> Everything happens at random. <S> Have the character get to know one of two men based on the roll of a die. <S> Human Agency: <S> Things happen because we cause them to happen. <S> Have the character do something that causes the desired outcome, rather than having it imposed from outside. <S> e.g. Sign up to a dating web site where she can find the ideal man. <S> A bigger god: <S> Replace a belief in "fate" with a belief in different kind of super-natural agency. <S> A combination of these. <A> What I did in one of my stories is to have the character change her mind about "fate," even while believing in "signs." <S> Briefly, my heroine meets a man who echoes something she did before her trauma. <S> But while she continues to believe in fate, she starts to question the premise that her fate is not to meet a kind man. <S> Because she also takes this "echoing as a "sign" that this is the one for her. <S> And when he does turn out to be kind, then she maintains her belief in "signs," and decides that she read her fate wrongly.
| I think you need to present an alternative explanation of why things happen, and provide your character reason to believe the alternative.
|
What to avoid when writing the death of the protagonist? Just a question in general. Let's say the protagonist has succeed in his goals, but has lost everything, then he gets badly wounded and slowly dies. What is to avoid when writing his death? Just asking in general. <Q> If giving him a slow death in no way furthers the plot or someone's character development, then please kill him quickly. <S> There are a whole lot of unanswered questions here which would influence how much writing you want to put into Mr. P's death. <S> Do the readers have any sympathy for Mr. P? <S> If there is a lot of interest in Mr. P., then his death can be expanded. <S> You can use it to delve into why he made the choices he made or didn't make. <S> How did he lose everything and does that make him a more complete character? <S> Is it important to the story (or to the theme) that he lost everything? <S> Maybe you want to leave an air of mystery around his death. <S> Did he or didn't he? <S> Might he come back in the sequel? <S> I guess what I am saying, to answer your question, is to make his death meaningful. <S> Avoid any other claptrap that does nothing but fill the pages. <A> Melodrama! <S> But how has he managed to succeed in his goals and still lose everything? <S> Was his goal to lose it all? <S> (I remember some comedy where someone had to get rid of a lot of money in order to inherit even more, but he didn't die in the end...) <A> I'd suggest a secondary protagonist that "carries the torch" when the protagonist dies. <S> Also, there's a great deal of respect for self-sacrifice. <S> Dying for a cause is a successful and uplifting way to accomplish your task. <S> The first two blockbuster movies coming to mind are Terminator 2 and Armageddon . <S> However, there was this American movie from the '70s called Ordinary People which won "Best Picture" Academy Award, but nobody tried to replicate because it was so depressing--the MC commits suicide at the end.
| The death of the protagonist and the events surrounding it should further the plot or character development Even when done well, there's a marketability issue if the one character everyone cares about bites it.
|
Is it good to hate a character? I have a character that I want to give a huge slap across the face to. If I absolutely hate this character, does that mean my reader will hate him too? Is it good to purposely include a character in your writing which the reader is designed to hate? <Q> Well, "good" is subjective. <S> You can have a loathsome, hissable, completely irredeemable villain who roasts puppies, shoots women with crossbows, and writes comics where Captain America is revealed to be a lifelong HYDRA agent at the end, and your reader will likely despise that character. <S> However, even your wretched villain should be three-dimensional. <S> Just because there's nothing good about this person doesn't mean the character doesn't have motivation, personality, or a backstory. <S> The motivations can be horrible (he likes kicking sand in the faces of 90-pound weaklings and hates that one was turned into a supersoldier), the personality can be insane (she blows up hospitals just to watch first responders scurry around), and the backstory can be horrendous (he's a thoroughly spoiled and coddled royal brat who's the product of brother-sister incest and inherited the throne at age 13, with no one who can stop him or even discipline him), but do come up with something. <S> Flat villains aren't interesting. <S> We just want them to go away and stop being obstacles. <S> There's a place for a character we love to hate. <S> Think of Joffrey Baratheon on Game of Thrones and Red Skull from Captain America. <S> They are horrific and we generally want them to die, but they aren't cardboard cutouts. <S> Compare with GOT's Ramsay Snow/Bolton and The Waif, or Jafar from Aladdin . <S> They are villains, but beyond varying levels of anger, sadism, and hunger for power, we don't have backstory or motivation for them. <S> They aren't as interesting or rounded. <A> If all your characters are nice and kind, the story might get a little boring. <S> Those hated people are something different for your story. <S> If you really want your readers to hate him, make him bully the protagonist or something. <S> Readers will boil out of anger every time he shows up. <S> Of course, this also opens possibilitys for the outcome. <S> Will you kill him off in a very sattisfying way, finally rewarding your readers for everything they've been through because of that guy, or will you have them change their personality and become good? <S> The latter one also uses to be a good idea, but you have to do it in a convincing way. <A> It depends a lot on the plot, the "genre" ( <S> I don't like this word too much, but there is a difference between pulpy science fiction and literary fiction), and other dynamics. <S> For genre fiction (=science fiction, horror, fantasy, detective, etc.) <S> stereotypes are generally expected. <S> This means, characters should be rather clearly offered as good/evil, smart/dumb, etc. <S> Check about character theory: <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_theory_%28media%29 <S> For Literary Fiction ( or if you want your genre story to be more complex - "high-brow"; at your own risk!) <S> the exact opposite should happen: <S> A character cannot be evil; s/ <S> he can be misguided A character cannot be omniscient; s/he must have doubts A character cannot be omnibelevolent; s/he must have some dark side (or, at the very least, some fundamental character quirk that assigns a flawed quality to his/her ethics <S> And so on
| I think if you try hard to make a character hateable, most readers will hate him. And yes, it's good to have such characters in stories.
|
Hosting my writing on Github - public or private repository? I'm a developer and a writer. I use Github version control for some of my writing, to keep track of changes. I've got one ebook about Cycle touring that I have in a public repository on Github. I've got a new one I'm working on about Investing. It's rather more of an earlier draft that the other one, so I'm wondering whether to keep it in a public repository, which anybody can see, e.g. on github, or in a private repository, e.g. on bitbucket, where only I would have access. It is possible to clone a repository from one service to the other with all its revision history and branches ( details here ), so I'm not locking myself in to either platform. My question is, is it a problem to share my work publicly like this, before its fully baked? <Q> It's not great, because it's usable only by the tiny fraction of people who know how to use git. <S> Consider LeanPub.com. <S> Many of my colleagues publish their books through LeanPub.com. <S> LeanPub converts writers' manuscripts (written in markdown) into standard epub files. <S> And writers can make their books available while they write, and update as often as they want. <S> LeanPub may be slightly less convenient for the writer (because you have to do a teeny tiny bit more than simply commit your changes), but it's much more convenient for early readers who don't know git. <A> I keep my fanfiction on Github. <S> https://github.com/IWriteThings/fanfiction.fmpgcol <S> I have since moved all of my original writing over to a Gitlab self hosted server that I have through a company called scaleways. <S> This allows me to do all of my editing and work flow through something I enjoy like Github but without worrying about fees or licensing concerns. <S> I think you should look into hosting your own Gitlab server. <S> Companies like scaleways can do one-click installations of Gitlab for less than $10 per month. <A> Have a look at medium.com <S> it is built for writers <S> it has revisions and notations.
| If you want to share your work while you write it, github is an okay way to do that.
|
Is protagonist identification/empathy influenced by the reader's gender? I had a discussion with someone who claimed she'd once read (though she couldn't remember the source) that men can identify and empathize with male as well as female protagonists, while women identify better with female protagonists (the claim being, they can certainly sympathize with male protagonists, but identification is harder). To me, this seems like a gross and peculiar generalization (though it's hard to say more about it without knowing the source). Still, if it's hypothetically valid, it would create some odd dynamics in stories with a male protagonist and a female antagonist. I was wondering if anyone has heard of anything related to that - if you also remember any possible source, it'd be a bonus. <Q> I've had a related discussion with my wife two weeks ago about whether there's anything significant about men writing a female protagonist and women writing a male protagonist. <S> For example, Robin Hobb writing about FitzChivalry, or Witi Ihimaera writing about Paikea. <S> The larger part that causes the reader to engage with the protagonist is how similarly or dissimilarly the protagonist's experiences and objectives match the readers own life experiences and objectives. <S> We found that my wife's upbringing and my own upbringing have lead us to enjoy and desire different qualities in our protagonists. <S> Also, in some cases, a secondary character induces a sense of identity and empathy that may also not align by gender. <S> For example, my daughter connects more with Draco Malfoy over Hermione Granger. <S> Go figure. <S> Here's a secret for you. <S> If there were an article that stated, " that men can identify and empathize with male as well as female protagonists, while women identify better with female protagonists ", and if your personal experiences and objectives align with this statement, then you may be much more likely to consider the article to be truth. <A> men can identify and empathize with male as well as female protagonists, while women identify better with female protagonists (the claim being, they can certainly sympathize with male protagonists, but identification is harder). <S> Anecdotally, I would consider the reactions of a percentage of male fans to the all-female Ghostbusters , Daisy Ripley's Rey in The Force Awakens, and the female lead of Rogue One , just in the past year, to refute this assertion. <S> Obviously I am also speaking in gross generalities, but seriously: male leads have dominated fiction in most media for, like, millennia. <S> American fiction is finally reaching a point where female leads are starting to show up more often in bigger-impact works, and a certain subsection of the audience is losing their tiny bigoted minds. <S> These men don't want women to be protagonists in the entertainment they interact with because they cannot empathize or identify with female protagonists. <S> Those female-led stories are outside their experiences, and it makes them uncomfortable and upset when they, and their stories, are not the focus of the tale being told. <S> There have primarily been male protagonists for a significant majority of time and fiction, so by default, any female readers would only have had male protagonists to emphathize and identify with. <S> Women simply haven't had the option of a woman being the main character driving the story in a Star Wars movie before now. <S> Not that Leia didn't kick ass and keep her head, but the journey was clearly Luke's. <S> So little girls had the option of playing "Leia, the sidekick and love interest," or pretending to be the hero, Luke who is male. <S> (Or Han, the snarky sidekick. <S> I confess <S> I never met anyone who wanted to be Chewie.) <S> Now little girls can be Rey. <S> I have no particular statistics to back up my assertions either. <S> I think the answer to your question may be yes, but in the opposite way your friend claimed. <A> The opposite of this rule, that both men and women identify with a male protagonist, but only women can identify with a female protagonist, has long been used as a standard pretext for focusing exclusively on male protagonists in movies and books. <S> The logic is that you halve your audience with a woman in the lead. <S> Similar arguments are often made against films with black and other minority leads. <S> However, the science indicates <S> this is entirely spurious folk wisdom invented to justify internalized prejudices. <A> The fact is that females are grossly under-represented across most fiction. <S> There have been various studies to mathematically prove this (here's one: https://seejane.org/research-informs-empowers/data/ ). <S> Studies like this show that often there are very few women at all, or there is only one named female character (and they are usually a love interest, or in some way their role is tied to being a woman in a way that doesn't happen for the male characters), or there are a few, but still vastly lower than 50%. <S> The skew in representation has a huge impact on what we consider normal and how we view the world. <S> This imbalance would definitely lean towards the opposite of what your friend stated - it would suggest that women would find it easier to identify with and empathise with a male character, because they have so much practise at it. <S> They are expected to do it all the time. <S> Whereas, men would find it more difficult, because it's not something they are required to do very often. <S> That this is more likely <S> to be the case is supported by the anecdotal stories that publishers don't believe that boys will read stories with a girl as a protagonist, but don't worry so much about girls refusing to read about male protagonists - such as Harry Potter. <S> The Hunger Games and Divergent are happy modern exceptions to this, and let's hope they are a sign of changing times, where people care more about the depth and charisma of a character than their gender.
| In the end, my wife and I concluded together that the protagonist's gender is really only a small part of what makes a reader identify or empathize with the protagonist.
|
How do I delete a scene in Scrivener? I purchased Scrivener a few weeks ago. As I was messing around with it trying to get a hang of how to use it I accidentally added too many scenes in one chapter. How do I delete these scenes? <Q> Right click on Windows, or two fingered click on a Mac. <S> From there, select Move to Trash. <S> It'll then stay in that document's specific trash folder. <S> You can retrieve scenes out of the document's specific trash until you empty the trash. <S> Some writers will only empty the trash at the end of a writing project. <A> Select the first scene by highlighting it (shift - click) <S> Go down all the scenes you want to select. <S> - <S> **tip <S> if there is too many it will lock up the Scrivner and the software will become unresponsive and then close itself; if that's the case delete your scenes in sections no more than maybe 50 at a time and empty trash after each selection has been deleted; this is after you reopen Scrivener). <S> Then let go of shift key, <S> Then click on the shift and delete button - this will move all scenes to the trash bin. <S> Make sure you haven't deleted anything you want and then right click your mouse and empty your trash. <S> I had my laptop in my suitcase <S> and when I got to the hotel discovered that the computer had inserted hundreds (if not thousands of empty scenes in my manuscript). <S> The above process worked and it took about a half an hour because I couldn't do it all at one time. <S> Hope that helps! <S> Good Luck,Pam Pearsall <A> If each scene is a separate document, drag the unwanted ones to the trash folder.
| Go down to the final scene you want to delete hit shift and click this will highlight all the selected scenes.
|
How find an appropriate vocabulary I'm a newbie reader and often find myself needing to open the dictionary at least once every few pages. Although I'm a newbie, my vocabulary is at least of an average proficiency so I wonder what it's like for the majority of readers, how much does the average reader care about vocabulary? Do you need to be careful not to use uncommon words so as not to break the flow of a reader? Or maybe you need to decide on your target audience and try to find the appropriate vocabulary for them? How do authors choose their vocabulary? <Q> Write for your audience plus a little. <S> If you're writing a book for five-year-olds, you don't want to use "sesquipedalian," but there's nothing wrong with "lengthy." <S> Part of how we expand our vocabularies is by seeing new words in context (and looking them up if we have to). <S> I remember learning guerdon (a reward or gift) and gravid (pregnant) from Anne McCaffrey novels. <S> You are correct in thinking that too many unusual words may break the reader's flow, so unless it's jargon (all the various terms for horse accessories or armor, for example), try not to overdo it. <S> But the occasional stretch word is a good thing. <A> have you ever read the series of unfortunate events by lemony snicket? <S> in those books, the author uses an abundance of long and complicated words that many children wont understand, however, he explains many of them with examples relating to the story. <S> if you are writing for your own age group, use vocabulary that you yourself enjoy reading and the vocabulary that comes to you naturally. <S> personally, i enjoy reading books that have a slightly harder vocabulary. <S> it makes it more challenging, interesting and engaging. <S> likewise, when i'm writing, i find myself using the thesaurus a lot to add a little more spice to my work. <A> Prose should slide off your fingers like warm butter. <S> If your brain screams "discombobulated" at you, you don't have to ignore it because it's a big word. <S> There is of course a limit based on your working vocabulary and the genre. <S> Too many big words is snooty. <S> I became a much better writer when I stopped using a thesaurus. <S> My dictionary primarily gets used for parts of speech and hyphenation; however, my spelling's not great, but I use Word so it tells me.
| your choice of vocabulary depends a lot on your targeted audience.
|
How to stop repeating the same idea The story I'm writing is based in a post apocalyptic world. In the first few chapters, when I'm introducing the characters jump starting the threads, I find myself repeating several ideas again and again. For e.g. since it is a post apocalyptic scenario, I have to describe that the building/structure that they are in, has survived the ravages of time. Even though so many things happened, this structure/device/building/thingamajig survived. Since it is important to take the story forward. It is OK when I do it for one but when I've to do it for everything to highlight it's important and to show that it is the only one in existence, it becomes repetitive and tedious. After a point, even the reader would start to think that this has survived the ravages of time, like everything else, what else is new... So how do I show this, maintaining the reader's attention without compromising the importance of the thing ? <Q> Give contrast. <S> Insist on everything that hasn't survived, which could also serve to explain everything that happened. <A> First, make sure character has different concerns and preferences and attitudes about things. <S> Then, each character would naturally notice or focus on different aspects of the building. <S> And if two or more characters were to linger on the same aspect, they would have different opinions of it. <S> And their descriptions will not only describe the setting, but also characterize the characters. <A> You can concentrate on details, without describing the whole "thing" that survived, so everytime you describe a small part. <S> Other solution : the "Show don't tell" rule. <S> The reader with some indications will know that you're in a post-apocalyptic world, so it's kind of obvious that some buildings were destroyed and other still stand, but you don't have to say it, make your charachter evolve in this world and let the reader see what's he's seeing.
| If the characters notice different things, and have different opinions of things, that will keep their descriptions fresh and distinct. If there are more instances (small side notes, rather than big paragraphs) of destroyed things than things that have survived, the latter will stand out much better.
|
How do i describe a vampire from the perspective of someone who has no idea what they are? The concept of my story is that i would rewrite the story of the first ever vampire in a medieval setting, and from two perspectives, one from the vampire's friend and brothers in arms, and the other from the vampire itself. The climax of the story is supposed to be during a confrontation between the two warring kingdoms, where the sheer amount of blood makes the vampire completely mad to the point where he can no longer keep up appearances, where he goes on a rampage, murdering friend and foe alike. The problem with my idea is that this scene is supposed to be told from the point of view of the friend, who has no idea what is going on. Every time i try to describe the vampire and his actions it feels too "familiar". Basically, how do i describe the cliche "Red eyes, sharp teeth, lust for blood" as if it was completely new and mysterious? EDIT: The idea is that the description feels foreign even for the reader, who has a vague knowledge of that character's "vampirism". <Q> If this doesn't help, sorry. <S> I tried. <S> Just don't dumb it down too much. <S> The guy doesn't know what a vampire is, but he isn't a complete imbecile. <S> The readers already know what a vampire is, no need to explain it to them. <S> Also: how does his friend know he has a lust for blood, maybe he's just really violent? <S> Don't imply it right at the start. <S> Usually people get it wrong the first time. <S> Don't give him the answers, if that makes sense. <S> So: don't dumb it down, we already know what a vampire is. <S> Also, use logical deductions <S> you would make to reach the logical conclusion <S> he makes. <S> Work your way to the conclusion <S> w/ him. <S> Basically put him in your shoes. <S> When actors act, usually it isn't just reading lines. <S> Often, actors examine their characters: what are their goals, what do they want, how do they reach their goal, what's happening, what is the context, etc. <S> So , in other words, be like an actor, I guess. <A> I think you really need to focus on those things that the friend can observe and then conclusions from those observations. <S> This will likely make your descriptions concern the physical manifestations. <S> Not "lust for blood" but maybe "behaving like a berserker" or "in a frenzy." <S> What other odd things might the friend notice? <S> And please don't rely on the "not showing in the mirror" as it has been done a zillion times. <S> Maybe instead it's a cold day and the friend notices there is no cloud of chilled breath when the vampire speaks? <S> Good luck! <A> You said the scene was from the POV of the friend, who I am assuming doesn't know he's a vampire. <S> Maybe instead of Red eyes and sharp teeth, you could describe something else. <S> As for luster for bloof, maybe reword it? <S> I'm pretty sure I didn't help at all, but,hey, I tried. <A> You say that the reader also don't really know the character vampirism, so are you just going to jump from nothing to your climax, where his vampirism will be revealed ? <S> I mean, I think a climax is efficient when it comes after a crescendo : some indications of the character vampirism, growing suspiscions from the part of his friend. <S> I also think it would be difficult to hide it from the reader, but since you don't want the friend to be aware of you character true nature (despite all the clues) it can be intresting to let the reader know that secret before the friend, so he will anticipate the moment everything will be clearly revealed, and then you climax will be a real apotheosis !
