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How do you write a political debate in a story? I've recently started writing, but hit a wall during a certain scene. In the story, the characters have an open debate on discrimination in an attempt to raise awareness for their issues and pass new legislation in the fictional country they live in. However, I've found i...	Focus not on the arguments, but on the characters trying to get a read on each other, get inside of each other's heads, and ultimately come up with some twist strategy to, since it's a political debate for legislation, ultimately win the people over. One good thing to do would be to practice writing out a debate about ...
Can a character close to the MC betray them in the first book of a series? I am writing a book which is told in first person from the main characters point of view. There is a group mainly of four people which the story involves most heavily, and one of them is planned to betray the main character in a very selfish way...	I think it can be argued that a character can betray your MC in the first paragraphs of your story, it all depends on why.
Adding a character from present-day Earth to a fantasy/scifi setting The average present-day human whisked away to a fantasy and/or scifi world is a common trope . It can be used well , or end up in boring stories . I feel like this trope is a bit overdone, but still want to use it. The part that worries me t...	The key, I found in most novels of this sort is to be creative with the mode of entry into the magical world.
Naming a character late in the chapter but introducing him first In the novel (3rd person omniscient) that I'm writing, there is one character that has an overbearing presence all through the story but is never seen and no one interacts with him. What I'm trying to do is write the epilogue with the character as the foc...	If you don't identify them by name, then you should identify them by some defining characteristic that makes sense in the context of the story.
Ways to convey detailed knowledge or understanding in a novel? Show is better than tell, but that is not the whole of the story. What are some tried and tested ways of conveying a lot of knowledge, understanding or information - not necessarily technical - in a fairly short period of time in a novel? For example, one m...	If your MC is a student, why not portray a class where the teacher is explaining it, but your MC is daydreaming, more focused on the class clown getting in trouble, staring at their crush (or pointedly not staring at them). Flashbacks (/flashforwards) are a good way to show how someone learns it if the Main Character i...
How do I handle teenage sex in books for teenagers? I am writing a book, in which the protagonists are two teenagers. They fell in love and it is time they were alone and had sex. As long as the book is destined for teenagers from 15-19, I would like to ask how should I handle the sex part. What ways is sex generally...	You can reference body parts and intimate touches if you want to, but I think you'll usually find that getting into serious, explicit detail will be more of a distraction than anything else. There are various ways to handle this, depending on how you want the scene to come across.
Is my method of Narration switching from objective to subjective too complicated? I'm having trouble deciding if the manner I have decided to narrate my story is too complicated or not. I have a story set in a completely foreign and alien world (fiction story). I then uproot my main character from their place of birth...	And if it is complex narrative technique, the reader is probably going to notice, unless it is done really really well. If you are worried that it is too complicated, it is probably too complicated.
Introducing a plot-critical hallucinogen partway through a mystery? This is a sort of act related question. I have an important drug that causes the protagonist to encounter people and things he normally wouldn't, and it is the foundation of a convoluted plan by the antagonist. The drug is fantastical, causing others t...	But if you want the drug to play an important role in the story then you should not raise the mystery very early - reveal only what is needed for the story to unfold.
What to write when I cannot create stories? I believe that I am good at expressing things specially in writing. I like to write. I have seen on this site that people usually have stories in their mind but don't know how to write it! My problem is that I can describe something very well, but I don't have the imaginatio...	For example you can create a blog and include stories of places you have visited.
How to finish a story? I do realize that this is a very generic question, and I apologize if it doesn't meet the requirements of this forum. I have plenty of ideas for stories and I come up with new ones all the time, which always results in me starting off very ambitiously creating a story world, characters, the main...	If you are a discovery writer, then just write your story until you hit the end. It's important to write even on the days you don't feel like it, because that's how you build a routine. Plan, plan, plan.
How far can insults go in a "Young Adult" novel? In a Young Adult (>12 y. old) novel, once the obviously bad words (F-word, C-word, N-word, etc.) taken away, how far can rude language go ? For example, can I use insults like : "Go sit on a rusty nail!", or "Hang yourself.", or "Eat your deads"? Those contain everyday ...	Using violent, common words and phrases is fine. YA novels can be very violent.
How to convey that the main characer is in pain while dialogue is occuring I'm writing a story in first person. There's a point in the story where two characters are having a dialogue, while the narrator is listening. The problem is that the narrator is also in pain while this dialogue is occurring (think super-villain...	Have your narrator ask for clarification on something the other person said as if they missed what was said due to distraction from the pain.
At what age can I publish a book? I am writing a novel called " Kimberly Rose ," but the thing is, I'm 12. I'm not sure if there is an age cap when it comes to publishing books. Please tell me if you know. <Q> First of all, good for you! <S> Secondly, have a look at this: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768778.html ...	I don't think your age will affect the publishing of your book, but the quality of your writing will- just as it would any adult author.
