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1500 questions
16
votes
2 answers

Can I, as a reader, submit a "Bug Report" for a novel?

I just finished a new release. I encountered a passage in the book that doesn't quite make sense. Just a single sentence that is out of place. Grammatically it is fine, but in context it doesn't seem like it fits there. I believe it may be a…
Frames Catherine White
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7 answers

Should I start writing on paper first or start directly on the computer?

If I have an excellent idea for a story, would it be wiser to write on paper first or start directly on the computer? There are many different reasons for beginning stories on paper as well as on the computer and I'd like to know about the different…
JFW
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16
votes
8 answers

How do I make an ESL character sound realistic?

I have to write an assignment in which there's an English character talking with a English as a Second Language (ESL) character. It is turning out really, really badly. I have a general idea of what the characters need to say to each other to…
Ice-9
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16
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8 answers

What are the differences between a script and a screenplay?

There is usually a lot of confusion when it comes to these two terms. Some sources say that there is no (practical) difference between the two while other sources talk of various kinds of differences. However, I have not run into any authentic…
Pravesh Parekh
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15
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6 answers

Can I use parenthesis in a conversation

I wrote a dialogue as follows: Then he said to her: "I told you I won't do that! (And I think you shouldn't either)". Somebody then asked me: How is a speech in a parenthesis? I'd like to know if you can understand that it is something said in a…
ClayKaboom
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15
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3 answers

Using P.S. in a formal email

I had a quick question in regards to using P.S. I just finished writing up a formal follow-up email for an interview. I touched over a lot of information and brought up some new topics. Anyway, I have noticed some issues between my email and their…
Austin
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15
votes
4 answers

In end user documentation, should screenshots come before or after the text that references them?

The end user documentation I'm writing makes use of screenshots (and partial screenshots) to show the user what I'm referring to in procedural instructions or conceptual explanations of the software. However, I'm never quite sure whether to put the…
Matthew Rodatus
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15
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3 answers

First Chapter for Free?

I am currently working on a novel, and am approximately 45% of the way through (~37,500 words / 100 A5 pages). Working full time, I am unable to finish my story within the next month, and I plan on completing it within the next three-to-five months.…
M.Y. David
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15
votes
4 answers

How can my book purchase get the most money to an author?

I'm a reader, not an author. But, when I buy books (in whatever format) from authors I enjoy, I'd like as much of my purchase prices as possible to get to those authors. So, I'm wondering: do authors get more or less for purchase of a given work…
Daniel Griscom
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15
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3 answers

Can a copyright be made in the name of a fictional writer?

Is it possible to copyright a work in the name of a fictional writer? For example, like Nicolas Bourbaki or some pen name of some author? Can I use my own fictional name to copyright the work?
user4330
15
votes
11 answers

When your main character is a misogynist or a racist, how do you tell your readers that you don't subscribe to his racist views by merely showing?

When your main character is a misogynist or a racist, how do you tell your readers that you don't subscribe to his racist views by merely showing? The only way to kinda do this in my opinion is to make him learn from his mistake and develop him into…
user36239
15
votes
3 answers

What is the meaning of square brackets in quotes?

"[t]he company engaged..." I read a quote earlier starting with these words, and I am unsure of the meaning of the square brackets encapsulating the "t". A cursory search online doesn't seem to yield anything relevant. Aside from being used for…
Magikarp
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15
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4 answers

What determines genre?

Is the "genre" a piece of fiction belongs to determined by the author, or by the editor and publishing house? Is there an established definition for each genre, or is it largely ad hoc? I ask because the Writer's and Artist's Yearbook gives contact…
Zayne S Halsall
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15
votes
11 answers

How do I translate the uncertainty and suspense of a dice-based RPG into a story adaptation?

In a dice-based role-playing game, any action you take can either succeed or fail based entirely on the luck of the dice. This is part of what makes the story that is woven during a role-playing game so interesting - you have twists and turns that…
Mithical
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15
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1 answer

What binding and paper should be used on a self-printed novel?

The last time I printed a book I just needed something done cheaply and quickly. The print store used very bright, glossy office paper (the same that they use for office documents) and used construction paper for the cover. I thought this would be…
Village
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