Writing Stack Exchange
Writing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [tone]

This tag should be used for questions about the tone of a literary work that you are currently writing, such as asking about learning a certain tone for your characters that is inspired by an existing author or learning which kind of tone is required in certain kinds of technical writing.

This tag should be used for questions about the tone of a literary work that you are currently writing, such as asking about learning a certain tone for your that is inspired by an existing author or learning which kind of tone is required in certain kinds of .

53 questions
39
votes
5 answers

How to write a nice frame challenge?

When answering questions on Stack Exchange, some of us challenge the assumptions of the author. These frame challenges can often be quite popular answers. This popularity, however, can simply be a measure of entertainment value, and not quality.…
Summer
  • 4,481
  • 2
  • 22
  • 60
23
votes
14 answers

Creating a story in which the hero(es) lose

So I am still in the primitive stages of creating my own world and story, if I even do it that is. I am still trying to get a feel for where I want to go with it. The biggest issue would be that, my world would be heavily influenced from novels…
ggiaquin16
  • 4,609
  • 14
  • 28
11
votes
6 answers

Why is it generally important to be consistent with the tone and style of writing?

I was thinking of writing a story that starts out as a serious drama, but suddenly shifts to a comedic tone without any clear reason or transition. I thought it would subvert expectation and make the whole story more funny, but I am not sure if this…
user36239
11
votes
5 answers

Is the phrase “You are requested” polite or rude?

I along with my guide wrote a research publication, which had to be sent to a journal for the purpose of review. My professor wrote the cover letter of the paper as follows: Dear Editor in Chief You are requested to review the paper "Title of the…
ShiS
  • 213
  • 1
  • 2
  • 5
11
votes
4 answers

Maintaining distance

I am working on a novel inspired by the Shahnameh - a Persian epic poem by Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi. The Shahnameh (the title means "The Book of Kings") is structured as a series of interconnected tales: birth of hero Such-and-Such, heroic tale A about…
Galastel supports GoFundMonica
  • 58,107
  • 12
  • 176
  • 303
11
votes
3 answers

How to handle characters who are more educated than the author?

This is inspired by a few things that have been breaking my immersion when reading Worm. The main protagonist is a teen, and most chapters are first-person POV, so grammatical casualness fits. I don't expect her to use subjunctive, and her use of…
April Salutes Monica C.
  • 4,652
  • 13
  • 45
9
votes
9 answers

Using big words without sounding like a thesaurus junkie

I have a problem; my natural writing style is very high-brow. It often utilizes complex, flowery language. Much of the time, however, I find that it gives the impression that I am but taking a simple sentence and substituting all small words with…
John Doe
  • 91
  • 2
8
votes
5 answers

All persons fictitious disclaimer — ideas regarding modification?

I'm creating a parody/spoof magazine which contains some "real" advertisements and businesses in. How should I word an "all persons fictitious" disclaimer to include fictitious businesses? This is my current disclaimer: All characters appearing in…
AXP
7
votes
7 answers

Does writing in a certain mood change how a writer writes?

I'm not sure if this is right for this part of Stackexchange, but since there is no psychology section, here we go: I'm currently writing the same short story several times with the intention of conveying one very intense emotion each time. I'm…
Throsby
  • 173
  • 4
6
votes
5 answers

Should I use lyrical and sophisticated language in a letter to someone I knew long ago?

In a question I recently asked but then deleted, I said that I wanted to write a letter in a sophisticated, lyrical prose style, to a person that I knew a long time ago, to express good wishes or prayer for her, to apologize for the times I was…
user70995
5
votes
4 answers

Some doubts on the use of Italicized words

Okay here's the thing. After a tough verbal fight with my friend, I concluded that I will post this question here and get some concrete answers. According to what I feel, italicized words are used For internal monologues "And what about her…
Amin Mohamed Ajani
  • 1,481
  • 10
  • 24
5
votes
5 answers

Are too many exclamations wrong?

Exclamations, I feel, are a good way to describe tone without actually writing the tone. But most of the time I end up (as per reviewers) with too many of exclamations. Many also say that too many exclamations resembles immature writing. So I am…
Karan Desai
  • 1,987
  • 1
  • 16
  • 30
5
votes
3 answers

How to write in a more conversational tone?

I come from an academic background. Writing has always been an easy thing to me, but almost all of my practice outside of poetry has been in academic writing. I'll find myself writing in the way that I think, with all of the hedges for the sake of…
Sermo
  • 161
  • 2
5
votes
5 answers

How to keep darkness from piling up

I'm a big fan of ongoing stories and longer series. But one thing I've noticed about my writing (and a lot of the works I read/watch) is that as a story goes on, the tone gets progressively darker. The way this usually goes is that a story will…
user33474
5
votes
5 answers

How would one use punctuation to indicate tone changes?

I'm imagining this sort of statement: He's a... different... sort of person, I suppose. Some people would pronounce 'different' in that sentence as though it was followed by a question mark, but not the rest of the sentence. However, writing it…
Fibericon
1
2 3 4