Will I ever be able to write like a native writer? So a little while ago someone said that I'll never be able to write on a native level because I wasn't born in the UK or America. I did, however, go to elementary school in the US at the ages of 5-10 or so, so that has to count for something, right? I just feel really ...	Your writing skills will improve with practice, and with feedback. I am not convinced you need to live in an English speaking place.
Plot: is it as central as "fun" or "entertaining"? So I was writing a story and realized that there was more then enough background material from the characters and actions that these characters went through to write a whole book just on them and the adventures they went on beforehand. But that story would have no rea...	If you have a solid story to present -- and kids growing up is a very solid story, in my opinion --, you should be able to flesh it out into a stand-alone novel.
How early in the narrative should I start my book? I've just recently finished building the setting and plot of a fantasy coming-of-age story. I'm happy with the way it turned out; the character arcs feel compelling and the setting supports the plot nicely. I've got everything planned out — all the different subplots h...	A story should start with the revelation of the desire that will drive the main character.
What genre would this fall under? Imagine a story in which the criminal is, from the very beginning, already known to the protagonist. Now the task is to find the criminal, but the target evades capture easily. This is clearly different from normal crime stories, in which the identity must be found first, but I don't ...	You could also use Drama.
Can I use "fuck" as a non-vulgar verb in a fantasy/steampunk world? I've been sending my fourth-ish novel through the my writing group. It is about a trio of teenagers running away from some mercenaries. One of them (Maris) is a girl who has only had a year of formal education but grew up on a crowded lumber mill. She ...	It is not the word "fuck" that is considered obscene, but the sexual activity it denotes.
Folktale within a folktale I am looking for any type of oral literature (folktale, poem whatever), that would include an inserted story, however minor, that is in its content foreign to the primary poem, folktale... Let me give you an example of what I am looking for: a Russian fable in which a fox would tell to a chi...	The widespread folktale " The Hidden Treasure " (which inspired Paulo Coelho's bestseller The Alchemist ) has characters that retell their dreams.
Should I punctuate my poems Most poetry I have seen, especially free-form, is written in broken lines. These lines them run into other lines and so not have any punctuation. Some have explained this using enjambment. Where I have seen enjambment being useful are in lines which have to keep a rhyme scheme but are too l...	In such cases, where the meaning could be muddled by lack of punctuation (bearing in mind that line breaks function as punctuation but not in the same way), then it should be used.
What is difference between clown and trickster? Trickster is a character in a story, which exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge, and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and conventional behaviour. Trickster often is fun character, as well as clown is. What is difference between ...	A clown is traditionally a comedy character and played for laughs at themselves.
What are the basic elements of a crime investigation story? I've been delving a lot into the the crime investigation genre, and at first I thought "Simple, just start of with Who, What, Where, When, Why and How and you've got yourself a story!" but I quickly realized it's much more complicated than that. A crime solvi...	But the important part in crime is: You need to know the end and the reasons, why the incident happened. Your characters have to react to a strict plan.
Using place names from other novels There is a novel by a well-known author the title of which is a place name. The place is fictional and appears in the novel, although there are real places in the real world with the same name, but these places are small and not well known. Anyone who reads that genre will think of t...	I think you need to be careful about how popular the other book is.
Should I use contractions in my narrative? Should I use contractions in my narrative, or only use them in dialogue? I have noticed that in some books, like The Passage by Justin Crownin, contractions are used in the prose. In others, like The Faithful and Fallen series by John Gwynne, I don't think I ever remember...	Yes, you can use contractions.
An educational ‘roadmap’ to become a proficient writer? I need both information about the material as well as about the time it requires to learn to write. What could be a comprehensive reading list of exemplary works for a solid base? And a good reading list of theory? How much should a prospective students allocate...	All you need to do do is write. Learn the different meanings of what one word may posess.
A written action scene, interrupted? My comic novel has a scene in which the hero is battling a monster. And at a moment of tension, where he's losing badly, there's a scene break in which the narrator goes into a brief digression. After the break, we return to the battle, where more stuff happens and the hero wins. M...	But if the dramatic tension in your story comes from something other than the physical action (as it does in more sophisticated stories) then the digression can pull the reader into the story rather than taking them out of it, but only if it increases the dramatic (or, in your case, comic) tension of the story. If you ...
Does it make sense to set a sword & sorcery fantasy in a post-apocalyptic world on Earth? Fantasy worlds are usually set in a separate world, time, and space from our own. Many are set in an alternate world and dimension. They feature medieval-like setting and technology. Yet some fantasy stories are set in our world....	The reason that you see so many fantasy stories set in pseudo-medieval worlds is that it is easier for authors to borrow these existing tropes than do the work to create something new, and readers have less work to do as well, because the rules of these worlds are already well known to them.
