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Do new writers stand a chance at a career without ambitions to write series? Simply put, I've been noticing a general truth in bookstores: Nearly every new book on the shelf is part of a series - this is doubly true in the Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres, but no less true in others. As a writer with no ambitions to write se...	There is only so many books to a series, movies to a series, shows to a series, that someone can write before it becomes stale and riding the wave of success as it's only driving force. There are plenty of best selling authors who do not write series.
'Filling' up a school setting without making a bunch of new characters? In a school setting, what is a way to allude that a school is full of students, without making new characters or overusing pre-existing ones? A school is the main setting of a book. The main and secondary characters majorly consist of students. In...	If a character knows the people in a crowded scene, they think of them by name, which indicates to the reader that they are in familiar surroundings.
Do I have any control over the grammar of my novel? English grammar is generally pretty black and white, but there are a few areas under debate. For instance, should a series of three have one or two commas? For example: The coach was black, dusty, and large. OR The coach was black, dusty and large. What ha...	The grammatical changes are based on the accepted usage, as defined by the publishing house The editor will make the most substantive changes.
How do I credit a quote if I am uncertain of the source? If I am writing a book and want to use a quote, but I either don't remember who said it or I am uncertain, how should I credit the quote? <Q> "I think therefore I am." <S> * <S> The second thing to do is to cite the type of source, even if you don't know the ex...	The first order of business is to acknowledge the quote as someone else's work and not your own by putting quotation marks around it.
creating convincing characters who are under the influence but avoids stereotypes I'm working on a story set in university. I remember from my time at university that it was fairly common for some students to indulge in the wacky baccy, and as that's a standard part of the university experience for a lot of folks I th...	From my experience of watching friends and neighbors use weed, some of them fit the stereotype to a T, and others... not so much. It really just depends on the role you want it to play (comedy relief or just a recreational thing done at a party) and the person/people who are consuming it.
Can I use a public university as the setting for my fiction? The odds of actually publishing are low, but just in case, i wanted to know if using a public university campus as a setting for my tragic romance would open me up to libel suits or anything else. A few things do happen in the book that are very unfortunate, ...	Put another way, "defamation" does not occur if the "sting" of your fictitious events is no greater than that of events that actually happen at the university. Anybody can sue you as the author. You can base it on a real place, change the name, and do whatever you like without offending anyone.
How would one ask questions about the job of a rookie police officer? I'm writing a WIP novel with a rookie police officer. I'm concerned that the situation is incorrect / impractical / unbelievable: He is, respectfully, a minor character and his story is used to serve as a "mini mystery" to add realism, clues, exposi...	Ask for an interview of the kind of person you want to portray. Most police departments (at least in the U.S.) will allow just about anyone to go on a "ride along". To address your specific questions, typically once an officer graduates the police academy, he or she will be in field training for a few months, where the...
Creating a fictional place within an actual city? I am writing a thriller novel set in St. Louis a lot of the important scenes occur at a university. I am familiar with the city because I live close to it but I don't think I know enough about the university of St. Louis (Or any of the other Universities in St. Louis) i...	For a thriller genre, as I understand, it is important to be anchored in reality, and the more real places and names you use, the better. In say, a historical novel, you insert fictitious characters into real life events.
Where to put statistical signifance test results I’m writing on my master thesis/dissertation and performed Chi-square tests to my check for statistical significance. I'll present the results of these tests in a table. Now I’m wondering if I should include this table in my dissertation's main part or in an appendix. T...	If you think the typical reader is not going to want to read the table when they get to it in the text, put it in an appendix since it is inconvenient for the reader to skip over something they are not going to read. Having it in your main part would let you reference the table directly, that could be a pro.
Should I bother allowing images (headshots) for pen names? Please bear with me, the question really is for writers. I'm authoring software that manages ebooks. I'm to the point of representing the "profile" of authors who choose to use pen names. How should I handle images? Should I allow a headshot at all? If the...	Whether to hide their real identity for writing or personal reasons, having them put up a picture kind of defeats that purpose if they can associate the 2 different authors by the same picture. I think in the end as long as you provide it as a choice and not make the image required, you shouldn't have an issue.
Is it eccentric to address the reader in non-fiction writing? I have observed that I often address the reader in my essays to lay down a point. To give you an example, I'll write: You can utilize every productivity hack that's out there, and still be back to square one when your initial excitement wears off. whic...	It all depends on the point of view you choose, and the fictional audience the story is told to. It is a common english language practice, as I see it.
Is it good to add 'I believe' at the beginning of the sentence? I believe that people should eat apples. or, People should eat apples. Which one is best, or when to use which? Is it good to say 'I believe' or 'We believe' in public speaking or public statement? Another example: We believe that every user deser...	Depending on the context, writing "I believe" can make your claim weaker.