| Think of it like acting, if that helps: you're the actor, and the vampire's friend is the character you're playing.
|
My premise suggests a LOT more history than I want in my book I'm writing a fantasy story in which there is a contemporary earth (our earth) and a secondary world. Due to certain reasons all earthlings who are able to reach the second world have great magical powers which can cause great ruckus. My problem is that I need to explain whether other earthlings in the past have caused conflicts inside the second world, before the main characters of the story. If it happened, I need to figure out why am I narrating the story of these characters and not of previous earthlings. The reason can't be that they are simply special (I don't want them to be "the chosen" or something like that). I just want these characters to be in the XXI century because it's better for the plot. But I can't say that to the reader, i need to justify the choice. If it didn't happen, it begs the question: why the adventures of these characters and the effects they had on the second world didn't happen before? All previous earthlings who visited the second world had the same powers. In front of me I see the following options: Create a chronology and a big backstory of how previous earthlings have affected the second world. It's the most consistent option but also the most challenging (I'm not fond of it because most plots of my characters don't rely that much in past events); Made up an excuse to make previous earthlings unable (or not willing) to affect the second world in meaningful ways; Create a special reason why affluence of earthlings to the second world has increased in the XXI century. In the past only a small number of earthlings were able to reach it (for some reason). How would you solve the dilemma?Do you see any other option? Which one would you choose?It would really be helpful if you could provide examples of dilemmas you encountered while writing one of your stories and describe your mental process in order to solve them. P.S. I tried to keep it simple in here because the reason they have magical powers is kind of complicated and I don't think it helps to solve the problem (on the contrary it opens other problems, but I don't want to diverge your attention). <Q> Are you sure you have to justify to the reader why you've chosen to write about certain people in a certain century? <S> Sure, there is the question, why does the story start here? <S> But it could be as simple as your protagonist has come of age and are starting to see his abilities manifest, or some antagonist has finally found a proof that the magic ones exists and now he's going to tell EVIL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, or some other reason that isn't the beginning of the whole world. <S> (Think The Lord of the Rings vs Silmarillion, Tolkien started writing LOTR with tons and tons of backstory he mostly skipped--although specifically Tolkien is a bit backstory heavy sometimes). <S> I think it's important to start the story in the middle of some kind of event that naturally generates action and movement of the characters, so I'm not overly fond of prologs, but that might be a way to go. <S> However, on the problem of telling the rest of the backstory convincingly: Give a character an urgent reason to figure out what happened in the past? <S> Say for instance, this information is needed to solve the story problem. <S> Or, put these past events into the backstory of a character and make them vital to that character's personality or backstory. <S> For instance, what if one of your characters actually was one of these older people, that via magic had survived to these days? <S> Also don't be afraid to <S> not use all the backstory information. <S> Sometimes it adds extra dimension and dynamic to a story that doesn't explain everything. <S> I've heard you could possibly use about 1% of all the backstory of characters and the world you develop without making your story too backstory heavy. <S> After all, the reader wants things that happens now, not to hear anecdotes of past adventures that they are not allowed to be a part of... <S> (Imagine two of your best friends talking in lengthy detail about something they did yesterday when you weren't there--you get the idea!) <S> Finally, don't be afraid to kill all the darlings that prevents you from writing a good story! <A> You see three options: 1) <S> I like history <S> so I like option 1. <S> 2) involves a change in the abilities or plans or desires of Earthlings who go to the secondary world, so that more of them change things there. <S> This involves a sociological change in all Earthlings in recent history, or a change in a small subset of Earthlings that you define as the ones able to go to the secondary world. <S> 3) involves a change in Earth that explains why more Earthlings go to the secondary world, such as growing population combined with other factors involving whatever small subset of Earthlings that are able to go to the secondary world according to the (possibly complex) rules of your story. <S> 4) <S> The one you didn't mention, is a change in the secondary world that enables more Earthlings to go there and change it. <S> Maybe more magical equivalents of transporter pads are built there so more Earthlings can cross over. <S> Maybe the Anti Earth Magic Service has worked too well and the secondary world congressional budget committee doesn't believe that magic users from Earth are a threat and slashes the budget, allowing more magic users from Earth to drastically change the secondary world, including abolishing the secondary world government and its Anti Earth Magic Service. <S> I recommend a combination of two, or three, or all four options. <S> The increasing numbers of Earthlings who cross over and use magic in the secondary world can be a important plot element. <S> Separate characters can each identify a trend that is partially responsible for more magic users coming from Earth, and calculate that the number who cross over will eventually destroy both worlds. <S> Later they meet and compare notes and discover that the several different causes reinforce each other and the doomsday moment will be much sooner than they thought. <A> Look for a reason of their magic powers that could make ancient travelers unable to have great powers. <S> May be that magic powers are increased by exposition to TV sets radiation?
| You are allowed to simply chose one reason to start the story and then, via dialog, flashback and similar tell the rest of your backstory as it is needed .
|
Writing a non-lucid dream In a third-person novel I am writing, one of the characters has a very significant dream that I would like to transcribe. The problem is, I would like to focus on the character's reaction to the events in the dream, but do not know whether it is realistic to have her reacting as the dream is happening, or have her react to the specific events in the dream after she wakes up. Example: [while dreaming] Rhea understands what this dream is now. It's how Dr. Evans imagines it will be once he has the kids under his control. Even so, only in his dreams would he ever be able to call Colton "son" without getting hit. Colton replies with a terse nod, showing that he doesn't desire to return the feeling. It encourages her to know that even in Evans' dreams, Colton isn't comfortable being referred to as "son" by this man. vs After Rhea wakes up, despite the unsettling images she has just witnessed, she finds a small amount of solace in the fact that even in Evans' warped dream reality, Colton still wasn't comfortable by being referred to as son by that man. Especially since, in real life, her brother would most likely attack the man if he ever attempted to refer to him as such. So, simply put, should I write the dream sort of like a flashback, merely narrating what happened and then have her wake up and analyze it, or write the dream like normal narration and show the character's reactions as the dream events happen? (I should mention that this character has the ability to see dreams that are not her own, and knows when she is dreaming, and when the dream is not hers, even though she cannot interact with the dream-world or control her actions within it.) <Q> Your questions says that your character is having a non-lucid dream, yet in your first description, which is supposed to be in dream, it says "Rhea understands what this dream is now. <S> " <S> That is exactly what a lucid dream is. <S> (maybe she realizes her surroundings look fuzzy) or describe the scene and then describe her waking up and realizing it was all a dream. <A> Of the two writing samples, I found the first one terribly confusing, and the second one much clearer. <S> If you do want to give a sense of how Rhea reacts to the dream while she is experiencing it, you should stick to what she is aware of at any given moment . <S> "Feeling better, son?" Dr Evans asks patronizingly, and Rhea braces for a violent response. <S> Surprisingly, Colton responds instead with a tense nod. <S> How can he stand to have that man call him "son"? <S> Only later, after she awakes, will Rhea understand that this is how Dr. Evans imagines it will be once he has the kids under his control. <A> Being a writer, I sometimes criticize the poor writing in my dreams while dreaming them, or note how a person or place is distorted from the real world example it is based on. <S> Sometimes I seem to make myself wake up from a dream that seems about to turn bad. <S> But don't ask us writers in the writers stack exchange, ask science experts in the science stack exchanges.
| I think your best option may be to describe what she is seeing and her reaction as if it is a normal scene and either her reaction within the dream that helps her realize she is dreaming
|
How many characters can I introduce in the first chapter before the reader gets overwhelmed? Assuming that all of the characters are unique, interesting, and stand out from the rest of the cast, is there a limit to how many characters I can introduce in the first chapter before my reader starts struggling to remember who's who? If not a limit, is there a certain number (or maybe a percentage relative to the total amount of characters in my cast) that is considered "good" or "reasonable" to introduce in the first chapter? <Q> At risk of sounding glib, I would say "as many as will fit". <S> But I think that probably is the answer. <S> A chapter should have a shape to it. <S> It should accomplish something. <S> It should have focus. <S> As many characters as fit within that shape and contribute to that goal should be fine. <S> Sometimes that will be one. <S> Sometimes it will be dozens. <S> An opening chapter has to achieve something in story terms. <S> It has to establish a conflict or a relationship or a challenge, or something of value to be gained or lost. <S> The characters that are essential to achieving the chapter's story goal should not overwhelm the reader. <S> They are information that the reader does not know how to process. <S> That is what will overwhelm. <A> In general humans are able to track no more than 7 distinct factors. <S> If you want the reader to root for everyone you introduce <S> I think that number would be the practical limit. <S> From another angle, you want to give each character enough attention without the story slowing down to snail's pace. <S> Think <S> Tolkien: Many people do not dig him because of the very very broad scope the story follows. <S> Anyway if the number becomes big enough, that is exactly what you have: <S> A group, NOT a big number of characters. <S> If not in your mind than still in the mind of your reader. <A> As a general rule of thumb I only introduce the main MAIN character in the first chapter. <S> That's to say, just one person. <S> You can introduce someone else with them, but no more then one other person. <S> After that, you can gradually introduce the characters at whatever interval you deem necessary. <S> I like trios or introducing single characters by themselves, but in a scene with the main so they aren't completely alone. <A> If you consider the story a "duel" between these two, you might introduce their "seconds." <S> That brings the total to four. <S> There might be a fifth, (and possibly sixth) character that gives the early part of the story its "flavor." <S> But that's pretty close to the max. <S> Here, I'm not counting incidental or throwaway characters. <S> For instance, my screenplay opens with five partners of the firm, but only two of them, the heroine and the "big boss" (a second) really matter; the other three are "throwaways." <S> The hero and his "second" are also introduced. <A> You involve up to five to eight characters in the beginning and add more in later chapters to which it's most preferable when their roles are smaller. <S> Depending on the size of the story, remind the reader who they are and what they look like in casual description of what they're doing in scenes.
| Introducing people who don't fit just because you want to establish them for later may overwhelm the reader, not because readers have a fixed maximum for character introductions, but because outside the story arc of the chapter, they don't know what to do with them. In the first chapter, you need to introduce the protagonist and antagonist.
|
For trilogies, is there any order of time periods the story should follow that is considered more appropriate? Like totally chronological (starting in the beginning of the world's story events and going on to the future), or in the present-past-future order, or another? Is there any specific time order better or more advantageous than the others? <Q> The previous answers are pretty good, contributing my penny. <S> If you are writing a trilogy, you are talking about a specific set of characters which are time bounded (can exist for a specific period of time it's upto you to make them live in all 3 books and/or show their ancestors-descendants) in other 2 books. <S> (Enough theory lemme give an example) <S> I am writing a trilogy of a hero <S> Ashk first book depicts as if it is 2020, so <S> I can't stretch story to 2018 in book 2 or 3, cause readers know he is going to make it in 2020(unless <S> you show time travel where he risks his present if he messes up in past, am I giving you clues, sorry for putting thoughts in your mind) <S> Another possibility <S> Is the story happens to be about hero Ashk in 2020 and ends up with new hero(say Nymeria) rising. <S> This new hero (Nymeria) can have her story in the same time line for book 2, and you can make wonder in book 3 depicting how it all started/blast from past/mystery revelation/any other cool idea and make both of them coexist or however you may please. <S> To cut it short, if it's about same person chronological timeline should be adhered unless it involves time travel. <S> if it has more than one central character and a very deep mystery or something like that helping you keep the grip over audience <S> alternate timelines can be used. <S> PS: its your trilogy <S> you can write it whatever the way you want, the motto should be making yourself happy. <S> One should not write to please people, that prevents him from writing to his full potential. <S> Hope <S> this helps. <A> Most trilogies or series follow chronological order, but there's no requirement. <S> Do whatever serves your story. <S> As long as it's clear to your reader <S> what's happening when in relation to other events, you can present events in whatever order works for you. <A> Certainly, most trilogies and pulp series are chronological, but there are a number that flow between eras. <S> The one thing they all need, though, is something to connect the separate eras/characters/stories together. <S> One example is Traci Harding's Ancient Future trilogy , which tells a story that, chronologically, goes all over the shop as the protagonist travels through time - however it can be argued that the story progresses linearly. <S> Other examples include parts of a series that deal with past events relevant to the story. <S> Stephen King's Wizards Glass, part of the Dark Tower series, deals primarily with events in Roland of Gilead's past from when he was 14. <S> Raymond E Feist plays with this somewhat in Magician, with the duality of Thomas/Ashen-Shugar and their connection through time. <S> Steven Erikson's Malazan books also play around a bit with this, with the chronological events not matching the order the books were published in (however, his story and world are epic in scale and the published order fills in a lot of context that would be missing if you read it chronologically). <S> Cloud Atlas also plays around with different era's characters, although I haven't read the book so can't really comment. <S> There are other examples that I just can't quite remember at the moment, where there are a number of separate stories all joined by a common link - lineage, some artifact etc. <S> Frustratingly, it's on the tip of my tongue (so to speak). <S> I'll see what I can bring myself to remember and edit my answer accordingly. <S> Lauren's advice is, as always, good. <S> As long as it is clear to the readers what is happening when, and why, you can present it in any way that works. <S> Having something to use as a point of reference, or link between, is vital for this to work successfully, I believe.
| If you are depicting same people throughout the series then it should be chronological. It depends entirely on your story and what you are trying to achieve.
|
Term for a collection of novels divided into several series I'm writing my first series of novels, which will contain four books. As often happens, about half way through developing the books, I opened up the possibility for an entirely new series set in the same world with the same characters, but several years later. I could possibly do this again as well, after the second series is complete. Is there any technical term for a collection of novels like this? It's several series, probably with varying numbers of books, that are all connected through the setting and characters. The series would be different in their plots. <Q> The good news is that there's nobody policing this! <S> You can call your series anything you want — just like naming your individual books, you're looking for whatever you think will best serve the series and appeal to prospective readers. <S> ' Trilogy ', ' quadrilogy ' etc. <S> obviously have technical meanings <S> So does ' sequence ' <S> (See Wikipedia ) <S> Terry Pratchett simply wrote 'The Discworld Novels ', and his covers would just say 'A Discworld Novel' Kameron Hurley writes 'the Worldbreaker Saga ' Patrick Rothfuss calls his series 'the Kingkiller Chronicle ', which of course was also used for the Chronicles of Narnia <S> Brandon Sanderson writes 'the ' <S> Stormlight <S> Archive ' If you're writing humour, you could use a joke description like Douglas Adams's 'A trilogy in five parts' ' Series ' <S> does the job, and no-one will find it pretentious <S> George RR Martin uses 'A Song of Ice And Fire', that is, a unique name with no 'series' word at all <S> You can use as much imagination as you would when writing the book itself. <S> One note of caution! <S> The above applies when naming your work for prospective readers. <S> If you're sending it to prospective publishers , clearly, a cool series name still won't hurt. <S> But in your first approach, it might be smart to focus on the initial book, or at most the initial trilogy. <S> Ambition is great, but if you're an unknown author whose cover letter says 'I enclose my masterpiece which I anticipate to be the first in a fifteen-book series,' it could mark you out as having unrealistic expectations. <S> The publisher will want to see how well your book sells before they commit to publishing a dozen more, and it's good to show you understand that. <S> Hope that helps! <A> I am sorry I'm a budding contributor here <S> so I don't have comment permissions. <S> Just to confirm you are writing something like The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, right? <S> Where each series has its own books in different time frame. <S> If yes then that's a massive project and wouldn't be bound by something like trilogy or any of that sort. <S> Saga being a long tale that can take over enormous period of time would be the most suitable choice. <S> Ex. <S> Project Ghost Speaks 101 -> Act 1 <S> (The dead resurrects) - > <S> Chapter 1(ghost of Sherlock Holmes).. <S> OH and best wishes for the project. <A> Technically, it is simply a series . <S> Usually, when you look at writers' bibliographies on Wikipedia, multi-cycle series are usually grouped under a heading that refers to what they all have in common. <S> For example, several of the novels of C. J. Cherryh are grouped under "the Alliance-Union universe". <S> In this case, "universe" is the term used to describe the connection between otherwise only vaguely related novels and novel cycles. <S> But from a technical point of view, that is, disregarding the content of the books, all these books form a series in that they are published one after another and are meant by the author and publisher to be perceived as belonging together. <S> Wikipedia has an article where what you are talking about is called a " novel sequence ", but that is the first time I have encountered that term and am not sure it is actually used except ad hoc. <S> That page also gives the model of trilogy < sequence < 'saga' grouping (single author) < shared universe < genre , which I find interesting and appropriate, except that I would replace "sequence" with "series" and would maybe drop "saga", because it implies a unity of protagonist, place or topics that is not present in many series' of novels set in the same world.
| Apart from this I'd think calling entire project as a Saga/Series/Project with each series being called as 'Act' and each book as chapter.
|
Do people still read blogs? I am under the impression they do but I have colleagues who believe nobody reads blogs anymore, and that if you must blog, video blogs are better. Any thoughts on this? Is writing becoming redundant? <Q> But as blogs have become a popular form of content marketing, it is inevitable that fewer and fewer of them are being read. <S> Ineffective marketers pump out boat loads of drivel which people do not read. <S> Since producing something that is not drivel is hard work, they are always chasing the next media fad in hopes that it will get people reading their drivel. <S> They see stats that show fewer blogs are being read and immediately jump to producing videos. <S> Perhaps briefly people who have started to avoid blogs because of the drivel may turn to videos, but as all the drivel producer flock to video, people will see through that as well. <S> Text and video are both valuable means of expression, each with their own areas of particular strength. <S> But drivel is still drivel and people will not watch drivel just because it a video rather than text. <S> People will consume quality content in whatever media they find it in. <S> Create quality. <S> Make sure you have something real to say and that you understand who you are saying it to. <S> Choose the media that best suits the message. <S> People will come. <A> As the Web continues to develop, I see a trend that can't be denied. <S> Shorter and simpler is far better than lengthy and content focused. <S> Also, comedy seems to be a hit. <S> If you can make it short and make it funny, it becomes memorable and "watch-worthy," if that's a word. <S> If you're blogging about insurance and you drone on and on about shop talk insurance jargon, you just lost at least 70% of those that even gave your blog a fighting chance. <S> If, however, you make it concise, funny and endearing (focusing on common issues your target audience encounters and making light of them), all the while offering a solution, you have the makings of a successful blog/vlog. <A> I read several blogs each week. <S> If they are relevant, well-written and interesting I take the time to read them. <S> If they aren't, I delete the without reading them.
