@Murray165
Last seen: Mon 17 May, 2021
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: How do I make this scene exciting? I developed this character that sees her beloved one going through lethal injection. The character is in charge of the process. The character is going to enjoy
I developed this character that sees her beloved one going through lethal injection.
The character is in charge of the process.
The character is going to enjoy the dominance and the power she has over the prisoner.
I'm not sure how should I describe this without making it creepy.
Also, as she straps the prisoner down and tries to calm him down, she sees his erection. (There's no erotic scene, that's his body's reaction)
She knows that he's anxious and scared,... what kind of appropriate comment or reaction should she have to make the prisoner comfortable?
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: Re: Your character has something wrong with them, they are supposed to be strong I am a young author writing a fantasy series. In my story, my MC is strong, resilient, and always needs to look
Breaking character is ok
Your main character, and, in fact, any of the characters can break their character (no pun intended) - just not at any moment. There must be a crisis, strong enough to shake a person to cause her to reveal her inner side. This crisis would pass, and the person may even regret this "moment of weakness", but the cat would be out of the bag. The other person would know the secret, and, depending on your plot, would try to exploit it, or offer genuine help.
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: Re: How to progress a fantasy novel that is also slice of life? I am currently writing a novel where I mix the genre fantasy, sci-fi, and slice of life. My plan is to make the main character
Sorry to have noticed and what you really seem to be asking is what or how to write, it not both…
There is nothing bad about mixing genres, in itself. Whether a given author has the skill to do that is a different Question. Which matters most to you?
It sounds as though rather than “writingâ€, you’re “hoping to writeâ€â€¦ can you clarify?
When your main character saves the city using fantasy, how does that work? More importantly, how does that matter?
When you use a slice-of-life for drama, how does that work? How does that show what your world looks like, or make the characters “really precious†- whatever that means?
The actual problem seems to be that you have a rather vague idea with nothing to support it. How is that conclusion not reasonable?
If you don't know how to make a slice of life interesting, why not go back to the point where you can state what you do know and work from there?
What you have so far Posted doesn’t suggest anything about 'what is in that world’, nor 'what happened in that world’.
How to progress would be to tell the main plot, recognising that neither slice-of-life nor any other genre matters… which should lead you to Ask why you mind about a novel or anime or anything else?
Most obviously what you should do is write, far and away above asking what or how or why to write.
The rule you should know is: “Write, far and away above asking what or how or why to write."
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: Re: If I remove the capacity for one of the primary flaws, is it inevitable I end up with a boring character? In this world, there are mortals (human beings) and divine beings (gods/goddess). The
No, it is is by no means inevitable that by eliminating any one - or set of, including all - flaw, you end up with a boring character.
If what you're am asking is what flaws, make a person interesting and well/rounded then why not alter the Question to reflect that?
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: Re: If I remove the capacity for one of the primary flaws, is it inevitable I end up with a boring character? In this world, there are mortals (human beings) and divine beings (gods/goddess). The
Consider putting your character into situations where what makes the character interesting is not the character's courage.
Consider:
How would an irredeemably courageous hero handle the trolley problem?
A dastardly villain has trapped the hero on a runaway trolley. There is no way to derail or stop the trolley. If the trolley maintains its course it will run over and kill a victim. The hero can change the trolley's course, but then it will run over and kill 5 victims. No matter what choice the hero makes someone will die.
The hero being courageous will make a decision, and will feel confident in that decision. Maybe the hero leaves the trolley as is because sparing 5 lives at the cost of 1 life is somehow in line with his ethics. Maybe the hero diverts the trolley because the 1 life is his crush and he thinks that person will fall in love with him if saved.
Either way someone will die and the hero being a hero will be sad. The hero has to live with this sadness. The hero might have to meet the families of those who have died no matter how much he doesn't want to. The thought of not meeting with those families never occurs to him. He has to get up the next day and wear a brave face in public not because he wants to but because he doesn't know how not to.
Courage isn't a lack of fear. Nor is cowardice the presence of fear. Courage is going through the motions anyway despite being afraid because that's what needs to be done.
I can see this character running across hot coals to achieve his goal. Crying in pain. Cursing and complaining through it the whole time. Hating every second of the trial, but going through with it anyway because he feels it is what needs to be done. He isn't capable of letting fear or pain stop him from doing it. And this makes him interesting.
The character is allowed to experience fear, and to make decisions based on that fear, but cannot let his fear make the decisions for him.
"Why are you crying? I thought you were the god of courage?"
"I am the god of courage, sniffle but getting struck by lightning sucks."
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: In my experience, the best way to use your interests to catch people's eye is to just do it, enjoy it, be seen to be enjoying it. People are attracted to happy people enthusiastically doing
In my experience, the best way to use your interests to catch people's eye is to just do it, enjoy it, be seen to be enjoying it.
People are attracted to happy people enthusiastically doing what they like doing.
Friendships and relationships tend to flow naturally from that.
Anyone who would mock you for your aspirations isn't worth caring about.