Is consonance good or bad in fiction? Example from my own writing: I cupped my nose—when I should have covered my ears. To blo ck the wi ck ed mo ck ing of my classmates. I was told by another writer that I should avoid this kind of writing. Is he right? Or consonance is actually desired in fiction? <Q> One of t...	The use of consonance may be wrong in this particular case (the sentence does not really pay off the rhythmic pattern established at the beginning). There are no bad techniques, just techniques used appropriately or inappropriately and techniques used well or badly.
Wrote myself into a paradox and now demotivated - how to resolve? I'm a casual writer at best and tend to write in fits and starts when motivation hits. I tend to lack resolve and this leads to writer's block. I've been off-and-on writing a series of little vignettes in a universe my friends and I created. The current...	When you get stuck on a scene as you have with this paradox, jump to some other point in the story and get back to writing. Follow the story line which is revealed by your joy in writing it.
How to write a scene from multiple peoples perspectives? I want to write a scene from multiple peoples perspectives without making it incredibly long, or repetitive. Is there a correct way to go about this? <Q> Writing (exposition) is subjective. <S> There is no correct way to achieve your effect. <S> I have used mult...	One of the best ways I have seen this done is have the scene play out normally, and then when you come to an end point where you can pause and switch views, go back from a different angle and repeat until you have all the view points covered.
Can I go to a poetry publisher with samples and be taken seriously if I have not had individual poems published? I want to publish a poery collection. Feedback via Facebook, from people who know me and some that don't say the work is good. Can I go straight to a publisher with samples of the work and hope to be publish...	Once you get some poems published, you will have more confidence in your writing.
Story content and audience I have an idea for a novel however I don't know if it is possible as the story line is very controversial and being young I write in a very immature style. This would make the novel very conflicting. I want to know if people think I should try it anyway and edit it later or just make a note o...	You might be well advised to work on your style for a few years and make sure you really want the fight you propose to pick, and that you are really ready to fight it. If it still seems like a good book idea to you in a few years, you can always rewrite it then. As for controversial, truly controversial books don't sel...
How to introduce a nameless, mysterious character in limited third person? So the novel I'm writing is in (multiple) close third person perspective, or limited, as the whole action is seen through the eyes and thoughts of a given character. The issue I'm having is that it all starts with a prologue, in which the charac...	One approach to this is to adopt a 1st person "minor character narrator" -- a character who is peripheral to the plot, but is an observer. If you are going to surprise the reader, it ought to be a natural surprise, that is, something that would surprise them if they were actually living the events of the story themselv...
Weaving VERY IMPORTANT OPINIONS into a story without murdering it In Bad Webcomics Wiki , a place for reviews of bad webcomics, there's a common phrase: the "VERY IMPORTANT OPINIONS". The novelists who endeavor to enforce what they are pleased to call "moral truths," cease to be artists. They create two kinds of cha...	You can have several such heroes for various aspects of the Very Important Opinions: Just tell the story primarily from the POV of the Villain fighting his war to destroy the idyllic world on many fronts, either for purely selfish reasons or because they truly believe they are doing the Right Thing.
When using mythology in your writing, can you change certain small aspects of some myths to fit into your story? I'm writing a book that takes place in modern day but also involves the Greek gods and goddesses and Greek mythology. Is it frowned upon to change a small part of a certain myth to make it fit into your stor...	I'm currently writing a story that makes strong changes to the Arthurian mythos and the Celtic mythos.
Website for writing project management Basically, I'm looking for something like Scrivener or other similar software, but online. Do such sites exist? I'm looking for something that allows you to manage your writing project, all aspects of it - characters, story, chapters, timeline, etc. And yes, it would be perfect i...	There are free, open source as well as paid tools available for almost any task you can imagine, from mindmapping to outlining to organising complex information and typesetting.
Tool for making guitar chord diagrams I have seen these diagrams in books. They display the strings of the guitar and the locations of the notes I want to present, as well as the name of the chord/scale/etc. You can see what I mean in the picture below: Is there a specific tool or maybe software that does this? I re...	Most music software allows you to create TABs,but not chord diagrams. There are music typesetting programs out there that let you create these types of diagrams.
Are all writers, readers? I am new to the writing scene but i have had the passion for it. One thing that has baffled my mind was how writers would not comment on other people's work but more concerned with their work. It has led me to ask this question. <Q> Yes, all writers are readers. <S> It isn't clear what you a...	The best way to learn to write, other than writing and writing some more, is to read how other writers handle the craft.
Using Names for Weaponry used in Actual Games I've recently looked at the chat that talks about the question of referencing actual military weapons in your writing. Since I'm writing a science-fiction novel, that's not too big of a problem for me; however, this causes me to raise a question: how does this apply to wea...	As a general rule on copyright infringement: If you have to ask, the answer is "No".
What are ways to describe feelings of fear? What are some ways to write feelings of fear, such as: losing a loved one, almost dying, getting lost, getting yelled at by your overprotective mother and almost losing someone close to you. I have this idea in my mind of writing a character almost dying in a fire, ...	Feel the story and the emotions. This is a case of "show don't tell", or for those that frown upon that phrase, I mean write about the effects of the fear. In fear, rationality tends to shut down and people act instinctively, including by pushing, hitting and striking out (physically or verbally), or running, or beggin...
