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1500 questions
23
votes
8 answers
Referring to different instances of the same character in time travel
I am writing a story that involves time travel, and I have a chapter where a character from the future interacts with his present-day self. This chapter is written from the present-day self's POV.
Early feedback on the chapter indicates that I'm not…
Tempo Mental
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10 answers
...and then she held the gun
In the short passage I am writing, the starting point is that one character is being held at gunpoint, and the end point is that she now holds the gun, having disarmed the opponent.
The idea is that this sequence happens very rapidly. She is an…
NofP
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23
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7 answers
When should one *not* present events in chronological order?
Some stories tell well from beginning to end, all in a neat little line...and some don't.
When can a story be improved by using a different order in the telling?
Off the top of my head, I'd say flashbacks are great when something doesn't make sense…
HedgeMage
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23
votes
5 answers
When writing an error prompt, should we end the sentence with a exclamation mark or a dot?
When writing an error prompt, should we end the sentence with a exclamation mark or a dot?
I am writing an application for iPhone and I have some error prompt in my application like "Your password must be 8 character long with alphanumeric…
Sayaman
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23
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6 answers
Can someone publish a story that happened to you?
Can someone take a story that happened to you, without your knowledge, and publish it? Using your name and specifics, and take the copyright for it?
A person, whose mother lived in our small town, heard a story about our father. This person wrote a…
Juli Ridgway
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23
votes
7 answers
How do I create uniquely male characters?
In How to write strong female characters, Standback says that the best way to write a strong female character is to make her uniquely female, the type of character that can not possibly be male and isn't a stereotype.
Lately I have found the…
TMuffin
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23
votes
8 answers
Dead children in pre-modern setting
The reality of pre-Industrial Revolution times was that about half the children born died before age 5. It would be a mistake to think that parents cared less - we have multiple written records showing that they cared very much. At the same time,…
Galastel supports GoFundMonica
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23
votes
16 answers
Not having any white MC's?
(For reference, I am not white. I've asked another question about race here).
So I'm pretty far into writing my dystopian novel and I was reading over what I had. Something that helps me when I first start a novel is to get a clear picture of my…
user34214
23
votes
12 answers
Need advice about changing character's gender
I had this idea for a story/novel that I was very excited about, but also very worried about. The idea had a plot where the character development plot and themes all grow and go together, something I love, and think makes the best stories and that…
worried writer
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4 answers
How to research sex for writing?
I'm not writing erotica - I'm writing fantasy and sci-fi. But sometimes my characters make love, sometimes in ways I cannot be familiar with. In one story, it's two guys (I'm a girl). In another story, there's a character who uses a wheelchair.
How…
Galastel supports GoFundMonica
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23
votes
12 answers
When writing science fiction, how important is it to provide scientific details for the (fictitious) things you are presenting in the story?
I know there is a difference between 'hard' and 'soft' science fiction. But even then, it can be hard to know what sort of categorization in which to place and treat your story, and it is not really clear how little science 'soft science fiction' is…
user394536
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23
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4 answers
What's the distinction between "vanity publishing" and "self publishing"?
This question came up on the pros and cons of publishing avenues question; when I tried to look it up, I found the results confusing.
For example, SFWA's explanation of publishing types gives the following distinction:
A vanity publisher prints and…
Standback
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23
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11 answers
Are "non-readers" useful beta readers?
In my opinion, the best beta readers are fellow writers, partly because they may have insight others don't, but partly also because you can agree to trade beta-reading responsibilities. (This is far from a rare opinion; in fact, this special case…
J.G.
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23
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4 answers
I feel suddenly disconnected from my writing. Time for a break?
I’ve been working on a first draft of a project since January and have been steadily working on it for hours a day every day since then. Basically spending all of my free time on the project.
Now for the past week I’ve felt a sudden disconnect from…
JennyDee
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23
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11 answers
Is there any way to get around having everyone in the world speak the same language?
You see this a lot in fantasy fiction, where everyone on the planet (and sometimes beyond) speaks the same language, even though it makes absolutely no logical sense for them to have any knowledge of each other's languages.
Of course, if you try to…
user26166