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1500 questions
31
votes
17 answers
What English version of the bible should I quote from?
Say I want to quote from the bible in something I'm writing (think the famous passage in Pulp Fiction). What bible version should I quote from?
I've done some research but only ended up more confused than before - KJV, NIV, NAB... every website…
ggambetta
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31
votes
11 answers
Why are writers so hung up on "show versus tell"?
I write primarily science, which I readily admit can be very bland. On occasion I read fiction, but have found over the years that my tastes have changed considerably. Overly descriptive scenes leave me wanting less; I don't read many newer novels…
Richard Stanzak
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31
votes
16 answers
How do you write boy & girl protagonists without turning them into a love story?
I've played with the idea of a multi-book fantasy story for years, where a female and male protagonists' lives intertwine with one another, the series running from 12-22 years old for them.
There will probably be a time for them where they will…
B.M. Corwen
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31
votes
7 answers
Where is a good place to find beta readers?
Beta readers are important to perfecting a novel/novella/short story. They give you a fresh set of eyes, offer opinions, and can be a great moral boost. But where can you find good beta readers? Are there any sites that writers can use to find beta…
Ralph Gallagher
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31
votes
4 answers
How to write a prophecy?
No, I'm not actually asking you to tell me how to predict the future!
Several pieces of fiction I've read/watched recently have prophecies. One of my favourites is
On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the eleventh, when no
living creature…
Liath
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31
votes
12 answers
What's Essential In A Combat Scene?
I've just been reading a bunch of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books. Although they were the most enjoyable read I'd had in ages I always found myself skimming long segments that described involved battles or fights.
I often find that when the swords…
One Monkey
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31
votes
10 answers
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 of questions and doubts.
Are there some resources on how to start becoming a writer?
I'm thinking something…
juan
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30
votes
13 answers
Is there a more modern version of "Acme", as a common, generic company name?
Yes, Acme is an actual company name used by many real companies - bricks, bikes, food, real estate, etc.
But more relevant to this point, it has also been used for ages for fictional purposes - not just as a company making all kinds of dangerous…
Jim
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30
votes
3 answers
Which words should not be capitalized in Title Case?
I would need a list of all words that are not capitalized in English titles.
I would also like to make sure if it's true, that all first and last words of a title are capitalized no matter what.
I'd really appreciate your help.
gligoran
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30
votes
14 answers
Writing in a Christian voice
I'm Jewish. My middle-grade fantasy novel is very Jewish. Most of my characters are either Jews or converts/future converts or people with at least one Jewish grandparent. But some are not.
My main character, Ruth age 12, is 100% of Jewish…
Cyn
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30
votes
8 answers
How do you get out of your own psychology to write characters?
What are the best ways you find to get out of your own habitual thought patterns, personality, dispositions, and culture when writing characters?
For example, we are all familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality tests and many of us with the…
Seanchaí
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30
votes
5 answers
Avoiding repetition when there are two unidentified individuals
The tall figure was overwhelmingly tall. It stood in the corner of the
room. The skinny figure right beside him sat on a chair. It wasn't
moving at all. The tall figure moved to the opposite side of the room
and started palpating the wall as…
Sayaman
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30
votes
6 answers
Dead parents: something to avoid?
A lot of people die in my story, some of them are parents. One of the main characters for example lost his father (and one brother) in a car crash when he was young, which he was a part of. He became partially deaf as a result. This happened before…
user23083
30
votes
6 answers
How do you avoid smiling, head-bobbing characters?
Posting on a question about word frequency data, I read an excellent answer from @DPT about avoiding words that become so frequent, they're problematic. In a snippet of that answer, they wrote:
But, you end up with bobbing heads, smiling at each…
GGx
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30
votes
9 answers
How to avoid constantly starting paragraphs with "The character did this" "The character did that"?
This is one of the tics I've noticed in my writing recently, and it's starting to bug me. Almost every single one of my paragraphs, particularly during dialogue sequences, starts with "The character did this". The main exceptions are when I use…
F1Krazy
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