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Questions tagged [fiction]

Fiction is a form of prose writing that deals with at least partly artificial or imagined events and characters. This tag should be used for any questions relating to fiction, including fiction formatting, techniques and publishing.

Fiction is a form of prose writing that deals with at least partly artificial or imagined events and characters. This tag should be used for any questions relating to fiction, including fiction , s and .

You should state where you are having problems, such as whether you are still working on your fictional story or it because your said there are some things that need to be changed or if you are close to and wondering about differences between traditional publishing and , or finding an .

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The protagonist can't defeat the antagonist without the antagonist being stupid

What should I do if my story's plot is built around the antagonist being extremely strong, and by the end it's clear that the protagonist cannot possibly defeat the antagonist, unless the antagonist makes a stupid mistake in the "final battle" (or…
clickbait
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How do I spot an unintentional promise in my story?

It's commonly said, mainly here on Writing SE and mainly by Mark Baker's answers, that "a story is a promise". The beginning of the story sets the promise and the ending fulfills it. A story that doesn't fulfills its promise is unsatisfying. I…
Yuuza
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How to *show* a controversial reality without seeming like I'm treating it as acceptable and without stating that this is wrong?

I have a story which has some controversial social problems, and my intention is to just show these issues (for drama), realistically and impartially (i.e. just showing the facts, without imposing any opinion). But the problem is that, by doing just…
Yuuza
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Grammarly editing my effects, should I keep them or listen to Grammarly?

I am a non-native English speaker. Grammarly is an online writing assistant. This is a line in my draft I liked the office, and I liked the environment-- the minimalist furniture, the Macs and Xerox machines, the coffee room, and the lounge. I…
The White Cloud
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How to describe an everyday routine?

I have a character who is living through a very regular everyday routine for a longer time, let's say a couple of months. How do I describe this routine and give the impression of time passing by in an interesting way?
Lukas D. Sauer
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What does being "heavy handed" mean? And how does one avoid it?

I've come across the term "heavy handed" before, and it seems to be one of the more egregious mistakes that one can make while writing - at least that's the impression I get from critics. What does this term mean (with examples, if possible), and…
Joebevo
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Fictional diary for a novel

When it is appropriate to use the diary form for a novel? Which are the most effective published examples? (I mean fictional diaries, so not Anne Frank's diary).
Wizard79
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What are some disadvantages of writing fiction in a diary format?

I find writing in a diary-style is the easiest way to write fiction. The format is the same as a diary, with each entry beginning with the date, then describing the feelings or events of the character up to that date. Are there any disadvantages to…
Village
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How should I use phrases such as "uh huh"?

I have seen various combinations of interjections (or "grunt words", as they are sometimes called) used in fictional dialogue, such as: uh huh (which I take for a yes) uh uh (for no) nuh uh (also saw that once for no, but I'm not even sure nuh is…
tcrosley
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Should I Kill My Main Character?

I'm an aspiring writer who has been writing stories since Kindergarten (None released). Obviously I have a lot of experience, but I'm still unsure with extremely important things. As all of my Novels have never been released and all my short stories…
MrWriterWannaBe
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Is writing in a foreign language a brilliant way to shoot oneself in the foot?

Normally I never write prose. After much world building I now feel the need to. Ever since I resolved to at least pen down a draft, things get curiouser and curiouser. For when I sit down to write a short scene, I start doing so in English, which is…
Ludi
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Is it good/bad/neutral to introduce a character's day to day life if it's immediately going to be drastically changed?

So I'm writing a science fantasy WiP and I'm unsure how to introduce the characters and their background, day-to-day life if that's all going to change after the inciting incident. So in question format, is it good/bad/neutral to introduce a…
JD Solomon
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How do you know if a book is ready?

My mom says that my books are really good and that people will enjoy them. I know parents say things to their kids to keep their hopes and dreams alive, but I want to know: How do you know if your book will really be enjoyable for everyone? How do…
Alyssa Bynum
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Is there a known technique for giving your readers chills?

Some of my favorite stories send shivers through my body every time I reread them. For example, "Bullet in the Brain" by Tobias Wolff, "The Third and Final Continent" by Jhumpa Lahiri and the end of "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García…
user24
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Basing fiction on personal life

I had in mind to use threads from my own life as a foundation for work, keeping much of the incidents, traits and all, but building upon them in a potentially different direction. What are the pitfalls? I couldn't find a similar question on the…
Kuchiki Byakuya
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