Have a tough time figuring out third-person prose I can write first-person great, but many stories can only be told third-person and i dont have much experience here. It always feels clunky, doesn't flow right. And get distracted by pronouns and what is a private thought of the character and what is just descriptive of...	It's all about telling your story in the best way possible to make it a better read for your readers.
How do I make sure my audience is aware of subplots? In a first person story I am writing, I have many subplots going on, but when I started writing it, I realized that the subplots were not obvious. How can I make it more clear that progress is occurring to my subplots? <Q> Don't worry about it in your first draft. <S...	If you have sub-plots that don't matter and have no bearing on the story what you may have is filler. As I said at the start: In short, try not to worry about it.
What should be done if there is a dispute of opinions within the editorial team? In a magazine where an individual author's name is not published with the article, it seems obvious to me that the article can be presumed to reflect the consensus of the entire editorial team on whatever has been written in the article. N...	If there was a significant dissenting vote, a dissenting editor was chosen to write a short piece explaining their stance at the bottom of the article.
writing with color, skin tone I'm trying to describe a character in a story and I'm having issues describing her appearance. She is a black woman with specific (vitiligo like) markings and I don't know how to write that. I don't plan on saying black women or anything like that, I just want to specify here black becau...	If you want to describe a dark-skinned person with vitiligo , just say that her skin is dark with light spots. Which words you use exactly, and how much detail your description has, will depend on how the narrator feels about that character's skin and what effect you want your description to have on the reader. Say wom...
How to make a mimicking character believable In my novel, there is a antagonistic character named Numbers who reacts in a similar manner to those he is talking to, even freakishly so. Because of this he is easily able to become a powerful character, but I am worried if his sudden personality changes (or rather lack of ...	The characters around him should notice that he seems to have no core personality, and should point out that it's not normal. Give him a noticeable accent or dialect, one that's stronger or weaker depending on who he's mimicking, but always there (perhaps 'e always drops 'is aitches). If you're writing a fantasy, he co...
Which should come first, novel, Comic Book or Screenplay? I have planned out my novel, but I also want to adapt it into a screenplay and comic book with a lot of differences. I have been pondering if it should be the other way around, or should I start with an alternative order? <Q> Start with the one you're most excit...	Write them in whatever order you like — for pleasure, for money, for ease of completion.
Where can I find a market for "offbeat" short stories about God's relationship with us? I have written some short stories that don't seem to fit into any category I can find. They feature God's relationship with various people, but they are not typical "Christian" writing. For example, one of the stories is titled "A...	Look in the collections of stories you have on your shelves.
How can I prevent the ends of my chapters from feeling forced? Background I've found that at the end of a lot of my chapters, the endings feel quite forced and abrupt. This is because I don't know where to go, I've done what I need to do. For example: Excerpt from my own writing: “Let us see this matter through....	A chapter end should be a point of flexion in the overall shape of your story. The "boring" or trite way this is done is to literally repeat the last sentence of the last Chapter as the first sentence of your next Chapter...which sounds goofy today but does have literary merit actually. But you might have the viewpoint...
In multiple narratives, does time have to be in sync? This goes for any amount of narratives, dual, triple, quadruple, whatever. I'm writing a story with three points of views going on simultaneously right now, about at the same time. However, is it okay to have one of the characters a day ahead of the others, or one ...	Narrative arc can often be asynchronous. From a reading perspective, I prefer that the scenes not be out of sync by more than a day or so.
Can I switch from past tense to present tense in an epilogue? I have written my entire novel thus far in past tense. However, I feel like my final chapter/epilogue would work better in present tense. I want to give the reader the sense that everything s/he has read so far is a narration of events. What do you think? Is...	Having said that switching to the present tense for an epilogue can also make sense especially if it is a fairly well contained scene. You can do whatever you want, there is no law, governing the use of tense (past, present, or even future) in creative writing.
Subplot with no established POV character present I'm writing a novel with several POV characters, one of which is the director of an intelligence agency. So far, the entire story is told in third person subjective. Each scene is told from the perspective of one of the POV characters. I realized that an additional sub...	A "B" plot is an opportunity to enhance the main story by setting it off with something that feels a bit different and gives the reader some variety.
