@Cugini967
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: How to write a novel which is taking place entirely in a foreign country, with foreign culture and foreign characters? How to write a novel which is taking place entirely in a foreign country,
How to write a novel which is taking place entirely in a foreign country, with a foreign culture and foreign characters?
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: Re: How to detach yourself from a character you're going to kill? So, in a WW2-ish story featuring a co-ed military, I have a female soldier who is very kind and caring. I'm setting her up to
I am with @JoeMcMahon here. Depends on your choice of narrative style (journalistic like Ken Follett, or more so, Frederick Forsyth or personal like Victor Hugo). Once you choose one way to go, it remains for the entire novel, and if you have been collecting reader sympathy for your character by means other than plot points, like begging for it explicitly by saying how hopeless the character is - then you gotta keep it that way and write a long lament when she's killed in action.
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: List of symbols in dissertation with wide range of topics Currently, I am writing a dissertation in computer science, which covers a relatively wide range of topics. When creating the List of
Currently, I am writing a dissertation in computer science, which covers a relatively wide range of topics.
When creating the List of symbols I have the problem that many symbols appear several times. E.g. is used for the learning rate in Artificial Neural Networks, for the cooling rate in Simulated Annealing and for a constant in Ant Colony Optimization as multiplier of the distance.
Would you add such symbols to the List of Symbols?
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: Re: Is it bad practice to use "ahem" in dialogue? I'm writing a bit of fiction and what i have is an uncomfortable character who is clearing his throat before speaking. Is it better to say so
It honestly depends on the writing style.
Does the character clear their throat a lot? If so, I'd suggest writing out, "ahem." If not, I would go with, "[character] cleared their throat."
If your character clears their throat a lot, a good example of how to write that would be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Umbridge repeatedly clears her throat for attention and goes, "hem-hem." This incorporates her character's style as well as how often she clears her throat.
I hope this helped!
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: Re: Is it worth switching to Dvorak? I've occasionally thought about trying the Dvorak keyboard layout to improve my writing speed. However, I wonder if the speed gain is really worth the initial
Maybe learning Dvorak increases your typing speed over time, I don't have an opinion about that. However, I don't know what line of work you are into, but is typing speed really the limiting factor on your productivity?
As a software developer and fairly slow typer myself (two fingers) I never ever thought "Tjeez, I could have achieved more today if I could type faster". Difficulty understanding or solving the problem at hand is most of the time the productivity bottleneck. Other times it's (too much) procrastination. But typing speed is never the factor holding down my productivity. Also when writing emails, essays or stackexchange answers I spend more time thinking/formulating sentences in my head than actually typing.
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: Re: How should I go about introducing character as a long forgotten friend? I am having the main protagonist find their imaginary friend that they had previously forgotten. How would I make some
Like @Ceramicmrn0b says, you have to make the flashback obvious. it should be in a different paragraph for starters, maybe even after a page break. If you want to go all-in, you could possibly do a new chapter if your book is structured that way, but I wouldn't recommend it.
As for the point of view that you choose, that is entirely up to you. YOu can read books with flashbacks in them, (like one of my personal favorites, Flowers for Algernon) or just dive in ( a good link to check out is this one, it explains the flashback a bit). A word of advice on whichever POV you choose: Don't use second-person POV. It's very confusing jumping into another point of view (I'm guessing) and having it so starkly different from your book. Most novels are written in first or third-person point of view, and I would keep it that way for the flashbacks--unless you have good reason not to.
The bottom line is this: Make the flashbacks obvious and make them separate. after those two things are done, you have a pretty good start to a flashback.
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: Re: How do I keep my character's gender a complete mystery? At first my protagonist was going to be a female role, until I started having an inclination for male characters and the fact that I
Some television series have characters which play an important role but are never shown, for example Wolowitz's mom in the "Big Bang Theory" or the wife of Niles in "Frasier". Maybe you could do the same with your protagonist in your comic/visual novel. Combine this with an unisex name and you are done.
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: Re: Should I write his/her or their? I am new in this site and I hope to convey my question in a correct manner. Any employee is also entitled to receive a reference letter. This document must
In certain circles, using "they/their" to refer to a singular person of unspecified gender, might already be commonplace. However I can assure you this new language construct is far from universally know, even for native English speakers.
So for a lot of people using "they/their" to refer to a single person just looks plain weird. I think a reference letter which looks weird to the reader is of limited use for a person. Therefore if the employee in question is just a regular, old-fashioned male or female I would just stick with "he/his" or "she/her". Only if the employee in question has a non-standard (not male or female) gender I would consider "they/their".
