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1500 questions
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votes
8 answers

Should I write scared?

Is it better to push yourself in your writing? To attempt bigger and deeper stories than you've done before? K.M. Weiland says so. But then there's this thread (which is talking about music performance, yes), which implies that the only way to…
icanfathom
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How to avoid using "he/she/it" repetitively in action

I'm writing a zombie apocalypse genre book (yes, I know it's a heavily used and abused writing genre, but I'm writing it in my way, a way I believe is a good way). Anyway, I caught myself writing "he and/or Will" one too many times in the beginning…
A. Kvåle
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14
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Where's the middle ground between genre conventions and originality?

I've long been interested in writing a fantasy novel. Over the countless iterations I've gone through, one thing has remained clear: a quest for originality. I know some people like the fantasy cliches, but a good chunk don't. These people want…
Thomas Reinstate Monica Myron
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4 answers

Are there any more efficient ways of formatting and creating an e-book?

I am currently using Guido Henkel's formatting guide for putting together my e-books, but I have modified it slightly. Having an extensive background in html, I didn't really need the primer on html formatting. However, once we get to the part where…
Steven Drennon
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6 answers

Should I repeat character descriptions if a character reappears the second time too far into the story?

Should I repeat character descriptions if a minor character reappears the second time too far into the story? For example, I have a minor character who is introduced and has a bit of involvement at the start of the novel, but comes back in the third…
Klara Raškaj
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14
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3 answers

Instruction manuals: should the end-user be addressed directly (passive vs imperative)?

Manuals come with virtually any appliance, and they typically target the end-user. Among other things (legal specifications, part numbers…), these documents contain specific instructions on what to do and what not to do with the appliance. Should…
Philipp
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9 answers

How much does style contribute to the overall value of a novel?

I've recently got a crushing critique. The critic pointed out I was obviously unfamiliar with the basic tools of the trade and that my style was non-existent. She insisted that "everybody can invent a story", but that the art of a novel lies in the…
Filip
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6 answers

My readers are losing interest halfway through. What is a list of possible remedies?

I see a pattern among my readers, specifically where they tend to stop reading - it is about 2/3 through the story, during "Act 2." A few readers push through to the end and say they are glad they did. One wanted the end longer (which may be saying…
SFWriter
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14
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6 answers

Should I use the real name or attempt to describe?

I'm writing a story in a fantasy setting, where there are characters who dress with ancient Egyptian type clothing - such as haram pant and usekh collars. Since the story is a fantasy and not set in the real historical Egypt, should I call them by…
Marshall
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8 answers

How should I break up chapters in a novel?

Is it acceptable to pace my chapters in terms of an event? Can I get away with a 4 page chapter here, and a 30 page chapter there? Are there any reason why I should or should not be sticking to a specific page range for my chapters? I basically just…
bdrelling
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8 answers

"The more fleshed out the character is, the more the reader will care about him". Always true?

I have a problem with the protagonist of one of my stories. In the story he's in, he dies at the end (self-sacrifice), so I readily made sure to flesh him out the most possible, because, at least in my understanding, the more the reader knows about…
Yuuza
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14
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9 answers

How to write about aliens without making the work seem Sci-fi?

I am writing scenes of a work where the primary setting and theme is a medieval style world. I believe the genre should be described as Heroic Fantasy. One element of the story is that the creatures people see as gods are being from another planet.…
MissingPear
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3 answers

'Filling' up a school setting without making a bunch of new characters?

In a school setting, what is a way to allude that a school is full of students, without making new characters or overusing pre-existing ones? A school is the main setting of a book. The main and secondary characters majorly consist of students. In…
sonics29
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5 answers

Acronyms in Technical Writing

I can't find a standard, is the most common use to have the abbreviation followed by the defintion? Example NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Rachel
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4 answers

What are character flaws and what makes a good one?

I mean, what exactly defines a flaw for a character? I know that the character's flaws should have at least some impact in the story, instead of being just a mere detail, but what makes flaw X better than flaw Y? Is it how much it impacts the story…
Yuuza
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