As far as being "too young" to be an author goes..
Twelve is pretty young, but Mozart was writing symphonies at nine.
Age is just a number and it has no bearing on your ability to create things that are worth making.
Maybe you'll write the next best-seller and I'll be seeing your book advertised on the high street in a year or two, or maybe you'll have a lot of fun in obscurity for a while.
That's okay. Getting good takes time and practice.
Write your books, if you're proud of them then find ways to share them with people you think might appreciate them.
Above all, have fun!
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: Re: Not sure how to continue my story I'm writing a story (I think a bit long to post here, but I could if someone would like), which is a metaphor for depression. In the story (from a 3rd
Ignore all else and set a time and a word-length.
Take a new sheet of paper and type "He's in an empty room, with the shutters closed and the lights off. He's just sat on the bed…"
Continue writing with no pause at all until you reach the time or word-length, even if that means you expend all your effort writing nothing but "blank blank blah la blank…"
If you do write nothing but "blank blank blah la blank…" take a break - for a cup of tea or for a whole day - then go back and do it again…
When you write anything else, build on that, or go back or both.
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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
You should use "their" but never with the wording you Posted.
Try "All employees are also entitled to receive reference letters. Such documents must contain assessments of the performance of the employees in their posts."
It is among those who don't care about the language, or at best consider preventing the possibility of gender-based discrimination more important than learning to use the language properly that "Their" is used as you suggest.
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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
All depends on the employee and the people who would be presented with this reference.
As of today, using "they" is considered "progressive", while using "he/she" is considered "conservative".
If there is any clear indication which pronoun employee would prefer, go with it. However, it is not so often that this preference is known.
Second, if your organization has any guidelines or standard practices for using pronouns, follow them. Note that this is a quickly changing subject, so if your organization exclusively used "he/she" five years ago, it may be different by now.
And last, use your own judgement. Who would be the likely recipient of this reference? Any chance they would like it one way or the other?
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: How do i write a sci fi/horror story that's not too cliche? I'm currently writing a story based around a human subject with superpowers who escapes out of a lab after like 12 years of excruciating
I'm currently writing a story based around a human subject with superpowers who escapes out of a lab after like 12 years of excruciating pain. The forced mind control not working anymore, then tries to get their former life back.
Basically starting with their 15 year old son who barely even remembers what his parents actually were like, apart from an old picture.
As I'm outlining, it's so hard not to use obvious tropes and cliches that are basically everywhere, so any help is welcome.
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: Re: How to make my evil genius, evil and likeable? I am working on a story from an 'Igor'/lab assistants' point of view. They work for a modern day 'Evil scientist', Dr Levo. Igor has a good
By showing something that your readers can see in themselves. Normally authors use moral values for this purpose as they're believed to be universal. However, there are other things universal among humanity like survival instinct, jealousy, a search of higher purpose etc.
There are many books out there with evil protagonist. I'll list a few on the top of my head.
Overlord series
originally written in japanese, but english translations are available. Hero is a skeleton monstrosity.
This is a amateur novel but same theme. Check a few chapters.
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: Book pricing in the US I’m publishing a nonfiction emotional guide book with an assisted publishing group in India. My target audience is Indian diaspora in America. The assisted publishers
I’m publishing a nonfiction emotional guide book with an assisted publishing group in India. My target audience is Indian diaspora in America. The assisted publishers are pricing my 180 page 6x9 paperback book at with Ingram. And suggested .99 for the e-book. I don’t agree with or understand this pricing.
I’ve asked them to get the price down to < but they say it’s impossible to do that for print on demand. I’ve asked for the e book to goto .99
My question is:
Should I ditch the Ingram and publishers route and just goto amazon and publish by myself?
(They’re also going to run a free ebook campaign to get its reviews and ratings up)
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: Need a driving circumstance to drive mc into new world I’m struggling to find a driving circumstance for my character to want to enter train and get better in my fictional world. I have
I’m struggling to find a driving circumstance for my character to want to enter train and get better in my fictional world. I have tried letting the antagonist try to kill him to drive him there but I’m not sure I want to reveal him as the chosen one from the beginning also I don’t want members of the civilization knowing he’s the chosen one. I’m trying to find some political or societal reason to drive the plot at first any ideas or what you’ve seen done well.
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: Re: Page numbering. Empty pages for notes include in page numbering? I have a few questions about the page numbering of the last few pages of my book. I have a section with further resources.
There are no universal rules.
If your organisation has a style of its own, follow that.
Otherwise, go to any library or bookshop and look closely at however many books it takes to show clearly how others have already done it.
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: Re: Can you omit words from a sentence and correctly cite that text? In a source, I have the sentence: Trafficking in children from Togo, Nigeria, Mali, to Cote d’Ivoire’s plantation and domestic
Of course not; not as in your example.
You either cite the exact text, or you show how you've changed it. Is that much truly not obvious?
That is more, not less important when - as here - the original text is unclear.