| My blog is still being read, and at about the same level it always was.
|
Are these dual plots or a plot plus a big subplot? This is an extension to an earlier post. Below are some summaries for a novel outline using the Snowflake Method. I am looking for clarification if sections A and B are dual plots, of if section B is a subplot of section A (with the two tied together by the character Clarissa). Section A: Richard Conners is an affluent, woman abusing young business major sophomore at Andrews University in Shady Oaks, NY, and Beth Yang is a slightly older secret agent (called a moralpractor) in training for the Medical Sociological Moralist party, that is responsible for saving him from a villainous drug lord. Richard's days as a freewheeling fraternity brother are over when he begins to have visions of a fairytale world with a spirit named Clarissa that both challenges his view of himself and lands him in a university counseling group (that Beth monitors). When Richard does not comply with the group, he is forced into becoming indebted to Beth, a woman, for helping him gain a reprieve from long-term psychiatric treatment (she explains his visions as a religious awakening). The university puts Richard on trial again for mental illnesses when he helps Beth successfully follow a trail to the Andrews University board of regents' president, and Richard must give up the remainder of his freedom. Richard endures psychological torture in a secret psychiatric hospital while public pressure grows to the point where the facility releases him, the MSM party wins a hundred seats in Congress, and he marries Beth after much therapy. Section B: Ophelia Platescrubber is a forty year old scullery slave for the most popular restaurant in Kingdom's Crossing, the capitol city of the magic land of Alcadeny, and Duncan Musicman is an older feeble minded man who parades through the city's streets amusing the population with his one man band. When Ophelia petitions Saint Clarissa, the spirit who sees love in all hearts, to force Duncan to marry her, Clarissa tells Ophelia that she must prove to her that she has earned his trust first and she stipulates that she cannot learn magic to do it. When Duncan is imprisoned in a madhouse by the Duke of Alcadeny, Ophelia decides to learn magic to free him by restoring his sanity and falls out of favor with Clarissa. Duncan's sanity returned, Duncan loses his trust in Ophelia when she decides not to work magic when he leads a revolt against the Duke because she fears for his life if she tries (her magic is imperfect). Clarissa intervenes and helps Duncan overthrow the Duke on Ophelia's behalf, Duncan trusts Ophelia again, and they get married. By the way , the Opheilia world influences the Richard world. Clarissa is a spirit that transcends both, and she appears as a medium, channel, spirit guide, body possession, clairaudient or clairvoyant effect, etc. Clarissa stipulates that Richard must learn from Ophelia's relationship troubles so he can mend his own. However, Richard right now does not influence Ophelia's world (although it maybe could?). There is also a definite theme of madness in both worlds -- this is intentional. Ophelia's world addresses how madness was treated in past societies; Ricahard's is a warning for the future. <Q> It appears that while there are echoing themes in both plots, they are still unrelated with the exception of a common deity. <S> In that sense all stories set in a world of Christianity have something in common. <S> The traditional relationship between a plot and subplot is usually more intertwined: detective John Doe is searching for a serial killer, finds him and arrests him (plot). <S> At the same time his ex-wife Jane asks him to help her move. <S> While loading the truck they rekindle their relationship and get back together (subplot). <S> If you can read each of your stories separately and both hold as stand-alone pieces, it means they do not need really each other to complete themselves. <S> Having said that I would like to emphasize that I do not in any way question your artistic choice. <S> There are many brilliant examples of seemingly independent stories (Bulgakov's "Master and Margarita" for example) delivered side by side with little or no correlation. <S> It is all up to you after all, so why worry about labeling one "plot" and another "subplot"? <A> There is no rule, set in stone, that a novel must have a single coherent plot; nor any law that demands that one thread be "the plot" and another only "the subplot". <S> Indeed, there is something to be said for an artist taking conventions and breaking them quite deliberately. <S> That said having two plots, either side-by-side or one-after-the-other, already has their own conventions. <S> Consider the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. <S> For example, A Study in Scarlet (although others followed this pattern). <S> The first story is that of the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, but the second story (in the case of A Study in Scarlet) is only tangentially related and does not involve Mr Holmes at all. <S> In each case, the reader should eventually realise that the second story is a flashback explaining the history of the victim from the first story. <S> Neither story is a "subplot". <S> At least, not in any way that we understand subplots. <S> This is two thematically linked stories presented together. <S> Consider, Inversions by Iain M. Banks. <S> This story alternates, chapter by chapter, between two apparently unrelated characters. <S> There could even be some debate as to if the two stories happened at the same time, or even on the same planet. <S> Nevertheless it is a truly great read <S> and I recommend it. <S> Again, neither plot is a "subplot". <S> Lew's answer gives additional examples of this artistic choice. <S> Given the great wealth of precedence for doing such, I would suggest that if this is the form that appeals to you then you should certainly use it. <S> In your own terminology, I could only call your pair of plots "dual plots". <S> Although, what they are called is not half as important as how you write them. <A> Sorry, <S> but I see no real connection between the two plots ! <S> Clarissa appears in the two stories, but that is all ! <S> I don't think you can consider B as a subplot of A. <S> Do you plan to set any interactions between the characters of the two worlds ? <S> Will the actions of Richard have any influence on the plot involving Ophelia (or vice-versa) ?
| As novels, they essentially carry two separate stories. Although there is some attempt to vaguely connect the two stories in the epilog nevertheless it is basically two plots in parallel.
|
How to move back to main section after finishing a sub-section I am writing a paper but I don't know how to move back to the main section after I'm done writing a sub-section, like this: 1.1 Main section1.1.1 subsection 11.1.2 subsection 2 As I write long subsections I don't how can I make readers understand that we are back in the Main section. Two pages goes by on subsections but then I want to do a proper finish by ending the main section after those 2 subsections but I don't know how to indicate this without pointing it out. Basically I want to end it like this: 1.1 Main section (starting)1.1.1 Sub section 1..writing...1.1.2 Sub section 2..writing...*and then back to Main section 1.1*1.1 Main section (ending) How can I make that proper ending of Main Section after writing subsections? <Q> There really is no convention for indicating the end of things in text. <S> You are asking for a way to move up the hierarchy of the document without a title to indicate the change. <S> There really isn't a reliable way to indicate that to a reader. <S> Titles indicate the beginning of things not the end of things. <S> What there is a convention for is creating a subjection that is a summation of the entire chapter. <S> The name of that subsection is generally "Conclusion". <S> A concluding section is not really returning to the main level. <S> The reader is too far removed from what they read in the main level for it simply to resume. <S> Rather, the concluding section is a subsection that reviews the subject matter of the whole chapter. <S> This is not a perfectly symmetrical or hierarchical design, but then text is not really hierarchical at all. <S> It really is linear. <S> The reader cannot receive it in any form other than linear, and in many texts, headings do not occur in a strict order of hierarchy. <S> Rather, the act more like road signs: a large sign to announce you are entering a large town; a small sign to indicate you are entering a village. <S> So don't think of a text as a hierarchy, but as a sequence with sign posts which may or may not follow a hierarchical sequence. <S> Your concluding section, which summarizes the argument of the whole chapter, deserves a heading that announces it as such. <A> If your writing is coherent enough, it shows. <S> For instance: <S> 1. <S> Main section... <S> In chapter 1 I will talk about a, b, c, because of this and that, and it's important because, blah blah1.1 "a"...blah blah1.2. "b"... <S> blah1.3 "c"... <S> blah blah blahAs <S> I have demonstrated in this chapter, the elements of a, b, and c are important because. <S> I will further examine the importance of d in chapter 2.2. <S> ...blah <A> Indentations. <S> 1.1 Main section (starting)Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet <S> 1.1.1 Sub section 1 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet <S> 1.1.2 Sub section 2 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet <S> 1.1.1.a. <S> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet1.1 <S> Main section (ending)Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet <S> This makes it very easy to follow. <S> Granted, if you have too many subsections you're going to have a left margin which is half the page, but that's an organizational issue. <S> If you have access to header/footer text, you can also put 1.1.2 Ri meliora dies in the header, so the reader can look up and see what section the copy is in. <S> Transitional copy like "As noted in § 1.1.1 above..." certainly won't hurt either. <A> Don't think of it as moving back to the main section. <S> Instead, create a new subsection. <S> 1.1.3 subsection 3 Or create a section called Conclusion. <S> Better yet <S> , make the part you call the main section into an introduction. <S> In other words, make everything equal in the hierarchy. <S> It makes it a lot easier. <S> I've used basic numbering in the below outline. <S> If it doesn't work for you, change it. <S> This is merely an example. <S> I have no way of knowing if this is the entirety of your essay or just a piece of it. <S> So I don't know what other numbers there may be. <S> If it's all of it, I would say, don't number everything "1" and go from there. <S> Change the top level numbers too. <S> Introduction Section 1 Section 2 Conclusion
| This might depend on your field (or department/school/institution guidelines), but at least I simply insert the epilogue (because that's what it is) at the end of the last subsection.
|
should I use predictable plot elements? I see many similarities in films to the point where I can often guess what will happen next,even if the part was intended to be suspenseful. is that bad writing?should "plot twists" always be surprising or do viewers/readers expect a level of predictability? <Q> There's an easy answer: <S> It depends on the genre. <S> Generally speaking, genre readers (that is, detective fiction, science fiction, fantasy, romance) will expect a certain degree of predictability - you are in control of the degree, knowing that some pleasant twists and surprises are welcome, but something too experimental will probably be received less warmly. <S> The exact opposite is the case with literary fiction, which is based first and foremost on in-depth characters, complex emotions and situations, and impossible dilemmas. <S> Things <S> can be predictable there (because people can be predictable), but your approach and resolution should, generally speaking, not be. <S> After all, good literary fiction depends mostly on characters rather than plot. <S> EDIT: I now see your tag "screenwriting". <S> It's basically the same with films. <S> If you're writing a thriller, an adventure film, a detective story, then you've got to follow certain stereotypes and be a bit predictable at least in your structure. <S> Also, do keep in mind that all this is also conceived in terms of marketing (or, to put it less prosaically, in terms of audience reaction). <S> If you're writing simply for your own pleasure (which ideally should be the goal for all artistic endeavors), there are no limits <A> Surprise is the cheapest of literary devices. <S> People often reread their favorite books and re-watch their favorite movies. <S> They would not do so if their enjoyment of them depended on surprise. <S> With effective storytelling our hearts can still be in our mouths for a character at a critical juncture <S> no matter how often we have read the story. <S> When people complain about predictability in fiction, I think what they are referring to is predictability in the writing itself, the writer's use of cheap and easy tricks and emotional manipulations, of stock ill-developed characters, or heroes and villains without subtlety. <S> They are complaining that it is like every other book in the telling. <A> One of my writing professors is a fellow believer of the notion that everything is cliche. <S> Almost everything has been done before, and redone many times over. <S> The question is, can you write it in a way that your characters are still unique and interesting? <S> Lots of things can be similar, but still different, and entertaining. <S> In comics many characters are based off one another, but are still their own characters. <S> Take Hawkeye, and Green Arrow for example. <S> They both use a bow, and are both super heroes, but they aren't exactly the same. <S> The same can be said for plots. <S> TL;DR <S> There is a reason they are called tropes. <A> Use of a predictable sequence can bore your audience but can also make them feel smart. <S> There was an article that concluded that audiences preferred knowing the story ( http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/27/trailer-spoilers-southpaw ). <S> A predictable plot element is a miniature version of this. <S> The audience knows what is going to happen ("Don't open the closet!"), still gets the thrill ("eek, it was just the cat!") and then awaits the expected conclusion ("yay, killer got her as she was walking away!"). <S> Subverting this will challenge your audience, possibly not fulfilling their expectations. <S> This allows you to manipulate the audience by setting up what appears to be a predictable sequence that gets turned on its head (the film "Feast" does this repeatedly) <S> but if not done well it can turn folks off. <S> Obviously this is highly dependent on the genre and expected audience. <S> A general audience film designed to appeal to the most people possible will typically eschew trope thwarting plot twists (or make the twist part of their marketing to craft expectations) while a more niche product must rely on changing up the plot in order to feel fresh and innovative.
| If we can enjoy a story even when we know exactly what is going to happen, then predictability of plot is not a problem in itself.
|
Learning about hand-to-hand combat? I am writing heroic fantasy. Plot demands hand-to-hand combat, about whichI know little. What is the best/quickest way to learn enough about pre-firearmsdefense to write convincingly about it? <Q> If you are contemplating about mediaeval warfare with longsword type weapons, try reenactors . <S> These people are actually researching what can, cannot be done with the means at the time. <S> This includes fighting in full plate using realistic swords. <S> There are lots of visuals to be found but best would be to seek out a group from a compatible age and go through your scene on-site, separating out the impossible and adding meat to the spectacular. <S> References: <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_reenactment_groups <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_reenactment <S> http://www.123rf.com/photo_6354020_knights-battle-in-hand-to-hand-combat.html http://zwaard-steen.tumblr.com/likes/page/2 <A> Most martial artists will not be able to inform you about conflict nor will you pick it up watching tournaments. <S> (Opinion informed by over 30 years in a Kung Fu style which is pragmatic and was taught to one of the Chinese armies, but we don't spar full-contact.) <S> They may be able to describe or critique unlikely movement. <S> Too many arts are either sport-oriented or just ban dangerous moves for safety reasons. <S> A readable but possibly upsetting book is On Combat which talks about the psychological and physiological basics. <S> A lot of John Ringo's SF books cover this kind of conflict, with good training descriptions in <S> There will be dragons which is free from Baen. <S> It's about how a far-future group of re-enactors rise to prominence when technology goes away. <S> (Ringo's style is to pick an idea like how can tech go away and build a believable case for the event and after.) <S> Baen tend to publish a lof military SF much of which is the <S> we got stranded on an an alien planet/back in time and need to recreate military history sub-genre. <S> Update <S> I forgot about the video series by Skallagrim <S> who does a lot of sword and armour critique. <S> The ones I have watched look plausible both in technique and criticisms. <A> There are historical and modern combat manuals you could use. <S> They typically have woodplate illustrations or photographs and often focus on a specific weapon/style versus various opponents with different arms. <S> Hans Talhoffer has some, there is Joachim Meyer, and of course Miyamoto Musashi has the classic "Book of Five Rings". <S> Guy Windsor, Christian Tobler, and John Clements are some (of many) modern folks trying to record or recreate these techniques. <S> There are plenty of martial art manuals and modern weapon fighting as well. <S> Just remember that many of these manuals over-emphasize the "flashy stuff" over what most folks probably actually used. <S> But you'd be amazed at how versatile something like a sword can be versus what we see in most movie fights (I've seen VERY few films that utilize the blade for trapping, reverse it to strike with the hilt, or have folks choke up on the blade). <S> A little of this stuff goes a long way, IMHO, so a more generic description with one or two specific techniques should suffice. <S> Nothing drags a fight down like intricate descriptions of "his right arm dropped behind the enemy's left knee, pushing it forward, while his left hand gripped the enemy's belt, pulling him over his shoulder into a forward roll..." just trying to visualize what is actually being done can be exhausting. <A> I would suggest doing some field research if possible. <S> This helps develop a network of contacts that you can use to help you write accurately. <S> You could look up a history professor at your local college that might specialize in warrior cultures. <S> Another possible source is to hang out at local martial arts dojos/tournaments, and take notes on their body movements, or talk to them directly. <S> As a last resort, I guess you could just research it on the internet, but where's the fun in that?
| A history museum with exhibits about warrior cultures could provide information you're looking.
|
Writing a novel largely composed of question-answer sessions I am a novice writer, just starting on a mini novel in the Science Fiction genre. The crux of the novel is about 4 or 5 discussions between protagonist and a set of particular individuals with their own motives, and trying to convince them to do something. The setting is very limited - imagine an alien coming to earth and talking to few key people (leaders) one by one without much exposure to the public (a little bit like in the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still", but not entirely so in the sense of the protagonist interacting with both leaders and non-leaders). Can you point me to some references in literature (scifi primarily) where arguments are the crux and there is not much action or story going on. That is, whatever the story is, will come out in the discussions itself. I think socratic method (question answer sessions leading to some conclusion), matches closest to what I want but (a) I want to put in a little more story than that since this is going to be a work of fiction and not purely a philosophical treatise. (b) I was unable to find any fiction books doing that Secondly, do such books make an interesting read? I know it depends on the writer's ability, but just trying to gauge the general interest. <Q> Sounds like you want to write a philosophical novel. <S> Two examples that I can think of are Walker Percey's Lost in the Cosmos and Robert Persig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. <S> Both of the above are interesting reads, but interesting as philosophical texts, and as approaches to doing philosophy. <S> You would probably not read them for the story alone. <A> and welcome to the site. <S> I do not know of any novels that follow the format you are describing, but that is a good thing. <S> I believe one of the reasons World War Z stood out from the mass of zombie fiction out there is because it had a different format: letters. <S> That format made it stand out from the crowd, and I think a novel made primarily out of Q&A would have the same effect, as long as it is written well. <S> For example, my first instinct of such a book would be that it would be boring. <S> Q&A? <S> No action? <S> What is this? <S> Then again, that would have been my first impression of World War Z had I known the format. <S> Therefore, your job is to overwhelm what the reader expects. <S> Your key in doing this will be tension. <S> A discussion is inherently not the most gripping thing on earth. <S> You need to add tension to it on every page so that the reader will be on the edge of his seat. <S> Pretty much all tension can be summed up as questions: <S> Why is he nervous? <S> Why did he ask that? <S> Why is he glancing towards the door? <S> Why did he word it that way? <S> Why is this guy so tense? <S> What did that mean? <S> Who is this guy? <S> What's this person's agenda? <S> The list goes on and on. <S> Remember: there can never be too much tension. <A> Interesting concept to make a story in dialog only (hopefully with some description and motion by the characters). <S> I'm assuming the tension will come from the different perspectives of the speakers. <S> One thing which you may want to do is have the speakers include stories in what they say and have those stories demonstrate their philosophical stance. <S> In other words, have them give concrete examples of people (or animals - think Aesop's fables) personifying the philosophies. <S> You may already be planning that, but I thought I'd mention it. <A> Plato's Dialogues are the paradigmatic example of philosophical arguments in the form of fictionalized conversations, but no one reads them for the plot. <S> More recently, Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World is a famous attempt to dramatize a general introduction to philosophy in the form of a novel (although opinions are mixed as to how well it succeeds in either goal). <S> For my own personal list of favorite books where weighty philosophical topics are integrated into the action (more or less successfully), I'd try the following: Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov : <S> One of the most justly famous philosophical novels of all time --it combines a soap opera plotline with long intense theological arguments. <S> Neal Stephenson - Ananthem : <S> The majority of the book manages to be compelling while following a cloister of philosophically inclined monks and their arguments. <S> The book moves towards a more action-oriented narrative at the end, a move I personally found to be unfortunate. <S> David Zindell - Neverness <S> : The book dramatizes a number of abstract mathematical and theological concepts. <S> In my opinion, one of the more successful integrations of philosophy with plot. <S> Samuel Delaney - Dhalgren : <S> A lurid and surreal exploration of topics around race, sexuality, identity, reality, sanity and aesthetics. <S> Brilliant, but notoriously difficult to read and understand. <S> Lewis Carroll - Sylvie & Bruno : A dizzying postmodern mashup of philosophy, romance, fairy tale and whimsy, less integrated than simply chopped together. <S> Russell Hoban - The Mouse and His Child : <S> A deceptively deep meditation on the existential push towards self actualization, in the presence of fate and the infinite, all as presented in the form of a children's fairy tale. <S> Walker Percy's - The Moviegoer : <S> The integration of several core themes from proto-existentialist philosopher Kierkegaard into a single unified dramatic narrative plotline . <S> Finally, not novels, but Waking Life and My Dinner <S> With Andre are well-known movies that revolve almost entirely around philosophical monologues.