Can i write a poetic book rhyming on every statement? How can i write a poetic book rhyming on every sentence, without making it boring. If its not possible then how can i work around the idea? <Q> A good example of a 'poetic book' is the epos .An <S> epos is a long narrative poem originating from ancient Greece. ...	There are plenty of examples of books that are written entirely in rhyme, and the fact of it being written in rhyme will not make it boring - UNLESS you hack the story and words around so badly in order to make it rhyme that you ruin it.
Is it better the use the present or the past tense for a novel written in the first person I just started a book, but i cant decide if its better to use the present or the past tense (written in the first person) <Q> It depends on what you are trying to do. <S> Present tense creates tension because the reader doesn't k...	The narrative present means that you are narrating events as they occur, as if you were walking down the street giving a running commentary on you life. It is generally believed that the present tense is more immediate and gives a stronger sense of tension. If you wonder about which tense you should use, the common sen...
Is permission required for quoting the Bible or nursery rhymes? I have characters in my novels that quote the Bible and a couple lines of old nursery rhymes. Do I need to obtain permission in order to use these quotes in my books? What about quoting a popular line from a Shakespeare book?(Self-publishing from the USA...	Under the "fair use doctrine", you can quote short excerpts from copyrighted works without getting permission.
Scrivener changes my font size I use Scrivener, and sometimes when I highlight a line or even just click the cursor, the font shrinks to tiny. When I check the font size on the computer, it hasn't changed (still size 12), but clearly the font on the screen is small. How do I make this STOP! Sometimes its so small I c...	I have found that if you highlight the shrunken text (then immediately un-highlight it) it reverts back to the desired font size.
What do you think would make you a better writer - Writing with pen and paper or typing on your PC / Laptop? In today's digitized world, does it pay to go analog? I mean who would waste time in writing using Pen and Paper when you can easily type the stuff using a variety of fonts in Word processing software? But do yo...	I write by hand because it makes me do at least one more thorough editing.
How do I write a description of something that's not concrete? My protagonist has an unique power, he can feel the souls of other beings with his mind. One day this guy meets a girl with the most wonderful soul on earth, she is happy at all times and loves everyone and everything: A positive person indeed. Another day...	When he meets the serial killer, he is cold, enjoys the pain of others (or is turned on by it), feels a simmering anger and resentment that makes him want to harm others. The duration of the impression depends on how extreme the soul is; other people on the subway tend to cancel out impressions, but Strong Souls (good ...
I wrote a book, but changed my mind on the ending Does anyone with experience have suggestions on how best to go back, edit, and rearrange scenes and details? You know, without me dying in the process? The whole book needs to be restructured. <Q> Yes, this is going to be a death march. <S> But the thing that is going t...	If you are compelled to change the ending, you must have realized something, at least subconsciously: Figure out what your story was really about, in more concrete terms, and start over.
Are tables of contents mandatory in novels? I've had several people ask me why my fiction story does not have a table of contents. I never really thought about it, seeing as plenty of fiction stories do not have one either. Is a table of contents mandatory or 'traditional' in fictional writing? Or is this like other wr...	In a novel, a TOC with descriptive chapter titles might give away what's going to happen, spoiling the story. Although I do not feel it is required to use a Table of Contents, I will suggest that it has been helpful for me in structuring. I've seen many novels that don't have a Table of Contents.
How Often To Proof Read Book I'm Self-Publishing I'm writing (to self-publish) a technical book aimed for computer-literate people with no technical background (but who want to get into the field). In the beginning, I found myself re-writing certain sections. Now the look and feel is looking more consistent, but as I...	There is not a lot of point in proofreading early because you may be wasting effort on proofing material that is going to be edited out, and any editing that you do later could introduce new mechanical errors that you would then have to proofread for. In terms of actual proof-reading, you'll want to make sure your book...
How can I give a novel a particular atmosphere? I've been writing fan fiction for 7+ years now. Recently, I went back and compared the ratings my fan fiction has received from my readers, compared to what they contained. I discovered that those fan fictions with a distinct feel had generally better ratings, and were in...	To make the reader feel something, take them to a place or through and experience that will create that feeling, just as you would if you were taking them on an adventure in real life. If you want to give them the impression that your city is safe, you take them down certain streets at a certain time of day.
Help! My brain is writing several chapters at once! So, I've been thinking about my story, and suddenly I got inspiration for the continuation of the chapter (I'm not even sure what chapter it should be). So, basically, I ended with progressing 3 chapters at once in my head; Chapter 1 (which I'm currently writing), Cha...	So, I would say write the first draft however you feel inspired to, and worry about patching up the plot holes and details later. At each story break (new chapter, beginning a new movement) review your notes; all of them.
