Questions tagged [narration]

13 questions
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8 answers

In novel writing, should I change the name a character is referred to by when he reveals his name to the protagonist?

I'm a Chinese writer. Chinese people always tend to refer people by their full names, so the first name last name thing shouldn't be an issue. But now I'm working on a novel with a character from the US. Here is the scenario. Let's call the…
fat raccoon
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How do you use unreliable narration when using an omniscient narrator?

Unreliable narration refers to a narrative that cannot be trusted to give an accurate representation of events, due to the limitations or biases of the narrator. When using an omniscient narrator, I am wondering if it's still possible to make the…
user36239
3
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4 answers

Should a flashback be written in first person or third when the narrator has lost his memory?

I'm writing a story where the main character wakes up on a boat with no memory, and throughout the story his past will be revealed, along with other characters in the story. It's written from the main character's perspective, but I don't know if the…
Ben
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How to convert indirect thought to film voiceover without it sounding contrived?

I am trying to convert a fiction book into a film script. The book uses third-person past tense narration that switches between several characters from chapter to chapter and thus is always from a particular character's viewpoint. There is quite a…
FrontEnd
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How can you signal the readers that the perspective has shifted to an omniscient narrator without explicitly stating it?

How can you signal the readers that the perspective has shifted to an omniscient narrator without explicitly stating it? Sometimes, you want to change from third person narration to omnipotent narration, because it's easier to describe something…
user36239
2
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3 answers

What to do when a sentence is too confusing

I’m struggling to clearly yet briefly explain what’s going on. I’m fairly sure this sentence is grammatically correct, but it still sounds clunky and confusing. For context, my POV character sits down at a table with a lot of other people. A few of…
Grace
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Internal thoughts or just narration?

I'm struggling with my thoughts about what I see as a dichotomy. Basically, I'm not sure when started, but emulating some novels I read, I started using mainly narration to describing the thoughts and internal conflicts of my POV characters. Very…
Erin Tesden
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Is the occasional practical exposition jarring?

I always try to keep exposition to a minimum; whenever there is any backstory or worldbuilding, I let it come out via dialogue. The narration is impersonal; I don't want it to feel like someone's telling the story, as I feel like that'd be breaking…
1
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4 answers

What are the most important parts of worldbuilding that may have a big impact on the story or narration?

What are the most important parts of worldbuilding that may have a big impact on the story or narration? I want to focus on the part that would have the biggest impact on the story or narration so I can spend as little time as possible…
user36239
0
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1 answer

POV for a Murder Mystery

So I’ve recently been writing a very intricate and complex murder mystery/puzzle story. It’s going to involve the collaboration of lots of people and the internet to solve the case. For this project, I wanted to ask a question about narration. I…
Runox
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Use of historical present in an installation for a museum

Would historical present be appropriate for a video projection on a 3D model telling the story of a territory from archaeological and geological points of view? I worked on the Italian version and have to validate the translation: in Italian, it's a…
chiara
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How do you change from omniscient narration to unreliable narration and vice versa in a comic book without speech balloons?

How do you change from omniscient narration to unreliable narration and vice versa in a comic book without speech balloons? I am guessing you need to put square speech balloons, to switch from omniscient to unreliable, but I am wondering if it can…
user36239
0
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1 answer

How does one punctuate narration that references such things as door numbers or street names?

How does one punctuate narration that references such things as door numbers or street names? For example: Aaron slips through an unremarkable timber door, noteworthy only for the unlucky 13 painted on its front and the weathered sign that hangs…
Richie Hayes
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