| Get the reader to ask himself these questions through the dialogue/narrative, and you will have high tension. As for whether or not the novel you are describing would be an interesting read: It's hard to gauge the general interest, as we are all individuals and have our own opinions, and the format you are describing is very rare.
|
Advice on portraying my protagonist's anger without making her insufferable Background Info: My main character starts out the story with kind of a sad back story, it's not in a tragic way, just the normal kind of misfortune; losing family members, having to drop out of college (with a lot of debt) to take responsibility for her family's small business, and also losing all of her friends after she naturally breaks down from the stress and goes on a drug bender, they also felt uncomfortable that she wasn't in school anymore and stopped supporting her. I'd like to think that this is a common thing to have happen to someone, the story takes place several years later. She's fine, mostly happy, and engaged but still has a lot of anger and regret about how she handled things in the past. My problem: I'm not really sure how to express that without having her have some kind of an annoying internal monologue or just seem pathetic. Her circumstances change a lot in the story and she has to come to grips with and let go of all of that negativity in the end. Question: What is a good approach (or approaches) to depict her underlying anger enough to show that it's a problem, but also have her still be likable? Hopefully I made this clear enough, let me know if you need more info! <Q> Being filled with regret does not necessarilly make your character pathetic. <S> If what she is regretful about is truly horrible and self-damning, then that regret may be an appropriate response to the loss. <S> It only becomes pathetic in the eyes of your readers, when what has been lost and is now sorrowfully missed, was never real or really valuable in the first place. <S> If you want your reader to empathize with your character, invest in making what she lost real and tangible to them. <S> Have her struggle to overcome them and to consciously change the way that she sees the world. <S> Most readers will tolerate a little pathetic in their heroes, as long as there is some foreshadowing of the growth which is soon to come. <S> It can also come out as wisdom and compassion. <S> As she is sitting in a bar, have the bartender offer her another round and with a sad smile, have her pass on the opportunity, reviewing in her mind how she has already paid those dues and therefore doesn't need a repeat. <S> Have her view the bar's other patrons with pity instead of disgust. <S> If you don't want her to seem pathetic, don't paint her that way. <A> I suggest a popular literary technique called 'indirect characterisation' <S> If your writing in first person; write about her thoughts and reasons and actions. <S> If she is approached by someone who speaks and she reveals how that person has affected her ,good or bad. <S> If in second person you may start a chapter revealing that she had suffered a breakdown and is recovering in a bar, then you hint what's going on in the bar and <S> what affect this has on her senses. <S> Smell of beer, taste of free water, feeling of splinters under the bar table... <S> and so on <A> One key thing you can do is to have your character fight against their own anger, instead of luxuriating in it. <S> If she's really doing her best to move on, but having trouble --well, most of us can identify with that. <S> You also don't have to have all the back story come out at once, and you might want to simplify it. <S> If one detail or another has a real and living impact on where the character is now, that gives you an organic approach to it. <S> If it doesn't, do you actually need it? <A> Dialogue and monologue. <S> Dialogue with her friends, one by one, until they leave. <S> With a bartender or barista. <S> On a chat room or a BBS. <S> Monologue could be writing in a diary or a blog. <S> Or potentially she monologues at her cat, who will look interested only until she's fed. <S> she's thinking and feeling that she doesn't want to admit out loud. <A> You could put her in a situation that forces her to relive her past. <S> That definitely would make her your main character as not only is she confronted with her past <S> but she must do so with something she must deal with in the present.
| Beyond building empathy, you can postpone most readers' judgement of your character by making her aware that this anger and regret are personal faults which need to be healed. Whoever the audience is, have the character say out loud the things she's thinking and feeling, with occasional asides of things Finally, consider that anger and regret are not the only way that an unfortunate history can express itself within your character.
|
How much detail should I go into for a character taking advantage of physics expertise? Let's imagine a book where my character holds the power of light. Reason being, everyone in his country is born with telekinesis. He however, is the only one with enough grasp of the (maybe a little unrealistic) physics of that world, and that's why his light powers are so impressive. The question is, how much should i explain these physics? Can i give a broad answer (Like "yeah i'm using telekinesis to reflect light everywhere) or should i go into detail as to how and why that works? If i do need to go into detail, how do i make it not long and boring? I'd have to explain something a bit convoluted, but i don't want to bring the whole story to a halt to do it. -EDIT: Lauren linked me to a question that this is supposed a duplicate of, however, as Standback pointed out, the difference here is that he is the only person who understands this, meaning that's what makes him stand out as a character. Understanding complex physics that literally no one else understands and using it to his advantage is what separates from everyone else. If i don't explain it, it might seem a bit Deus-ex-machina, or even worse, it might seem as if he was born with it. Another problem with the answer to that other question is that i can't introduce a cabbagehead character because essentially, everyone is a cabbagehead. Nobody understands as much as he does, and some wouldn't even care if he explained. So how should i do it? <Q> I think it depends on what the main problem is in the novel. <S> If the main problem is technical in nature, the reader needs to have some sense of what it technically possible. <S> If the main problem is psychological or moral, however, what matters is the decision to use or not use the power in question. <S> There is a whole cottage industry online doing "if A has power B why don't they just do C" analysis of superhero movies. <S> Most superpowers are poorly explained and inconsistently applied, and it usually doesn't matter because the movies are essentially morality plays.("With great power comes great responsibility.) <S> The main thing is that the reader should not feel that the author has changed the rules in the middle of the game in order to get the ending they want. <A> How well do YOU understand the physics of what the character is doing? <S> A detailed "data dump" could be reserved for an appendix just so you could show those readers interested how cool it all is. <S> I think a generally good rule of thumb for technical explanations is that if you have to resort to mathematical equations, you've gone too far (unless you are trying to write the fantasy equivalent of a Tom Clancy technothriller) <S> :) <S> So, for example, you may say "harnessed the intensity of high energy green visible light to cut through armor plate" rather than "focused 540 nm wavelength radiation in 0.5 nanosecond pulses to sear through tempered steel". <A> Since he or she appears to be your protagonist leaving out how such a powerful "tool" can exist is a powerful tool indeed. <S> A kid's imagination is not going to be overwhelmed by the fact of such an ability but what your character does with it. <S> If it's such an exceptional power how is this so? <S> meaning...through usage show the exceptional nature of this ability... <S> but I would say to add the necessary drama you need to show the Fatal Flaw in it as well. <S> If there is some "laboratory" or "reflective zone" where your character can go to "refresh" this power that sounds pretty cool to me. <A> If you're writing for broad audience, you will be accepted if you're skimming the details and not going in-depth. <S> If you focus on a specific audience, you might ride the wave of the success of <S> The Martian <S> if you go really in-depth. <S> Instead of "power of light", gain mastery of electromagnetic waves. <S> Radio, laser, X-ray, microwave (+radar), infrared, ultraviolet, matters of light pressure, albedo, polarization, even quantum entanglement - <S> that's all your oyster to open, discover ways the character can exploit the understanding of common "light wave" and apply it to their advantage. <S> Personally, I don't see how it could be derived from levitation though. <A> A former boss asked me to: "State your results, but don't tell me the details." <S> That might be a good rule for your physics "whiz. <S> " <S> Talk about what he can do, but don't tell how he does it.
| If you have a detailed, fully internally consistent process worked out, then you can probably just allude to it in very general terms if the in world population wouldn't understand it (and perhaps the character himself doesn't have the scientific vocabulary to articulate it if he is the only one with this capability).
|
Can you make multiple prologues in one book? I am writing a World War 3 Novel, and I want to write the backstories of the main characters as prologues. It's really short, so I can't make another book. Is it even possible to make multiple prologues? <Q> Is it possible? <S> sure. <S> It is your novel, so structure it as you will. <S> Is it wise? <S> probably not. <S> Prologues are theives which steal from their creators. <S> They steal the backstory and motivations which defines who your characters are; leaving you, the author, with nothing except your characters' future actions to build your story with. <S> It is very hard to write a prologue about a main character, without giving the coming story away. <S> The historical facts which you choose to share, subtly inform the reader of what parts of all of a world's history is important to this particular story. <S> The particular character details which you share, let the reader know what the character is likely to do, and which personal demons they will have to slay along the way. <S> No matter how carefully you craft a prologue, you are likely to give away more than you desire. <S> Keep that precious backstory hidden. <S> Save it for the slow moments between the action, when your characters might naturally reflect on their past and how it relates to their current adventures. <S> Don't reveal your characters' pains and dreams before the reader has even met them. <S> Allow time for the reader to learn to love them, before telling more about who they are. <S> For me, the proper quantity of prologues for any novel, is none. <A> This strikes me as a semantic quibble. <S> You can have a section in which the stories of various main characters are told before some larger action commences. <S> Calling the entire first part, with its multiple chapters, a prolog, however, seems to stretch the meaning of the word for no obvious purpose. <S> But you should also bear in mind that backstory is not really backstory unless you are already in a story and, at some point, reaching back into the past to reveal earlier story. <S> What you are talking about is starting the story earlier. <S> And that means that your character introductions need to be stories in their own right. <S> Simply writing biographies or case files that do not work as stories is not going to engage the reader, and calling them prologs is not going to change that. <A> I gave an answer to this question about why prologues are useful, which may be relevant to what you're looking for. <S> It is useful as it does not have to follow the same flow or narrative style as the rest of the book, and serves to engage the reader immediately. <S> @HenryTaylor is correct in his answer, there is no need to tell the reader everything about the characters before they are introduced, because the reader will not be invested in their life story, as they will not know who the characters are. <S> I'm assuming from the context that the backstory would refer to their lives before the war began. <S> However until the reader understands who they are now, it doesn't matter to them who they were. <S> This is why so many TV shows now run the story of characters in their current lives in parallel with their previous lives (such as Lost, before and after being on an island, and Orange Is The New Black, before and after being in prison). <S> You get to understand who the main characters are, and gradually learn who they were, how they changed, and how they came to be that way. <S> That is how readers connect with the characters, and understand them deeper. <S> You wouldn't immediately give your life's story to a person you had just met. <S> They don't care, because they don't know you. <S> But close friends would be interested, as they are invested in who you are as a person now, just as a reader would be invested in the current story of the characters. <S> So the answer to your question 'Can you make multiple prologues in your book?' <S> is no, because you shouldn't have to. <S> If you can't make it into a single prologue, it shouldn't go into a prologue. <S> If you are setting up the backstories of multiple separate characters, that should be happening within the body of your book. <S> Instead, if there is salient information needed to understand who these characters are before the story begins, it should be done altogether. <A> Multiple prologues I suggest are more acceptable if they each have at best two paragraphs each because characters need to process every detail, besides readers may remember actions more clearly than statements <A> Read White Death by Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos. <S> Two Prologues, and they work extremely well. <S> Useful for when you want to tie two seemingly disparate story lines together later on in the book. <S> BUT -- you must plan this carefully, or you leave yourself open to confusion, plot holes, or even worse writing yourself into a corner
| In summary: a prologue is useful for setting up a story, and including any relevant information that cannot be worked into chapter 1 without an exposition dump. Lots of novels have multiple parts, often with gaps in time between them.
|
Maintaining consistent style in a translation When translating something, how do you maintain a consistent style throughout? I'm concerned about starting off in my own style, then gradually slipping into a style more influenced by the original. I'm not trying to be faithful to the original style because I'm changing it from an anachronistic historical style to a more accessible modern one. I mean style as it's defined here : Style is the particular manner of writing individual to an author, the unique way an author puts his words together. <Q> I've never translated anything longer than a paragraph, but I have had to produce extended pieces of writing in a consistent style. <S> Here are my suggestions: Rather than starting at the beginning of the original and steadily translating page by page until you reach the end, do the translation out of sequence. <S> E.g. if the original has twenty chapters, translate chapter 13, then chapter 4, then chapter 9, then chapter 18, and so on. <S> If you are not working to a tight deadline take some time off before you do this to allow yourself to "step back" and see it as an outsider would. <S> if circumstances permit, get someone else to read the revised version and ask them to comment on whether the style holds together, as well as on any other potential improvements. <S> These suggestions can apply to any piece of writing, not just a translation. <A> In my opinion the true kernel of one and every translation is to deliver original author's idea by using your own unique style and signature . <S> All the translations of original works to Russian <S> I've ever seen carried some sort of original rework and refinement to make author's idea clearer to reader, to bring those emotions, thoughts and feelings author (or characters of his book) described and experienced. <S> This is not an easy task for sure. <S> Many books were written in ancient times in a very complex and sophisticated language, many of them describe events, people and appearances that are not obvious to current people and in some cases neither they were to the contemporaries. <S> They need to be adapted and should be adapted. <S> And they are often adapted by historians and scientists like it <S> supposed to do, by the people who know the epoch and who can translate those circumstances to the modern language. <S> The perfect example is 1984 by George Orwell. <S> Though it is a dystopia, it perfectly describes after-war state of minds and Cold War espionage mania and suspicion among people. <S> For non-English natives it had required a fair piece of effort to translate all those Newspeak figures he used in this book. <S> Naturally translation of fiction literature should not be literal and it is wonderful. <A> There's never anything wrong with breaking convention if there's a purpose and if you are precise. <S> However, on that note, there is an enormous volume of research that has been done on translation. <S> Linguists have created very clear styles and people are quite accustomed to them. <S> If you did create a new style, it would beget the question as to whether the style is more important than the content that you are writing about. <A> I just finished translating my first book. <S> I've noticed that when I reach easier passages that use simple sentence structure, I tend to write fluently in my own style. <S> I'm also not terribly interested in preserving the author's style. <S> When I reread these easier chapters, it sounds like my own writing. <S> I could probably pass it off as my own original work if I wanted. <S> But when I reach more difficult passages that use technical vocabulary and detailed descriptions, my writing becomes stilted. <S> It no longer reads like my own writing. <S> Moreover, my translation abilities have improved over the course of this project, being that this is the first time I have translated anything of this magnitude. <S> After I went back to reread earlier chapters, I noticed that some passages weren't translated properly (I could tell just from reading my English translation. <S> I know myself very well. <S> I know what I sound like when I'm making something up. <S> When I saw my "BS voice" in the translation, I knew to go back and retranslate). <S> Fortunately, because I had marked the original page numbers in my translation, this made it pretty easy to go back and referencing the original. <S> Once I had finished translating the entire book, it was time for my second draft. <S> (That's what I'm working on now.) <S> Do NOT just open it up with a word processor and fix words. <S> If you do this, the style will be preserved. <S> The easy-to-translate passages will still be fluid, and the hard-to-translate ones will still be stilted. <S> Instead, open your first draft in one window and have a blank document in another window. <S> Rewrite the entire book. <S> I've found that my second draft is, essentially, translating Bad English into Good English. <S> But this time, make sure to "translate" it paragraph by paragraph, not sentence by sentence. <S> Note that I have a lot of liberties in my translation. <S> For some very technical chapters, I need to study the original in depth and take notes. <S> Then, I put everything away and just write from my notes. <S> I don't care about sentences and paragraphs. <S> I just care about conveying the content. <S> Then, once I've finished, I compare it to the original to double check.
| When the first draft is complete, read it as a whole and revise it for consistency.
|
Can I change scene and characters in the next chapter? So I have been questioning myself about this: when I'm writing and done with a chapter and I am about to start the next one, can I start with a different scene and others characters like in another place? I am writing in third person omniscient. Do I need to have a character's POV ? <Q> J.K Rowling changed her narratives in the beginning of 'The Goblet Of Fire' and frequently in ,Order Of The Phoenix'. <S> Describe their feelings and sensory thoughts in your third person <A> Yes, you can. <S> You just want it to be clear to the reader, be consistent throughout the chapter. <S> I had a few readers bring them up in one of my books once. <S> Having a few points of view, and making them definitive and unique can really add to the story. <S> Good luck. <A> Sure, no problem at all. <S> Just make sure to let the reader know as fast as possible, as they'd have to do some backtracking in their minds if they thought the chapter started with the same characters from the previous chapter. <S> Start by immediately making the change clear, and you should be fine. <S> In fact, i find it even more interesting to change point of views, as it gives a lot more depth to the side characters and how they see things, rather than focusing exclusively on the protagonist.
| Yes, you can change the character and setting on a different chapter Be careful with how many points of view you use throughout your book, as you can end up overwhelming your readers.