What are techniques to explore a world you've built? Beside omniscient narrative that explains the world, what are other techniques to introduce the details of a world to the readers? (That is still part of the story) I've been thinking two things, but there's got to be more techniques out there. Bring an outsider...	You can also leave clues through context... It helps if your characters encounter new people and they travel in stretches together.
Flash-forward as Prologue and then Flashbacks too complicated? Chronologically, the story begins with the protagonist as a child and description of her world, which is important to the plot. Since I thought "girl abandoned by parents meets a man who explains how the world works" wouldn't really catch the readers atten...	There is actually a very simple rule that you can follow to make this kind of exposition interesting: make it a story. I would prefer not to label such a thing as a Prologue, unless it is really outside the main story.
Can a POV be from a baby? So, this refers back to my question here . In that question I asked if the prologue to my story (the prologue occurs 17 years before most of the novel) should be cut. I have reduced the word count to 1300, and still feel it belongs, but also still hear people say "I don't like prologues." It...	Maybe instead of a prologue you could make it a "home video" which is supposed to document a moment of this baby's life, which they are going to watch at a later point in your story.
How can I test if an idea I have for a plot twist is satisfying for (most) people? So I have this idea for a plot twist and I really like it. I think I drop enough hints here and there to indirectly say to the audience: "Hey, I know what you might be thinking of, but maybe consider this possibility. Just saying, it mig...	The story has to be consistent with the twist; you (the author) did not ever lie to the reader (although characters may have), and you did not totally conceal the twist (although some events may be reinterpreted on second read and make more sense). If you love it, write it. I usually save my test readers till the end, ...
Describing a sport in a fantasy setting In one scene in my YA fantasy my characters are at a party on a beach. One piece of the setting is a group of teenagers playing a game, which my main characters later join. The game itself is not the focus of the scene, and if this were in a modern story I would label it as volle...	Many games have names that say exactly what the game is. You could call Volley Ball "Net Ball.
What are the risks and benefits of using humour in business/commercial writing? I know the basics here, and in technical circles it usually comes down to locking the Engineering Manager and the Sales and Marketing Manager in a small room and seeing who makes it out, but I would be interested to hear anyone's thoughts. ...	The risk of using humor in business or technical writing is that it can turn people off even if they are interested in the subject matter. It depends on what you are doing, who your audience is and whether you can do it well. It is not a good idea to start ridiculing members of your audience!
How to write character to contradict it's values I am having a kind of writers block with a short story... not a writers block in a sense, that the problem is, that I just want to challenge myself. Which methods writers usually use in order to make characters act out of character; and how to build this up quickly (one...	You could also play with specific events in the character's past that the reader may or may not know at the time of the contradictory event. The key to this is motivation and circumstances.
side story breaking off from my main one about side character? Just a general question, but would anyone actually read a side story to my main novel about a side character? He plays a big role in the story actually, but he doesn't get much recognition in the book because it would stray from the plot if I wrote him in ...	I'm pretty sure that writing about a side character in the same novel is doable, as long as it helps develop some sort of point or gives a better outlook on what happened.
Is there a YouTube for writers? Basically a way to share manuscripts on social media The title explains it. I'm looking for a place to post my writing and easily share it onto Facebook or Twitter. I know there are A LOT of websites, but it seems like there are too many. I'm looking to share chapters from a book I pl...	Not sure if the reference to youtube means you're after something video based, but if not, then I think Scribophile is one of the best online places to share work for feedback: https://www.scribophile.com/ For sharing it onto Facebook or Twitter, if you mean for publicity purposes, Hootsuite is a good platform where yo...
What is the best way to test two version of chapter 1? Here I ask/discuss some feedback I have gotten about my chapter 1. After attending a different/second writers' critique group, I was sufficiently motivated to try to write chapter 1 with multiple characters (instead of one guy on a mountain) and with the use o...	However, rather than dwelling too much on the first chapter, you should get on with writing the rest of the novel.
New story in 'same universe'. When is it a sequel? How to title? This is a two-part question, and I hope that's okay. 1. Would it classify as a sequel I've created a 'universe' in which one main story takes place so far. This will presumably be my first book. It would classify as a sci-fi universe and it is mostly ...	So I think it's safe to say it's in-universe ( thus, safe to market it as part of the same universe via the title prefix ), but not a sequel.
How can I improve my grammar? I feel like I have learned everything I know about Grammar by osmosis. I don't remember learning any of the technicalities of Grammar when I was at school and it has always been a weak area. I think one of my biggest problems is mixing tense, but I feel reluctant to attempt to do any crea...	Active practice is essential for acquiring any skills, including grammar. As The Spartan wrote, reading is important .
How to do reference jokes right? There is a problem with reference jokes in general, and I just couldn't figure out a solution to them. Here's a demonstration: "Watch your step, there could be even more of these." "More?" ████ was still puzzled. "We haven't encountered any actual defense ever since we entered. ...	If you want to walk a middle path, you should probably be sparing with your allusions, add a little in-story context where appropriate, and stick with more universal general-knowledge allusions where you can.
