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1500 questions
30
votes
6 answers

How do you avoid smiling, head-bobbing characters?

Posting on a question about word frequency data, I read an excellent answer from @DPT about avoiding words that become so frequent, they're problematic. In a snippet of that answer, they wrote: But, you end up with bobbing heads, smiling at each…
GGx
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9 answers

How to avoid constantly starting paragraphs with "The character did this" "The character did that"?

This is one of the tics I've noticed in my writing recently, and it's starting to bug me. Almost every single one of my paragraphs, particularly during dialogue sequences, starts with "The character did this". The main exceptions are when I use…
F1Krazy
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11 answers

Is it wrong to use the same word multiple times within a few sentences?

I have been told before that when describing things in writing I should use different words, and not to repeat myself so it doesn't become redundant, but sometimes there are no other words that work as well. For example, I've written things before…
EmmieCG
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30
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7 answers

How do I promote a self-published book?

I am in the process of writing a book and I'm considering setting up my own publishing agency to get it published, or else publish solely through the internet, but there is the obvious problem of distribution that arises. If and when I actually…
Tom Dacre
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29
votes
15 answers

I feel like people would mock me for trying to become an author at 12, what should I do?

So, I'm writing a few books at the moment. I really want to become an author when I'm older, but I'm much too shy to email a proper author about what to do or show it to many people. I really feel like people would mock me for aspiring to be an…
user47159
29
votes
9 answers

Are there jobs that involve creative writing in the software industry?

I've been a developer for some years now, but I've realized that I need a job where I can be more creative (and hopefully work more with people (except dba's)). Since I love writing, but at the same time have both an education and experience in the…
erikric
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29
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13 answers

How to tell readers that I know my story is factually incorrect?

Sometimes, it so happens that I do some research for a story and find that a major plot point could never work in real life. At this stage, I can either continue with my impossible (for a non-fantasy, non-scifi setting) idea, or scrap it…
tryin
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29
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8 answers

When do you stop "pushing" a book?

Let's suppose you have finished your novel, through all the appropriate stages of drafting and editing needed. You begin submitting the book to various agents and/or publishing companies, but none of your queries gets answers. I'm talking about a…
Liquid
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29
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12 answers

Tiptoe or tiphoof? Adjusting words to better fit fantasy races

English is a language invented by humans, for humans. Which means some words don't fit well when you're writing about characters who aren't human. For example: Suppose I write "The demon tiptoed across the room." My inner nitpicker complains that…
user36961
29
votes
8 answers

Is it ok to use "aluminium" in an otherwise American English text?

I am not an American English native (I'm actually a German native speaker) but, when I write, I use the American style of words predominantly. However, I always use aluminium instead of aluminum, following the nomenclature that is used by all the…
Trish
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29
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13 answers

Painting ritualistic murder in a "good-guy" light?

My good guys murder people. They slowly carve runes onto them to help defeat the bad guys. Sure they try to use "society's worst" people for the rituals, but realistically that doesn't always happen. This is revealed to the main character and when…
scohe001
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29
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15 answers

Creating an incompetent antagonist

I'm in the early stages of developing a fantasy story. At a high level, it involves the tried-and-true, if cliched, plot line of "Scrappy group of rebels fights for liberation against the oppressive Evil Emperor". Here's the catch: The Empire…
Belgabad
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9 answers

So I finished my novel. Now what do I do?

A few days ago I finished the first draft of my current novel project after a few months of work, finishing at 83,212 words. Now what should I do with it? So obviously I need to edit it. Should I jump in right away with the editing? Should I let it…
JSBձոգչ
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29
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14 answers

Are reactive protagonists inherently a bad thing?

I'm just getting into writing and while reading about it I've found a lot of topics which claim that reactive protagonists are generally frowned upon. Reactive: Acting in response to a situation rather than creating or controlling it. I'm having…
Valrog
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10 answers

Mixing humour with horror in fiction

I got into trouble last year for submitting an assignment (Masters in Creative Writing) that included a story that sprinkled elements of humour (think Despicable Me) into a gritty and frankly disturbing tale of a homeless man swapping bodies/minds…
robertcday
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