UPDATE 10/10/2020
Based on the comments and some of the other answers I am going to slightly change my answer. I now think that the choose of the pronoun in a reference letter should depend on the (likely) target audience of that letter. So if for instance the reference letter is going to be used to secure a position at a woke US-university, by all means use "they/their" as pronouns. However if for instance the reference letter is going to be shown to an older small-business owner or be used to secure a position in a company full of Trump-loving rednecks stick with "he/his" or "she/her".
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: Asking about a possibility of a genre Can I mix science-fiction and history in a story? I mean a story that is based in historical events with a touch of science fiction, is that possible
Can I mix science-fiction and history in a story? I mean a story that is based in historical events with a touch of science fiction, is that possible or am I trying to invent something "ridiculous"
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: Re: How to plan your writing throughout the book? What is important to keep in mind when planning a book? Is it important to create every character and it's abilities before you start to write
You don't always have to plan before writing something. When I started my novel, all I wrote was a basic outline and I had about three characters envisioned, but when I got to writing, things started coming together for me. That being said, the way you write can determine if you are a "plotter" or a "pantser." If you do want to plan your novel though, and you have reached that conclusion, this blog post from Jericho Writers is a helpful starting point.
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: Re: Can a Town/City Sue an Author for a Bad Portrayal in Fiction? Lets say we choose a random town off of google maps on which to base a story where the local authorities (we won't say police,
As one of the other answers says, anybody can sue anybody else for anything at anytime, in the USA as well as a lot of other jurisdictions. However getting a positive verdict is another thing.
In the Netherlands 10 year ago a group of inhabitants actually pressed charges against a writer for slander because he wrote unfavourable about their city. However the case was ultimately dismissed by the prosecution. flevopost.nl/artikel/111837/van-casteren-verdachte-van-smaad.html?harvest_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
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: Dealing with writer's block Although I'm not that convinced with this idea but I'd like to take your advise. Can it be a good idea to skip a chapter when having writer's block?
Although I'm not that convinced with this idea but I'd like to take your advise.
Can it be a good idea to skip a chapter when having writer's block?
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: It's not out of the question to hide identity in the screenplay. In the script for Pygmalion all the principal characters are preset, but referred to by generic names: GENTLEMAN, NOTE-TAKER,
It's not out of the question to hide identity in the screenplay. In the script for Pygmalion all the principal characters are preset, but referred to by generic names: GENTLEMAN, NOTE-TAKER, FLOWER GIRL, MOTHER, DAUGHTER, and the script only refers to them by their names in scene 2 - Colonel Pickering, Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle, Mrs Eynsford Hill, Clara Eynsford Hill.
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: How are the limits of regional vernacularism/slang should be employed in a novel that is true to the area and time? What's an acceptable amount of non-standard English that can be used to depict
What's an acceptable amount of non-standard English that can be used to depict the language of a certain area of the South (Louisiana) without turning off readers? My current work in progress has dialogue from a rural community which I know is authentic, but a couple of editors have warned me that its use will turn off some readers. Likewise, I recall several books that I read in a book club that were not well received by some of the other members for the same reason.
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: Should I end my book on a major cliffhanger? I am writing a YA fantasy series, and I'm wondering if the first book should end in a major cliffhanger. Right as the book ends, the main characters
I am writing a YA fantasy series, and I'm wondering if the first book should end in a major cliffhanger. Right as the book ends, the main characters get trapped by the enemy. I'm wondering if this is too much of a cliffhanger-- would anyone want to read the next book if this one ends at such a climactic moment?
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: When in the editing process should I edit characters and their arcs? When in the self-editing stages should I edit my characters? I have researched a bit on this but I haven't found any time
When in the self-editing stages should I edit my characters? I have researched a bit on this but I haven't found any time to do that. I have mostly found how to do that, rather than when to in the editing process. I am in between deciding whether to edit characters before my structural edit, or after my structural edit and before my line-edit. Any advice?
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: When should I start thinking about chapters? I'm putting together an editing plan for myself for my novel, and someone said something that made me think of chapters. For my first draft, I hadn't
I'm putting together an editing plan for myself for my novel, and someone said something that made me think of chapters. For my first draft, I hadn't ever thought about chapters that much, only working on the writing itself. When I came to a natural break in the text, I would put a pound sign ( # ) to signal to myself that this would be a good place for a chapter to end/begin. Now I'm wondering when exactly I need to be thinking about where my chapters are.
Some info- the genre of my book is YA fantasy, and my word count is 81,600 words (roughly).
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: Re: Should I practice writing novels before starting the novel I want to write, or plan to do a lot of editting? tldr: Though I've been writing fiction for a long time, I have no real training
I would definitely start to write your Hail Mary. As long as you are prepared to go through multiple stages of editing and re-writing, which you probably will have to do if you want you're novel to get better.