Writing garbage to see if the characters do something interesting? I need a change ~ 80% of the way through my story. At the moment, I'm just throwing my characters into different combinations and seeing if they come up with anything interesting. Two of my characters don't want to talk at all. I threw them together, a...	If you see the weakness but don't know how to fix it, writing is still the answer, but you need to write without making any promises (to yourself or your characters) that what comes out is going to be a part of the final story.
Writing a first-person novel where the MC gets temporarily taken out of commission? I've decided that this novel would work best as a first person POV, and I generally wouldn't like to give that up. However, toward the end of the book, there's a series of scenes where the main character is helpless and unable to trust ...	Since the character becomes possessed and it becomes impossible to follow his POV with a 1st person narrator, I'd suggest switching not to a different character, while maintaining the 1st person, but to a 3rd person narrator.
How much per page? Is this a ripoff? I have a friend who has almost completed a book. She belongs to a local writer's group, and has told me a person in this group that bills themselves as an editor says they can edit her work for $300 per page. If I'm wrong, I apologize to the editors out there (I aspire to be one my...	I'm guessing that your friend heard the editor's fee incorrectly, and it's closer to $3.00 per page.
Is it necessary to use words like "said", "asked," etc in dialog? I am writing a novel. I'm not sure if the below sentence structure is correct. I have not used any word like said/replied/asked. He was looking at the painting. “You do not have to believe me. I will bring the guns. You will bring money. Simple.” He l...	You should, I think, use them - sometimes.
Is it OK to introduce a character to leave it simmering to a later date? One of my secondary characters is going to play an important part, more important than at present, in the story. Is it OK to introduce him, make the reader love him, and then leave him behind til a much later appearance? Just sort of drop him off...	Also, be sure to have a good amount of length to your character's first appearance, or people might forget about him after a while.
Timeline back and forth Presently, my story is following two plots that will become one. Two groups who have different objectives but will gather towards the ultimate one in a point in the future. Is it too confusing to follow one group for a couple of days or so, then jump to follow the other group and go back in t...	A Song of Ice and Fire " has a huge number of POV characters and, at least for the first books, tells the events in the order they happen, jumping around perspectives. As long as you make the starting point and end point of these shifts memorable (or relatable), then there shouldn't be a problem. As far as existing exa...
Using in' rather than ing in third person omniscient The characters I'm working with not only speak in rural slang [i.e. frequently drop the 'g' on words ending in 'ing'] but, as a third person omniscient, I also have them thinking in it. [Thinkin' in it.] Is there an established rule on this? On either? Unrelatedly, ...	Even in the third person, if the narration is from the POV of a single character (as it should be, to avoid confusion), it's acceptable to phrase the narration the way the character thinks. If the language slang adds flavor to the narration, rhythm and worldview, I would use it.
Resources with Examples of Short Stories to Teach Dialogue I'm teaching creative writing workshops, in which we read short stories with examples of literary elements to better understand how to use them in creating stories. For the most part, it has been straightforward when finding resources for short stories that sho...	one of the main resources which is considered in any writing workshop, is Anton Chekhov's short stories.
Sounds: how to describe them? How do I describe the sound of a low growl in a low technological culture context? All that comes to mind as possible descriptions are the sounds of rolling logs, or the wheels of a wagon. Note: this culture also does not know what the sounds of thunder or rain are, or even running w...	If you've never heard, say, steel wheels on a steel rail, you're likely to think of the sound as similar to rocks scraping together (especially if you're unfamiliar with thunder or large scale water movement). To me, a growl sounds like a very loud and sustained clearing of the throat, or a combination of that and a sh...
If I write a scene almost exactly like in someone's photograph, would it be plagiarism? I have a story which has a scene inspired by a photograph. When I saw that picture, I liked the fact that the person in it matches perfectly a character from my story, and I liked the idea of putting the character in the exact situa...	From an "I'm willing to risk the lawsuit" perspective, the more common the photograph or less detail you use, the less likely anyone could identify your effort as duplicating in words what they did with light. If there is the slightest doubt in your mind about whether or not something is legal or falls within "fair use...
How do I make it so my story happens in an ambiguous time frame? Nothing extreme, of course. No mentions of futuristic time-traveling gadgets or teleportation or the like. Or, conversely, nothing that smacks of medieval times or anything that immediately causes a reader to connect the dots. I want my story to be as if...	A reader today will add the culture of today to it. Creating your own world allows you to do just this. Second , prune out anything that dates your story. Clothing, behaviors, cultural tip-offs like the role of religion - these things can date your piece. If you are going for the affect of having a reader 200 years fro...
How to describe guns to someone who has never seen them before In my story, a mysterious visitor presents the characters with a new weapon: guns. These people have never seen anything like it, as gunpowder has been discovered but not really used to its full potential. So they know what gunpowder is, as well as metal. H...	The description depends on the point-of-view character, the actions of the gun-wielder, and the current weapon systems available.