"Trafficking in children from (anywhere) in countries of the European Union…" is broadly comprehensible only from assumed context, not from the text itself.
("… I wrote actually I only need it…" means what, please?)
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: Re: How exactly does a book go from typewritten pages into an actual mass-produced unit ready for the consumer, and do authors have any control? I want to be clear that I'm asking about this both
Sorry, Amori L; 1970s or 1950s or 1920s or longer ago perspectives are in no useful way different, for the simple reason that the technology is relevant to printing, not to publishing.
It simply doesn't work the way you suggest (and crucially, where did you get those ideas?)
There are three roles involved: author, publisher and printer… they could be only two entities, or a single person.
I happen to have experience or knowledge or both of today’s and all your 1970s or 1950s or 1920s methods and I notice you seem to be confusing “printing†- exclusively about technique - with “publishing†- dealing with everything else.
Since the 1920s printing has changed greatly; publishing, hardly at all.
Let's not bother to say anything, ever, about how Mr Author got a type- or manuscript to a publisher. Who thinks that could matter, speak up!
You missed out all that matters after (someone) receives the work, most obviously that if there is really one person turning a script into pages that’s a rare co-incidence; not at all industry custom or practice. There will usually be several; often many people involved.
Hoping you follow the differences among author, publisher and printer, long before and far above the purely technical processes you imagine, author and publisher will negotiate what authority either has to make changes, and why.
That has nothing to do with typographical rules and impacts the fixing of typos only in the event that the author insists no changes be made; possible, yet highly unlikely.
“… changing the formatting of the script†means what, please?
To re-iterate, no; your idea is not at all how it works.
The one difference technology makes between 1920s’ and today’s methods is that yes, Mr Author today can deliver “the actual final book", formatted as he wants it to be printed.
If you were to write a book yourself, it would be up to you to negotiate a contract stipulating all that mattered to you, including whether the quoting style used "dash quotesâ€, never mind what a particular market expected.
The same applies to "fixing†what you may have intended, or words made up yourself, and precisely how the proof-readers tell the difference.
Most publishers would refuse to handle your book if you insisted on 100% control; the more so if you presented what you Posted here as justification.
Many printers would print what they were given, legalities excepted.
Whether you do it yourself or use an ordinary publisher broadly, four things count: editing; printing; distribution; marketing.
Editing, you negotiate…
Printing should be a done deal; basically, a matter of copying…
Distribution and marketing are quite separate.
Distribution is highly unlikely to be anything an author would take an interest in, beyond "The more the merrier"…
Marketing might well be something over which the author wanted complete control. Artistically, that’s wholly reliant on the content. Technically, they’re hardly connected.
Of course publishers allowing the author more control will charge more, or take a bigger cut of the profits. Is it not ever thus?
How is it confusing that some books are published by different companies/people from different countries and times? Would you expect all books to be published by the same companies/people in the same countries at the same time?
“Public domain" is basically "out of copyright," which broadly means either the work is too old to qualify for copyright in a particular jurisdiction or the copyright owner - often but by no means necessarily the author - has relinquished all rights.
If you have a special definition of “the original script" please explain it. Otherwise yes, people do just photocopy the actual pages directly. I have a good dozen such books on my shelves.
More expensively yes, they OCR existing books…
If the books are dated, fine. Otherwise to re-format “slightly†would be no protection against copyright infringement. To the extent the original work was recognisable through your re-formatting, you’d be liable.
Far more than feasible, it’s commonplace for today’s authors to deliver PDF files to be printed. What you seem to be missing is that no special skill is involved.
Anyway, why do you Ask?
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: Re: Not wanting to "spoil" a story due to lack of skill I have a story that is dear to me and that I would very much want to write about. However, I don't have lots of experience in writing
The only "gridlock" is caused by hesitation; pausing to ask, instead of writing.
If you have a story you believe deserves to be told, tell it. If you must, ask yourself whether the story is better told badly, or not at all?
Of course, when you want to write about the things you want to write about, that's what you should do.
If you believe this is different from carving or drawing, painting or poetry, sculpture or any other art form, why not ask a few artists - even would-be artists? It's almost guaranteed they will correct you, whatever their chosen media.
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: Re: Mixing up mythology So I am writing a book in which I want to include gods from different mythologies, like Erebus from greek and Heka from egyptian mythology. but I don't know how I should
Why run before you can walk?
First write three or four stories each touching on any one mythology.
That done, won't the Question have Answered itself?
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: Re: Quoting another poem in your own I wanted to intentionally reference a famous Dylan Thomas poem in a poem of my own. I wondered whether there is a convention for how to do this or if it
rolfedh's concise answer seems sufficient, but the following long answer may add some value.
The question of how to quote another's work in one's poetry has two components: how the quotation should be demarcated and how attribution should be expressed.