If you are really committed to this idea, (Which you don't have to be, ideas come a dime a dozen for a lot of writers) then you can go through a stage of editing/rewriting after your first draft, set it aside for a while and work on something else, (for even up to a year) and then come back with fresh eyes. This can give you a chance to improve your writing technique, and get some more ideas for other pieces of writing! Then you can come back and rework your novel even more.
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: What are some good (free) writing communities? I'm new to writing, I just finished the first draft of the first novel I've written (yay!) and I'm looking for writing groups or communities that
I'm new to writing, I just finished the first draft of the first novel I've written (yay!) and I'm looking for writing groups or communities that I can benefit from. Is there a community that helps people get feedback on their writing, or one that gives advice? Anything really :)
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: Re: What is the Difference Between yWriter5 and Scrivener? I see that a lot of people like Scrivener better than yWriter. I know Scrivener is better, but my dad refuses to buy it, and I don't
If you are looking for another writing software, Zoho Writer is a great option. It can hold a lot of words without getting too glitchy, and it's completely free! You can see word count, spelling/grammatical errors, leave comments, and share with others/collaborate.
(P.S. I know this was asked four years ago, but if you are still active on this site, I hope this is helpful!)
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: How can you add light, quirky, humor or sarcasm into dialog? Looking back at my book, I'm realizing how flat the dialog is. I'm not known for being funny and I don't consider myself naturally
Looking back at my book, I'm realizing how flat the dialog is. I'm not known for being funny and I don't consider myself naturally funny, so this is hard for me. How can I make the characters talk to each other in a way that seems natural with bringing in normal humor?
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: Re: How do I write "fantasy counterpart cultures" without being accused of cultural appropriation? In my book series, the various planets of the galaxy are inhabited by different cultures, most of
You are a writer, no one has to know you are just a regular, plain white guy. Just write under a pseudonym and choose a very cultural ambiguous name. This way your readers can't be sure you are not a member yourself of one the appropriated cultures.
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: Re: Tense-inadequate but Meaningful I was writing the conclusion to one of my short stories in which the main character has to endure a bit of humiliation so that everyone else gets to have a
Both the simple present and the present continuous sound a bit off combined with simple past in that way. Also, keep may not be the best verb to use, holding, clinging to, grabbing, riding, surfing etc. may be better.
Difficult to say what would sound better without knowing the preceding paragraph, but maybe use past continuous: "They were holding the high, but he took the volume."
Or my pick: "They were riding the high, but he was saddled with the volume."
Edit: alternatively try using the word "still" in the first half, along with present continuous - i.e. "They are still keeping the high, but he took the volume" or use because in the second half with the past tense - i.e. "They keep the high because he took the volume" either works
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: Re: Should a writer be a good reader? Someone who wants to be a writer, has a good idea in his/her brain but is not much of a reader. Can that person be a good writer given that he/she has
Reading or listening to a written story told to you is the only way to witness examples of how to tell a story with just words. It's how you learn to craft pictures of the mind in the heads of your readers. Compare these three:
The streetlight flickering, unsteady shadows, a single man waiting.
Bob stood at the corner of mainstreat and first avenue. It rained. The light at this corner was defective. It flickered.
He stood at a corner, the flickering of the old bulb above him casting unsteady shadows in the puddle at his feet.
One is written as a poem, beautiful in it's own right, but not suitable to begin a story. The second example sounds rather rough, almost like a kid's essay. The last one takes what is essential to the picture and tries to make it one fluid description that reads easily.
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: Translate or keep terms with diverse meanings? I struggle with a passage in a text that I gave in three translations. In one, the original word is kept, but as it's ancient Greek and I don't
I struggle with a passage in a text that I gave in three translations. In one, the original word is kept, but as it's ancient Greek and I don't speak Greek I had to look it up. In the other two different words with corresponding meanings were chosen, but they carry much different connotations from another.
A similar thing happens for example when trying to translate the Japanese term Zanshin(sp?) which is in Martial Arts a concept of battle awareness but also preparedness and center and about a dozen other things.
How should one deal with such words where short translations don't come close to convey the actual meaning of what is written in the original?
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: Re: World Building vs Story Writing Note, this might be off-topic and belong on World Building SE? I have always been far more interested in building the world my stories take place in than the
The big thing to ask yourself is: "Do I have a story I want to tell". If the answer is yes, then grit your teeth and stick with it. There are a great many ways, discovered by many different writers, to help with writer's block. And getting bored with your story and giving up is actually a form of writer's block. Look them up and find a way that helps for you.
If what you really want to do is to build worlds, however, your options are a bit different.