|
How to write dream sequences? I'm trying to write a sequence where the main protagonist is taken in their dreams to an archangel. However, I kind of think it sounds a bit childish, as I'm unsure how to structure such a sequence. Maria’s dreams began to drift into a realm of their own, rapidly changing in front of her eyes, until they were expelled from her mind entirely, and her eyes opened. Welcome. Personally, I don't think this sounds very professional, or realistic. Could someone provide advice on how to structure sequences like this, and how to say when they begin, and end? <Q> Typically, when dreaming, we don't realize we're dreaming, so the way to write that most closely approximates the actual experience of dreaming is just to write as if it were any other scene, but with the unquestioned alterations to reality and believability that are typical of dreams. <S> Although the character is fooled by the reality of the dream, you probably don't want the reader to be as well. <S> You don't have to be elaborate, just acknowledge that it's a dream and move on. <S> Maria dreamed she was standing in front of a golden throne, high on a cloud... <S> Another common way to tip off the reader is to place the dream in italics. <S> Somehow, Maria found herself standing in front of a golden throne, high upon a cloud <S> Or, try a simple heading: <S> Maria dreamed: She was standing in front of a golden throne, high upon a cloud... <S> Sometimes authors change tense, or from third-person to first-person. <S> These are just ways to suggest an altered state of consciousness. <S> Maria fell deeply asleep. <S> Suddenly I find myself in front of a golden throne... <A> I've written dream sequences, and remembering, a number of different ways. <S> I think the main thing to focus on is having something that fits with your book. <S> If your book is hard buttoned down realistic, then you could go the same route, or you could go decidedly against that making the dream sequence seem more ethereal. <S> I think the only wrong way to do this is one that confuses the reader and pulls them out of your text. <S> Often we can look for a definitive answer for something like this when we're scared of getting it wrong, and I don't think you really can if you just pick a way and execute on it. <S> It gives me a few extra tools to be able to remind the reader (if it's going on for a while) that they are in a dream. <S> In the piece you provided, I think it's important not to make the dreams seem separate from Maria. " <S> Maria’s dreams began to drift..." <S> Maria might feel the world drift away or change, but she only has one dream at a time, and so this makes it seem like a collection of dreams left her, which I don't think it what you meant. <S> Pick the way you like best, make sure that it's clear to the reader, and have fun with it. <S> I hope this helps. <A> Do you dream? <S> If so, what sorts of dreams have you experienced? <S> If not, perhaps reading up on the experiences of others in their dreams may prove beneficial. <S> Also, are you writing in 1st person or 3rd person, or even switching between views to emphasize the dream sequence? <S> How the events are presented will need to be worded differently depending on the viewpoint. <S> Last, is the character typically self-introspective? <S> Are they aware that they are dreaming? <S> Should they be aware from the beginning that they are dreaming? <S> Presenting a given scene or sequence as factual to the reader may cause dissonance if later the character views those events as only a dream. <S> Other combinations are possible too, each with a slightly different impact. <S> What do you wish to evoke? <S> As for myself, I dream extensively, so I have learned over the years some of the logic my particular dream environment operates on. <S> In discussing dreams with others, I have also learned that shared characteristics of dream environments are only occasional, and unique arrangements per person seem to be the norm. <S> If I may suggest, perhaps a recounting of the bits she sees, more of a visual journey. <S> Perhaps she realizes that she is dreaming, and then is when the next scene takes place. <S> After establishing the dream state, then change it to the vision state.
| Personally, I like using contrast between the style I'm writing the rest of the story and how I write a dream sequence.
|
How to become a master at creating wordplays? Puns introduced by authors make a text look witty to a reader. Professional writers skillfully manipulate words and phrases to demonstrate their smartness and, most important, gain the affection of the audience. Personally, I see no other way to create a pun, except by accident. I think so because I am new at writing. Although, I totally understand that experienced ones use this stylistic device intentionally and do not spend hours thinking up a new pun. So my question is: How can I acquire a skill to play on words? What steps should one take to make a pun? Thanks in advance for your help. <Q> Although, I totally understand that experienced ones... do not spend hours thinking up a new pun. <S> How do you know that? <S> Skills take time and practice. <S> Maybe the good writers do spend hours working on puns. <S> One exercise I did in high school was to take a list of common clichés and idioms and turn them into questions. <S> For example: Where do you buy elbow grease? <S> Does it work better than knee grease?Does <S> it come in cans or squeeze tubes? <S> Would a durian fruit by any other name still smell like afour-week-old diaper? <S> If a doctor's spouse bought an apple farm, would that be automaticgrounds for divorce? <S> What if I'm only happy as an oyster? or a shrimp? <S> and so on. <S> If you do enough of these, it allows you to crack open the language to get at the meanings, and come back through the meanings to choose another word which creates the pun. <S> If a pun is the lowest form of wit, is a bun the lowest form ofwheat? <S> There was a man who entered a local newspaper's pun contest. <S> He sentin ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the punswould win. <S> Unfortunately, no pun in ten did. <A> You could try looking at lists of homophones and homonyms. <S> These lists can give you ideas about similar sounding words. <S> Sometimes it does take hours to get a line or a sentence <S> right, whether it contains a pun or not. <A> To quote Oscar Wilde : Improve your own writing by reading the work of people you admire. <S> Oscar Wilde was a so-called 'Wit', someone invited to enliven parties. <S> His conversation was pure entertainment, and his wit carried over in his writing. <S> Highly recommended. <S> His biography reads like a tragedy, sadly. <S> References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/oscar-wilde-writing-quotes-slideshare#sm.00001f3o3mtua6ergtboe2twihep9
| If you want to practice at wordplay, you need to think about the meanings of words, and how they can be looked at obliquely. However, in the end, you just have to keep practising.
|
I'm having an issue committing to my novels So, obviously, I'm a writer. I have pretty bad ADD/ADHD and though it's never bothered me before, it's really affecting my writing as of late. I don't really think this is a medical question, as doctors can't really give me advice with this. Before I got off my meds (It was a decision I made myself because of the hormonal imbalance.), it was hard for me to really focus on my writing because my medicine made me a little groggy and cranky and that interfered with my creative process. When I got off, my mind really went a mile a minute and I had no problem doing several stories at a time. Now, I can barely get maybe ten or fifteen thousand words in before I completely lose all interest. I don't know if it's a personal bump in the road I'm going through or if I need to get back on my meds. Any advice? I mean I haven't been off an extremely long time, I stopped taking them when I was thirteen and I'm twenty now. I was on Adderall if that helps. Update: Even though people assumed I wanted you all to tell me whether or not I should get back on my meds, I appreciate the writing advice that was given to me. I mentioned my meds because as people who take them know, they affect many aspects of your life, such as your creativity. I wanted it to be known in case another writer with the same issue could help me. I didn’t go back on my meds and my creativity has improved exponentially. I found that what I really needed was a change of scenery. The monotony of my life was beginning to affect my creativity, not the absence of my meds. A little bit about me, I’m not a very social person. I decided to change that, get out there, and actually meet other writers, go to workshops, conventions, and all in all, take writing more seriously, and it did wonders. I also learned that I’ve always been a writer that wants to read what I’m writing far more than I actually wanted to write it. I was so ready for the finished product that the actual work that I needed to put into it seemed excessive, and oftentimes boring. I’m grateful for all the advice I was given and I really want to thank everyone who answered. <Q> You summarize the problem very well when you said: <S> "I can barely get maybe ten or fifteen thousand words in before I completely lose all interest." <S> I really hope you'll reconsider the difficulty you are going through and see that it isn't something wrong with you, but is a very common challenge among most (if not all) authors. <S> Most Common Problem of All Authors? <S> This may, in fact, be the most common problem of all authors. <S> Why Might This Problem Occur? <S> There are a few reasons why this problem may occur: <S> Your subconscious knows there is something flawed about the story <S> you are writing <S> and it's attempting to let you know, but you aren't picking up on it. <S> This is not mean to sound mystical, but instead what I'm attempting to say is that our minds are amazing and are doing far more than we know. <S> It is a subject that you really aren't interested in . <S> It is possible that by the time you've written 15,000 words you've explored the subject to the level you find interesting and after that, there isn't much left. <S> It is what it is. <S> Every Writer's Fear <S> Every writer's fear is that s/ <S> he will spend long periods of time writing a novel that is completely worthless -- which no one wants to read and even the author believes is a waste of time. <S> Wasting Time <S> Most authors are afraid they'll waste their lives writing the wrong thing <S> and it often locks them up. <S> How Might You Get Around It? <S> Story Prototyping, Just Like Product Prototyping Outline your ideas ahead of time <S> : Oh, boy, I said the word outline. <S> Think of outlining as prototyping your story. <S> Write it as short as you can to determine if it hangs together and if you are going to continue to be interested in it. <S> Here's another similar answer where motivation was dicussed here on Writers stack: How to motivate yourself to finish something? <A> I think that if you want to write more, getting back on those meds will be easier; I found these tips for when your on Adderall: Eat essential amino acids, glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats <S> Exercise is known to release certain hormones that relieve you (but do it as a general activity) Rest for 8 hours <A> (I'm going to come at this from a writer perspective, not an ADD/ADHD perspective.) <S> Depends on what kind of writer you are. <S> You haven't found the one that really captivates your attention and makes you want to push through. <S> So you may just want to keep trying out books until one keeps you. <S> Unless you're like me, who feels really anxious with unfinished works, and whose mind works a little differently. <S> Some writers can go for years in between writing on one book and come back to it like it was yesterday. <S> I can't do that. <S> In order for me to work, I have to force myself to keep writing the book. <S> Usually that middle part is difficult to write because it's less interesting than the beginning and ending <S> (as is true of almost every book). <S> So, I make myself get to the ending, because if I don't, I will never finish a book. <S> I am a hardcore planner. <S> I think up plot points for my book, I outline the overall story, I use an index card for every scene, I write up profiles for my main characters. <S> You don't have to go to that extent (unless it works for you), but maybe knowing the ending and having some idea of the fun that's to come will help you push through the middle. <A> Looks like you are off the old hyper-focus. <S> If at first you could, and now you cannot <S> , you have sunk below the threshold. <S> The challenge is, how to get it back. <S> Maybe it is just a phase. <S> Maybe there are too many new things going on. <S> Maybe the topics you are handling no longer really engage you. <S> What changed between the can-phase and the current block? <S> You yourself are the best help you can get. <S> You have an enormous ability to live in the here and now. <S> You have creativity. <S> If you give yourself some leeway and dedicate your thinking power to getting back to what you really want <S> I think you can reacquire the initiative in your life and carry on. <S> It just may be something different from writing though, even if only for a period of time. <S> Do not put yourself in a box. <S> Life is larger than that.
| The subject (or treatment) simply isn't enough to build a story around and by the time you've written some you lose interest. It's possible you just haven't found the story for you yet. ADHD makes it impossible to proceed with anything unless extreme interest breaks through the barrier and produces an immense ability to focus, far beyond regular levels. Something that has helped me is to know where my stories are going.
|
Would employing the use of philosophical ideas in fiction without citing the sources be considered plagiarism? I am working on a fictional book which would be similar to that of Winnie-the-Pooh in terms of its format and ability to be read, but I want there to be philosophical meaning to what goes on in the book. My problem is that I will be using some fairly unique, -- or at least attributable -- ideas from philosophers. One such example is one of the characters having "bad faith". I wouldn't include direct quotes from Sartre, but the idea of "bad faith" will be quite thinly veiled. Anyone who would read it that knows about Sartre would probably see some pretty clear connections. My question is whether I need to cite my sources for the idea of bad faith or not, since I'm not going to include any quotes from him. The reason I don't want to cite the source of using his philosophy would be that I think it would take away from the story for you if you were reading and then all of the sudden see a parenthetical citation or footnote. Would it best to just include his name in acknowledgements or in some other type of recognition after or before the book itself? <Q> Footnotes and citations in fiction (and, in particular, children's fiction) are extremely rare, and I recommend against using them. <S> It's often said that ideas are common; it's how they're used and implemented that matters. <S> Nevertheless, fiction writers who feel they owe a debt to another writer's ideas usually say as much in an acknowledgements section. <S> In extreme cases, they may write an entire afterword if the story is complex (and something the reader would care to read). <S> There are exceptions to this, though. <S> (Aren't there always?) <S> An obvious example os Terry Pratchett, who used footnotes in his novels to great comedic ends. <S> But he had an extremely strong authorial voice, and an awful lot of experience writing. <S> I'd hold off unless you're certain <S> a footnote is the right way to go. <S> Just do it knowing you're writing something that's a bit off-beat that may take the reader out of the experience temporarily. <A> To my knowledge (not a lawyer), you don't have any legal responsibility to attribute the ideas in your actual text, unless you're directly quoting or paraphrasing. <S> It's very rare (but not unheard of) to footnote a fictional text because it damages suspension of disbelief (except where the fiction is presented as if it were an academic work). <S> Given that you want to give credit where it is due, I would suggest an endnote where you discuss where the philosophical ideas came from. <S> If I recall correctly, this is the approach Neal Stephenson took in Ananthem <S> where real philosophies are attributed to fictional characters within the narrative (and correctly credited in the endnotes). <S> Conversely, if the characters are themselves influenced by the real-world philosophers, and not reinventing their philosophies, then it would be simplest to have them refer to the philosopher directly when introducing the idea. <S> "As Sartre would say, you're in a state of bad faith , Gertrude. <S> " <S> I think that is the approach taken by Walker Percy in The Moviegoer. <S> Typically, that's what people do in real life as well (although you want to be sparing with it if you don't want the whole thing to read transparently as a philosophy lesson). <A> An "idea" is not copyrightable, only its expression is. <S> "Bad faith" is an idea that is as old as time, that Satre "popularized," but did not invent. <S> What is attributable to him is an exposition of what constitutes "bad faith (say a paragraph or longer). <S> That would be copyrightable. <S> That you would cite and attribute to him (and get permission to use). <S> But as long as you use "brief" passages from Satre (a few words or short phrases) and not long sentences or paragraphs, you're ok. <S> For this kind of "use," you don't need to cited sources, because Satre also had his sources, <A> It's fine as long as you're acknowledging the philosopher (clearly or not).But if you don't want to add the quotation details (such as the originators) to too many other quotes, you could always make reference by adjusting your story to actual events that also happened to those philosophisers: such as one of your characters having a mystery reason to depart a settled job (like John Dunnes) or having an affair (like Benjamin Constant). <A> No, Dostoyevsky explored religious and existentialists ideas in many of his books--his genius was to add to the discussion by exploring existing ideas through fiction and finding new ground through the exploration. <A> Ideas are not copyrightable. <S> Having a character follow a philosophy is definitely not a form of plagiarism. <S> Presenting that philosophy as a paraphrase of the original work might be plagiarism, <S> though dubiously illegal (copyright on most of these works has long expired already anyway.) <S> It's still a good form to credit the original author, possibly in an afterword, or similar "paraphernalia. <S> " There's definitely no need to add footnotes to the fictional story or follow academic practices of bibliography or such - you're neither violating copyright nor writing a paper that needs to follow academic scrutiny. <S> But giving a credit where it's due is a good savior-vivre , not obligatory but welcome. <A> No, I know of several fantasy authors who not only use citations without the philosopher's name, but attribute the quotes to a fictional author who is part of their world. <A> Plagiarism is an academic violation. <S> If you wrote a scholarly article for a professional journal and did not give proper credit to your sources, you would be guilty of plagiarism. <S> But works of fiction are not scholarly articles. <S> We do not normally expect a work of fiction to have footnotes. <S> Note that, as a couple of others have implied <S> but I don't think quite stated clearly, there is a big difference between plagiarism and copyright violation. <S> If you write a book, you own a copyright to the specific words used to express that idea. <S> If others copy your words, you can sue them. <S> But copyright law specifically says that you do not have a copyright to an idea, just to the words to express that idea. <S> Plagiarism is copying someone else's ideas without giving proper credit, but plagiarism is not a crime nor a tort: you cannot be arrested or sued for plagiarism. <S> It's an academic violation that can get you in trouble with universities and publishers, you could lose your job or be blacklisted by professional journals, but they can't sue you for it.
| In most cases, if you just follow the idea but express it in your own way, this just falls under drawing inspiration which is an entirely legal, common and perfectly acceptable practice. If you were caught you might lose academic standing, maybe even lose your job at the university. Fiction writers routinely incorporate moral or philosophical themes into their stories without giving a scholarly discussion of the history of the idea and their sources.
|
Need help with a tragic love story I need help for a idea I've got a bit of a start but need help on continuing it it's about two teenagers who fall in love in love with each other. I just want it not to be like a normal love story but it to be tragic. I want it to be different. <Q> Keep in mind cliche isn't necessarily a bad thing. <S> Even the best seller books and movies. <S> The difference is doing it in a way that makes it unique, and like user19388 said, there is no magic potion to help you do that. <S> Just write, continue to write, tweak your story a little bit, until you have something you feel you, and your readers will be satisfied with. <A> I think in that case you should just let the story unfold on its own. <S> Since you've already got a start, each step you take you should ask yourself what the possibilities are, what may possibly happen next, and don't settle with just one choice. <S> Brainstorm and list out all the possible options for the next action/scene/twist/... <S> in the story. <S> Then you can choose which one to go for. <A> Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Fault in Our Stars, I can go on. <S> But you need to spend the time to brainstorm. <S> You need to spend the time to write. <S> To fail. <S> To write again. <S> If you're committed, you'll find your way (and your ideas). <S> You may start with a cliche template, and then figure out ways to make it more original. <S> But there is no magic potion to help. <S> It's all up to you. <S> Good luck, and persevere.
| There's a lot you can do to make it original. Anything can be whittled down to a cliche if you dissect it enough.
