Questions tagged [structure]
For questions about the connections between and ordering of elements within a written work.
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How should I structure a small non-fiction book/paper about a groundbreaking product/invention?
I want to write a book/paper about an invention I have thought and developed conceptually.
But I'm really struggling on what I should include in it and how to structure the information.
Any ...
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Fan-non fiction market appeal
I found the discussion of flat vs round characters in the answer to this post pretty interesting: Example of a fictional story without any characters (the story being 1000+ words). Borrowing this ...
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How to Structure a single-perspective Novel into Chapters?
Now my case is not novel-wide; I have to do this in one part of the novel, but I extended the question to a more generalised one, so that anybody else with the same question will find it useful just ...
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How can concurrent/dual dialogue be implemented in short story/fiction writing?
I am currently writing a short story that has two intertwined narratives told in inverse chronological order from each other. The two narratives meet/converge at the moment the protagonists receive ...
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What is the best way to structure my series?
I am working on an urban fantasy series. The series is currently divided into a number of episodic chapters that follow a "monster of the week" format. Each one is projected to be about 30-...
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Would having two time skips close together be weird?
There's a story idea I've been playing with for years now but I feel like I need to do two time skips one after the other which may be weird for readers. I have a prologue where she talks to her ...
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How to properly include credits for the author, location, date and time?
I'm working on an amateur article about various topics and want to include my name (as the author), location of where I'm currently writing the article, and the current date and time.
I've seen many ...
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mentioning time span in a thesis (from 2019 to 2020)
I would like to know if there is a need for the word "year" in this part of the sentence:
"..., that took place from the 2019 to 2020,...".
Should it be:
"..., that took ...
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How to time "big reveal" and twist moments?
My question is similar to How to best pace information reveals to the reader and in the same general vein as When to finally reveal plot twist to characters?, but I think it's sufficiently different ...
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Zero-that clause (noun clause with that)
After omitting "that" from a that-clause, is the clause still dependent?
Or, does doing this turn it into an independent clause?
For example:
Before: "I suggested that she not go there."
After: "I ...
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What's the difference between the abstract and the introduction in academic writing?
I'm really trying to understand the difference between the abstract and the introduction in academic writing.
In my opinion, the abstract just talks about the aim of the article and the structure of ...
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Adjective alongside verb [closed]
"Marlon walked suspicious along the corridor".
It's important to stress that Marlon was (still) suspicious (not suspected, nor walking suspiciously) about something (that was already covered in the ...
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Interrogative section headings are fine in a tech business blog?
I have a feeling that I overuse questioned headings in my writings about tech and business issues. I don't want to give examples of texts but, believe me, I use (or want to use) it very frequently ...
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How to start writing an autobiography [duplicate]
I’m planning to write my autobiography. I don’t know where to start. Please give some tips and tricks to kickstart the project. I know it’s my personal stuff. But still some hacks from experienced ...
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Structuring a book?
So I am attempting to write a book, the first I have attempted yet.
My current method has been to just write scenes that come into my mind and I have over 40 pages of 'scenes' so far and have ...
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Turning a general story idea into a series of events
I don't tend to struggle coming up with ideas for story plots - the 'one sentence summary', as it were. As soon as it comes to breaking that into a series of events and chapters, though, I quickly get ...
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Vignette-esque story structure?
I'm writing a novel which essentially has the main character go from place to place and retrieve a single object from each person they encounter.
My problem is that while I can think of possible ...
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Can I put 2 quotes in one sentence in my essay?
In my essay I want to use 2 quotes that are both on the same page but are 4 lines apart. I didn't think I should use ellipsis b/c the passages I want to quote are quite far apart.
What I want to ...
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Is it a big no-no to have different sections in each chapter?
For non fiction writing, is it a must to structure all chapters in the same way?
For example, a book has a few chapters, with each chapter having a few sections that name the topic that's being ...
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What are these parallel blocks of text called?
What are these boxes of text called that interrupt the flow of text with some aside type comment?
source
They're usually related to the main body of text, are embedded somewhere nearby in their ...
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Why is tl;dr at the end?
Why is it in the end, I see this often after reading the material. The definition is too long, didn't read, but by the time I see the tl;dr, I've already read it. It breaks the flow of the whole story ...
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Writing structure of a book review
I am writing a book review about the book My name is number 4 by Ting-Xing Ye. The book review is going to have a thesis statement, with 3 supporting arguments. I was wondering including those ...
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Books in a trilogy are significantly different lengths. What to do?
I’ve managed to write a fantasy book, Lord of the Rings-style. That is, a single story that would almost certainly be published as three separate books with multiple branching plotlines. Or at least,...
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Answering an essay question "assess the impact" or "analyse the impact"
If an essay question states "assess/evaluate/analyse the impact of X on Y", does this allow for a discussion of how Z impacts Y?
For example, if the essay question is "Assess the impact of Deism on ...
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Non-sense question about plot structures
Suppose then you have an story in your mind. Then, to write down this finite series of events, you have to translate your imagination into the paper. This process isn't trivial, of course and plot are ...
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How to link paragraphs in essays and articles?