How long does a first draft have to be if the essay i'm writing is 300 words long? I keep trying to figure out how long the first draft has to be if the essay is 300 words long. Please respond if you know! <Q> There's no formula, saying that your first draft has to cut x% of words. <S> Plan your essay out in advance...	There's no hard and fast rule, and it depends how many drafts you're thinking of doing before the final version. As long as it needs to be to get your points across.
Any software that allows me to create documents and maps with links to other documents or photos? I have to create a small world for my WIP game so I can submit it as my thesis. While I am aware I can use simple text editors (my usual choice) I want to be able to create a tree/web of my ideas, connecting them without h...	As a bonus MediaWiki is open source and free. BookMarks - select any block of text and then click the "BookMarks" button from the "Insert" tab-bar and
character introduction - should the character's name be repeated multiple times? I am not quite sure whether this question would be a valid one for this site but I am having some doubts and I would love to get some help here. My case is, I have an assignment where I have to write an introduction to the lead character,...	Only an author should be careful that it would not be repetitive and boring.
How to make a statement formulated like an exclamation, but even-toned? In writing, particularly writing dialogue or speech-like prose, it is custom to use the punctuation to indicate the tone of the speech. As such, one often uses an exclamation point on a standard statement which would make it a statement made with ...	You can characterize the tone of the sentence with another entire sentence even longer than the uttered words. I think the answer is one of moderation and letting the reader know what you wouldfeel.
How to show two characters are communicating mentally I'm writing a story where my two main characters have been merged together so that they share a single body. They spend a lot of time discussing things and arguing on what actions to take. This has resulted in some very odd sections of dialogue to write where they a...	As humans we are able to determine emotions of a speaker only judging by a spoken sentence; thoughts could be treated in the same way. The dialogue between them, through their minds should be italicized. Use the brows to show approval, disapproval, surprise. Praxis Crossing by Morpheus features a man and a superheroine...
Is it redundant to repeat a subject when it's been implied in a college essay? Consider the following: During my year at UH Manoa, I felt prepared for my computer science courses given my previous experience with programming, but I wasn’t sure how I could apply myself in such a broad discipline. To find an answer,...	You can see that it's important to keep the last piece of information. Redundancy in prose is often useful because people forget things and because the real world relationships implied by the grammatical relationships is not always clear.
What makes bad science fiction? The obvious way to understand quality is to examine what is successful. On the other hand, it is often more helpful to examine what has failed. Are there any tropes generally considered to make bad science fiction? Some things that pretty much everyone hates?Except for, of course, M...	Inconsistency with its own speculative science is another great failing of bad science fiction.
How to keep track of character development in a character profile? I have a character profile for every major character in my story. However, I'm having trouble organizing this profile: I don't know how to handle changes to my character as he goes through the story or how to write it down in the character profile in a ...	I may not be the best at it but for my characters I may write out a separate document where I jot down a rough timeline: age of character, main events that shaped his/her personality.
How to describe a seemingly-random doodle/symbol, whose details are significant? In my Crime/Mystery/Drama screenplay, there’s a seemingly random doodle at the bottom of a mysterious note. The random doodle looks like a three eyed stick man with a hat.It is drawn with only lines and curves. Later - it is revealed tha...	Since this is a script, not a novel or a story, go ahead and describe it from a functional standpoint when it first appears: In the bottom right corner is the Chinese character for "danger", but scrawled in such a way that it looks more like a child's stick figure. Similarly, you don't need to outline your forthcoming ...
What's the proper format for a book proposal that will be sent to multiple publishers? I'm working on a book idea ( historical fiction with creative nonfiction pieces) and I want to create a proposal for it. I haven't done much research on publishers or that process yet, but I assume I'll be submitting my proposal to m...	If you are submitting to a publisher that has their own guidelines, you should follow those , even if you are submitting many other places.
Character pivots, where to put them Normally this sort of thing is easier than actually writing the piece for me but this time I can't get anywhere with the overall structure of the story: I want a character to win a great victory, at great cost, a cost that comes to define his continued existence, is there a way to p...	In the classic hero's journey, this could be at the end first act -- If you put it in the end, your story might be a tragedy -- the m/c confronts and tries to come to terms with what happened. Your character's moment should begin at 10%, and probably peak around 15%, and then wind down the consequences by 20%, when the...
Can I name a male character Artemis? So I'm writing a story and there is a character that is a male that I want to name Artemis. The reason, simply put, is that he has a sister with a name I really like that is TECHNICALLY a boy's name (the nickname however is sweet sounding and was the reason I chose the full name). ...	From my opinion Artemis is not a name that sounds like boy or girl and can match both If there is some reason why this name is significant and the story won't work if the character has some other name, then of course do it. It's not so uncommon for boys to have girl names and otherwise. You are free do whatever you’d l...
