All Questions
20 questions
0
votes
2
answers
61
views
Is it more difficult to unify the narrator after the story is written, than to juggle POVs into the narrator's world during writing?
A lot of my procrastination in writing my story is coming from anxiety over making the finished product come from one "head." I have perspectives from a couple first persons, and some 3P ...
- 1,122
4
votes
2
answers
656
views
Is it outlawed to start Chapter one with the villain and only mention the protagonist?
Chapter 1 takes place in 1953. A girl is kidnapped. She manages to write a note to her friend (they both go to school together but the boy has moved). The letter is destroyed. Her friend is the ...
- 41
1
vote
1
answer
58
views
How to get across to the reader a character’s prophetic abilities
My protagonist is speaking to my interpretation of the three fates from Greek mythology. He doubts their abilities until one of them echoes his every word as, or an instant before, he utters them.
How ...
- 327
-1
votes
3
answers
80
views
What word would people with outdated technology make up for a plane? [closed]
In my story, my characters live in the wilderness, and they have no modern technology. They do see ruins from the past (from now) but other than that they have no idea how advanced other parts of the ...
- 107
2
votes
1
answer
197
views
Vague vs Specific: When to provide motivation details for action in a story?
I'm reading Wired for Story, by Lisa Cron, where she writes the following about being vague or omitting information that the reader does not know:
...being vague is never a good idea...
...Like most ...
- 1,909
12
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Are paired adjectives bad style?
I have the habit of using paired adjectives in my writing:
The noise from the engine lulled her with its slow and monotonous rythim ...
... the lights on the ceiling filled the room in a soft ...
- 15.9k
8
votes
4
answers
986
views
Is writing solely about writing a plot?
I often hear that a writer should not write something that is not tightly linked to the plot. "If you can narrate it without it, drop it from your story" - that's what I see.
However, is it really ...
- 413
4
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How can you explain Scenery?
I am writing a story about a character that travels as an ESL teacher and am wondering how you can explain scenery without getting to much into it.
- 149
2
votes
2
answers
612
views
Use of past and present tense in same novel
The author of a current historical novel uses past tense in most of its 38 chapters, and present tense in five or six. The novel is a New York times bestseller: The Women in the Castle. Can someone ...
- 551
0
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Am I being too descriptive?
Each and every time I read my stories to people, only one comment is usually made, albeit in different ways... I'm just not sure if they're being honest, or if I am actually doing something right.
"...
- 325
9
votes
4
answers
609
views
How to write a good fight/action scene?
It dawned on me the other day, after struggling through a fight scene, that I am lost when it comes to writing action. I usually write slower, dialogue-heavy scenes, and I have become used to taking ...
- 268
2
votes
1
answer
266
views
Writing a fiction in first and third person. is that acceptable?
I am writing a fiction. I start in first person(I) and then because I had to describe emotions of other characters simultaneously I switched to third person, (referring as she, they or the name of ...
- 455
1
vote
3
answers
391
views
Dialogue and action question
I am currently working on a novel. currently two girls are the only active characters. I am curious if I need to separate the dialogue and action when one character is acting and another is acting ...
- 13
12
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Can I switch from past tense to present tense in an epilogue?
I have written my entire novel thus far in past tense. However, I feel like my final chapter/epilogue would work better in present tense. I want to give the reader the sense that everything s/he has ...
- 121
15
votes
14
answers
8k
views
How can I Switch Protagonists Between Books?
Disclaimer: I am not intending on doing this. It is just a question I thought was fascinating and might be useful to other writers.
Here's the scenario. You're writing a series of novels. After the ...
10
votes
9
answers
75k
views
How to describe an angry voice in dialogue?
I've been looking for a word to describe this tone of voice for a long time but never came across it.
Now let me just spread a pinch of context. It's a first person novel, and our protagonist is very ...
- 183
0
votes
1
answer
107
views
I want some critique on my writing [closed]
Laying in a pool of vomit at one o clock on a tuesday morning in the room of a lousy hotel room was not a situation peter ever thought hed find himself in. But as fate would have it he lay there ...
- 31
1
vote
2
answers
254
views
Mixing essay-like opinions with the story
Is it very uncommon or out of place to mix your own opinions within the story lines?
Is it uncommon to change the tone from third person and talk to the reader directly?
I have read many tips on ...
- 223
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Being a non-native English writer how can i improve my English Writing style? [duplicate]
I'm an Indian and trying to write a novel based on 2 sisters.
My problem is that i don't feel very comfortable with my english sometimes. How can i improve my english?
And sometimes i use the same ...
- 1
7
votes
6
answers
13k
views
Examples for books that don't use (traditional) chapters? [closed]
I'm a big fan of Terry Pratchett, and he doesn't use chapters (mostly). Are there any other authors who tend to not use traditional chapters or chapters at all in novels?