|
Can a scene be written to be disorienting and not be too confusing to readers? I've written a scene in a short story where the character and her party are suddenly attacked in the night. It's written in first-person and the character had just been shaken awake from a nightmare; so I had purposefully written it to be disorienting. One of my beta readers and my editor have commented on how it reads confusing and seems like some details have been missed in my excitement. At first, I was very excited to hear this from them, because that's exactly how I had wanted the scene to feel. But I started to wonder if, perhaps it was too much and hard to follow. I would think that some details would be missed and even with some combat training, the character would have been out of it having just been woken up suddenly. So I guess I wondering how a scene can be written from a disoriented character's perspective, and not alienate readers? <Q> If you want the scene to initially be confusing, go ahead! <S> However, keep it brief. <S> It would probably be rather annoying to try to read through more than a paragraph of stuff that makes no sense, and readers might just want to skip it. <S> Also, to make sure they don't continue to feel confused after the scene is over, try to find a time for your character to realize what's been happening and what details she initially missed <S> so the readers can have it explained and get a sense of closure about it. <S> Good luck! <A> This seems like a great idea, and possibly the best way to approach this would be to have the time of disorientation be relatively brief. <S> I've not written dream sequences ever, so I don't have any suggestions beyond making it obvious that it's a dream sequence. <S> Possibly making what is occurring straightforward for the reader, but with signals that it isn't real. <S> Then as the protagonist begins to wake up, the dream starts to morph into what is happening in reality, and both the character and the reader still believe they are asleep. <S> Follow this up with something that jolts the character awake, and they will be disoriented as they will realize this isn't part of the dream, and be unsure as to how much of what they had just experienced was real and how much wasn't. <S> However, the way to clarify what is going on would be the natural reaction of the protagonist anyway, which is trying to find out what is happening. <S> The character would not stay in a disoriented state. <S> Particularly if battle-trained, they would first attempt to assess the situation, then try to find out as much information as possible to understand the danger they face, and how they can try to combat it. <S> The vividness and horror of the nightmare might keep popping back into their head and causing them to be confused (for example if the nightmare involved being chased by werewolves, they might think they are currently being attacked by werewolves in reality, even if they don't exist), which would add to continuing the confusion of earlier, whilst keeping the true "what the hell is going on?" thoughts of the reader to a minimum. <S> Then the protagonist and reader can be brought up to speed, either by Basil Exposition or their own assessment of the situation. <S> This way no important information is lost, but you still get the feeling of skewed perception for a brief period. <A> A disoriented character does not have a perspective. <S> A perspective is what you have when the world makes sense to you. <S> When you are disoriented, you don't have a perspective. <S> You have a whirl of sensations the refuse to resolve into a perspective. <S> I seem to remember that it was Dr. Johnson who said something to the effect that you cannot reproduce the effect of being dullness and garrulity without being dull and garrulous. <S> The same seems to apply here: you cannot reproduce the effect of disorientation without being disorienting. <S> But I don't think there is any good story reason to try to reproduce the sensation of disorientation. <S> It is a mere physical symptom. <S> It may be a plot point, but reproducing the sensation is never essential to the plot, or to the reader's attachment to the character's story. <S> It is always the character's moral arc, the decisions they have to make, what they want and what they are willing to do to get it <S> , that are the crux of the story. <S> After all, the enjoyment of adventure without its physical discomforts is much of the pleasure of literature. <S> At most they want to sympathize with their headache. <A> I personally think you shouldn't shy from conveying the experience of the disorientation as long as the narrator clearly conveys their confusion so we get into their experience of it, rather than our own. <S> I spun, then was face down on the floor, without even the memory of falling. <S> Or had I never gotten up? <S> I couldn't make any sense of it. <S> Had I been found by the werewolves?" <S> Because the experience is filtered through the narrator's expressed confusion, we don't care if it doesn't make any sense because we have faith that we'll understand when the narrator does. <S> Furthermore, I must disagree with the statement that "You cannot reproduce the effect of dullness and garrulity without being dull and garrulous." <S> Consider the following example: Frank's life was deeply, unremittingly ordered. <S> The sameness of every day leached the colors from his world until he found himself fantasizing about horrible, terrible things happening to him. <S> The promise of seeing the vivid red of his own blood, the exquisite pain of a shattered hand or foot called to him to break the gray sameness of his life. <S> But still he did nothing. <S> Until the morning when he woke up with the sure knowledge that he had to die if he wanted to truly live. <S> Do we not feel Frank's boredom and desperation without being bored or feeling our own desperation while reading it?
| So it should be enough to tell your reader that the character is disoriented, without trying to reproduce that disorientation. Since it's written in first person, that's just realistic. The reader who reads about a character being hit on the head does not want to actually experience their headache.
|
Interwoven story arcs (for video) - guidelines so viewers will not get lost? I am trying to create a documentary about the history of a sports team, and have identified some compelling story arcs. However, as we know in reality, stories do not begin and end one at a time: story 1 expositionstory 1 rising action story 1 climaxstory 1 falling actionstory 1 resolutionstory 2 expositionstory 2 rising action story 2 climaxstory 2 falling actionstory 2 resolution but rather are interwoven story 1 expositionstory 1 rising action story 2 expositionstory 1 climaxstory 2 rising action story 1 falling actionstory 2 climaxstory 2 falling actionstory 1 resolutionstory 2 resolution I can easily modify my documentary to make scene transitions seamless/connected by having a connecting theme. BUT this doesn't ensure the viewer can identify the 2 different story arcs and feel the satisfaction that all plots were explored and resolved. To them, the interwoven structure above just looks like a bunch of connected scenes with no overall meaning. What do screenwriters do to ensure viewers don't get lost and remind them that there is a (set of) journeys to be payed off that they should keep watching to get rewarded with? Apart from just narration which explicitly identifies the 2 separate plots, I don't get how this is done (I'm an amateur screenwriter with no training). But since I don't want to rely on English narration (I want people from other countries to watch it too), I'm wondering if there are any non-narrater ways to help orient viewers. <Q> Stories are the way human being make sense of life. <S> They are an attempt to impose order on the chaotic stream of events that we experience day to day. <S> History is the interpretation of the stream of past events as a set of stories. <S> As such, those stories will overlap each other in the time scale. <S> When telling multiple stories, you need some way to keep them distinct. <S> TV ensemble dramas typically split their casts up in small groups to tell separate (though possibly intersecting) stories. <S> The viewer knows when you have switched to a different story because the cast changes. <S> In history, dividing up the cast does not often work so neatly, so it is quite common to separate the stories out, tell one all the way though, and then hop back in time to tell another. <S> Stories told later can reference ones told earlier, so it is important to tell them in the right order. <A> Watch any of the reality TV shows in the documentary theme that are currently "popular" like Pawn Stars American Pickers Tiny House Hunters <S> Any of the home renovation/flipping/decorating shows <S> Pay attention to how they summarize and cut between acts. <S> Also some of them like Pawn Stars start a story (say someone wants to sell a stuffed buffalo) <S> but they don't resolve it straight away. <S> They cut to another seller (say selling a diamond), and intercut some conflict between the family. <S> Then back to the Bullalo. <S> Back to the Diamond. <S> Back to conflict. <S> Even if not for TV, a TV hour (43 minutes) is 4-5 <S> well defined acts. <S> To cut between story arcs make sure you leave each story on a question or cliff hanger, like ACTION <S> SHOWINGThe team nearly folded in 1919 when scandal rocked the dressing room. <S> FADE OUT: <S> Commercial breakFADE IN: <S> ACTION SHOWINGMeanwhile in 1968 <S> the team lost it's third finals series in a row. <S> Newspaper reports of the day started reporting the "Ghost of the Dressing Room" had cursed the team. <S> A voodoo priestess was called in to exorcise the evil spirits. <S> Using graphics is almost essential if you are going to split the narrative without a narrator. <S> But remember am English language narration can often be dubbed or subtitled for other markets. <A> Thanks to Bookeater for this recommendation: I'd use music to unify an arc. <S> Out there usually human leads are used to tag arcs as people easily identify with them. <S> This also answers another question I hadn't yet crossed yet - how many different soundtrack songs should I use in my show (anything from one for the whole show, to one for every scene). <S> One per story sounds like a good way to go.
| Whichever approach you choose, the key is to remember that stories are always artificial imposition of order on the chaos of events, and as such the logic and continuity of the story trumps all other threads, including linear time.
|
Overusing "with the aim of..." in a scientific paper I'm currently writing a scientific report and repeatedly found myself sneaking sentences like "with the aim of..." or "with the purpose of" in my text. Despite how trivial this problem may seem, it isn’t. The scientific process is repetitive in essence. We customarily do things with a purpose in mind: we apply methodology X with the aim of calculating Y or use theorem P with the purpose of solving Q, and that kind of mindset easily surfaces in our manuscripts. Also, given that our writing must convey rigour, certain constructions like "with the hope of" or "wishing" are proscribed and the abuse of passive is considered a burden put upon the readability of text that are already complex in itself. In summary, it isn't strange to run out of ideas on how to say why one did X, Y and Z... So, I would like to ask, are there good formulas and sentence structures to express purpose and at the same time convey a sense of exactness without using too many "with the aim of" (or its derivatives) or too much passive? <Q> How about to ? <S> For example "we apply methodology <S> X to calculate Y" or "we use theorem <S> P to solve Q". <A> Good news! <S> You can say 'to' or 'in order to', and stop worrying about the rest. <S> Reasons to use 'to': <S> It's simple <S> It's clear <S> Readers will thank you for keeping your wordcount down Reasons to use 'in order to': <S> It's simple <S> It’s even clearer, because it avoids any confusion with the other meanings of 'to' (prepositional 'to', or infinitive 'to', for example) <S> That means readers will parse your sentence on the first try, understanding what you mean without having to double back and reread. <S> Reasons to use wordy alternatives: 'with the aim of', 'with a view to', 'for the purpose of', 'with the goal of', 'with the intention of', 'for the objective of', 'in an effort to': <S> You're convinced that finding ways to complicate your vocabulary... equals... <S> literary merit? <S> You're convinced that to your audience this notion of literary merit is more important than communicating your ideas clearly. <S> Of course, I hope you’ll take my cheeky tone in the cheery spirit it’s intended. <S> But seriously… just think! <S> A shocking amount of academic prose, when trying to read it, feels like hacking through jungle with a blunt machete. <S> But you can spend less time — less! — fumbling around looking for unnecessary vocab, and make yours feel like gliding down a crystal-blue river of clarity. <S> … <S> Okay, okay, if you really want variety for its own sake, you can have ‘so as to’ ;) <A> You could vary your sentence structure to minimize your monotony. <S> Here are a few examples of what I mean: <S> In calculating Y <S> we applied methodology X. <S> This gave the advantage of using the flux capacitor model from Steven Spielberg, et. <S> al. <S> Solving problem Q vexed the research team for weeks. <S> Theorem P offered the strongest potential solution because it answered the difficult operator question. <S> Although we considered J as the unknown protein, it lacked the 3-D construction we find in K .
| I find that pared-down technical writing alleviates some of the repetition.
|
How do I gain experience in editing? After years of critiquing fiction as a hobby, I feel like I've gained some skill at editing. I'm now wondering how I can try my hand at actually editing fiction. While I've got a decent sense of how one starts out as a writer, I have no idea how one starts out as an editor. Editing seems to require a venue to edit for, and writers submitting publishable stories. Is there a typical development path for editors? Where do I begin? And how do I gain actual, hands-on experience? <Q> I believe that many if not all of the small literary magazines are edited by volunteers. <S> How those volunteers are selected I am not so sure, but I would begin by scouring their websites looking for any call for volunteers. <S> Failing that, write to them and ask. <S> Now I would imagine that they will have the same criteria for editing for them as they do for writing for them. <S> They will want you to actually read some copies in advance or perhaps even subscribe. <S> My impression is that very few writers actually do this, because it is quite expensive to do when you are scattershooting your manuscript to every lit mag in Writer's Digest. <S> But I would guess that a prospective volunteer editor would have to actually show some familiarity with and affection for the magazine they were proposing to edit for. <S> The other option, of course, is to start your own. <S> Pretty easy to do on the web these days, but building an audience is a Herculean task. <A> There's a few sites where you can offer your services. <S> Check out Fiverr.com and upwork.com . <S> I've worked with several editors on Upwork before. <S> Also look for local writers groups. <S> Although, that would be more for practice then for contract work. <S> A good resource for finding local groups is meetup.com <A> This wouldn't work for paid gigs, I believe, because I don't think that's allowed on the site, but, if you were willing to do freebies or an exchange of work (to maybe get a feel for editing vs critiquing) it would be a reasonable place.
| Scribophile.com is more for writers and mutual critiquing, but there are forums where you might mention that you are looking to do edits.
|
Switching perspectives for a single chapter in a first person POV novel, to do or not to do? Allow me to explain what prompted the question before you immediately say that it's not okay and it would confuse the readers. The protagonist of the novel - also the narrator - has the ability to see the memories of others, sometimes as they are being made, through flashbacks. (Please don't get into how realistic a person having an ability like this is, this is a work of science-fiction and to explain the ability I'd have to explain a lot more and I don't want to get off track with this question.) At one crucial plot point in the novel, t he narrator is rendered unconscious and I intend to continue on from that point, but assume the perspective of one of the narrators close friends to relate the following events. For the previous flashbacks, I've just italicized all the text. I was planning to do this when I start with the other character's POV and somehow explain how she was able to see things from his eyes when she wakes up, but there is a problem with that plan. In her other flashbacks when she was seeing something from the eyes of someone else, she wasn't in the flashback, so I was able to keep a more distant tone of just relaying what the characters are saying, how they're saying it, and what their doing and not having many of her interpretations or thoughts until after she's awakened from the flashback. This way, I was able to keep it in the first person, yet have the reader understand that while she's still narrating, she's narrating for a different character. But, if I am to do this, she will be in the flashback, actually in the arms of the person who's mind she's supposed to see things from. Additionally, instead of taking the voice of a outside narrating with no elaboration, explanation or inner thoughts, I wanted to really have this other character's thoughts and emotions prevalent, as if he's just taken over narration entirely. The only thing I plan to do so the readers can tell that it's not the main character speaking is italicize the text and make it immediately clear that the passage is from his perspective and not the main characters. I would resume normal narration when the main character awakes and un italicize the text. This would only be for one chapter , a chapter in which a lot of significant events occur. If I don't relay that information to the readers while the events are happening, when the protagonist rejoins the story, I'll have to resort to the cliche'd, as soon as the character wakes up, a close friend tells her everything's she's missed in a weepy voice and then gives her a moment to herself to get her head around it. I would like to avoid this, if possible. So my question is, is this plausible, or would it be way too confusing for the readers? If it's not, is there any way I could make it plausible, perhaps by using single quotes to represent the new narrators thoughts or leaving it in the first person perspective of the unconscious character, just have her be narrating the thoughts of the other character? I tried to research this, but any time I typed in some variation of my question all I got were tips on how to switch POVs, which I am already reasonably familiar with, and even if I wasn't there are many different posts on this very website that I can consult. So, if anyone can help me out with this, it would be greatly appreciated. (I apologize sincerely for the post being so awfully long. It's a rather abstract background and I felt like the question would be confusing and not nearly specific enough if I did not provide some context) <Q> To be honest, I couldn't even follow it in the question. <S> I wonder if you may just be trying too hard not to have a narrator. <S> I realize everyone wants to do first person narration these days, but that is a highly restrictive form and often results in false notes even when the protagonist stays conscious. <S> Even with a first person narrator, though, it is possible, and even common, to introduce some narrative distance. <S> The first person narrator does not have to always narrate in the immediate present. <S> They can report to the reader things that they were not present/conscious for. <S> Trying to maintain stream of consciousness narrative when the narrator is unconscious just does not seem like the best narrative choice. <S> However you do it, it is going to feel like a gimmick, and the last thing you want is for the reader to be taken out of the story by the gimmicky way the story is told. <S> I fear an exaggerated reading of "show, don't tell" has got writers shunning any kind of narrative distance. <S> Yet narrative distance is one of the best tools in the writer's toolbox and is used to great affect by many of today's most prominent authors, and by virtually all authors of the past. <A> Patricia Briggs did almost exactly this in her Mercy Thompson novel Frost Burned . <S> The series overall (this is book 8) is told in the first person from Mercy's POV, but in two chapters Briggs shifts into third person, and the story is told from the perspective of the main character's husband. <S> She labels those two chapters "Adam. <S> " It's just those two chapters. <S> I would not write entire chapters in italics; it's visually exhausting. <S> It's okay for sections, and I understand why you're doing it, but not for more than a page or two. <S> If you segue into this other character's POV for one chapter, I'd call it "Interlude: John" (whatever the non-main character's name is) and write it from limited omniscient third. <S> That way we get all of John's thoughts and feelings, but it's clearly not your main character, and the style is different enough that there's no confusion. <A> I think the best thing you can do is try it one way, and if it doesn't work out, revise it as many times as necessary until it does. <S> It sounds like you can come up with enough angles to try until you find something that suits the story. <A> I was planning to do this when I start with the other character's POV and somehow explain how she was able to see things from his eyes when she wakes up, but there is a problem with that plan. <S> I see absolutely no problem with that. <S> I suggest you emphasize the effect and let her learn a thing or two about how her new "host" thinks and feels about her... <S> It might be challenging, but worth it!
| If your character's magic/superpower/special abilities allow her to experience the world from someone else's point of view, it is unavoidable that she will eventually see herself, when inhabiting a friend's or even lover's mind.
|
Pitfalls for writing a talkative character? I wouldn't say he's bland by any means, but this character is definitely talkative, and he's supposed to be. He's not the main character but does show up quite a bit. He tends to lecture and ramble on about things that don't really matter to the main character. What are the dangers of having a character like this? Is there anything I need to look out for or avoid doing when writing him? Also: how much dialogue is too much dialogue for a talkative character? EDIT: The character is a walking encyclopedia, particularly in the history department. He's also very strict with the rules, so he often sounds like a parent reprimanding his child whenever the main character breaks a rule. The story takes place in a fantasy universe, so he tends to ramble on about (1) the history of their people and cultural values or (2) how the main character needs to adhere to the rules of their society and think about the community. He's pretty helpful in the beginning of the story where he does drop quite a few helpful pieces of information about the fantasy world that the characters live in. It's not an info dump; I scatter pieces here and there. I guess you could see him as comic relief too. He's super oblivious to everything and could talk for an hour about rutabagas if he got into it ;) <Q> Your character can be boring, but your story shouldn't be. <S> Here's the golden ideal: <S> every line of prose and every line of dialogue should serve a purpose. <S> If somebody is saying a lot of boring stuff, most of that stuff doesn't serve any purpose - and should be avoided in your final draft. <S> But, there's a difference between being bored by a character , vs. being entertained by a character being boring . <S> It's just a question of who is getting bored - boring other characters in the story is fine; boring the reader is not. <S> Here's some typical purposes of demonstrating a character being boring: <S> To establish character. <S> Being boring, talkative, or chatty is part of who the character is; giving him a few characteristic lines helps you bring that character to life. <S> For humor. <S> A talkative character can often offer comic relief, by going off on tangents, by hyperfocusing on some minor detail, or another dozen ways. <S> To ridicule the character. <S> Sometimes you're deliberately mocking the character's talkative nature. <S> Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit / And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes / I will be brief, says Hamlet 's Polonius , and his inability to say things simply and straightforwardly is uproarious. <S> For others to be affected by it. <S> Sometimes, the point is that other characters are bored, or exhausted, or amused, or engrossed. <S> In these cases, it's much less important to report everything the talkative character says; instead you can gloss over the content, and focus on other characters' reactions. <S> So, in brief, whenever you're thinking, "OK, this character's going to go on forever now" -- consider how you want to portray that, and what purpose you want that to serve. <S> Sometimes, you want the text. <S> Sometimes you just want to write <S> And then Malcolm went on for an hour about rutabagas, and we all nodded along politely. <S> In general, don't worry about it too much in the first draft; recognizing "boring areas" and places where readers might drift off is better suited for later edits - <S> it's much easier to take a meandering bit of text and chop it down to something quick and snappy, than it is to write everything quick and snappy on the first go. <A> Get everything out in the first draft. <S> Let him ramble on all you like. <S> Put the first draft aside for a month or so. <S> Go back and re-read, and be absolutely ruthless in your culling when re-reading his rambling. <S> If you still can't tell if he's talking too much, hand the ms off to a good beta reader with the explicit instruction that you need to know if/when Mr. Motormouth is overtaking the narrative. <A> Heed Coleridge's admonition to Wordsworth: "it is impossible to imitate truly a dull and garrulous discourse, without repeating the effects of dullness and garrulity." <S> So this may be one of those time to tell rather than show. <S> Dickens and Shakespeare both provide examples.