How do I contrast the thought processes of different characters in one scene? I have two characters, Alice and Bob. They have just met and each is trying to deceive the other. But their thought processes and the nature of their deceptions are very different from one another, and I would like to contrast these things....	If the interaction is short than you might want to try portraying the characters in dialogue
Description of "Unimportant" Details People advise to keep description to a minimum, or to make it worthwhile to the audience. I'm talking about description that isn't really necessary/important to the plot but is necessary/important to the characterization of the character (which might make it necessary to the story)....	The details are not 'unimportant' in your question because they form part of the characterization.
Writing in English, from the viewpoint of a non-English-speaking character, how can I convey a language very similar to the character's own? To provide a little background, I'm writing a novel set in a fantasy world, within which there are multiple languages. I'm applying the rule that any speech the viewpoint charact...	The cheap and dirty trick which comes to mind is to take a phrase in English and replace all the words, or at least most of the keywords with made-up English-sounding (or even not English-sounding ones).
Is NaNoWriMo necessarily a good thing? I'm well on my way to 50k but I feel like my story has not plot and is quite bad. I read somewhere that NaNo is awful for quality of writing. (How) can I improve the quality of writing during NaNoWriMo? <Q> If you are following the daily wordcount rules, NaNoWriMo is explicitl...	Some of NaNoWriMo's big goals are: Get yourself into the habit of writing consistently. Get yourself used to the fact that not all your writing is good, and don't let that block you from writing .
How to write a character misinterpreting Four Candles as Fork Handles English is full of homophones that can cause confusion when speaking, but if the two similar sounding words are spelled differently they can be clarified as soon as they are written down. However, this causes an issue when attempting to deliberate...	So for this instance you would have to devise a way of writing the words phonetically which also disguised the spelling.
Appropriate use of outdated vocabulary and terms? I'm in the process of planning a story right now, without the intention of sharing it it with others, but I would like it to be comprehensible if I do. It's set in the 1880s and is formatted like a journal which belongs to a doctor, and there would be some words used th...	But exactly how much you need to do really depends on the story you are trying to tell. For myself, if I were reading a piece of fiction that was set in a certain time and written by a person of that time, unless it would be totally unreadable without translation (say, written in Old English or similar), I would prefer...
As a writer, should I be upset because I couldn't think of an idea? I've just been struggling recently with this doubt that I could never think of ideas I've seen written on my own. If that sounds confusing to you, you aren't the only one. Of course, I could sit down and be inspired by something another author wrote ...	Everything that can be written has its roots in something that was written before. Inspiration is inspiration and it comes in many forms. Your debt to the writers you have read is not that you steal their invention but that their observation has sharpened your own. You couldn't exactly clone the writing of another if y...
Single author scientific paper, 'we' or 'I'? I am authoring a single author paper. Usually when referring to oneself in a paper, 'we' is used. In single author papers I found both 'we' and 'I' (e.g., 'here we/I report xyz'). Which one is stylistically better? To me 'we' seems odd when I read a single author paper. <Q>...	If you are the only one behind the research and the writing behind the paper, I is a singular term and should therefore should be used instead of we.
What is an easy way to create a detailed character profile for a short story? What is an easy way to create a detailed character profile for a short story? I'm new to this Stack Exchange, and need help creating an organized character profile, with the information I have on my character. <Q> There's no One Correct Way. ...	You can use one of the email or tumblr questionnaires which circulate from time to time and answer it from the perspective of your character.
How to sell books without giving up rights to my manuscript I just finished the first of a series of children's books and ready to sell. How does one sell their book without giving up all rights to it? <Q> That's what a contract does. <S> You, and ideally your agent, negotiate a contract with a publisher. <S> The cont...	I think the key question is how long do you grant publishing rights.
How to excite readers "You have to excite yourself to excite others" Starting with this quote, that I listened to a conference, I really would know the "magic formula" (even I imagin there isn't) to excite readers with your stories and writings.I know, I have to write, to exercise, and to try, try, try...But, is eve...	It is all about creating an experience for the reader that rings true and engages their sympathy and interest. There is no magic formula.
Script-style conversations in a book How good is it to use script-style conversations in stories? New Hampshire, 2144, Beside a sign at Bulgart st. James: Please, Robert, I don't have time to discuss this. You must hand over those documents! Robert: I'm not giving away the only evidence to the death of my wife. J...	When you follow convention, you text tends to become transparent and the reader simply sees that scene you are creating. If you wanted to short-hand your first draft via a screen play method, that would be fine, as long as you go back and fill in the details to give book lovers what they expect from a book.
How to better imply time and place changes? For instance we are speaking of one time and then when we finish we speak of a moment that preceded, i.e. Ten hours before that . Or we are speaking about people in a facility and then we change to Later that day in a bar how to correctly imply these changes? How to write t...	It is common in many action TV series to start an episode with an action scene, and then display a clear subtitle (ten hours before) and return to the events which led to what was shown first, and I have seen that technique applied to writing, where the scenes are time-stamped to enforce the sense of urgency and convey...
