Writing Stack Exchange
Writing Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
32
votes
11 answers

Writing diversity

I am writing a military sci-fi novel about an international military force facing aliens. My cast is very diverse: the MC is Yemenite-Israeli, his love interest is German, his room-mates are from Georgia (the country - not the American state),…
Galastel supports GoFundMonica
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10 answers

Should I write a novel if I haven't read many?

I have heard people telling that they have read so many books and have a mini library at their houses. I did not read many books (I am 17 and do not have much time as I balance school, special classes and software development. I am extremely…
Siddharth Venu
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11 answers

Using fake swear words without them seeming out of place to the reader

This is not a question about slang, but about swearing and word creation. I have a character who uses swear words, and this is part of his voice. I do not use real swear words. I want the sense of those words in the story. But not the words. Other…
SFWriter
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11 answers

Is it a bad idea to adopt an 'English' pen name as an Asian American writer to reach a wider audience?

There is currently a dearth of Asian American writers on U.S. library bookshelves, and those few authors who are Asian Americans tend to write about things associated with Asian culture. Think of Amy Tan, Maxine Hong Kingston, Lisa See, etc. All…
Sharpie
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10 answers

How can one make technical issues more accessible to a non-technical audience?

Most of what I write is non-fiction -- technical books, blog posts on open source topics, political stuff, etc. Lately, I find that some of the topics I am trying to present are much more technical than the intended audience is used to. I already…
HedgeMage
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31
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5 answers

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 uncommon for most new authors, is that I am put off by the difficulties of…
Codemwnci
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8 answers

Everyone has a book in them, but in most cases that’s where it should stay. Does that apply to me?

Everyone has a book in them, but in most cases that’s where it should stay I'm not an author. I'm retired. The last time I wrote fiction was probably an essay when I was 10 years old. For years a fictional story has been taking place in my mind.…
chasly - supports Monica
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6 answers

How to "Start as close to the end as possible", and why to do so?

Kurt Vonnegut has 8 tips on how to write a good story Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for. Every character should want…
minseong
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16 answers

How do I portray irrational anger in first person?

Characters (and people) get angry at all sorts of things that might not make sense to the outside observer: Marty McFly and the word "chicken," words that are terrible slurs to one population but totally normal to others, overreactions due to mental…
TMuffin
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11 answers

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 be a mascot and somewhat of the postergirl. Trouble is, she dies further down the story to kind of remind the player that…
Kale Slade
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2 answers

When should modifiers be avoided?

I've come across this Mark Twain quote: When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them -- then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart.…
rem
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14 answers

Is my story "too diverse"?

(Edit: I feel like I should clarify, these are the only LGBT characters in the story, and the only characters whose sexualities are even touched on, and they are part of a larger group of people, about 300. This story occurs in America near a large…
user34214
31
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11 answers

How do you track random thoughts and ideas?

If you're like me, you get story ideas anywhere and everywhere. If I'm at a computer, I'll write down the idea in onenote or outlook or scrivener (depending what's open). If I just have my phone, I'll send an email to myself, or use the voice…
Alan
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5 answers

How to construct a technical tutorial when the user can't verify the results after each step?

In a technical tutorial it is helpful for a user to be able to check their progress often. Veryfing that the steps have produced a result is good because the user: has a feeling of progress can check for any mistakes they've made However, I'm…
user23425
31
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7 answers

How to tactfully inform readers of differences in the book world to the real world?

I want to write a fantasy novel, but there are a few issues that I have with the way that I should write it. One of my questions lies in the problem of how I, the narrator/book-writer, can inform my readers about my book world without stating it…
Drew Christensen
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