How can I write God with a more feminine aspect and introduce it into my culture's mythology? I want to write a religion similar to Christianity but with God represented as feminine. It is meant to highlight the differences between the sexes and emphasise traits associated with women over men. This goes beyond changing...	Study religions, and find every commonality between them.
When writing non-linear, do I have to note time changes? I’m writing a non linear drama and my question is: do I have to notate what will be seen literally in the film, like age differences and such because the film won’t require much if any scene cues like “seven years later” it will all be interpreted by the viewer b...	How a time change is indicated in the finished film is up to the director.
Having an acronym for a villainous organization I have this organization in my working book called NOVA. And it means National Occupation Variation Association. they basically take people from their homes and families and force them to work on re-building the world. pretty much killing the ones that don't want to wo...	The fact that it is used by several entities makes it public domain, if that is what you are worried about.
Is there a way to make all characters to be chameleon's archetype? I've made another question which is an attempt to make all the characters be chameleons. What chameleons are?, in case you dont know, chameleons are characters that the main character / reader is not 100% sure of their intentions, thoughts and motiv...	Chameleon characters are usually most effective when there is only one of them.
Balance between character's point of views I wrote the book through the eyes of one of the characters, then added a few chapters from the other character's perspective. But now, I either need to add more chapters to the second character or figure out how to incorporate his thoughts into her chapters. I'm stuck, the 1st...	It could be done with a third person "omniscient" narrator, but if the narration follows one character then the other it would take skill to introduce the thoughts of one into a section relating to the other without the reader thinking "Hang on.
What tense do I use when talking about a character that has died? When analysing a book and speaking of a character that dies, do you still you present tense as you are still analysing a book? If I were to make up a quick example: "Despite Anna's death, the plot continues. [...] Riley says Anna wanted to die, but how ...	Like you, I would be inclined towards the past tense in those examples.
Why do I feel this about using the computer to write? Whenever I open up a word processor on the computer to write, my fingers freeze and I get nervous. I try to type the opening. I make myself write any sentence that comes into my mind, and then I read it and nothing feels right about it. The peculiar thing is that i...	It's a guess (and as Amadeus says, we can't tell for sure), but if you habitually use a computer for social media or anything else interactive, it might be that you're regarding the computer as a form of publication - as something someone else will be able to see. If you're bound and determined to use the computer, eve...
How to express sarcasm in non-dialogue text? You know how sometimes we say something sarcastically, and do the double-finger twitch that's supposed to symbolize quotation marks? How do you write that in non-dialogue text (narration)? Not describing that a character is talking like that and doing those things with his f...	You're idea of simply putting quote marks there is a good one.
How to make innocent jokes Morbid and 9/11 jokes can easily get tiring, especially if you use them too much. So, you will need a light-hearted filler humor, something that relaxes. The goals: innocent: offends nobody, and everyone laughs soft: it's enough if people feel better after hearing it, and it hardly gets t...	The trick is that if your humour has a target, that target will be the first to laugh - laughing with someone is always funnier than laughing at them.
How do I format dialogue for an AI chatbot in a screenplay? In my script, there is an AI chatbot character - ANNIE - that real characters communicate with via text. ANNIE has animated reactions and has an artificial speaking voice. Would I write ANNIE’S dialogue like any other character? Or would it be more actio...	One very useful trick for writing characters who are somewhat dumb or think differently is to change your vocabulary.
How to "Show" and not "Tell" for nervousness? I was told to ask this question here. There’s a saying in writing to “show; don’t tell” . For example, instead of naming the emotion, “She was angry”, you would show the emotions happening by saying, “Steam started coming out of her ears,” or “Her fists slowly clenched u...	Your character needs to do actions that are dictated by that feeling.
How should I start to write a flash fiction story? I recently saw a contest for writing flash fiction - the contest rules were that it had to be under 100 words long. I thought "Hey, that's cool! I'll give it a shot." So I sat down, and tried to start writing something. Emphasis on tried - nothing would come that wo...	100 words won't allow for extended plot, character development, scene-setting... Trim, revise, iterate. Some flash fiction lends itself to a twist at the end.
How can you utilize taboo themes in a setting without alienating a modern audience? All of reality exists inside the cosmic womb of the goddess. People, planets, animals, etc, were all created when she bled into the universe, birthing life to all things. The faith honors this event in a week long celebration which take...	Don't treat it as shocking -- a reader too scandalized by your subject matter probably shouldn't be reading this book to begin with. Instead, use all the tools of worldbuilding and exposition to portray this world as it is to its people .
Is it okay to sum up unimportant dialogue in the description? Let me explain Like many, I’m a huge fan of the HBO series True Detective. I was reading the script for the second episode and I noticed this: INT. STATE CID - NIGHTHart and Cohle enter the squad room, acknowledged by the RECEPTIONIST. They walk through the...	Not all dialogues are important, so it is Ok to skip them. If a character speaks, you must have it as dialogue.