A character's behaviour changes when returning to more familiar conditions. How should I attempt justify this change to the reader? The story I'm writing begins with the main character in an unusual and demanding situation. For various reasons, this situation causes him to behave in ways that are quite different to how...	If I have the character encounter a specific and recognisable stimulus in both parts of the story, and his reactions are noticeably different, I think that should be sufficient to signal that there has been a shift in how he is responding to his surroundings, and should draw the attention of any reader who notices it t...
Writing a story with 10 POV characters (about a reality game show) I want to write a short-story about 10 players in a post-apocalyptic zombies game show, split between teams, the last survivor wins. I already have the rules, the challenges and some characters. The problem is that I want to write it without any hero, ...	If you write your story as the story of the Game and all participants are protagonists of the story of the game, or if you write your story as different people experiencing completely unrelated things in the context of that game, is up to you, but you need to come up with either a single story with multiple protagonist...
Describing big cities and using slang words while writing I've been trying to write a book that takes place somewhere in America, maybe New York, Chicago, or another large city. But the problem is, I live in Hawaii and have never been to a city that large. How should I go about writing about the city? Also, in Hawaii, ...	If you want your story to sound authentic, you must learn and use the slang of the city(ies) in question.
Options for point of view in a story At first I was going to tell my story told from my main character's point of view, but now I'm wondering if I should make it coming from the point of view of a third-person narrator. I wanted the main character to display her thoughts and emotions to the reader, but I also wanted ...	It is possible to switch viewpoint characters within a scene. Until you have real mastery of story craft, don't mess with any fancy literary techniques, or mess with restricted persons or POV.
Can a novel without any death be taken seriously? I was asking myself this question while writing a novel that don't imply any death or even really dramatic event !The novel tells about the main character's strugglings and conflictuous relationships, but death never occurs in the story ! Can a story like this be taken...	Pride and Prejudice is a romance novel.
Do you need to end a story with the same perspective you start with? This may seem like an odd question, and perhaps I am over analyzing this a bit too much, as I usually do when it comes to my writing, but here is my concern. The novel I'm writing is in its last chapter, I know exactly what's going to happen, how it...	It's just a matter of what your style is. Nor is there any obligation to tell an entire story from a single POV. If you're able to make it good while switching between that, then it can make sense that you do that.
Any suggestions for a new writer? I am in no way a writer. It's something I've always wanted to do, but could never build up the courage to actually start. Every time I think about writing, I think about the end result and how I am not a good writer. This process circles through my head until I come to the conclusion t...	You should write without questioning how good can be. You can learn how to make the end result great.
Why are names in fantasy novels often "original"? In the vast majority of fantasy novels, the characters' names are somewhat original (Bilbo, Kvothe, Daenerys, Pug and so on). Some authors use special naming convention, like Robin Hobb who uses a quality for name (Shrewd Farseer) in the Farseer Trilogy. I see mainly t...	That said, some fantasy has cultures that are very obviously modeled on real-life cultures, and in that case using real-life names is not that jarring. As others have said, most fantasy is set in a different environment, where the non-English-speaking inhabitants have different cultural and linguistic norms.
Do Epic Fantasy and Sci-Fi books have inherently more descriptive language? For example the book Eragon by Paolini, and Magic Kingdom by Terry Brooks. These both have lots of description. To me that means lots of showing and less telling. Other books don't seem to have that much description. Some Sci-Fi has this as...	A story of any genre can devote a lot of attention to description and detail, but it isn't a necessity dictated by the choice of genre.
Alternative to Strunk & White? I have to confess that I find Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style" to be a very tedious read. Can anyone recommend an alternative title that covers similar ground? <Q> It depends what you're looking for. <S> Steven Pinker's The Sense of Style: <S> The Thinking Person's Guide to W...	Mark Forsyth's The Elements of Eloquence: How To Turn the Perfect English Phrase discusses dozens of writing techniques that have been useful for centuries.
Is writing only scenes a good way to earn writing skills? I'm searching to improve the way I write, and so I started to create just scenes, for example a battle. Is it a good idea as it is not integrated in a well-established story ? <Q> I would be careful. <S> Yes, there is much to be said for learning a complex skil...	You may also benefit in writing a bunch of short stories or scenes. I think it's a great exercise to strengthen your writing skills. There's no pressure to adhere to anything fore or aft in a story, so you have complete freedom to take the scene wherever you want.
Will it help you to get published if you have a lot of followers of your writing? Background To be honest, I really didn't know how to title this question. Anyway, the background. I was sitting around in front of the plan for the second book of my trilogy. Woohoo! I finished the first one yesterday on new years eve, s...	A blog can definitely build an audience for a book, and the existence of that audience can definitely help sell the book to a publisher, and afterwards the blog can help sell the book to the public.
