Questions tagged [style]
This tag should be used for questions that deal with a consistent style in your writing, such as when asking about typical ways to introduce a certain aspect to your reader by showing-telling or if you are concerned that your readers might feel that a change in the point of view might be perceived as inconcsistency.
1,345
questions
0
votes
4
answers
136
views
Which Is Clearer: 'Being pressed' or 'Pressed'?
Consider these two sentences:
[1] Being pressed against the wall, he struggled to break free.
[2] Pressed against the wall, he struggled to break free.
I've recently spent some time reading grammar ...
- 1,820
0
votes
2
answers
66
views
How exactly are you supposed to write a paragraph that contains a consistent theme throughout?
I have noticed as a writer that one of my greatest weaknesses is writing paragraphs. I never really learned exactly how a paragraph is supposed to support one single theme. For instance, this is a ...
- 3,127
0
votes
1
answer
99
views
How to provide translations, moods, and registry in multilanguage dialog within an narration in English?
I am starting a serious writing project (a novel book from a story I once drafted as a TV show; I am not a script writer either). Furthermore I decided to write in English, which is not my native ...
CommunityBot
- 1
7
votes
7
answers
1k
views
Does writing in a certain mood change how a writer writes?
I'm not sure if this is right for this part of Stackexchange, but since there is no psychology section, here we go:
I'm currently writing the same short story several times with the intention of ...
- 21
2
votes
2
answers
132
views
How to refer to alternate versions of a character in a non-sci-fi way?
I'm writing a story featuring a plot element which is a variation on A Christmas Carol involving the multiverse. A character is escorted to other timelines, where she looks at where those versions of ...
- 133
4
votes
2
answers
554
views
How can I recognize and take constructive criticism?
Personally, for me, I have ADHD and mild autism, so at times I don't have the same views as the majority. For example, I like the ending/plot of this one book/show/movie, only for me to find out that ...
- 248
0
votes
4
answers
115
views
How does one write a paper "in character?" I don't know how to begin
For the course project, you will write about a historical event between 1865 and the present day from the perspective of a historical figure who participated in the event.
You will need to research ...
- 2,835
1
vote
1
answer
46
views
Thoughts on using "looking to" in marketing content
I've been writing content for years, and over the last 6 or so, in marketing for software companies. Very often, I'll see sentences include "looking to" as a way to explain that the reader ...
- 100k
5
votes
6
answers
500
views
How Should We Implement the Given-before-New Principle in Fiction?
It's safe to say I've become a bit of a grammar nerd since I started writing my first novel. Three years after my first words landed on the page, I'm only now coming to the end of my final round of ...
- 1,820
3
votes
2
answers
109
views
Conveying to someone through eMail that they are the one millionth customer of my product without sounding suspicious
Say I owned a website, game, product, etc. and wanted to tell someone by eMail that they are the one millionth customer of mine, and maybe even promise them a reward.
The problem is that eMails of ...
- 111
7
votes
4
answers
28k
views
Describing common hand gestures
While writing stories how do I describe the action of common hand gestures, for instance the "come on" signal.
Is there any reference? I found a list of hand gestures in wikipedia but obviously it's ...
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
135
views
Is it better to create a new word, or add anew connotation to an already existing word? Does it matter?
This question arose from another question I asked on the English Language & Usage Stack: "Is there a specific name for that singular exhalation laugh that happens when you read something only ...
- 2,835
-2
votes
3
answers
81
views
What is a word that would best fit in this sentence?
The Harlem Renaissance has changed America in a ________ way.
I'm trying to make the sentence sound professional. Here is what I had at first: The Harlem Renaissance has changed America in a great way....
- 2,835
2
votes
1
answer
113
views
How to have emotional range whilst maintaining a consistent tone/mood/atmosphere?
I know that a good way of enriching your writing is to include a range of emotions, obviously following a flow, and making sure it makes sense overall, not just cycling through them just to check them ...
CommunityBot
- 1
-1
votes
3
answers
42
views
Spacing around (and types of) dashes in American English
I'm not a native English speaker, and the way American English texts typically use em-dashes without spaces to separate sentence parts seems very strange and even disruptive for me. For example:
&...
- 11.2k
0
votes
0
answers
38
views
Non finite (..ing) v finite (..ed) verb form correct usage
The rhythm of these 3 excerpts below are different, they read to me more or less the same though. Are any actually grammatically wrong? It's funny the sort of questions that pop up when you start ...
3
votes
2
answers
218
views
How do I avoid a clash in mood?
I'm planning a story that can be simplified into the 2 parts. One is a small town being invaded by monsters and the other about a group of humans having to do an act in order to get one of said ...
CommunityBot
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
82
views
Are fake movie titles mentioned in dialogue italicized?
So, a made-up title like All Loud on the Eastern Front, in dialogue, would it be italicized?
- 4,013
31
votes
12
answers
4k
views
What's Essential In A Combat Scene?
I've just been reading a bunch of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books. Although they were the most enjoyable read I'd had in ages I always found myself skimming long segments that described involved ...
- 937
14
votes
10
answers
3k
views
Is it overkill to follow style-guides for technical writing?
I currently work for an engineering company as an electrical engineer. A good chunk of my time is spent writing testing reports or instruction documents. Currently my company doesn't have any sort of ...
- 10.8k
2
votes
3
answers
189
views
How can I write in first person present tense without it being annoying or distracting?