How far underneath the surface is the message of a story? It seems like in some stories, you can feel the theme pervading through every element. In other stories, you don't know what you're reading about until the very last line. I'd guess I lean on the side of a bit more obvious than not, but how do I make sure that ...	The writer should just tell a good story. The advice I was given was that theme is not the author's concern.
Any details/advice on how to write on a tiny notebook/notepad in your hand while standing up? Ideas keep popping into my head while I walk, so I have a tiny memo book to jot down my thoughts. However, there's no room for my writing hand to use all the available space, I write really messily with my writing hand in the ...	Practice handwriting in a relaxed way; much of the movement should come from your shoulder and upper arm rather than wrist and fingers. You might also want to look at any custom software keyboards available for your phone, since those help as well. Learn to tuck the book-holding arm against your body to stop that hand ...
What are proper ways to end a business letter? How should you end a business letter? If you are writing a letter to your grandparents, I would use With Love from 'name' However, if you are writing a professional letter to someone important that isn't your family, how would you end the letter? The only one I can th...	Another common exit that works is "Thank you for XXXX," as in, Thank you for your interest, Thank you for your time, Thank you for considering us, It depends upon the content of the letter.
Ways to improve an article I was told to write an article for a homework assignment. The topic was "How to get good sleep?". I was given the points I had to include, and the word limit was 120-150 words. When I submitted the assignment, my teacher told me the article was not good. What should I keep in mind while writi...	Before you start, do very thorough research on the particular topic on which you are going to write. Give a one-sentence conclusion. P rioritize important tasks in the morning To create better and attractive content try not to edit while you are creating your article – just go with the flow of your thoughts.
How old do you have to be to Self-Publish? I am currently working on a novel, and this is my first novel I would want to get published. I’ve practiced writing since the age of five (I am currenlly 14), I’m most likely going to get the novel done by the age of 15. My question is: How old do you have to be to self publ...	You can be any age to self publish. If you're nearly done with a full novel at your age, you have enough determination to make it happen.
Less offensive words for 'sht' and 'fk'? I don't want to use for 'sht' and 'f**k' in my work. What else can I use that gives similar meaning? <Q> Many stories have relied upon "in-world" curses, while others have simply used words from another language or those so obscure that they have less bite. <S> In-world: I...	Take your pick from the online power thesaurus: Fk St
How would a mature teenager behave? I'm writing about a mature girl (15ish). But I'm not sure how she should act other than being polite. The way I think a mature person would act would be someone who doesn't swear, but some mature people that I know still do that. How should I write about a mature girl? Some ideas ...	To address the part of your question where you ask how to write about someone who is mature, ask yourself what maturity means to you then push your character into situations where those characteristics come into play. A mature girl might feel the impulse to do something risky or forbidden, but control herself and refra...
Writing flashbacks in novels You would have seen many movies where the flow of the story goes in such a way - The present life of the protagonist - talks with someone / sees something - reminds him something of a past experience - shows the past incident - back to the present time Now this is a good way of showing th...	But if the flashback is interesting and continues the flow or understanding of the main plot then keep it.
What is the name of the service or job title for typing handwritten manuscripts? I was thinking about paying someone to type up the handwritten pages of my novel, so that I can go straight to the editing process. (I prefer first drafts to be with pencil.). This way I can juggle more projects. For some reason I assumed ...	It seems to me you are looking for a scribe or scrivener.
What are good words to refer to the condition of objects? In RPG games objects such as weapons or armor have a certain durability represented by a number. For example a sword has 100/100 Durability. After it becomes 0/100 it means the object is broken. I want some object condition names like Perfect, Chipped, Good, Br...	It's not too hard to come up with a few general adjectives, such as tattered, damaged, mended, mint, pristine, flawless or even just old and new.
Is it annoying if you write a character getting in trouble often, even if it's not their fault? I have this girl in my story, who is around 12 years old, who is the main character of the story, or one of the main characters. She is captured by the bad guys very often, and I fear this might get annoying to the reader/vi...	You might be fine, if as you said, she shows improvement over time (escaping, avoiding capture), but if she keeps making small mistakes that lead her to get captured for the fifth time, the reader may give up on this character and your story even if "it's not her fault".
Using internal monologue for more than one or two characters It appears that most "rules" regarding internal monologue advise restricting its use to one or two POV characters. My novel, however, will have five or six major (POV) characters, and I would like to use interior monologue with perhaps four of them. I unders...	If you can make every viewpoint change clear to the reader, feel free to ignore advice about "head hopping" or "one viewpoint per scene."
Should I make my character suspect an upcoming twist or not? I have reached a point in my story in which the characters, who are in a sort of gang, will have to turn against each other. The specifics of it are not important; what is, is that capturing the main character presents an opportunity for them to gain more pow...	Make your traitor also realize the MC will suspect betrayal, so the traitor leaves behind clues or hints to the MC, so the MC suspect the wrong person of being the traitor. This can be surprising to the reader and can be very interesting.

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