Questions tagged [book]
Questions to do with fiction or nonfiction tomes, print or digital, either professionally or self-published.
212
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how do I describe magic in a fictional story? [closed]
In my writing I need to describe a character being enchanted by a spell and pulled towards a house.
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0
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74
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How to write a novel with a mixture of horror and crime (detective) thriller? [closed]
I just had a idea where what if A Detective and his buddy have to face supernatural creatures, cases full of mystery... Like two stories : Sherlock Holmes + Goosebumps ( orIT) smashed together into ...
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2
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70
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ways to express joy, or basic humor in a situation (for a story)
not exactly sure how to solve this, and haven't used the app before. Just started story writing. So ya, I don't know what else to say
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This, that, these, those [closed]
English is not my first language. I am writing a more or less formal text (nonfiction).
When I am talking about something that I introduced in a previous paragraph or sentence, is it correct to always ...
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1
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47
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How does republishing a chapter of a book benefit its publisher?
I want to publish a chapter or a portion of a book (which is written by someone else, and translated to my language) in my non-profit website, and I want to ask its publisher for permission. I wonder ...
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What are the copyright laws on writing books about living artists?
I was wondering if I wanted to write, illustrate, and publish children's books that is about an artist and their life (their journey as a child to an adult but in a simple whimsical childlike story), ...
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5
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Should you publish your book online for feedback?
This is a question I've had in my mind and have been a bit curious about. Let's say I finish writing a novel but before publishing it, I want to get feedback on it. Should I publish it online ...
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Are Certain Religious Terms Capitalized?
Is the term, "the great falling away" directly from the Bible, capitalized when used in a sentence to emphasize its importance? Also, the term "last days" is in question.
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I gave my main character the same first and last name as in another book - is this fine?
I am writing a book and had nearly finished half of it and gave it to my friend to read, but she told me there is already a character in a book with the same first and last name. Would it be okay if I ...
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4
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Learning from Books [duplicate]
When people aspire to become writers, asking people questions, often they get answers telling them this, to keep on practicing with no technique, and they are given upvotes. And even I too upvote ...
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4
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How to convert indirect thought to film voiceover without it sounding contrived?
I am trying to convert a fiction book into a film script. The book uses third-person past tense narration that switches between several characters from chapter to chapter and thus is always from a ...
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Is there a style guide for non-fiction? [closed]
So, I'm writing a nonfiction book. But I'm confused about style, format, and citations.
Is there a specific sources section that I have to do? Such as, "References," "Sources Cited,&...
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158
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What to do when you don't know what to write anymore? [duplicate]
About 10,000 words written in the book, I'm out of creativity to write the rest.
If I were to write the last chapters, I would write without concern, but the medium is "cloudy"
What to do?
...
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2
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143
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My Middle Name Is Amara And I Want To Add It To My Book [duplicate]
I'm writing a series that has to do with vampires. My middle name is Amara, and I personally find that name really, really pretty. I wanted to add it to my book as the name of the main character but I ...
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My friend says that the story of my novel sounds too similar to Harry Potter
I always wanted to write a book and finally after so many years I started writing one. But when I told my friend about the Idea of my story...he said that it sounds too similar to Harry Potter. I don'...
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Can I use the name of a character if they have totally different traits? [duplicate]
I'm writing a 7 book series and I wanted to use the name Roth in my series. However, I've seen this name used before in The Dark Elements series by Jennifer Armentrout.
If my Roth is a totally ...
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6
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How to I get motivated to start writing my book?
How do I stay focused and start with my outline and manuscript? I have a plot in my mind since 5 years and haven't even started my first word on it yet!
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If I can't smoothly fit something into my writing, can I use parenthesis instead?
Ok, so I'm writing a book set around 10 years in the future. Obviously, them being in the future, there are more high-tech gadgets that we don't have here. Normal things that they use in their every ...
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Would a second publisher ever want a book that didn't do well with the first publisher?
I have a nonfiction book out which isn't selling well at all. :( And yet, it's gotten rave reviews
from every industry professional who's read it. I'm looking ahead to when it's discontinued and the
...
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11
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As a young author, how do you make people listen?
I am an extremely young author. I don’t mean to sound like I’m bragging, but I think I am very good. They say the best readers are the best writers, in a single day I once read a 700 page book. I read ...
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4
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Using real names in fiction
I'm thinking of writing a fiction novel. The plot I've outlined so far centers largely around one possible path the future of our world could take over the next several decades. In doing so, the story ...
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4
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I found a story I wrote as a little kid. Should I finish it?
There was this story I was writing, when I was a little kid, that I found. I called it "Rage." I liked the story, and also liked a lot of the plot points. I want to continue it.
However, ...
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7
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Should I end my book on a major cliffhanger?
I am writing a YA fantasy series, and I'm wondering if the first book should end in a major cliffhanger. Right as the book ends, the main characters get trapped by the enemy. I'm wondering if this is ...
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1
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In a book manuscript, what are the spacing guidelines?
What is the spacing distance between the chapter title and the first paragraph?
If I am using double spacing between sentences, is it the same for between a title and a paragraph?
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How exactly does a book go from typewritten pages into an actual mass-produced unit ready for the consumer, and do authors have any control?
I want to be clear that I'm asking about this both for the present time, where nearly everyone does everything digitally, and for "back in the day", such as the 1970s or 1950s or 1920s or ...
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Is there a way I can print a book only for myself?
