Writing

Questions tagged [introduction]

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Questions regarding the beginning of a work, or regarding the meeting of characters for the first time.

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How do I know if I've introduced too many characters too quickly? [duplicate]

In my book, I start out by introducing the main character, her uncle, and her mother in one scene. The next scene involves her grandparents, and the next is about five more characters after that. The ...
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1answer
69 views

How do I introduce concepts of a world in a way that makes sense and doesn't overload the reader

I recently started writing a story set in a fantasy world. However, I'm having trouble introducing certain concepts of the world. For example, the world this is set in runs on a different time system ...
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1answer
85 views

How to write better introductory passages (usually the first paragraph in the chapter that introduces the setting)?

Each chapter of a novel usually has an opening paragraph, or an introductory passage, that lends a flavor to the setting essential for the action that will follow. How to make the descriptions more ...
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4answers
194 views

How do I introduce a large cast in an interesting way

I am currently writing a story about eleven college friends and a child. I don't want to just introduce them as "The Jock" or "The Delinquent," and I don't want to do a dry listing of "this is who ...
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1answer
134 views

How to introduce a character properly

I'm working on a screenplay and I know the basics of formatting, however I still don't get why the first time a character speaks some line, it has to be written as He or Man instead of his actual ...
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1answer
75 views

With an introduction by

This was originally a part of my question about partnering with a website, but I think it's separate enough to deserve its own post: Many books are published with an introduction by a better-known ...
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5answers
232 views

Opening chapter foreshadowing or not?

In my story, a homicide takes place. I want to describe this homicide at the start of the story, through the eyes of the victim, to foreshadow what's about to come. But victim and suspect are both ...
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4answers
2k views

How can I introduce the names of fantasy creatures to the reader?

In the story, these fantasy creatures are everyday animals that most people in the story already know. How can I introduce them in an natural way that instantly makes readers remember their names? The ...
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3answers
106 views

How do I introduce this character?

I am writing a story these days and I want to introduce a character who is similar to a king. This character is introduced with heavy announcements by his minions who scream out words of admiration ...
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4answers
196 views

How to introduce a foreign idea to readers

I'm writing a book with a world similar to ours but at the same time is very different. I don't know how to do it smoothly without overloading the reader with information but at the same time giving ...
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8answers
6k views

How should a big universe be introduced without being boring?

If I have a big universe that I need to set up, with lots of characters, lots of locations, magic rules, technology, government rules, is it okay to introduce and explain all of this at the beginning? ...
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5answers
799 views

Writing a song as the hook

I am at the free-writing stages of writing my high fantasy novel. I am looking at or experimenting with different methods for hooking the reader and driving their attention towards the rest of my ...
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2answers
111 views

How to explain leaving your body

I am trying to write a story where a character is shot and then gets up out of their body and stand up, but it is not their real body their actual body is dead on the floor. Basically, their spirit is ...
17
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9answers
5k views

How do I get my readers through the early, “hardship” part of my fiction?

A reader of one of my works told me, "It was very interesting, the last two thirds of it anyway." Her fear was that I might lose my readers in the first one-third of the work. The above work was a ...
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2answers
373 views

Guidance on pacing the introduction of new characters

I'm adding a qualifying question to the end of this question. So I have (let's say) two types of feedback in my beta critiques and real-life writing clubs. One is that I have floating heads syndrome,...
16
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6answers
4k views

How should I introduce multiple characters without it being repetitive?

In my story, I have 8 characters I really want to focus on, which is already a pretty large cast to begin with. At the beginning of the book, something important happens to each of the 8 that kicks ...
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1answer
67 views

To what extent is it necessary re-introduce characters at the beginning of each book in a series?

When a book series contains the same characters, to what extent is it necessary to re-introduce the main characters to the reader (in case, for example, they haven't read the previous books)? I've ...
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1answer
56 views

How are people who write introductions and afterwords credited?

Sorry for the naive nature of this question. I'm writing a story with a deceased fictional author, and one of his living relatives writes an introduction and afterword explaining the context of the ...
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2answers
3k views

Can I have both a prologue and an introduction in my book?

I have a prologue I'm working on right now, however, I want to add an introduction as well. What I mean is that I want to write about why and how I created the story (an introduction), but I want some ...
2
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1answer
796 views

Can I write an introduction for my fiction book?

I want to talk about a fiction book I'm working on but can't find what to call the intro. A 'foreword' is generally written by someone other than the author, and I read that an 'introduction' is used ...
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2answers
2k views

essay writing agree, disagree partially agree

In preparation for IELTS I want to write on "It is important for children to learn the difference between right and wrong at an early age. Punishment is necessary to help them learn this distinction. ...
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1answer
84 views

Concepts for more interesting introductions in papers

What are the key concepts for writing introductory text more interesting to the reader? An example: The Deutsche Bahn AG is the company with the most energy consumption in Germany. It has ...
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1answer
181 views

Include both foreword and introduction in small report

I am writing a school report about a company, and the report must be 10 pages or less. My instructors want me to include who wrote which sections in the report, when we started the work, etc. Because ...
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1answer
642 views

Foreword/introduction to the translation

I translated a book, and was thinking on writing a foreword to it. Not so much introducing the book (as there is a editor foreword from the original that does that), but as an introduction to the ...
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2answers
730 views

Essay Writing Introduction Paragraph

How do I write an introduction paragraph when it comes to writing a simple essay for those who have no idea what to write about and I don't have a creative mind? Please explain to me step by step.
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1answer
180 views

Opening of a cover letter [closed]

I am currently writing a cover letter (for a job application) and after a long 'struggle' with the opening paragraph, I've decided to start it by briefly presenting myself and then continuing with "...
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0answers
156 views

how do i differ my abstract from my introduction? [duplicate]

My topic is a causal argument. I choose what causes criminal behavior and am going to touch on the points of environment, personality disorders, education, genetics, and family controversy.
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2answers
361 views

Writing a PhD thesis. Question about (an informal) introduction

I am preparing scientific thesis for the degree of PhD. It is a mathematical thesis. It is usually very difficult to tell your colleagues and friends what are the things you exactly work on with ...
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1answer
96 views

I was wondering what a good way to introduce a character [closed]

I am writing a small story and I have part of the introduction done but I do not know a way to introduce this character There I was looking at my future. If I went through that door my whole life ...
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1answer
63 views

Alien checking, by making questions [closed]

I'm writing a story with a character from another planet, but also human. At the beginning, people will not believe he comes from another planet, so they will check it out, by asking questions or ...
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4answers
148k views

Difference between an 'Abstract' and an 'Introduction' in a feature article?

I have to write a feature article for school. However, I'm confused how an abstract [a summary of my points] is different to an intro [Where you outline the points you're going to be elaborating in ...
5
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1answer
2k views

Is my writing 'disjointed', and if so how can I fix it?

First page of my fantasy novel. I'm told my writing is disjointed and jerky, but have no idea in what way! And it's driving me crazy that I don't know where the holes in my boat are so I can't really ...
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3answers
502 views

Is an Introduction and a Prologue good or bad, especially in middle grade fiction?

Is it bad to use an Introduction and/or a Prologue in Middle Grade Fiction? I have a lot of information that is useful, but the information in dialogue will sound fake and way too much info-dump like....