Demarcation of Quotations
Using quotation marks is the most straightforward way of indicating a quotation and is the most appropriate for expressing a distinction between the quoted material and the statements of the poem's speaker. This separation may be desired when the quoted text is argued against, used an appeal to authority, or set up for more abstract consideration. Quotation marks, like other punctuation, can also influence the pacing of the poem, slowing the reader. This slowing is desirable if one wishes the reader to consider the quote briefly and natural when placed at an intended pause but would be particularly problematic in the middle of an intense, rapid flow.
Italics provide a subtler demarcation. Italics are commonly used in fiction to distinguish thoughts from speech and thus can provide a sense of internal connection. Italics are also more likely to be appropriate for very short quotations (e.g., two words), especially when such are broadly distributed throughout the poem. Italics do introduce the danger of implying emphasis more than just distinction; this is particularly likely for very short quotations. Moderating the implied emphasis can be accomplished by earlier establishing the use (e.g., length or familiarity can establish italicized words as quotes) or ensuring that the tone and flow would not naturally support interpretation as emphasis. Interpretation as mere light emphasis may not detract substantially from the poem since italicized quotations are generally more internalized; the distinction between a moving quotation and the speaker's own passionate thoughts is not critical.
The use of single quotation marks — outside of nested quotations — seems to provide a separation and formality intermediate between italics and double quotation marks. Single quotation marks might be preferred for quoting a folk saying when using such as statement of truth; the folk saying is less formal and likely more internalized than a classic quotation but is meant to have an authority.
Not specifically indicating a quotation is an attractive option when the quotation is familiar, deeply integrated into the speaker's expression, or paraphrased or otherwise not strictly quoted. Allusions and paraphrases (unless the source is in a different language) should not use quotation marks since such indicates precise quotation. Italics or single quotation marks might be acceptable for casual, approximate quotations, especially when the speaker is using such as a reference or the difference from the true quote is being emphasized. Even use of double quotation marks may be appropriate if used as an ironic indication of accuracy, for example:
I learned a lot from Hamlet's solemn plea:
"to live a life in tights or not to be"
This mangling might, with adequate context (possibly beyond the "solemn plea"/"soliloquy" wordplay and "life in tights"), be recognized as a humorous misquotation, possibly thought by the speaker to be accurate.
Extensive inclusion of quotations can also argue against specific demarcation; peppering one's poem with quotation marks is more likely to be distracting than edifying. Even moderate but regular use of quotations may justify lack of markings. For example, if the fourth line of every eight line stanza is a quotation, even italics may be too prominent, especially if the intended effect is to subtly unify the quotations and the poem.
Poetry is granted significant license to violate conventional grammar, but this freedom should be used to enhance expression — emotion, context, pacing, art — not as an indulgence for sloppiness.
Attribution of Quotations (and Allusions)
Attributions serve multiple purposes. They endorse the source, hinting that the reader may enjoy the source or other works by the source's author. The enthusiasm of this endorsement influences the reader's perception of the poem. If reader is familiar with the author or the specific source, the reader's positive or negative attachments to that source are linked to the writer of the poem and to the poem itself.
Attributions influence the tone with which the poem is perceived. Using the title "Wonderment: Considerations on Gerard Manley Hopkins' 'The Windhover'" gives a very different impression from "Wonderment¹" with the footnote "¹ Composed after reading Gerard Manley Hopkins 'The Windhover'". Excluding explicit citation can present a subtly intimate tone with readers familiar with the source, like accidentally learning that one shares a special interest with an acquaintance. Leaving out a citation, especially when other works are cited, may be taken as a slight, especially if appreciation is not expressed in the poem or a quotation is easily mistaken as one's own creation.
Attributions also borrow associations from the source or the source's author. Beyond the tone implied in the form — or absence — of citation, an attribution may appeal to authority ("I am only repeating what Homer wrote"), stir affection ("like Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I will speak of love"), or hint of beauty ("John Keats' bright words flow into my not unlovely stream"). Citation emphasizes the connection. This emphasis may seem arrogant, fatuous, reverent, precisely correct, or formally dull, substantially depending on how the relationship to the source is handled in the work.
Finally, attributions give credit for inspiration or content. This formal purpose of attribution is somewhat less a matter of artistic choice; attribution may be required by licensing, publication policies, or mere courtesy. This aspect also often constrains the expression of attribution
The purposes of attributions provide some guidance for how attributions should be handled.
Including attributions in the text of a poem is often contrary to the expression of the poem, potentially drawing the reader out of the text (which is usually undesired). However, such can be natural expression when the quote is presented by the speaker as a quotation, especially when the identification of the source is significant for the speaker. Self-talk and speech among those with common interests typically elides citation, so explicit citation may introduce significant emphasis.
Externalizing the subject in thought or address provides opportunity for citation. "Miss Barrett's words still stand that love, mere love,/is beautiful indeed and worthy of" and "Shakespeare, were you so dull as to believe/that love can be 'an ever fixed mark/That looks on tempests and is never shaken'?" are somewhat natural inclusions of attributions.