| That said, it is possible to present a garrulous character who is highly amusing to the reader while clearly tedious to his audience.
|
Suggestions for ways to say "I'll come back to this later ..." I'm looking for several suggestions for techniques to handle 2 similar cases ... While writing my current non-fiction book, there are a few times where a section ends with somewhat of a teaser of a statement, or is completing a thought - but I want to say something to the effect of - 'I'll expand on this in a later chapter' , or - 'as we'll see later ...' - 'more on this later..' then the next section (not chapter) would continue with the narrative without discussing in any more detail, the prior concept. I don't want to branch off on a tangent that will be covered in more detail later. Any suggestions? <Q> Possibly you could say "we'll explore further" because it sounds rather adventurous when sandwiched into some non-fiction paragraphs. <S> Also, I think that by using "we" for instance, or "us" you begin to immerse the audience (reader) in the book even further- which will make it more exciting. <S> P.s- is this a non-fiction book to be published? <S> Either published or not, it sounds really cool. <A> Please absolutely do reference later pages, chapters or sections, because if I am interested in a particular topic that you are talking about, I might want to turn directly to it for more info. <S> Whenever I am reading a how-to, a reference manual or, even an RPG, I find these markers within text extremely helpful to me as a reader. <S> I would even recommend getting specific about what's covered, in very short form (maybe not on the first draft). <S> Something like what's below. <S> You will also want to make sure that you have the right tires on your bike and that they have just the right amount of air. <S> More detailed information on tires will be covered in section 12.1. <S> Some of this depends on the tone of your writing. <S> If it's less like a book that you think people will use for reference and more of a conversational book, the format of: <S> We'll be exploring this later in the book. <S> OR We'll be getting more detailed about this topic, but the quick and dirty version is: the more unstable the ground, the wider your tires should be. <S> Every reader has a preference on this, and it will also have to fit in with what you are doing and how. <A> For example: [...], as I will explicate in more detail in section 3.4. <S> or [...]. <S> To this I will return in chapter 4. <S> Overall, however, don't overdo it. <S> Doing it once or twice is OK, but excessive referencing of this kind messes with your cohesion.
| It depends a bit on the topic (or any possible guidelines you have to adhere to), but the best way is to have a specific section/chapter you can refer to.
|
How to write ages and dates in a newspaper article inside a work of fiction I'm trying to write a newspaper article inside my work of fiction. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to write ages and dates in this article. I took journalism in college, and I know that if I am submitting an article to a newspaper, I would need to write ages and dates as numbers: July 22, 2016, Nathan Smith, 34. But if I am putting this in a work of fiction, do I do it like this, or do I write the ages and dates as words? For example: John Smith, 37, was arrested on July 10, 2016, or John Smith,, thirty-seven was arrested on July tenth, twenty-sixteen. Any help will be appreciated. <Q> If you're "reproducing" a newspaper article in your book, write it exactly as you would an actual newspaper article. <S> That makes it look real, and helps keep the suspension of disbelief for your reader. <A> It depends, as usual, on the nature of the event. <S> Please note that the samples below are all fairly old. <S> A quick scan of today's newspapers and on-line publications seems to show that detailed dates are on the decline, with just plain weekdays mentioned most frequent for subjects that happened at a specific moment. <S> Some samples: ' <S> Thursday night' for a well-known headline event. <S> ' <S> April 6' for a snippet about an obscure discovery. <S> 'Friday, Dec. 9' for a courtroom report. <A> Definitely numbers, not words, in this case. <S> The second way you have it written does not track at all with a newspaper article. <S> It looks more like some kind of scientific paper. <A> With each number written out in letters, readers will, more likely than not, skip over that part because it's slightly tedious to read. <S> If the date and\or age in question is of any importance--be it minor or crucial-- to the plot, use quick and simple numbers. <S> And good luck with your writing!
| There is actually quite a variety in the way dates are depicted in a newspaper article.
|
How do I convey messages that are clear, but unspoken? So much of communication is nonverbal - facial expressions, body language. Often, it's entirely clear what somebody is thinking and conveying even if they aren't saying a word. How can I portray this in fiction? These can be such powerful moments (and, in TV and film, often are). But all the "easy options" I know seem to resort to telling the message instead of showing the emotion: Literally convert the nonverbal message into a verbal one: The expression on her face said "Get out now ." Describe the nonverbal action in a way that just spells the emotion and message out for the reader: She didn't say anything, only gazed at me pleadingly. Use established cliches that we already have strong associations for, and know precisely what they're meant to convey: "Do you want to--" I began, but Maria was already rolling her eyes at me. or Just like every time Corrington dropped by to visit, Nate was grinding his teeth. These are fine some of the time. But there are times when I want to have wordless communication, and to do it well , vividly, engrossing the reader in the moment and not resorting to telling. How can I do that? <Q> If you have a (first or third person) limited perspective, you could show the POV character's emotional state through the descriptive details she considers noteworthy. <S> Perhaps one of the most brilliantly executed examples I can recall for this would be the (French) poem <S> "Déjeuner du matin" by Jacques Prévert. <S> It begins: He poured the coffee Into the cup <S> He put the milk Into the cup of coffee <S> He put the sugar Into the coffee with milk With a small spoon <S> He churned <S> He drank the coffee <S> And he put down the cup Without any word to me <S> We know that the unnamed "he" is important to our POV character because of the detailed focus she holds on his actions. <S> And while we do not know why, we know she is separated from him through his inactions, neither looking at her nor speaking to her. <S> There is not a single line of dialogue, but we feel her pain. <S> And at the end, yes, she cries, which may be cliché, but by that point you're ready to cry with her. <A> You tell it. <S> Show vs tell has become a monster that is twisting fiction out of any recognizable shape. <S> While it is often good advice for particular passages, telling is a fundamental part of the novelist's art. <S> It it the great privilege we have over the movies. <S> As E. M. Forster pointed out, it is what allows us to show those things that go on in the head that are not reflected in action. <S> These are very important human things. <S> Sometimes we feel deeply but show nothing. <S> Movies cannot portray this very important human characteristic. <S> It leads to a certain shallowness in movies: they are all surface. <S> "Show vs tell" originated as advice to novelists trying to write screenplays. <S> Movies are a visual medium and therefore the story must be carried by the visuals, by what is shown. <S> The novel is a verbal medium. <S> The story can and often should be carried by what is told. <S> A novelist trying to write a screenplay needs to find a different way of telling a story. <S> But the novelist trying to write a novel is not bound by any such restrictions. <S> And the novelist lacks so many of the visual and auditory tools that the movie maker has, that if they give up their own tools and attempt to emulate movie storytelling without any of the movie directory's tools, they are going to be in trouble. <S> Remember that the author of a movie is not the screenwriter but the director. <S> In the novel, it is the writer who gets to sit in the big chair. <A> Hmm, seems to me that you've summarized the options pretty well: (a) You can describe the physical action and rely on the reader to understand what it means. <S> " <S> She stared at me and frowned." <S> (b) You can have the narrator explain the meaning. " <S> 'Hey George, it's 5:00, workday is over', I said. <S> And he looked at me, and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted to go to Harry's Donut Shop and order a Boston creme donut and a cup of coffee with hazelnut creamer, and sip it slowly while he read a novel, probably that new novel by Tom Clancy. <S> But it was clear from the set of his jaw that he knew he couldn't, and that he'd have to go straight home, where his wife would probably tell him that the dishwasher was broken again <S> and he'd have to fix it." <S> (Well, okay, maybe you can't tell THAT much from non-verbal communication.) <S> (c) <S> You can clarify the meaning of a non-verbal communication by other character's reactions. <S> Like, "Sally stared at George. ' <S> Hey,' George said, 'I'm sorry. <S> I didn't realize it would make you this angry.' <S> " Now we know it's an angry stare and not a puzzled stare, etc. <S> Beyond that, I'm not sure what other options there are. <S> You either have the narrator explain, have a character explain it, or no one explains it <S> and it's up to the reader to figure it out. <S> I don't think there's some other magic solution. <A> "The thousand yard stare. <S> I was standing right in front of him <S> but I might as well have an oak. <S> " <S> Can be used to great effect when words are in fact spoken. <S> (Drama)
| In other words tell the story from your point of view(1st person) thus "saying" nothing but what is on people's minds. A novelist should master and use the tools of their own trade: storytelling with words.
|
How do I write what I don't know? I wanted to write a short story about a man who visits China. I have never been to China; I have never even been to Asia. The story is meant to be realistic and accurate so just imagining what it would be like to be in the place and getting it completely wrong is not an option.I am also afraid of portraying stereotypes and media misconceptions of Chinese culture. So how do I write about the experience of being in China when I don't know it myself? <Q> There are four things that writers do, when they want to write about something they don't know: <S> Get experience. <S> If you want to write about sword fighting, learn sword fighting. <S> You don't have to become an expert, but taking a few classes will give you very much better idea of what it means to swing a sword. <S> Do research. <S> If you want to write about living on a space station, read the books, blogs, articles written by those that have been in space. <S> Again, you don't have to become a space cadet, but you can easily find out about how peeing in low gravity feels. <S> Imagine it. <S> If you have no time or cannot find the information you need, use the experiences you have and extrapolate from the. <S> Being a woman is not so very much different from being a man, and if you have ever experienced pain, you can write about menstrual cramps, even if you are a man, or about being kicked in the groin, if you are a woman. <S> Hint at it. <S> You don't really have to go into all that detail all the time. <S> When you write about riding a bike, you don't go into how it feels to sit on the saddle <S> , how you have to balance the vehicle, and so on. <S> You just assume that most readers will have an idea of what riding a bike entails and will fill in the detail. <S> Do stuff <S> you don't know in the same way. <S> Give them some hints, and let them imagine the rest. <S> These options should be employed in decreasing order. <A> How important is setting for your story? <S> If it absolutely has to happen in China, dig into National Geographic and other reference materials--read, watch documentaries, etc. <A> Don’t bother going to Venice. <S> When writing fiction, I used to assume that I couldn’t write about things unless I had direct experience about them. <S> I once wrote an entire story taking place in Chicago without having ever visited Chicago. <S> But after doing a little Internet research, I was able to write a good and plausible story about Chicago which worked reasonably well — and nobody ever suspected me of faking it. <S> (I later visited Chicago and confirmed that I got the details basically right). <S> I am currently working on a story taking place in Venice. <S> I never have felt “handicapped” because I never had the opportunity to go to Venice. <S> You shouldn’t either. <S> Writers get great at faking things; that’s the whole point of writing! <S> Stephen King once wrote that you should research the hell out of a subject (by interviewing people, reading nonfiction books, etc), and then cover your tracks by hiding as much of your background research as possible in the finished story. <S> I wrote stories about animals -- and often I will read articles about lifestyle and habitat. <S> But you can't get too worried about what you don't know. <S> Just try to imagine the best you can... <S> (If <S> you get a detail wrong, you can correct it later). <S> Also: I would try to read a book or two about the specific time period and setting. <S> But don't sweat it too much. <S> (For example, do you know that in Venice the locals don't ride gondolas but the cheaper vaparettos. <S> Who cares though!) <S> But as a nonnative outside the culture, people don't need to be impressed by your realistic details. <S> I would worry more about plausibility; i.,e, would a Chinese character know about certain information from youtube, etc... <A> Go to an exhibition on Chinese art. <S> The near totality of your readers have never been there either so don't get hung up on "getting it right." <S> If the book is winner "pay a visit" and "revise and extend your remarks" as they say in Congress. <A> China is huge, so the local customs and history of the region or city <S> you want your character to attend would help a lot in terms of accuracy. <S> Researching dialect or slang might help too!
| Readers have a great imagination, and they know lots of things, so use that. Research Chinese culture and history in the specific area you want to place your story. If the story can take place elswhere, take the man some place you know. Sometimes the fresh minds with no experience offer the best points of view as experience truly does stifle creativity.
|
Help! I accidentally gave my fictional character the same name as a fictional character on a TV show. Do I have to change it? I've been writing a YA mystery book in which one of the three main characters is a detective—who now seems to share his name with another fictional character on TV. I was pretty young when I came up for the idea for the characters, and wasn't really aware that there was another fictional character out there with the same name, let alone that he was on a fairly popular show. (Found out when I saw commercials that repeatedly used the name!) My character has nothing to do with the one on TV; besides the name they only share the characteristics of both being white and male. I really like that name anyways, since it fits my character so well. If I tried to publish this someday, would I run into copyright/legal issues, even though my character is nothing like the one on TV? Would I therefore need to change his name? Edit: the name itself is somewhat uncommon, but it's really just two fairly common names together. The first name is just Harvey, but put that with the last name and you get a character on a popular show (I only withhold it to save myself the embarrassment of having it on the Internet forever :) ) <Q> To contradict the other answers there is a difference between copyright and trademark law. <S> You may want to sell your YA novel to a major publisher or wish to see film & TV rights, merchandising or any ancillary revenue. <S> In that case do not name your character the same as a major TV character. <S> I guarantee they have trademark protection (registered or not). <S> You can change the name now and find one that you like and fits your character. <S> Plus it will give you a chance to get used to the new name. <S> You could change a few letters and Harry Potter becomes Perry Hotter the intergalactic spaceship captain, but it seems petty unless it's a parody or comedy. <S> So Mike Hammer becomes Mike Montag . <S> He may even become Jack "Hammer" Montag if the story suits. <A> Legal aspects aside, when I read a book that is not about J.K. Rowling’s young magician and the protagonist is called Harry Potter, I will constantly be reminded of that other fictional universe and compare this protagonist to that other, which will both undermine my attempts at make-believe and make the character appear as a charicature. <S> So unless the name of your protagonist is common in the real world and it is not the name of a protagonist in a bestselling book, movie, or tv <S> show and <S> it is not the name of a celebrity, – change it to something either unique and original or common. <S> (Please note a special case where a character bearing a name like a character from popular fiction is a driving element of the story, in the comment by @Lostinfrance, below.) <S> Also, if you publish your book through a publisher, they might require that you change the name anyway, even if it is original or common, simply because they have a better idea of what kind of name attracts your audience. <S> ( They will probably go for a variant of Katherine, if it is a woman. ) <S> So you can leave worrying about the name until you are ready to publish. <S> It is an easy search-and-replace that you can quickly do at any time. <S> So do it last, or you may find that you have to do it again and again. <A> You may want to refer to the answers here: <S> Are Names of Characters Copyrighted by Authors? <S> This is the short and generic answer since copyright law is very complicated. <S> Here is another enlightening article you might want to read: Copyright in Characters: <S> What Can I Use? <A> Its absolutely fine. <S> I bet there is hundreds of main protagonists called Jack in the world of fiction. <S> Just be careful if you're going around naming your characters something along to lines of Aragorn or Jon Snow. <S> If you name your characters a normal name (from any culture), its fine. <S> I hope this helped.
| I prefer to change either the first name or the surname of characters I discover too similar. Another aspect not mentioned by the other answers is that you might not want readers be reminded of that tv show. In a nutshell, you can safely write about an alien bounty hunter called Harry Potter who has no magical powers and travels the galaxy in a spaceship called the Enterprise. If you name a character something that is made up, and already taken (like Aragorn), then you might run into some issues.
|
Using real a car logo or gun in crime fiction - can I be sued for it? If I use a real car company in telling a story about a bank heist, can I be sued for it? What could happen if I do use the company in that way? Say if I say the men drove to the bank in a Ford van, could Ford sue me for using their company name in that way? <Q> Basically, as an author of fiction, you are entitled to fictionalize elements of the real world in pursuit of your art. <S> The risk writers run with stuff like this is being accused of something like "defamation". <S> For example: if every single Ford in your book is shoddily built and suffers from debilitating manufacturing defects, Ford might become displeased at the shadow <S> you've cast on their real-world image. <S> Any book that so aggressively mars a company's image that it seems purposefully deleterious starts edging into Defamation territory. <S> Any statement meant to mar someone's reputation counts as "Defamation". <S> However, as a writer, I would think you'd have an easy time claiming that your statements were in the service of your art, not some anti-Ford agenda. <S> And just having the bad guys drive Fords? <S> You are 100% in the clear. <S> Hope this helped! <A> If you reference any product, whether it is a car, a gun, or a laundry detergent, you need to be aware of the trademark associated with that product. <S> This is basically the "name" part of a "brand name", such as Chevy Malibu. <S> A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design that identifies the source or origin of the product. <S> The rule for referencing a trademarked brand is simply to capitalize the name to identify the product. <S> For example, you would use "Chrysler Sebring" instead of "Chrysler sebring" or "chrysler sebring". <S> As to whether or not you could be sued for using that brand name, it really depends on how you use it. <S> If you are making a positive reference, then they won't mind as long as you remember to capitalize the brand name. <S> There is a really great article at the Better Novel Project by Kathryn Goldman, a lawyer who represents writers, artists, and businesses to protect their intellectual property. <S> She gives some very good examples that may help you to understand this better. <A> There are authors writing lengthy fictional series LOADED with "gun porn" descriptions of real world gun manufacturers, scope makers, ammunition loaders, holster makers, etc. <S> Plenty of authors name drop real world cars as well. <S> In movies and such if they block out a logo or whatever it is probably because they want endorsement $$$ TO FEATURE the logo, not that the film makers would have to pay to use it. <S> So rather than give free advertising to Ford, they just black out the oval logo unless Ford coughs up a few grand. <S> In my opinion, making up manufacturers for things like cars or guns, in an otherwise "real world" setting, would be very distracting.
| If you refer to any product in a negative way, then the company that owns the trademark could take action if they feel that you have tarnished or defamed their trademark in any way. In this case I'm pretty sure you should have no problem thanks to what's called "Artistic License".