You can design campaign settings for roleplaying games, for instance. If you are at all interested in playing role playing games, you can also get together with some people who would be interested in using your world for their games. Then you can let the stories "write themselves" so to speak - something that worked brilliantly for Ed Greenwood et. al. with their Forgotten Realms world. They built the world, played in it, developed it some more, kept playing and then eventually turned their games and character backstories into books and sold both books and campaign setting to Wizards of the Coast.
Another alternative is to find a co-author to collaborate with - someone who has a head full of fantasy stories in search of a world, or just someone who can help keep you focused and keep the story writing side fun and interesting. This doesn't work for everyone, but when it does it's great.
Once your books or campaign setting hits the shelves, you can publish all sorts of history books, atlasses, etc. for your world.
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: Re: Do the references need to be in sequential order with the chapters? I am writing a non-fiction book. I am not writing the chapters sequentially e.g. the first chapter first and then second
There are a number of different ways this issue is handled in practice. The most common is for each chapter's references to be placed at the end of the chapter and to start from 1 again for each chapter. I have also seen works that have all references throughout the book included in a single, continuous numbering system, but this is far less common.
The easiest way to handle a non-fiction work that is reference heavy in MS Word would be to create each chapter as a separate document, then create your main document as a merge template. If you do it correctly, swapping chapters/paragraphs etc. around will see your numbering systems updated automatically.
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: Re: Publishing other peoples anecdotes I have asked friend and relations a question and want to publish the answers with their name by the answer. If I ask them if they mind it being publishes
If you use other people's stories / anecdotes you have to have their written permission and/or the permission of their parents/guardians if the person is under 18 (or whatever the legal age is in your country). You also need permission to reveal their names - this is a separate issue, some people prefer to remain anonymous, in which case you have to make sure you don't give away their identity/address in your writing.
This is especially important when using minors as sources, because you will not just end up with a lawsuit, you will end up in jail - revealing the identity of a minor or writing about one without permission is a criminal offence in most places.
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: Re: What is the literary term for a technique where expectation is built up by hinting at the future? I've been reading a fantasy-novel series where the author cleverly seeds expectation in the
Foreshadowing.
Mostly divided into four types (although not everyone agrees on this)
direct foreshadowing: clear/open direct hints at the outcome (mostly in dialogue or internal monologue)
indirect foreshadowing: subtle, indirect hints about the possible plotline
prophesy: a crucial event is foretold, usually in an obscure manner and without giving away details
omens/symbolism: use of symbolic elements or superstitions e.g., the appearance of a raven (or hadida in some African countries) on a roof is said to predict a death under that roof
Sometimes indirect foreshadowing or omens are difficult to see or interpret, and sometimes they are misinterpreted. Some authors will even tell you a lot of the so-called indirect foreshadowing and or omens in their stories are the invention of the reviewer/critic and not intentional.
You can read more at:
literaryterms.net/foreshadowing/ udleditions.cast.org/craft_elm_foreshadowing.html literarydevices.net/foreshadowing/ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-foreshadowing-foreshadowing-literary-device-tips-and-examples#5-foreshadowing-examples-and-techniques
When looking for explanations or definitions, the Literary Terms and Author's Craft sites are good resources, especially for people who are new at writing, as it also has some tips and tricks. Unfortunately, both of them have pretty useless internal search functions, so you would do well to brush up on your google-fu (or bing-fu if you must). Also, as a general tip: don't use Wikipedia as your only or even main source.
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: Re: I'm writing a prologue from the POV of a non-English-speaking character. How should I write the dialogue? Picturing this in movie form would be easy. I would have the character speak their native
Many of the previous answers are about dialog or solutions that would only work for a few lines, rather than a whole chapter or prologue.
The exceptions are:
The "translated document" approach:
Popular and works well unless you want your prologue to have immediacy, e.g., the POV character is involved in an action- or emotion-heavy experience that would not have the same impact in a letter or diary.
Just use English / Let the reader figure it out:
The best approach if you need immediacy - action/emotion
The latter is the best approach if the prologue is 1st person POV for a good reason.
However, if you do go this route, the English has to sound natural, like a native speaker.
Also be sure to give the reader some clues - given names and place names if your other race looks human as these will usually not be "translated" later, or if they are not physically similar to humans, you can also use descriptions of the people or surroundings around your POV character that show clearly they are not human without being jarring/out of place - e.g., a person having a healthy green glow or clacking their mandibles in irritation or juggling bags in their upper arms while holding on to their children with their lower hands/palps or their gills turning green from the disgusting taste/smell in the water, etc.
Think of the things you would see on a human face - flaring nostrils, frown lines, raised eyebrow/s, eyes narrowing, smiles, a nervous twitch, etc. and give your aliens some different body language along with the verbal.
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