Writing Stack Exchange
Writing Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
15
votes
3 answers

Should IKEA assembly instructions be used as positive examples to train technical writers?

Often, assembly instructions are bad (example via Adafruit): But they don’t have to be: writing assembly instructions is a skill that can be learnt, and there are institutions which teach it. IKEA is the world's largest furniture retailer, and as…
Philipp
  • 505
  • 5
  • 11
15
votes
4 answers

How can I make a case for toning down the "rah rah" marketing tone around technical content?

Summary Starting from the position that -- with modern web delivery -- the line between technical communication and marketing content is fading (as all the content is available to business and technical readers via search) and it is desirable to…
Sharon M
  • 738
  • 5
  • 11
15
votes
6 answers

Writing what my family may not want to read

I am going through a difficult time in my life and, as a keen amateur writer I’m seriously considering writing about my experience. My motivation is two fold, firstly I believe it will help me, but also to pass something onto the next person who may…
Unsure
  • 151
  • 3
15
votes
5 answers

How to describe a female character's figure without comedy?

Do you know a good way to describe a female character's figure? I'm writing a fairly serious story, but the only way I know how to describe this is from comedy stories, where they work out some joke that gets the point across. Constable Angua had…
user29283
  • 159
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
15
votes
3 answers

Avoiding Deus Ex Machina resolutions?

Most Crime/Thriller Novels usually have a sudden, unexpected plot twist that puts the main character in a really hopeless situation. One way to resolve this is by using a "Deus Ex Machina", that is a character that suddenly appears out of nowhere…
Michael Stum
  • 2,003
  • 1
  • 18
  • 27
15
votes
9 answers

Using Myers–Briggs as a guide for character development?

Edit: I looked at What are some ways to get to know your characters? and while I noticed similarities, I think that question asks in broader terms about what tools can be used for developing characters. I tried to narrow this question down to…
BugFolk
  • 932
  • 6
  • 24
15
votes
4 answers

Are there tools that can aid an author in writing a branching storyline?

I would like to know whether there are any tools that would help an author write a branching storyline. Usecases may for example be: campaigns for Pen and Paper games visual novels Choose Your Own Adventure-style books The common thing is that…
Secespitus
  • 5,746
  • 4
  • 48
  • 97
15
votes
2 answers

Should I take breaks from writing?

I enjoy writing short stories very much, even though it is only a hobby for me, and I never gave thought towards publishing anything. I find that it's a good way to be productive with my time. There are two pieces of advice I have followed since…
Matthew
  • 291
  • 1
  • 3
15
votes
1 answer

What does Character development actually mean?

I keep hearing the terms "character development" and "characterisation", but I'm still not sure what they mean? How does one "develop" a character?
Shantnu Tiwari
  • 6,923
  • 4
  • 30
  • 57
15
votes
11 answers

How can I have a war with no "good" or "evil" side?

I'm conceptualising a story involving two heroes who go on an epic journey and return bitter rivals etc. etc. and form their own forces in a sort of civil war. My issue is that I want them to both be on the "good" side. How can I write a story in…
Aric
  • 399
  • 1
  • 16
15
votes
4 answers

Should I bother allowing images (headshots) for pen names?

Please bear with me, the question really is for writers. I'm authoring software that manages ebooks. I'm to the point of representing the "profile" of authors who choose to use pen names. How should I handle images? Should I allow a headshot at…
JBH
  • 677
  • 6
  • 22
15
votes
4 answers

What other kinds of writers are there besides plotters and pantsers?

In a comment to an answer of mine Mark Baker has suggested that the common, dichotomous view of writers as either "plotters" or "pantsers" or something of both might not be complete and that there are other types of writers. In their extreme forms,…
user5645
15
votes
6 answers

Serious real life problems in a fantasy?

I have a fantasy story I'm writing and several other fantasy ideas, which treats (in-depth or almost) some serious real life problems, such as diseases (mental or corporal), mental health degradation (like losing sanity), death, war, suffering,…
Yuuza
  • 4,629
  • 3
  • 33
  • 53
15
votes
6 answers

How to get a derailed book back on track?

Before I started writing my fantasy story (80,000 words so far) I had a pretty strong outline prepared. Within the structure of my plot, I wrote relatively organically and my characters started to develop their personalities. One character in…
Rapscallion
  • 398
  • 2
  • 10
15
votes
2 answers

What needs to be included in a corporate style guide?

What kinds of things need to be included in a corporate style guide that can't already be found in S&W, AP, Chicago Style, etc?
dddppp
  • 253
  • 1
  • 6
1 2 3
…
99 100