Tag: 20

: What are some online guides for starting writers? I've always wanted to start writing (in a totally amateur way), but whenever I want to start something I instantly get blocked having a lot

@Looi5811334

9 Comments

: What is the difference between writing in the first and the third person? What kind of story is better suited for each point of view? Are there advantages or disadvantages inherent to them?

@Looi5811334

7 Comments

: How do I find an agent? I finished my novel, and everyone I've talked to says I need an agent. How do I find one?

@Angela458

4 Comments

: Decide on a theme/overarching meaning before writing a short story? I want my short story to have a specific point, to highlight a certain truth. But I wonder in which order I should proceed:

@Cody1607638

8 Comments

: What is Literary Fiction? I keep hearing about literary fiction, and how it is so much better than genre fiction. What exactly is literary fiction?

@Angela458

9 Comments

: Is there a special software for writers? Whenever I attempt to write something, I do it in a common word processor (like Microsoft Word), but I was wondering if there is a special software

@Looi5811334

21 Comments

: Pantsing a story? I heard a writer talking about pantsing a story. What does that mean?

@Angela458

1 Comments

: Self Editing tips/tricks I write a daily piece and have been doing so for over 8 years. I think my writing has gotten better, but I still find mistakes at times, or more likely, my readers

@Phylliss352

9 Comments

: Lists of Suggested Magazines to Submit To I recently began writing poetry again. I would like to look into submitting my poems to a magazine. Where can I find a list of literary magazines

@Alves689

3 Comments

: What is a good daily word count goal? As a NaNoWriMo participant, I've been trying to meet a rather ambitious 1667 word/day goal. I've heard that professionals do a lot less, but the first

@Cofer669

6 Comments

: Writing discipline In today's frenetic, fast-paced lifestyle (especially if writing is not currently your career or means of earning an income), it can be extremely difficult to "make" or find

@Sent2472441

4 Comments

: How do I write a synopsis? I have to write a synopsis to submit to an agent. Are there any guidelines for writing a good synopsis?

@Angela458

3 Comments

: What is a normal length for a chapter? I've always had trouble determining whether my chapters are within the same size realm as chapters in standard books. Since it isn't exactly feasible

@YK4692630

14 Comments

: Jumping on the Zombie bandwagon Is it too late to jump on the zombie bandwagon? There are loads of stories about the possible popular outcome of an apocalypse, is it possible to squeeze anything

@Karen856

8 Comments

: Fan Fiction: a crutch or a good start? Writing is writing, but I am not confident enough to take on creating a whole world from scratch. Will writing fanfic or writing in other shared world

@Margaret427

18 Comments

: Shared worlds: are there any good collaborative sites out there? Writing is something that I have wanted to do for some time, and I know that I don't currently have the skill set to do more

@Margaret427

2 Comments

: When is it okay to "tell", instead of "show"? One of the major mantras of writing fiction is "show, don't tell". Is it ever okay to tell? When?

@YK4692630

8 Comments

: What techniques are used to plot long (multi-novel) story arcs? As a very visual person, I have always considered plotting a story to be somewhat like knitting or macrame. How do series authors

@Margaret427

2 Comments

: What determines genre? Is the "genre" a piece of fiction belongs to determined by the author, or by the editor and publishing house? Is there an established definition for each genre, or is

@Sent2472441

4 Comments

: What are the first things I should do with an idea? I have a lot of ideas for things I want to write, but I usually end up getting lost in a stream-of-consciousness and either lose interest

@Murray165

9 Comments

: Where can subject matter experts volunteer to work on proofing the technical details in fiction? I am not a writer (yet!), but I have been working in the computer field for over 10 years and

@Margaret427

3 Comments

: What are the most common style manuals? From Wikipedia: A style guide or style manual is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for

@Smith147

6 Comments

: How do I overcome a lack of motivation to write at home? Late October I decided to take the plunge and attempt NaNoWriMo. I haven't done much writing in some time and thought it would be

@Nimeshi163

10 Comments

: Initial Writing Medium I am curious which is better for a beginning writer (or writer) starting a new story. Pen and paper or the computer? Pen & Paper is a lot more sketchy (like the

@Berryessa137

8 Comments

: Podcasts useful for improving writing skills Any podcasts that can help with writing skills? (One per answer please, I'll add my own fave to get started.)

@Megan928

3 Comments

: Publishing for Kindle I am very keen to get into writing, and have come up with several outline plots for short stories, novels and even trilogies. However, one hurdle, which I expect is not

@Shelley992

5 Comments

: How do I involve my audience with my story? I am writing for a video game, and I have noticed that there is a gap between plot and gameplay. Most times there is a plot to a story, but

@Rambettina586

5 Comments

: Third-person objective in action scene I'm telling a story in third-person objective, the first part being basically an objective description of events around a certain character. I got to a

@Gretchen741

5 Comments

: What are good criteria to consider when looking to enroll in an MFA program? When people ask me about what to look for in MFA (Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing) programs, I often draw

@Deb2945533

5 Comments

: How can I write an attention-grabbing first line? So, the beginning of any story needs to capture the attention of the reader, so he continues and wants to find out what's happening. A Confederacy

@Vandalay250

9 Comments

: Are there any places to have community story development? Are there any places or ways a group (general public or individually invited) of people can individually contribute to a communally developed

@Vandalay250

7 Comments

: Should I start writing on paper first or start directly on the computer? If I have an excellent idea for a story, would it be wiser to write on paper first or start directly on the computer?

@Miguel976

7 Comments

: How do I go about finding a writing group? Any websites that list writing groups by geographic location, or genre? Should I try libraries or something? Fan forums of a favourite author?

@Megan928

5 Comments

: Best Way to Develop a Daily Writing Routine? I would like to go about making a habit of writing to a journal or blog on a daily basis. What techniques or patterns have been the most useful

@Reiling826

6 Comments

: Using slang as a narrator - pros and cons Is it advisable to use slang and euphemisms as a narrator, in addition to the main characters who use it? Are there arguments for and against it?

@Karen856

7 Comments

: How deeply should I study the background of a community before writing about it? By "background", I mean the dialects, habits and culture of the community. Also, I wonder if it is even possible

@Courtney562

7 Comments

: How much planning should go on before beginning writing? I really want to begin my first novel, but I'm just not sure how clear of an outline I should have before I start. Is a detailed

@Kimberly114

11 Comments

: Choosing character names is a constant difficulty I find it hard to name my characters. Every normal name sounds funny if applied to a product of my fantasy. If I take a common name, I may

@Radia543

22 Comments

: How to share the work, if writing fiction in a team? How should one split up the work between two people? Should one write the even-numbered chapters and the other the odd-numbered? Does each

@Radia543

4 Comments

: What are good reads about writing? What do you recommend as reading material to improve writing for beginners? If one recommendation is put per answer and can be voted separately a good list

@Radia543

37 Comments