All I can find online is cohesion and coherence for paragraphs. But in a essay how can I link all the paragraphs. Any good methods for the university level.
It would be great if I can find an ...
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Awkward language translation
So I’m currently writing a book that takes place in Finland, though I am American and speak English. My main character’s name can be used as a play on words, and people use it to mock him throughout ...
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How can I make "acts of patience" exciting?
This answer to the question Averting Real Women Don’t Wear Dresses introduces a distinction between acts of patience and acts of daring.
[...] when it comes to telling a story [...]
acts of daring ...
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Research Paper Summary: How much should be citations versus original thought?
I'm finalizing a single-paragraph summary of a multi-page research paper for school and I was concerned when I noticed that most of my summary was in my own words. I mean that most of what I wrote was ...
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Doubt about the difference between a "Beat" and a "Event"
My main source of research about storytelling/screenwriting/how-to-write-a-book manual is [1]. But, the definition of "beat" given by [1] maybe can causing me some confusion.
In [1] we have a ...
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What are good ways to improve as a writer other than writing courses?
As a novice writer to improve my writing I have taken one online course. I want to ask, what are good ways to improve as a writer other than writing courses?
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How to organize distinct topics in personal letters to friends and family?
I often exchange long letters with family and close friends living far away every 1-2 months to stay connected and give updates on our lives. One characteristic of such a letter/long email is that ...
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Is it okay for a chapter's POV to shift as it progresses?
I have this duo in my novel, they're always together in chapters. Usually the story alternates between them within their plot, though mostly leaning to one of the characters, as he's one of the MCs ...
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Balancing setting, theme, and character arcs: how to deal with a setting that carries emotional weight but is left behind?
When writing a story, how do you find a good balance between the significance of different elements, such as plot, themes, and bold settings and characters, and the character arcs?
In my case I have ...
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From reactive to proactive; When should the protagonist change tack?
In my exploration of story structure, I have encountered some conflicting advice.
In some instances, it has been suggested that the midpoint of a story represents the moment that the protagonist ...
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How can I efficiently write down my personal problems for further auto-analysis? [closed]
When I have some personal problems in relationships or there are worrying issues about life in general and I am really upset about the situation, in order to “solve it”, or efficiently think about it, ...
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Any Tips On Writing Extended Recollection In A Novel
So, I've been working for about a month now on my latest novel but have come across some issues in regards to recollections of past events.
I'll outline what I mean, because that's a bit general...
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Is starting In Media Res compatible with a Three-Act Structure?
I have a story in mind which I am confident will fit a three-act structure very well. However, I am uncertain about the exposition that I have been writing, as it feels a bit stifled, almost as though ...
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Should I include an appendix for inessential, yet related worldbuilding to my story?
I'm of the opinion that a story should stand on its own; any worldbuilding that is necessary for the plot and story to function should be part of the story. However, at the same time, the world I ...
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Does a repository of analytical breakdowns of stories exist?
I'm a data scientist and for my next project I'm looking for a location where I can find stories broken down by structure. I.e. The basics of the seven point story structure, or wikipedia dramatic ...
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Having multiple epilogues
According to Wikipedia,
An epilogue is the final chapter at the end of a story that often serves to reveal the fates of the characters. Some epilogues may feature scenes only tangentially related to ...
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How important are good looking people in a novel/story?
I've read many books where the main protagonists are described as good looking people with Greek god looks, plenty of sex appeal, the perfect figure and all that. As a reader, how important would it ...
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Is there something "wrong" with my writing? How do I improve it? [closed]
So I usually use stackexchange as a last resort, but I'm completely stumped. If this question is inappropriate here, I will gladly delete it.
None of my teachers say that anything is wrong with my ...
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Do I really need to have a message in a novel to appeal to readers?
I am in the process of the writing a book. It is not my first attempt.
My goals for the book are:
Naturally, appeal to my target audience and with work and luck, sell well.
Invoke the same emotions, ...
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The concept of description and the structure of Mckee's view of story design
Consider the following text:
Tania is in her living room, in the summer.
She looks to the window and the street in front of her house, then she realized how dry and parched they are, this makes ...
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Including letters and other documents in a memoir
Writing my memoirs. I would like an opinion on how best to include 4 pages of letters/fax/emails. How about a 20-page composition? as addendum/exhibit? Too long to include in manuscript? Thanks for ...
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Poetry when unstructured?
Like most kids, I went through the All Poetry Must Rhyme phase.
Then a little later in school, rhyme was less essential (especially in English, a less rhyme-compatible language than many other ...
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Have I got the plot? [closed]
I am looking for verification on what is a plot for a short story.
For example:
A man wants to develop a new rose variety for his girlfriend as a way to propose, but he becomes obsessed with getting ...
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Chapters of a Book and Story Structure of McKee
Considering the "story structure" proposed by Robert McKee; like:
A story is a large structure composed by acts which are composed by sequences which are composed by scenes, which are composed by (...
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The three acts and their relative length
Let's take for granted that the 3 acts structure is relevant and exists. This, of course, is an assumption. How the three acts relate with the length of the novel?
In a standard book - let's say 50k ...
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