Questions tagged [structure]
For questions about the connections between and ordering of elements within a written work.
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How does the 3 act structure fit in a Non Linear story?
I see that the 3 Act structure can be applied over almost any story, from Hamlet to Mulholland Drive, from The Matrix to Rocky. Story structures like 3 Acts, or 4-5 Acts, always feature a Character ...
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Question regarding narration and 1st - 3rd person swaps
I'm currently in the process of writing my first novel, and I'm a little unsure about one of the main features of my writing process.
To summarise quickly, what i intend to do is have a short ...
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Where do I write 'The End'?
Background
Woohoo! I literally just finished right now my masterpiece trilogy that I have worked on for what seems like, ages...
I'm a bit vexed as to where I should write 'the end'. The epilogue ...
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What should I do if I know the antagonist but too many options for protagonist?
I have decided on my antagonist for my first novel. They are pretty much being brought back to power by traitors in an otherwise squeaky clean institution.
It's the protagonist I'm not sure about. I ...
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Does a novel require a conflict?
Unless a better writer can dissuade me I am minded to say no. The 'essential' 'conflict' is cultural. It is part of the western 'Human Condition' - Eastern cultures have stories without conflict.
...
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How many plot points ( whatever you call them ) do you need for a novel?
I just started to plot out my scenes like this in bullet points
Tess runs away
Tess fights the bad guy
Tess gets injured
and so it goes on. So far I got 30. I know that I need a lot more. I am ...
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Who should I share my writing ideas with
I'm too scared to share with my family
My online friends only know of Star Wars
I got an idea stolen
I don't really know anyone in real life
I would like to know if there is a way to contact anyone ...
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How can I make the final realisation less depressing?
Most stories carry some element of realisation. Whether that realisation is the best sort of fireball for defeating the Dark Overlord, or how I can lessen my pride to make my marriage work, the ...
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Dropping tie-ins for future stories?
During my writing I discovered some interesting (sub)adventures that my protagonists go through while reaching their end-destination.
However, these stories are totally irrelevant to the current plot ...
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Classical Style vs. Modern Innovation
For some time now, the matter of classical versus modern writing has weighed heavily in the discussion of my mind-congress. Here is my thought: given the sheer reverence that is given to classical ...
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How do I avoid making scenes feel rushed?
I've written several scenes and reread them silently. Most times they sound rushed, unnatural and uncomfortable. This especially happens with action or other fast-paced scenes. How do I avoid this ...
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How can I write easier with a learning disability?
I've been writing stories since Elementary School but was diagnosed with a reading comprehension disability in High School. I was labeled as a visual learner.
Currently I'm writing articles for ...
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Why do typesetters capitalize the first few words of a new chapter?
Something I've always wondered. You've probably noticed that in some newspapers or books, the first few words of a chapter/story are bolded or capitalized, similar to initials. For example:
This ...
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How can I make my roleplay sentences more interesting, and less lengthy?
For the past four months, I've been writing back and forth with a friend of mine in a form of roleplay. Depending on what's happening, our replies range from a few sentences (usually with dialogue) to ...
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Can fiction be written without a coincidence?
Does every fiction has a coincidence? Is there any evidence for a fiction not having a coincidental occurring at all ?
I understand by the time we get to the coincidence part it might not seem a ...
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Is it a bad habit to reveal most of the information still at the beginning of the story?
This is a habit I have with my stories, and I think it's a bad practice. The story I'm writing isn't of the suspense genre, it's a mix of fantasy and realistic fiction, but a bit of "I wonder what/who/...
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Would it be wise to make the turning point of a story coincidental?
I've written a fictional story and the way my characters are coming together and forming a bond seems way too coincidental to me.
A lady lives on the first floor while her tenant, a guy, lives on ...
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How to show time lapse between two chapters?
I have a ten year time lapse between an event in my first chapter and the second chapter.
The first chapter has an event that takes place during the protagonist's teenage years that lays the ...
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What is a good ratio of description/action to talking?
Background
I probably am wording this badly and that's why when I searched the site I didn't get an answer. So I was wondering, because the recent totally epic chapter of my masterpiece novel ...
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Is there a template for how to write a movie summarization?
Is there an official or de facto standard for how to write a movie summarization for an encyclopedia, magazine, newspaper or other kind of media?
For instance, are there widespread templates, ...
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Is it needed to add breaks in a depressive story?
I'm writing a somewhat depressive story that has no comic reliefs and no happy scenes/moments (except the ending and one or two in the beginning). The only scenes that aren't sad or negative are the ...
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Is it bad to divert from the topic in a paragraph and continue in the next?
Here's an example from my own writing (this is a first draft so there might be errors):
Turn for Kazuo's eyeballs. I take them to the table, but I don't eat
them immediately. I look at them ...
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Is it bad storytelling to have things happen by complete chance?
Background
I recently noticed in my latest masterpiece novel there is quite a lot of things happening by chance. For example:
The main character just happens to pass by an old, frail warrior who can ...
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A long backstory right at the beginning
Just as I heard from various sources, a plot has to start with what the reader will find through most of it. And that's what I did, the first scene shown is the main event that triggers the story. ...
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Should i have four points of view for my novel?