Including attribution in the title is less likely to interfere with the poetry and may provide appropriate context for the poem, which is one role of titles anyway. This attribution can be precise and clear ("On Reading Shakespeare's 13th Sonnet"), general and vague ("Byronic Wit"), or even cryptic and playful ("Comfort from Liberty's Poet" — referring to Emma Lazarus' "Assurance").
A common technique for establishing context is to use an opening quotation distinct from the poem. While such can be used merely to provide general context, it can also indicate the source for more subtle references or quotations without attribution within the poem. For example:
Wonderment
Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!
Gerard Manley Hopkins
"The Windhover"
The use of a footnote attached to the title — if all references are to a single source — is perhaps the least obtrusive of methods of attribution.
More explicit attribution is more important when the quotation may be unfamiliar to the reader or the source less easily discovered via web search. Brief quotes, particularly using common words, quotes which are not explicitly marked as such, and quotes from less prominent sources are more difficult to identify.
Whether attribution should be included is a question similar to whether translation of words from other languages should be included. Attributions are less important for many quotations of classics; the quotation may be broadly recognized or at least the source be easily discovered, just as one would typically not need to translate mon ami or sic transit gloria mundi. Unlike translation, attribution involves credit and, sometimes, endorsement (in either direction) and not just identification. In addition, like translation, the broader one's readership in time or culture, the more helpful clear attribution becomes.
Publication Context and Attribution
Publication context significantly influences the form that attribution can and should take when it is not integrated into the poem or its title. On one's personal website, reduced space and formatting constraints facilitate extensive notes on works: inspirations, artistic critiques, personal significance, etc. Using links, hide/show buttons, or sidebars (when targeting wider displays) can keep extensive comments from distracting from the poetry itself.
For one's own printed publication, while length is only money and formatting is limited only by the medium, one still should consider the effect on the reader. For a poem meant only to be read and enjoyed, one would prefer not to draw attention away from the text. Attaching a footnote to the title of the text would be preferred for this use; e.g., [title]'Feeling the D.T.s°', [at the foot of the page]'° Quotations and references are from Dylan Thomas' ""'. In a scholarly presentation, drawing attention away from the text on the first reading is unexceptional.
On a poetry sharing forum, length is usually not a significant constraint, but formatting often prevents reducing the prominence of commentary. Such contexts often also lack support for internal linking. For shortish single poem postings, end-of-post comments have sufficient proximity to the relevant text of a poem that this is not especially problematic. For longer poems, the use of unlinked endnotes may be the best choice, with endnote references and clarifications placed before more extensive and more general commentary.
For a printed poetry journal, space, pagination, and formatting style significantly restrict the length and placement of comments. On the other hand, journals may have formal policies about attribution. If all the quotations are from a single text or a single author, one attributing footnote for the first quotation or attribution in the title may suffice.
An online poetry journal, while free from most physical constraints, will have stylistic formatting constraints and expectations about attribution.
Poetry journals, being more formal, are likely to have established policies with respect to attribution. If such policies are not found or are unclear, a brief email exchange can answer questions about a journal's policies and preferences.
Examples
Consider the following fragment:
My case I thus did firmly press;
She questioned then my eagerness,
"The grave's a fine and private place,
But none I think do there embrace?"
I answered with my bounded wit,
"If you could make our sun but sit,
I would not love at lower rate.
I can but on your bidding wait.
Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near
Should never be a cause for fear;
Beyond all hasty worldly strife,
Past heaven's golden gate of life,
Gardens of vast eternity
Can but enshrine your rich beauty.
Yet love in truth can know a haste
Which would see no time left to waste."
This is so crammed with quotes and references to Andrew Marvell's famous "To His Coy Mistress" that no one would think the references accidental, incidental, or mere plagiarism. ("The grave’s a fine and private place,/But none, I think, do there embrace."; "Thus, though we cannot make our sun/Stand still, yet we will make him run."; "Nor would I love at lower rate."; "Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near;"; "Through the iron gates of life:"; "Deserts of vast eternity.") Because Marvell's poem is so well known and the references so extensive — though not marked as such — explicit attribution is less necessary, but the title could easily provide attribution — e.g., "After Sharing 'To His Coy Mistress'" (which sets the context and explains the density of the references for both speakers as well as clearly providing attribution).
Note that none of the quotes are marked by quotation marks or italics. Quotation marks would have been awkward given the quoting of speech in the fragment. In addition, the conversational and somewhat playful tone make formal quoting less appropriate. This integration also points to a natural use of poetic references for the speakers. If an argument rather than an appeal was being made, marking quotations would give some sense of appeal to an authority.
The next fragment uses italics:
*But that which fairest is, but few behold,*
Why then should I be granted this bright gold
Whose heart is iron and clay, all intermixed?
Using italics to mark the quotation (from Edmund Spencer's, Amoretti, Sonnet 15), presents it as a remembrance in the speaker's thoughts. The use of quotation marks would have introduced a greater sense of distance ([it is said that] "..."); italics present the quote as an intimate, tender heart-truth. The length (and demarcation) of the quote make web search easy, but the reference is probably too obscure (even if the work was a Spencerian sonnet) for attribution to be omitted. In some publication contexts a brief side note, likely in a reduced font, would be sufficient: (Amoretti). A title such as "I am not Edmund Spencer" might be sufficient attribution while also providing the usual function of a title.