Ways to avoid repetition of "filler" words in writing? I wasn't entirely sure how to phrase this in the question box, so it may seem like a duplicate. But, I did look at these questions ( What are the tricks to avoid repetition in writing? , How to avoid repetitive sentence structure? ) and didn't find the answer to m...	Make notes about how you decide which to retain, which to remove, and which to revise. If repetitive words are a symptom or repetitive ideas, then focus on fixing the ideas. Make a list of the words you're concerned about.
How to distinguish two different voices in one book? A relative (who is no longer living) wrote a number of autobiographical pieces which I would like to publish in a book. I would like to include four or five chapters written by myself, that would supplement the relative's memories. In addition, some chapters will req...	It's possible to make the difference apparent without spelling everything out.
Dynamic characterization: How do you show development/change in an inherently flawed character, like a psychopath? I got an idea for a short story recently following a traumatized boy who has developed antisocial tendencies and lack of empathy, and ends up in a psych ward. I want this protagonist to have a meaningful...	A story arc, per McKee, consists of a character with a desire meeting a series of increasingly difficult challenges to that desire until they are pushed to the edge of their capability and we (and perhaps they) discover who they really are.
Print runs, unsold books, books by weight and do authors get some compensation for unsold? I got couple of good definitions of the traditional Print run. One of the disturbing things mentioned in one of the definitions that many a times 50 percent of them are destroyed. How it was destroyed is not known but if it h...	There is unlikely to be a royalty payment for the author for such sales, as they are often below the sunk cost of the product (printing, distribution, storage).
How can I describe technology while avoiding problems with scaling? Worldbuilding chat has pointed me to this stack because it's less about defining the technology and more about how to express these definitions in a relatable and realistic way. A pretty frequent occurrence when working with fictional technology is t...	One good trick is to choose a point of view characters who is at the low end of technical competence.
Do you need to have your major plot point established in the first few chapters? Background I've now reached 10,000 words on the second book in my trilogy. Wow, goals. I have just got to the first major plot point which basically spells out the relationship between two characters which will drastically effect the pl...	Write how you want, when you want, and cause the elements of your work to develop solely as you see fit. Now, if, by plot point, you are referring to those pesky moments in an outline story structure advocates discuss (I'm one of those, by the way) ... assuming the wordcount goal for your novel is the standard 100,000 ...
How do I add more characters into my story? I am new to the site, so please let me know if I'm not following proper format or etiquette. I am beginning a story (only 4,000 words so far).I am having trouble adding in characters that can be developed, because the protagonist doesn't really have friends, just people she ...	If the character's really in pretty total isolation, she would likely find ways to add characters to her own life.
Is a bandit ambush a fatal, cliche mistake? Background I've planned the chapter I'll write tomorrow. It features a bandit ambush! That's so exciting! Wow! The sickly scent of blood, the glistening blades and powerless enemies. They are nothing compared to my godly knight who is so skilled with a sword she can slice ...	You can have a cliche such as the main character being a chosen one that's bullied by others, but as long as you can make it interesting and lead in your story in a unique way - the readers won't care.
What kind of an effect does breaking gender roles/stereotypes have in fiction? Background It might sound like a silly question, I know, but something someone said to me today has made me concerned that my book sounds childish and nonsensical. Apparently: " having a woman who burns people at the stake, cuts off heads a...	But if you are writing "historical fantasy", you are free to do anything you want, as long as the book is good. People write many less believable things than women with swords and armor or feminine men.
Reasons to use "red herrings"? I don't see any analytical literature about the usefulness of red herrings as a TV trope. What are some reasons to use them? I'm assuming there's more to it than just bored writers trying to amuse themselves to the detriment of the reader. The one I can think of is - generally you build ...	Savvy readers may attempt to guess the correct ending and feel rewarded and satisfied by the story's conclusion. To me a red herring has always been a clue that diverts the reader's attention.
What is better for prose: symmetry or simplicity? Here's an example: Mary had never concealed Marcos as though he were an (ugly) scar. No, far from that. She'd always exhibited him around like a sexy birthmark. I think the word ugly is unnecessary here, since a scar is assumed to be ugly. A birthmark, on the ot...	Generally speaking, simplicity and clarity come first as a priorities in writing, especially narrative prose. If redundant descriptions make sense in your prose (ugliness is a feature trait and you need to stress it out as much as you can) then make your prose sound like that.