|
Writer's Block: How to Stop World-building and Start Writing? This is a question that doesn't directly apply to me, though I can easily see myself having this problem. I thought I'd run writer's block for a loop and find the answer before the problem arose. :) I like designing stuff. No, scratch that. I love designing stuff. It doesn't really matters what it is. I got into drawing because of it, and from there Photoshop, and from there 3D and Blender, and so on. Even my writing comes from my desire to design - I love designing my writing process and designing the actual books, I love creating worlds and languages, rules and belief systems for fictional races, imaginary plant species that likely no one will ever hear about... you name it. Once everything is designed though, and it's actually time to write, I have a problem. The actual act of writing isn't design (not by the time I'm done with the disturbingly detailed outline anyway). The result is that I invariably would rather design more than write about what I've created. How can I get myself to write? I don't want to feel like I'm forcing it, because that can't be good for creativity. Note: I did a search on other writer's block questions, and I don't think this is a duplicate. <Q> Write your Silmarillion instead. <S> Tolkien created his Elvish languages because he was a professor of linguistics. <S> He created the world of LOTR to have someone to speak his languages. <S> The Silmarillion is the collection of mythology, creation stories, and history which built the world for <S> The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to stand on. <S> Collecting all your world-building into short stories, myths, little scenes, individual characters with backstories, and so on may generate a plot bunny, and from there you can see if it attaches itself to a larger structure like a Hero's Journey. <S> If not, then you still have a cool collection of history and mythology, and maybe you can work with someone else to have other folks tell stories in that world. <A> Design is the stage. <S> Story is the play. <S> Story is built around desire and the frustration of desire. <S> The stage exists as a place for that desire to be born, to be frustrated, and to be ultimately achieved or denied. <S> Stage dressing without a play in mind, therefore, is apt to be futile. <S> To start the story process, you have to discover or invent a character who wants something and a reason they can't get it. <S> You then have them pursue that desire through your world, overcoming increasingly greater obstacles until their desire is ultimately achieved or they are defeated. <S> How compelling your story is will ultimately depend on how compelling your character is and how much we can sympathize with their desire (sympathize with is not the same things as approve of). <S> In the end, story is design as well, so there is no reason not to take a design approach to story as much as to world building. <S> But you now need to turn you design attention in that direction. <S> Start with a desire. <S> What sort of person has that desire. <S> What sort of obstacles will they face. <S> What will they do to overcome those obstacles? <S> These are the elements of story design. <A> I find combining words into sentences fun enough by itself to keep me going :) <S> But, seriously, it sounds like you have a rich and interesting world developed, and that is a great accomplishment already. <S> The question is whether you have a story, set in that world, because no world by itself can be used as a substitute for an interesting story, no matter how beautiful and wondrous that world is. <S> Once everything is designed though, and it's actually time to write, I have a problem. <S> The actual act of writing isn't design (not by the time I'm done with the disturbingly detailed outline anyway). <S> The result is that I invariably would rather design more than write about what I've created. <S> Somebody said once that a right question contains half of the answer within itself. <S> I am afraid that you are the only one who can answer that question for yourself. <S> But if you have an outline, what's stopping you? <S> Type away, all you have to do is fill in the blanks! <S> How can I get myself to write? <S> I don't want to feel like I'm forcing it, because that can't be good for creativity. <S> I disagree. <S> If you do not exercise your writing, you will not develop your writing skills. <S> Do make yourself write. <S> Try, at least, and see where it takes you. <S> You might like it... and if not: you can always revise later! <S> Best of luck! <S> some useful reference on worldbuilding more of the kind <A> If you have thought about the characters and an overall idea of the plot, you could start small, maybe with an introduction of one or more or them. <S> From mine and other people's experience, I have seen that writing, even when not having a clear destination - or a clear path toward that destination - often makes you see what makes sense about the story and what does not. <S> If still it does not help, perhaps devoting time to other writing projects will put things in perspective. <S> Sometimes there simply may not be a solution for this kind of block.
| Getting past the designing stage without a clear goal in mind as to what should be the story can be hard, and not necessarily something you can satisfactorily solve.
|
How long should it take for a writer to publish his/her book? (The whole process) I'm a beginner so naturally I'm a little bit curious towards the whole procedure on writing. Outline, plotting, drafting, editing, and then publishing (minus marketing). So my question is, how long does it take for a writer to fully publish their book? If possible, tell me the whole procedure (Personal experience required). <Q> I think it really varies from writer to writer. <S> I'm an editor and have one client who went from idea to publication on a 70,000 word genre novel in about 3 months, but I have another who has been writing and revising and writing and revising a literary fiction novel for over 9 months now. <S> In terms of publishing, timelines vary hugely between traditional and self-publishing. <S> Kristen <A> Concept/research + Chapter 1 = 2 months <S> I always send my Chapter 1s through various beta readers to give some time to simmer and plot. <S> These numbers I'm giving are gross generalizations, by the way, and have varied on projects and through experience. <S> Bulk of the story = 4 months per 70,000 words <S> Beta reading and rewriting <S> = 2 months <S> You should have a workable manuscript in under a year. <S> Query phase 1 (finding an agent) = 1 month. <S> This is the rate-limiting step for traditional publishing. <S> Most books go to die here--or you can self publish. <S> But for kicks let's keep going. <S> Revisions at the behest of the agent = 2 months <S> Query phase 2 (finding a publisher) = 1 month Revisions at the behest of the publisher = 3 months Professional reviews and marketing = 6 months. <S> These are the reviews going on the cover and retailer websites. <S> Final revisions after legal has a look and the publisher sets a printing date = 3 months <S> 2 years is typical of the process. <S> Most of the second year, and even much of the first year, the novelist is free to work at a different phase of Book B and Book C. I recommend looking at Jane Friedman's blog/website on publishing. <A> The real answer is the uninformative, "it depends". <S> A friend of mine wrote a book that went from initial concept to publication in one month. <S> I've heard of writers taking decades to write a book. <S> I've self-published three books, all non-fiction. <S> In my case, for each book I spent 2 or 3 months doing research and getting notes together, than about a year turning those notes into a book, perhaps a month getting someone to proofread it and making updates, and then a few weeks going through the mechanics of getting it published. <S> Self-publishing will almost always be faster than traditional publishing, because you don't have to spend time finding a publisher who is interested in your book, and go through additional cycles of their edits and requested changes. <S> I've written free-lance magazine articles where I spent considerable time sending them off to various potential markets and then having to just sit around and wait for their replies. <S> Getting words on paper and going through editing cycles is normally the long pole in the tent, and how long you spend on that is mostly up to you. <S> If you have a full time job and kids to take care of, finding time to work on your book may be a big challenge, and it could take you years. <S> If you have nothing else to do but sit and write, and you have the discipline to do it, then like my friend you may get a book together in a month. <S> (She had a job, but she was president of the organization and the book was related to her job, so <S> she basically just made it her priority for a month.)
| Traditional publishers can take a year or more from accepted draft to published book, while self-publishing can take a matter of weeks.
|
Use of Separating Fiction into "Parts?" I was wondering about the use of separating fiction into "parts", similar to chapters but larger and spanning more text and using these to divide up books within a series. If I am unclear, refer to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Book 2, Hollow City . In this series, the second book is divided into two sections: part 1 and part 2, as well as chapters. I was wondering where this is done in various works of fiction. I assume within a single stand-alone book it should be fine, but would it still be fine within a series where not all the books are divided into parts that way, such as the Miss Peregrine's book series? How about for a novella? Is it more advisable to keep all the content in one main body than to divide it in a smaller text? <Q> I haven't read the books you mention, so I can't comment on those. <S> Just yesterday I finished reading Mr. Mercedes, by Stephen King. <S> He breaks the book into parts. <S> Each time I got to the title page for a new part, I realized I was about to enter a new phase of the story. <S> It sort of shifted my mood a little. <S> Not a big effect, but a definite one. <S> Especially for the final part, where the title made it clear that we were headed for the climax of the story. <S> I definitely felt an added bit of anticipation. <S> For this story, breaking the book into parts worked well for me as a reader. <S> So that's one effect of breaking a book into parts. <S> There are probably others. <S> The question is: Do you want to create that kind effect in the reader? <S> If so, break your book into parts. <S> That's a question for each book, even each book in a series. <S> Even if one book benefits from explicit breaks between parts, that doesn't mean you need breaks in every book. <S> (I don't know whether the two following books in King's series are separated into parts.) <A> Stories are made up of incidents. <S> Each incident is a distinct unit of storytelling. <S> Incidents lead the protagonist closer to or further from their goal. <S> Each incident has a structure of its own, its own build and its own payoff. <S> In long works, incidents may themselves be made up of incidents. <S> Some incidents may be separated from others in time or in space. <S> Some may place the protagonist in different places, circumstances, or with different characters. <S> The larger the break in continuity between scenes, the greater the need for the author to signal the change to the reader. <S> There are many tools a writer can use to indicate the extent of the break between incidents, for blank lines to paragraphs. <S> to sections, to parts, to books. <S> How many of these you need and of which kind depends on the kind of continuity <S> breaks you need over the full arc of the story. <S> So, not so much a recommendation as an observation, but the division of a work into large units, such as parts, would seem to be effective where there are large breaks in continuity between incidents. <A> Why is a text visually structured at all? <S> Because it has an internal structure. <S> And the outward, visual structure of paragraphs, sections, chapters, parts, and books represents that inherent structure. <S> When does a paragraph break happen? <S> When the subject changes. <S> When does a section break happen? <S> When the place, time, protagonist, or narrative perspective change. <S> When does a chapter break happen? <S> When an action begun by the protagonist has led to an outcome and a continuous sequence of events is completed. <S> From paragraphs to chapters, all books are structured the same. <S> Where they differ, is from parts, to books, and beyond. <S> These breaks all happen when a story arc is finished . <S> So why are some books divided into parts while others aren't? <S> Because the book that isn't divided into parts tells only one story arc (or multiple parallel arcs), while a book that is divided into parts tells several sequential (sub-)story arcs , which together build one large arc. <S> Look at this graphic. <S> Each rise and fall in the line represents a rising action, a climax, and a resolution and denouement. <S> The smallest "bumps" are the chapters, the larger bumps the parts, and the whole mountain is the overall story arc of the complete book or other larger unit. <S> Not all stories have these (internal!) <S> sequential substory arcs, so not all books have (visual) parts. <S> It depends on the story that is told.
| Breaking a book into parts is very common, in series books and in standalone books. If you'd rather give the reader a more subtle or continuous experience of the flow of the book, rather than announcing transitions so blatantly, don't break it into parts.
|
Should I read fantasy novels for a better mindset on the topic? Lately I have been getting low on fantasy inspiration for a series I'm writing.I think this may be due to reading into realistic-genre books for a long period of time.Is reading fantasy novels to imagine more my best option? <Q> There's no doubt about it: yes. <S> Not only can reading fantasy inspire you, but at the same time, it can also increase your understanding of the genre. <S> A good original story doesn't come easy for a writer. <S> Just reading sometimes isn't really enough to get us inspired. <S> Our mind doesn't really adapt to the whole situation just by reading, but by actually experiencing things. <S> What I would suggest you do is take inspiration from your surroundings, go for a walk, go camping, watch movies, play video games, learn a new language, do things that you wouldn't normally do (but hurting others is not encouraged). <S> You'll be surprised by how much inspiration the world can offer. <S> Always have a recording device or a pen and notepad with you. <S> As you mentioned earlier that you read a lot of realistic-genre books, perhaps you could apply your inspiration to those stories that you've read and make them a fantasy? <S> Just don't plagiarise others. <A> I would say it would depend on what exactly you wanted from your writing. <S> In my case, for example, I'm world building for a story which will be some sort of steam punk / fantasy something or other. <S> But the inspiration for it is political power struggles and how society can regress into chaos. <S> Which is a more historical and political issue, so though I will have strong fantasy elements, these exist to express power dynamics grounded in history. <S> So in my case, I don't much care about other steampunk or fantasy works because that's not the point of mine. <S> It makes more sense for me to read cold war history. <S> But I don't know what is it that you want, and importantly what was the main inspiration and direction of your work. <S> Tolkien for example seemed inspired as much by myth and language as political events <S> he lived through; the Lord of the Rings was clearly expressing his beliefs, which strongly related to his faith and politics. <S> So at the very least it's good practice to try and read broadly and learn about lots of unrelated things which can inspire you. <S> If you don't learn things and make new mental connections between new concepts you can't create new ideas. <S> Watch a nature documentary, go to a gallery, go for a walk to somewhere <S> you haven't been before. <S> Have those new experiences and learn new things which can spark your creativity in unexpected ways. <S> Go back to whatever it is that first inspired you. <S> If that's a fantasy story, re-read it. <S> If it's a nature documentary, watch it again. <S> Etc, etc, etc. <A> Not necessarily. <S> The danger is that you'll end up writing something derivative. <S> Here are some different options: Start a dream journal - some of the most evocative fantasy imagery comes originally from dreams, and your own dreams will be more original to you than inspiration from somewhere else. <S> Reimagine one of the realistic novels you've read in a fantasy context. <S> This has been very successful for many writers <S> --there's a whole sub-genre of fantasy detective noir. <S> Go back to the original source --folk and fairy tales from around the world. <S> Again, this has been the inspiration for some of the most successful fantasy works. <A> Perhaps your foray into more realistic writing is a desire for content that is more relevant to the real world. <S> I see that as a clue that you want to take on more "real" (complex, sticky, difficult, moral, emotional) problems in your fantasy writing. <S> I hope this helps. <A> No matter what genre you're writing in, if you're a writer you need to read. <S> Read until you start to read like a writer, until reading becomes your instruction and your classroom, and authors become your teachers. <S> Pay attention to how they do what they do. <S> Are you moved by a section? <S> Pick it apart and see why it worked. <S> Are you disappointed in a section? <S> Pick that apart too. <S> Why did it fail? <S> (The answer to many questions on this board is "Read more.") <S> Sure, I can come up with story ideas on my own, but reading provides the inspiration to keep going and improve my work. <A> Hope below will help you . <S> Write Your Thoughts. <S> Read Your Thoughts. <S> Ask your friends to read it & rate it. <S> Again Write the same thought in the way which can add weight to it. <S> And then analyse by your own. <S> BEST example every cricketer or musician look his own performance and analyse what addition he she want to do to make it fruitful . <S> & if still is thoughts are void then may be <S> you are made good for something else. <S> Best OF Luck !
| If you want to create something very much within the confines of the fantasy genre and its tropes (or perhaps contrary to them) then it would make sense to keep reading similar things.
|
What's the benefit of inventing a fictional region, if it's based on a real one? Sometimes authors invent regions, which are very similar to real ones, e.g. Gabriel García Márquez's Macondo (which is similar to real city of Aracataca ) or William Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County (similar to Lafayette County ). I understand the benefit of using an existing region as a scene for fiction because you know it well, and you can describe it in little details, which makes the reader feel that you know the place intimately. But what's the benefit of inventing a fictional region, which is based on a real one? Why not use the real one in the novel? I'm asking because I'm writing a story, which plays in a region I grew up in. I need to decide, whether I should use a fake city based on that real city, or use the real one in the story. Benefits of inventing a new city: Easier pronunciation. The real city is in German-speaking part of Europe. My target audience is English-speaking and is likely to break their tongues, if I use real location names in my story. In a fictional city I can name the places so that English-speaking readers can remember them more easily. Adaptability of the world. I can bend the history of the fake city so that it suits the needs of my story in the best possible way (even if in reality the history was different). No stereotypes. If I say that the story plays in Moscow (strongly stereotyped place), the reader will have ideas about the characters and the settings, incl. those I don't want her to have. If I have a fake city based on Moscow, it's me, who decides, which ideas come to her mind based on the geography of the story. Any other benefits? <Q> I think the most important reason may be that it is one small step into faery. <S> There is always something of faery about every story. <S> Stories take place in a neater, stronger, brighter world than our own, a world in which coincidences are more likely and more meaningful than in the real world, in which people are more definitely and consistently who they are, in which the weather and the seasons reflect the moods of the inhabitants. <S> It is a world of symbol and a world of consequence. <S> It is more real, more gritty, more permanent, and yet also smaller and more ephemeral than our own. <S> So, stories are not really set in real places, but in the faery equivalent of real places. <S> Some places, like New York or Rome exist more in our minds as their faery equivalents than as their real noisy crowded selves, so you can set a story in faery New York or faery Rome without changing the names. <S> But for other places, and perhaps this is more for the author's sake than the reader's, it is necessary to create the faery equivalent of those places under a new name so that the faery place can have a clearly established character that differs from the real in all the ways that story places differ from real places. <A> It looks to me as if you have already answered your own question very well. <S> All I can think of to add is: <S> it saves you from having to do a lot of detailed research into the geography and history of that region. <S> Some people love to nitpick when authors get factual details wrong; with a fictional region as your setting you can shrug these complaints off. <S> setting your story in a fictional region minimizes the danger that you will be sued for libel if, for instance, your story includes a scene in which the poshest restaurant in the city of X gives all its diners food poisoning. <S> (But people should note that in most jurisdictions a libel case can be sustained if the restaurant in the story is recognizable to the average reader as referring to a real restaurant.) <A> You can tweak the geographic details of the place to fit your story. <S> If I were writing about my fair city, Pittsburgh, but lakes would suit my story better than rivers, I can change them. <S> Maybe in my fictionalized city it's better to put the brothel next to the bank. <S> I can remove the vacant building across from my character's office window and add a cliff for his foes to fall off of. <A> With a fictional place, you can invent whatever you want that helps your story. <S> I've occasionally heard people really nit-pick details of a story set in a real location. <S> Like, "What?? <S> The author says that the hero ran out of an Italian restaurant and into a newspaper office next door. <S> Now here I have carefully compiled a list of every Italian restaurant in that city and every newspaper office, and there is no case where the two are side by side." <S> Of course by definition a fiction story is not true. <S> The rational reader expects details to be altered to fit the story. <S> At the very least, people will be invented who never lived in this city, indeed who never lived anywhere. <S> Fictional details will be invented. <S> For most readers, if you say the hero lived at 137 Broad Street in a 3-bedroom house with a green door, etc, they're not going to rush to Broad Street to see if such a house really exists and really fits the description in your story. <S> But if you set the story in New York City and mention the hero driving past the Eiffel Tower, most readers will balk. <S> We expect the big details to be right. <S> Thus, the writer may often find himself wondering whether some detail that he wants to put in the story is "big enough" that he has to make it match reality, or not. <S> With a fictional place, this issue goes away. <S> You have to be consistent with what you said earlier, but you don't have to be consistent with reality because there is no reality. <A> To me, a fictional city, country or other kind of location, embodies the essence of what it stands for. <S> Gotham City in the Batman comics is New York City stripped of its tourists, commuters, family life, and all the other normal things that exist elsewhere, too, leaving only the metropolitan politics, the gangs and crime, the brutality of that moloch. <S> Depending on your own views of New York City, Gotham City represents either the understanding or prejudice of its authors. <S> A fictional place allows the author to express a stereotype or deeper truth. <S> It is like cooking tomatoes until you get tomato paste.
| I think the main advantage of using a fictional place is what you perhaps allude to in your comment about "adaptability".
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.