I have four friends who all have roles to play in my novel. Person A is why things start to happen to the whole group. Person B has protected person A his whole life but A never knew. Person C betrays ...
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What are the steps/plot-points of the Sequel Story?
There are many ways to do a sequel, though for this question I'm only interested in one...
The Post Hero's Journey/Apotheosis-Story.
Lacking a proper name for this narrative frame work "PHJ" is what ...
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What format/platform/structure is good for writing for a video game?
I know this may not be the best place to ask this, since it's for a game, but the game is very story driven, so I thought it would be reasonable to ask this on the writers stack exchange.
The story ...
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How do I handle a backstory big enough to be a story of its own?
I have an idea I'm working on, where there's a huge backstory that I'm not sure how to deal with.
In my particular case, the backstory and main story are these:
The backstory begins as stereotypical ...
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How many subjects in the same story is "too many"? And is it too bad?
The story I'm currently writing is a framed story where a recurring-depression-suffering writer that lost his wife [killed] in a war tells his life story in a symbolical fantasy world. Throughout the ...
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Style-less writing -- Lack of real structure for blog article
I used to write a lot when I was younger, and I like to think that I was even decent at it. It's been years since I've tried to write anything other than code, though. I'm quite out of practice, and ...
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How can I write well-structured ideas without overusing connectors such as "moreover" and "in addition to"
When I write, I find some obstacles in forming well-structured ideas and my writing does not sound natural because of overusing connectors.
How can I overcome this issue?
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How to get the "back again" part after horrible experience?
Ok, so I have a character, Jack, and I don't know how to get him on the "back again" path. You know, when you move past what happened? Get happier?
My character has suffered a series of traumatic, ...
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Turning normal phrases into gerund phrases: What's the effect in the reader?
For example, what's the difference between:
She closed her eyes and thought about her life.
He was so confident and handsome women circled him like vultures.
And this:
Closing her eyes, she
thought ...
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How to write a short, and persuasive headline? [closed]
I have the following sentence that I am thinking of using as headline `
Shop online. Locally.
`
However, I am not sure if this headline connects well with it sub-headline.
Pick up the goods ...
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using double negatives and sentence structure
This is an extract from a book I am currently reading, the author escapes me at this minute, but i will update.
OFTEN IN ACTUAL LIFE, and not infrequently in the myths and the popular
tales, we ...
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In multiple narratives, does time have to be in sync?
This goes for any amount of narratives, dual, triple, quadruple, whatever.
I'm writing a story with three points of views going on simultaneously right now, about at the same time. However, is it ...
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How can I prevent the ends of my chapters from feeling forced?
Background
I've found that at the end of a lot of my chapters, the endings feel quite forced and abrupt. This is because I don't know where to go, I've done what I need to do. For example:
Excerpt ...
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Chapters - Writing Order
I, like most writers, have a number of ideas about my current work in progress. I know how some chapters in the story will play out almost precisely (the ending / final chapter, for example) and how ...
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Section of a book that explains things
I am writing a fantasy novel and there are many elements that will need explaining, such as precious items, cities, creatures, and certain terms.
A glossary won't suffice and I'm stuck as to what ...
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Which makes better sense? [closed]
Is it correct to say:
Sign Up to our Newsletter
Or
Sign Up for our Newsletter
Thanks!
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Translating from mind to paper
I've had a story developing inside my head for years (literally about 5 or 6 years now) but every time I try to put that story onto paper it never turns out how I wanted it. It feels like this is my ...
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Why are news articles in the US structured so non-linearly?
Even after almost two years of daily consumption of US print (well, online) news, in particular, the NY Times, I still cannot get my head around the structure of their articles. I'll elaborate an ...
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Events happening in two places in one short story? [closed]
Events happening in two places in one short story?
Is this ethical to happen in one short story (craftwise) or is it unprofessional to break the linear flow?
Eg: A wakes up thinks, wait get dressed ...
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How much falling action can follow the climax?
I'm writing an action/adventure in the same genre as Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. I've reached the climax, where the heroes have saved their friend from death at the last moment, and the cave/tomb is ...
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How do you get a character to tell a short story?
Writing noobie here.
I'm at a point in my story where one of the characters recalls a memory from their past and talks about the impact it had on them. I've written what I want them to say but I can'...
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Antagonist that remains unknown
In genre fiction, the antagonist is usually either known throughout the book or revealed before the end, so that protagonist and antagonist can battle it out during climax.
What I am wondering is, ...
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Text structure in a fictional diary
I began writing a novel. It's something I'm preparing for a long time and I now have enough material. Given the fact that I will concentrate on my main character's poitnt of view, and that I want to ...
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novel frustration [closed]
I need help. I have written 4 novels, 3 in kit form.I will try to be brief, but this is complicated. The stories are brilliant....and in current form unreadable.I am a conflicted writer hampered by ...
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How much can a reader remember?
I've been writing some fantasy. Now, inevitably because its a big piece of fantasy, its all very involved with the world, culture, story and general bits. Personally, I'm really enjoying writing it.
...
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Short Stories - Questions [duplicate]
How many Stories would be required for it to be considered as a Collection of Short Stories ideally?
What would be the approximate Word Count for a Short Story?
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