As selfish as this sounds, I’m really interested in having my own book printed for myself as the title entails. I don’t intend to sell it or distribute it or anything of that sort, but just something ...
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Problem with size image?
I planning to publish a children book "As a book & ebook" with images. I choose Landscape 9x7 for it. Now, I got some bad news that this will not fit ebook style. My image size is 2700*...
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Should I save some plot for the sequel of my novel or make the first book (too) long but complete?
I wrote a sci-fi novel. It's around 120k words long with a neat 'ending' that wraps up the main plot. The story is not complete: Although the main goal has been accomplished, a lot of smaller issues ...
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2
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145
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How do I write religious conflict?
In this book I'm making, there is a religious conflict that happens. Here's the base of my plot so far:
Adrian lives in the dragon tribe Sa'fwan. Foreigners came to his land, coming across his tribe ...
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My characters parents are dead, what now? [closed]
In my book, my main character has unfortunately lost her parents. But before the plot, I have nothing. I don't want to do an orphanage, foster homes, or give her a family at all. The idea of her ...
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1
answer
135
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How do I properly write in facts without harming anyone?
I'm currently writing, or starting to write, a book that discusses misandry and the such. I'm going to try to use as much evidence as I can without it seeming harmful.
For example, I want to add in a ...
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4
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At what point in my story should I get beta readers?
I'm writing a book right now. I want to get beta readers for it, but at what point in the story should I get beta readers?
Should I get them early?
In the middle?
Near the end?
After the book?
I'...
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3
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I want to write about a suicide, how should I do it?
I want to have a book (or multiple) have a suicide in it, and I want to write the suicide. I don't know how exactly to go about that.
I know that very descriptive details or very graphic images/video/...
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I want to write a book, but I don't know if it's "too sexist"
I'm writing a story, and it's like this so far: A boy watches his family get slaughtered before him, he has to become a slave to survive, and then somehow ends up in the position to save a kingdom.
...
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Finding a book series, I read the first book awhile ago and would like to finish the series [closed]
I read a book a while ago and I'm try to remember its name.
The book was about a an outcast who used to be a the general of a rebellion against a colony of planets. These planets had faster than ...
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1
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What is a good name for my fantasy species that's not too long? [closed]
I made a fantasy species,a dragon. It's based off of a Siberian tiger, a bearded dragon, and a fruit bat. But the trouble is, i'm not sure how or what to name it. It's main features are it's throat, ...
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2
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I want to write a gay sex scene, the characters are both virgins, and I don't know how to do it without looking like a fool. any advice?
my name is Christine.
I'm writing a book, and I feel like it would be right to include a sex scene.
both characters are male, and both virgins as well, and I've never written a sex scene nor had ...
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1
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How popular is report type book?
I'm professionally an engineer and though I've written a few articles for a website, it is nothing much. I quite like writing but I can't say I'm very skilled at it, but I am good at searching things ...
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How do you copyright a book if you’re both the author and illustrator?
I'm making a book and want to illustrate it too. So do I have to copyright them seperatly or can I copyright them all together? And if I make them into a series do I need to copyright each book ...
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1
answer
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Republishing a Creative Commons NonCommercial-NoDerivs licenced work for archival purposes
I have a 10+ year old 800 page pfd someone wrote but never published and I'd like to publish it (not taking credit for it, just to own a physical copy). The original author is dead so I can't get ...
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Books sales volume data
I am looking for a database / list of books with sales volume numbers for each title. If this isn't available, then what is the best proxy for sales volume numbers that is available? I am not just ...
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How to format my book before sending it to a publisher?
I am looking to send a copy of a horror anthology that i finished recently to a publisher and don't know what the editing format of the pdf should be or how the letter to the publisher should go.
...
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Describing a Smile [closed]
Im trying to show the fact that in a picture my character is smiling, but I don't want to say
"we were smiling"
this is the sentence im trying to fix: "We were both smiling foolishly, he looked so ...
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What is the publishing service for both blog and book
I am planning to start writing material online. I need a single platform to host the following
A regular running blog
It should be easy to write and publish. Would prefer a simple near-vanilla ...
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1
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332
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how to tell if a book will be a bestseller? [closed]
I wrote a novel and it is Science fiction based novel.
Almost every close friend of mine read the novel and none of them gave a negative response.
What are the possibilities that I need to assume, ...
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5
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741
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How to tell if my writing is nonsense? [closed]
So I am writing a book, the start of the book sounds interesting even to the my "board" of readers. After a while I had 586 words in total SO FAR,I am not sure if my writing is nonsense. This is my ...
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1
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Synopsis for a village full of characters
My book is about a sleepy Devon village and is a compilation of tales that feature over thirty characters. They weave in and out of each other's stories, in the pub, Post Office and village shop etc. ...
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Is 7000 words too long for a chapter? [duplicate]
I've been working on a story for the last 4 years. It's just a personal project now and I've gone really in depth to clean up any plot holes I can readily see (thanks Cinemasins). I think I love this ...
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5
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1
answer
109
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Why is it that when I get to the end of writing my book, I get discombobulated and want to give up? [duplicate]
I've noticed this about most of the books I write, except for my short stories/novellas. When I get close to writing the end, my thoughts become a chaotic mess, and I don't know how to properly ...
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6
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2
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234
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How should I present a resort brochure in my general fiction?
In my story the protagonist goes to live in a health resort. The receptionist presents her with a brochure of activities. At the moment I have written like this in a word document;
After patiently ...
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