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1500 questions
12
votes
9 answers
Swearing in a book, within a context. Too offensive?
I am currently writing a science fiction novel. The characters are almost uniformly pirates and/or miners in the asteroid belt.
Having worked in the mining industry, and grown up around mining towns in Western Australia, I am quite well versed in…
Smoj
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12
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2 answers
How do I get involved in writing for video games?
Many video games have deep storylines. This has been the case since the early text adventures where creative writing was all that existed to keep a player engaged in the game. I believe that some stories are better served by this interactive medium…
Jeff Yates
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12
votes
3 answers
Finding the 'voice' of a character
This is a very general question that I want to throw out there just to get some insight into different approaches used. I have my own, but am intrigued to know what others might try.
I'm wondering what processes you might go through in order to…
Ian
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12
votes
5 answers
How should dialog be formatted?
Is there any "official" rule that I should keep in mind when formatting character dialog?
Line breaks, placement of quotes, mixing dialog with action descriptions etc.
For example, I want to build a sentence like: "Look Jones, this will be yours…
Ido Tamir
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12
votes
9 answers
What are the reasons behind Writer's block?
I read the question Help! I've got Writer's Block which explains solutions to the problem. I was wondering why someone gets writer's block?
Is it anxiety? Is it due to the fact that the mind is tired? What is it?
I guess there are many different…
user80772
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12
votes
1 answer
Can I Copyright My FaceBook Status Post?
Can I copyright my Facebook status updates? In the terms and agreements I didn't see a clear statement stating that Facebook owns my material.
Secondly, if I can't copyright the material I post on Facebook, should I use Facebook at all outside of…
AAH-Shoot
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12
votes
2 answers
How does one go about successfully getting their movie script, or screen play, into the right hands?
How does one go about successfully getting their movie script, or screen play, into the hands of top level Hollywood producers?
Does one need a literary agent?
If so where does one find one that will get the job done?
How much can one expect to…
classer
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12
votes
7 answers
How do I create the rest of the story when I only know the ending?
I know the ending of the first book I want to write but, I'm not sure how to start it or what will happen in the middle. I know I am completely working backwards on writing a story but, every time I sit down to brainstorm ideas I either find my mind…
Cameron Suchy
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12
votes
2 answers
What are common attributes of the Steampunk genre?
These attributes could be character archetypes or traits, attributes of the setting, characteristics of plot or pacing, and broader themes. Essentially, I'd like to build a definition of the genre by identifying its basic components.
Please provide…
sjohnston
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12
votes
5 answers
Should you "Show, Don't Tell" when your character is recounting events?
"Show, don't tell" is a popular ethos amongst writers, and one that is very important to writing engaging stories. However, I'm in a situation whereby my protagonist is recounting an event from a previous chapter, revealing something specific that…
Dan Hanly
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12
votes
8 answers
Why do heroes need to have a physical mark?
It seems that a lot of authors want their heroes to be marked in a special way.
It is not enough that these protagonists are going to be heroes, no; they seem to require having a mark that makes them special be it golden eyes, a red streak of hair,…
Reed -SE is a Fish on Dry Land
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12
votes
4 answers
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 person tell the story from the point of view of a different character or write different story-subarcs? In…
Mnementh
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12
votes
6 answers
How to write good erotic scene?
I am thinking of adding a sub-plot to my story where we have say, Adam and Eve. They do not quite like each other but one thing leads to another and they have sex.
After that, Adam wonders if he should do something for Eve, influenced by the fact…
Pavel Janicek
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12
votes
9 answers
Where to find some good examples of combat or action scenes?
I always learn a lot about about writing by reading other works and following their examples. Right now I'm very bad at writing action scenes; the best I can do is write around them, describing the situation and the outcome without ever delving into…
user608
12
votes
6 answers
What is the proper way to write time in a manuscript?
I haven't been able to find an answer to this question for a while now. What is the proper way to write time in a manuscript? I'm referring mostly to A.M. and P.M. Should it be written in caps? With or without the dots? Should it be omitted all…
Ralph Gallagher
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