I have a hard time staying focused on a single novel I am currently writing three different stories. I didn't start this on purpose, because I knew it would be very difficult to keep up, but I couldn't help it and kept getting different great ideas that would fit in different stories. I've narrowed it down to three ma...	You may jot down the idea when it occurs to you, along with a note about which story you'd like to add it to. Gather all of your favorite ideas and write them into one novel or a series that can encompass all your ideas (or the best ones) Set yourself a goal and a reward for meeting the goal.
How much detail when writing technical documentation? As a software developer, I often find myself writing my own technical documentation and user guides. How much detail should be put into this documentation? When is it too much detail? EDIT I'm stuck on a user simply being able to follow a linear A->B process, v...	It depends on who your readers are and what they are trying to do with the information.
How many rewrites should a writer expect for a novel? "By the time I am nearing the end of a story, the first part will have been reread and altered and corrected at least one hundred and fifty times. I am suspicious of both facility and speed. Good writing is essentially rewriting. I am positive of this." — Roald Dahl...	I don't think there can be an answer for this. Writing is a difficult craft and you should expect to have to do a lot of rewriting before you get good at it.
Are plot twists always necessary for a good story? In the story I'm writing, the protagonist writes a representational story about himself and about the fulfillment of his wish impossible in his reality. Such wish is the sub-protagonist's main goal, and it's set still at the beginning, and the rest of the story is just...	I don't think it's a problem if the goal is achieved, though the character finding out that what they wanted all along isn't actually what's going to make them happy is often key to a fulfilling story. Readers love to fear for their characters lives or success.
How many books should writers read? It is well known that the postmodern novels often use citations and references to other cultural objects, first of all to the other novels. Sometimes it is necessary to read several of them in order to understand the majority of senses in a particular chapter. How do you think how m...	Read deeply and intensely, but don't worry about how many (or how few) books you have read.
Resurrecting a story: Rewrite or Edit? I started a book about 2 years ago, got about halfway through, and then got sidetracked. I know this is a typically bad habit of novelists... Fortunately, the book idea that distracted me made it to the finish line. Now, I want to return to the first book, but the energy of the ...	If you feel you've improved as a writer, then rewriting might make more sense.
How do I develop my skill at writing essays? I am interested in writing essays. When I read Emerson's essays, I see that he has a unique style of writing. The quality of prose is consistently maintained across the essays. I write very pedestrian prose. Though I am able to convey ideas, the beauty of expression and the...	My advice is to write often and read critically across genres. One exercise that can help embody the mind of another writer is to write on a topic in his or her style; emulate the style completely by copying the syntax and word choice precisely.
Is including a large number of twists a bad thing? I've been doing some research into twists, and after not knowing how to create one, I'm starting to get a handle on them. Unfortunately, now I'm at the other end of the spectrum, and wondering if I can have too many twists. Background: To understand where I'm comi...	The purpose of twists is to increase the hero's struggle, to raise the suspense, and to make the story generally less predictable and boring.
What do you call someone who is neither/both an antagonist and a protagonist? In the story I'm writing, I want to include a character who is a free radical. At some points she helps the main group and at some points she hinders them. She may even end up joining the main group if events lead to it. So my question is, s...	Nevertheless, I think that the designation of protagonist/antagonist depends on who the main plot-driving character is, whether the character you're trying to classify tends to champion or sabotage their goals, and how important that character is.
Should an author have one website or two? I have seen that sometimes an author will have one website with a lot of content and a separate website that does nothing but offer the book(s) for sale. What are the advantages of this approach? What are the advantages of having only one website, and offering the book for sa...	If you only have one book you've authored, it's best to just have the one site based on that book.
How can I gradually grow the romance between the two main characters? What are some ways to increase the romance between two stubborn, but very different characters? Thank you! <Q> The best advice I've ever heard about building romantic/sexual tension is to start it from the get-go. <S> The moment your characters meet...	Character bonding typically occurs when there's a reason for it however, I would highly suggest against just throwing two characters together just for the hell of it - unless you're writing fanfiction or a romance - however even in these cases, romance has an objective that leads the story.
How can I keep my dialogue nuanced and informal without breaking the illusion that the story is a translation (from a fictional language)? The story I'm writing is in English, but it's set in a constructed world with a range of different languages. The general conceit is that anything the viewpoint character (of which ...	If you want to differentiate each language, add certain quirks that we can relate to other languages in our world.
How do you write dialog for a character with malapropism without it seeming forced? I have a character who has a tendency towards malapropism but I find that in every sentence she speaks I am re-reading it and finding words to replace. ie. ( actual - translation ) "Inquisition, should we dispute a miko for this? ...	Write all her dialogue (initially) just as normal as the other speakers, with one exception--when you're plotting it out, select a couple of 'hinge' parts of the story where her malapropism is going to have a definite effect on the plot.