Here is another example of using italics:
Now steadfast husband, fate-tried hero stand
Be *strong in will to strive, to seek, to find,*
*and not to yield* nor quarter ever grant
Italics are used in this case to avoid the disruption of pacing quotation marks would introduce while also indicating the inclusion of a quotation. The poem would presumably make other references to Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Ulysses" and use that connection to enhance the tone, so denoting such references is important to the expression.
In this case, using a fully attributed quotation from the source before the poem text would probably be most appropriate for communicating attribution. Such establishes some context and marks the significance of that source to the poem's text. This can be especially powerful and clear when the quotation preceding the text is partially repeated in the poem text, assuming sufficient separation that the reuse is subtly resonant rather than dully repetitive. While a title such as "Encouragement from Tennyson's 'Ulysses'" would also work, a preceding quotation gives greater significance to the source as an inspiration and as a great work. The latter significance may also be added in part to the poem itself.
The following example uses quotation marks:
"What oft was thought," but that is not quite true;
The author must be given her full due.
...
The nature of a few might so be dressed,
But love, before, was "ne'er so well expressed."
The quotation in the first line is clearly presented as both authoritative ('it is well known that') and distinct. Using italics would have given such a softer tone (both less distinct and less argumentative).
The quotation in the last line forms a closing agreement and intensification of the body. By closing the work with the latter half of the quotation, the writing experiences a compression, as if the intervening lines were but a light digression on a well-established truth. Beginning with "Alexander Pope did not go far enough in this case when he wrote 'True wit is nature to advantage dressed/What oft was thought but ne'er so well expressed.'" and ending with "Nevertheless, Pope rightly states that extraordinary expression of meaning, as exemplified in our subject, distinguishes the excellent poem." — this parenthesis gives a sense of weight to the internal content.
The lesser familiarity of the source also urges the use of quotation marks. The quote is sufficiently unique that explicit attribution could be avoided. (On my website, attribution is provided in the comments on the work.) Internal attribution of the quote would have weakened the presentation both by length and by lessening such to merely one source indicating a truth rather than a bald statement of fact. Poetry often favors vigor over rigor.
This fragment inlines explicit attribution and uses quotation marks:
The Bard wrote well and true: "love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds".
Affection like a spring-clock downward winds,
But true love knows no stay nor stop. Above
All movements of the human heart its end
Is set eternally and will not bend.
In this case, the speaker is using the quotation as a well-known, authoritative statement. The explicit internal attribution contributes to the argument and the demarcation sets apart the quote as a mathematician might set apart the statement of a base theorem before presenting proofs of its derived lemmas.
This fragment uses no demarcation of the quotation:
To be, or not to be, I will not ask;
Outrageous fortune's not my enemy.
Though troubles rage about me like the sea,
I will not turn from my appointed task.
Because the source is extremely well known, at least for "To be, or not to be", attribution is unnecessary. Since the quotes are short (and intermingled with the text), demarcation of the quotes would be more distracting than helpful. The lack of demarcation also personalizes the quotations. Formal quotation would be awkward, even silly:
"To be, or not to be," I will not ask;
"Outrageous fortune"'s not my enemy.
Though "troubles" rage about me like the "sea",
I will not turn from my appointed task.
The following example likewise lacks demarcation:
I doubt and hope: Is love as strong as death?
And oaths of love, do they retrieve as well?
The work's title, "Reading Sonnets after Loss", hints at the source (Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese, specifically Sonnet 27 — "That Love, as strong as Death, retrieves as well.") but does not declare it. The attribution of the reference is important to more fully appreciating the work, and a web search is more likely to link to Song of Songs. However, any rabid fan of Sonnets from the Portuguese — for whom the significance would be greater — would recognize the reference and feel a more intimate appreciation.
Attribution does not add substantially to the emotion of this work, particularly if the reader does not have a fondness for Sonnets from the Portuguese. I do include attribution on my website both because I encourage people to read Sonnets from the Portuguese and because I generally provide some commentary for better understanding or appreciating the work.
In this case explicit demarcation, besides being somewhat awkward, would mar the sad but strong tone and distance the words that she treats as her lover's own, bound deeply in her heart.
Conclusion
The manner in which quotations are indicated influences the formality, importance, and separation from the speaker with which they are perceived. Poetry is allowed to violate conventions for the sake of emotional or artistic expression, but conventions establish expectations and influence the reader's perception.
Attribution is not always necessary but increases in importance based on expected unfamiliarity, which is influenced by the breadth of the expected audience. The form that attribution takes influences the reader's perception of the poem; attributions can flow naturally in the poem itself, but often such would detract from the poem and be better placed in the title or a footnote.
