: Re: Techniques to write for a wider audience Many years ago, I wrote a short story that used specific information from my cultural background e.g. a belief that if you dream something, it is a

If you want to appeal to an universal audience, you should talk about universal problems. You can use footnotes and very detailed descriptions but if the readers don't relate to them (because they don't identify with your culture) then it's probable that they won't find any appeal in your story.

Regarding your case, I think the concept of dreams as premonitions is an universal thought. You can find the concept spread across various cultures. So I don't see any problem in it. All cultures have their own traditions but if you analyze them keenly you will find similarities among them. Exploit the similarities.

A personal example: I'm writing a novel about the soul. If I had chosen to focus it on the Christian view, it would had been more or less culture-specific. But I chose to just talk about the soul in an universal way (e.g. Does the soul really exist or it's just an human invention?). So, I hope, it will appeal (or annoy) the majority of cultures.

You can also add the various perspectives to the story. Or the opposition to your statement (e.g. if dreams are more real than we think, why is that Atheists don't usually dream about God whereas Christians do most of the time? As Philip K. Dick said, "reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.")

Of course, many people like to delve in other cultures, but that takes an special interest. And you can't predict that.

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: Re: Techniques to write for a wider audience Many years ago, I wrote a short story that used specific information from my cultural background e.g. a belief that if you dream something, it is a

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: Is it better to make clear immediately in which country/continent the story is taking place? I'm writing a short story, and nowhere in it I explicitly mention the country in which it is taking

: Placing similes at the beginning and at the end of a sentence Would the following sentences have different effects on the reader? He washed his hands thoroughly, like a surgeon after an operation.

: Is it a bad idea to use a culture-specific word in the title of a story? I wrote a short story long ago called The End of the World. I thought the title was too common so I renamed it

: Does the following piece have too much dry narration (mundane tasks, moving about)? Tsuki woke up to the morning sun that entered through the window. She yawned and sat on the side of

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