How to use narcissism productively in writing? I write mostly fictions. However, I am an apathetic-type narcissist, which means I cannot understand other people's feelings and thoughts easily, if at all. As a result, all my characters who are not modeled based on myself are dreadfully unconvincing, and even I notice h...	Seems obvious, but it is difficult to master An exercise, as the previous answerer noted, involves observing people and writing your thoughts/impressions/structuring a scene involving these characters and their interactions. What I'm trying to suggest here is that you might utilize the protagonist's narcissism as a fra...
Is there a way to improve my grammar without so much cost? I'm definitely poor at English and I always have grammatical errors. After posting a question about what apps can I use to start writing my stories, I searched in this site if how can I improve my grammar, and I came across to this link . English is not real...	The best way to get good grammar in writing (in my opinion) is the following: Get an understanding of grammar. A community college Writing Center would a great place to hang out and get help. You may try out Scribophile -- a community, where people review the texts of each other (costs USD 9,-- per month).
Is it needed to add breaks in a depressive story? I'm writing a somewhat depressive story that has no comic reliefs and no happy scenes/moments (except the ending and one or two in the beginning). The only scenes that aren't sad or negative are the romantic scenes (although it becomes sad when the reader knows the stor...	To me, a book should have both up and down moments. If there is "comic relief" in a tragedy, it is not really to lighten the mood.
Software for writing theater-like scenes I do my writing in MS Word. I must incorporate some theater-like scenes into a book. In the theater-like scenes, there will be three to five characters speaking lines. Very, very occasionally a tiny bit of narration. Do I need different software, or maybe a Word plugin? <Q> ...	The best free option I am aware of is CeltX
Are rhymes bad in prose? They are the good in lyrics and poems, but what about prose? An example from my own writing: I fall to the ceramic floor, blood and bile dripping from my lips, my stomach full but my muscles lacking the slightest drop of energy. But that's all right. I don't have to move. I don't have to d...	If the rhyming in some way adds to the story, then it's a good use. Rhyming in prose is neither inherently bad nor inherently good.
Is 'temping' a culture-specific term? I have a character working in a short-term temporary position in an organisation and refer to her doing the work using the usual UK word, 'temping'. Will this be understood by readers in the US and other English-speaking cultures? If not, is there an equivalent culture-neutral term...	The people who work in temporary positions are referred to as "temps.
What are the pros/cons of writing in English in a non-English country? I live in a country that doesn't have English as its main language. I have two choices in writing, either write in my mother language or write in English. Why should or shouldn't I write in English? My first few thoughts were: Do publishers often...	You should write in whatever language you are most comfortable with.
Writing a story online I've been wondering, is there any outlets available that allow you to publish a book online in a similar format as Webcomics? A sort of, 'Webnovel'? Is there any appropriate name for this, where you release a chapter every week or so? Edit: I've found a term that may be relevant: Serial Novel...	If you don't want to manage your own blog, there are also literary online magazines that publish many authors.
How do you write a character that HATES being born into a well-off family? We've seen this character archetype before: A character despises being born into a well-off family. ("Well-off" can range from rich-to-anywhere-on-the-middle-class-spectrum, regardless of whether or not their family has committed any atrociti...	If a character hates being a member of a wealthy family, it is because that family, or its wealth, or its responsibilities, keep them from something they love, or harms the thing they love.
Is there a template for how to write a movie summarization? Is there an official or de facto standard for how to write a movie summarization for an encyclopedia, magazine, newspaper or other kind of media? For instance, are there widespread templates, recommendations or rules of thumb? Is there a difference to summari...	It depends on the medium you are writing for.
How do I turn a premise into a story? My brain is probably just broken, but it has a question. It tends to invent odd scenarios that become quite interesting. It also knows that the story will only be interesting to others if it has characters and they do stuff... but it doesn't want to do that work. For example, it...	For me, the characters create themselves when I write about them (it takes time) even if I "sketched them" somewhat differently.
How to handle translation of a language in a comic, while preserving a sense that the language is significant? I am producing a comic in which a fictional language is frequently spoken. This language (and which characters are able to speak it) is significant to the plot, so it's important that the reader knows when i...	2) Indicate in context or with an asterisk that the characters are speaking Foreign Language, and within the balloon,
The use of the tilde in English? The 'tilde' key, or (~) is commonly found in programming and in other languages to express repetition of characters, for example, 'Woooo!' would become 'Woo~!' and in Japanese text, the tilde is commonly used to portray a flirtatious mood. It can also be used to show approximation, e.g....	Other than indicating approximations for dates and numbers (e.g., ~100 CE), I am not aware of any commonly-recognized uses for the tilde. It generally is never used in fiction and would probably confuse the reader because of that.

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