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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
Why bother? Shakespeare doesn't have Julius Caesar speaking Latin.
If there's something that's important to the story that doesn't translate exactly (a k'wel@p is similar to a horse, but with six legs) add footnotes or parenthetical comments.
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: Writing an emotionless character? I need help writing a character that doesn't like other people and rarely shows emotion due to high amounts of emotional trauma? He would let a person die if
I need help writing a character that doesn't like other people and rarely shows emotion due to high amounts of emotional trauma?
He would let a person die if they were no longer of any use to him.
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: Re: How to write the same event with a different POV? I am aiming to change POV in the middle of my book, based on my previous question and I have yet to decide where to start the second POV.
If you are revealing new facts by using a different POV, then sure, use it. Many works of fiction use that approach for big plot twists or reveals.
As far as particular techniques are involved, make sure the reader understands which POV is used. If all of your book up to the point is written from a single POV, and then you do the switch, it indeed may be confusing.
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: Re: How do I refer to an unnamed protagonist in third-person narration? I am writing a story about a man who doesn't know his past, or his name. I have to reveal his name later in the story.
Use his physical characteristics, like tall man or black robed person etc.
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: Re: How can I portray a realistic "evil" religion? There is a veil which separates our reality from a parallel dimension that contains Eldritch abominations. An ancient empire has discovered that
Good and Evil are parts of moral values and moral values come from religions. So your judgement that a religion that worships demons is evil itself is coming from a moral standpoint that is most likely have a religious framework behind it.
You may not perceive the religious framework in daily life but it definitely exists. This is not a philosophy site so I'm not going to elaborate. But try to identify the background religious framework that propels your moral judgement then you can create a new one for your fictional characters.
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: Re: Fault in writers logic and how avoid? So yeah I have seen a situation where what the writer has put makes sense, but after thinking it through there are clear faults in the logic they used.
This particular example is easy. The plot was apparently reviewed only from one viewpoint - the plot itself. Reviewing it from characters' viewpoints would immediately detect the inconsistency. The leader would never reacted that way (unless he wanted to teach a lesson in humility).
In short - develop your characters, and stay true to them.
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: Re: When is a screenshot really useful in training documentation? Software products evolve more rapidly each day. Technical documentation for those products must also follow their evolution. One of
There's a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. At best, it's a general approximation. At worst, it's flat out wrong.
I suppose a lot depends on how good the words are. Writing well is hard, whereas taking a screenshot is something a monkey could do.
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: I say start off by having her try and hide her feelings, but throw little hints about how she truly feels as her mask slowly slips off. From there start showing her inner feelings on the
I say start off by having her try and hide her feelings, but throw little hints about how she truly feels as her mask slowly slips off. From there start showing her inner feelings on the outside over time and have those around her act like she is going insane more so if she lets slip about her last life. It becomes a case of not insane, but everyone comes to believe she is and it slowly wears away at her sanity. As this happens you can have her Depressive Disorder show more and even throw in her going from her mask to depression in public like her suddenly crying or going into a zombie like state in public.
I agree with one of the other answers change the type of language she uses as she gets more and more insane. Maybe even have her slip in and out of speaking like she did in her last life and throw in some swears in depending on the situation.
Follow it by having her lash out those around her as her sanity gets pushed. As those around her try and help have her start doubting her own sanity and if she is really Jeanne d'Arc as those around her start treating her differently. As she starts to have trouble distinguishing from what is real and what is false have her start doubting everything eventually deteriorating at her own morals and she does or considers things she normally wouldn't to try to gain some form of momentary peace from what is happening. She will later regret these things after she calms down and her reasoning comes back which makes her fall further and further into insanity as she feels that what she did was wrong, but also ok with it since she is that far gone. I think the bit where you said she is masturbating to a memory of the protagonist having sex with his former love interest fits well here. She knows it is wrong, but at the same time kind of likes letting go and have insanity take it's hold and make her forget about everything.
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: Re: How do you earn the reader's trust? Recently, I have stumbled upon a problem. After releasing an issue, I think that I failed to earn the trust of my readers. My analysis is that they did
An old question and I am no expert, but I say try and stress it is not natural.
Take for instance before the battle you show the hero getting edgy and a bit angry and then during the battle describe a bit from the hero's point of view stressing how he is feeling a rage and attacking the enemy.
Another way is that maybe at some point in the story maybe at a point that is not even close to the part where the hero gets poisoned bring the poison up. Like say that the hero at some point came across an animal that was poisoned and made to go on a rampage they put the animal down and later find out it was done by the work of poison. You can even link this to where the traitor got the idea for the poison from.
The third way is to make it so that it isn't out of the hero's character for example have parts where the hero gets irritated easily or even gets carried away in battle. You could also make it that poison isn't just one battle, but a process that takes place over a certain period of time.
However like you said if like you said "there is plenty of evidence that suggests he will do something." Then the reaction you are getting is what you want and the readers aren't just thinking enough like once you bring up that there is a traitor they should be able to go back and go "Ah so it was like that." As long as you keep writing and get to the point where the reveal happens and the readers can then notice all the hints you dropped it should stop looking force and instead they will figure out it was planned all along.
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: Is it bad for the narrative to lie? What I want to know is if it is bad for the narrative to lie to the reader. I get that using it in first person can be a good use for misdirection
What I want to know is if it is bad for the narrative to lie to the reader.
I get that using it in first person can be a good use for misdirection and such, but it does that by making the character whose perspective you are following be wrong and usually gives a reasonable explanation why. It's not lying to the readers, but rather the character they are following and makes sense why it is wrong.
In third person though it narrates the story from an outside perspective it is basically the readers perspective. So say if the author convinces you the reader of something and doesn't leave any room for doubt and the narrative basically says it is as well, but later turns out that what you were convinced of was wrong. However looking back it doesn't make any sense at all from the narrative that has been used cause we as the readers have pretty much been told this is the case and nothing leads us to believe otherwise which is no different from lying to the readers.
I want to know if this is bad where the narrative convinces you of something, but it turns out to be false.
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: Re: How do I write LGBTQ+ characters for a romance story, as a non-LGBTQ+ person, without using potentially offensive stereotypes So today, some of my friends challenged me to write a short story
FIRST, consider your character's sexuality in context.
You’re writing a LGBTQ person, but there’s a huge variation of what exactly that looks like. Did your protagonist grow up in a mostly-accepting or mostly-unaccepting area? Are they out to everyone, to just friends, to close family, to no one at all? Do they have a connection to other LGBTQ people or no?
Most of these things won’t explicitly come up in the story--many won’t come up at all--but regardless they’re a good idea for you as the author to understand and have thought through, because a closeted gay man from a strict and homophobic family who’s dated multiple women in the past but never so much as held hands with a man is going to have a very different way of approaching romance than a happily-out man living in NYC who’s had many relationships before and marches at Pride every year.
(This is where I feel “just write someone who happens to be LGBTQ†advice often falls short, BTW, because while well-intentioned it often ends up with characters who feel more like a collection of randomly picked traits than a real person whose life events and experiences shaped who they are. If you're writing a book all about a doctor's experiences in a hospital, you wouldn't just write someone who happened to become a doctor - you'd consider their motivations towards pursuing medicine and feelings about being a doctor as well as the non-doctor parts of their personality.)
SECOND, be aware of stereotypes but not terrified of them.
However much you try, even if you’re very pro-LGBTQ it’s really difficult to exist in our modern landscape and not subconsciously pick up some stereotypes. (Not just for straight people either, LGBTQ people do this as well.)
When you read your finished story through for the first time, keep one eye out on how you’re treating your LGTBQ characters as you're editing. Look for patterns in how they look/behave/feel, and make sure you're okay with all of those and what they say about how you as the author feel about those characters. Is every gay man promiscuous/totally sexless/feminine/ultra-masculine, etc. etc.? Do your lesbians all hate men? Are your bisexuals all promiscuous?
On the other hand, I’ve seen it sometimes that writers with the best of intentions realize stereotypes exist and immediately try to get rid of them to the point of wrecking their own work: can’t have a villainous gay person, that’s a stereotype! Can’t have a gay man wear make-up, that’s a stereotype! Can’t have a lesbian be masculine, that’s a stereotype! And so on and so on, completely ignoring that many people actually have those traits in real life and trying to flatten the broad spectrum of how real people are into a narrow slice of what’s acceptable to write is bad writing.
In reality, LGBTQ stereotypes are so weird and widespread and often contradictory that the only way to never include them would be to write a bland useless nothing of a character with no personality traits and no interesting features. Rather than focus on eliminating stereotypes from your writing entirely, focus on making your characters interesting and human and varied enough that their traits seem natural and obviously a part of their larger personality to the reader.
THIRD, do some research, the same way you'd research anything else you're interested in writing about.
The old adage “write what you know†doesn’t mean “never step outside your comfort zoneâ€, it means “get to know what you write aboutâ€. In the same way you’d probably do some research on how a courtroom works before writing a legal drama, you want to do some research on LGBTQ perspectives when writing an LGBTQ romance.
Note that this does not mean “read a hundred memoirs cover-to-cover before you even DARE pick up a pencil, you ignorant fool†- this can take the form of asking your LGBTQ friends for feedback on your story, checking out LGBTQ artists/comedians/authors/poets/cartoonists, researching where and when your characters would have been born and what attitudes about LGBTQ were often like in that time and place, etc. etc. Make it a casual thing, don’t worry about doing Important Learning so much as just broadening your horizons a bit and getting a feel for how different people view the world.
(And, as a bonus, these are all things that will improve your writing even if you never write another LGBTQ romance story again in your life. Getting feedback on your work is one of the best ways to improve, getting inspiration from lots of different artists and creators will help you develop your own style, and research is always the sort of thing that comes in handy when you least expect it.)
Good luck on your story!
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