I am currently writing a story in first person and present tense. I've read a lot about what various people think of this perspective and I've heard many people say they enjoy it when it's done well, ...
- 4,013
10
votes
9
answers
68k
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 ...
- 1
6
votes
1
answer
336
views
Punctuation-Quote or Quote-Punctuation?
I'm writing a document using the Chicago Manual of Style. I don't have access to the full guide, only to what's provided on-line.
Now I wondering as to whether, in the main text itself, I should use ...
- 4,013
1
vote
1
answer
52
views
How to make a scene from the point of view of a drunk person dramatic?
This is sort of related to my previous question because I'm preparing to write the same scene, but this is different enough that it warrants its own question.
So I'm working on a scene where a ...
1
vote
2
answers
113
views
How to write a drunk person's train of logic?
I've read some of the other questions on this site about how to write a drunk person (this link, this link, and this link) but what I'm not clear on is writing a drunk person's train of logic and how ...
- 903
0
votes
1
answer
51
views
How to organize writing of short, concise, meaningful sentences?
I am working on a fantasy language and wondering how I could write like the Tao Te Ching, short meaningful poetic sentences which are easy to grasp and visualize. In English we have the tendency to ...
- 11.2k
1
vote
3
answers
146
views
How do I make my writing flow?
I'm in the skeleton stage, but to get into the rhythm of writing, I write short stories every few days. Upon reviewing them, I've realised that unless I am specifically aiming for abstract and vivid ...
- 56
2
votes
5
answers
192
views
Is using diverse verbs on action beats to tag speech frowned upon?
Watching a video from an editor yesterday, she said authors should refrain from using too many verbs on action beats, instead relying mostly on "said" and "asked".
I think it is ...
- 1,820
2
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Is there any stylistic reason to avoid the word "got"?
I was taught around the age of 10 to always avoid the word "got". I was told that it's always possible to rephrase a sentence so as to not use it. I followed this advice fairly unthinkingly, but now ...
- 1,820
11
votes
5
answers
12k
views
Single author scientific paper, 'we' or 'I'?
I am authoring a single author paper. Usually when referring to oneself in a paper, 'we' is used. In single author papers I found both 'we' and 'I' (e.g., 'here we/I report xyz').
Which one is ...
- 13.5k
1
vote
4
answers
246
views
When is a good time to have a betrayal?
In my book a character who the main characters have saved before is revealed to be the real main antagonist. I originally wanted this reveal to happen at the end, but after looking at betrayals in ...
- 10.8k
6
votes
5
answers
3k
views
How to write a character who's better than you at sounding professional and doublespeak
I have a character who is an expert at using language to his advantage. Both in terms of doublespeak, subtle put downs and deliberately avoiding the point and making the conversation about something ...
- 453
0
votes
3
answers
153
views
Stylistic markers in male and female writings
Are there any stylistic markers (sentence structures, vocabulary choices, or anything else) which may help the reader suggest, even if only tentatively, the gender — male or female — of the author, ...
- 13.5k
3
votes
3
answers
977
views
Laughing in 1st person narratives
I've looked at other posts here, but none really get to the bottom of it, and none are specifically like my question.
I'm writing the same story from two different perspectives. The first one is in ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
1
answer
104
views
How do I get my writing to be more thrilling?
I started writing not too long ago, but I've been struggling to actually make the readers get into the reading. I've been told that my writings are too "straightforward" or "too direct&...
CommunityBot
- 1
-1
votes
1
answer
67
views
"morally dialectical" is this phrase usable?
I'm wondering if this phrase can be used to characterize two characters, one who is morally good and one who is bad. Specifically I am trying to say that "I want to examine character A and ...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
102
views
How to write an insulting experience for my protagonist?
My protagonist finds out that his friends have completely forgotten him. I want to write an insulting scene for my protagonist and want the readers to connect with him fully. Need some tips on how to ...
- 11.2k
1
vote
3
answers
193
views
When to not use SI symbols for units?
In the book What If?, the author usually writes the units out as kilometer, atmosphere, megawatt instead of km, atm, MW. However, he does use the symbols in the drawings:
In one line, both mm and ...
- 213
4
votes
5
answers
12k
views
Techniques to get rid of "was" and make one's writing more engaging
These are my techniques:
Changing the order of the sentence:
I was happy because of what she did.
What she did made me happy.
Using "in" and "on":
1999 was the year I devoted myself fully to ...
- 1,820
1
vote
4
answers
676
views
What is the literary form or style of a story with no heroes?
I have a piece of non-fiction to write that I'll be doing by telling a story. It's somewhere between a news report, op-ed, and historical lesson, but told as a short story.
In this story there are ...
5
votes
4
answers
852
views
Can dialogue be put in the same paragraph as action text?
I'm a beginner writer, trying to learn fundementals. I'm editing some work now and I'm confused about proper formatting of paragraphs with dialogue.
I know that you should start a new paragraph when ...
- 13.5k
4
votes
2
answers
246
views
I'm afraid of being accused that I copied, even when I'm the one writing earlier
My apologies for potential errors, I'm not a native English speaker
Hello. I don't really know, who else I could ask, so I'm putting it here.
First of all, I know, that my writing isn't something ...
CommunityBot
- 1
11
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Why is it generally important to be consistent with the tone and style of writing?
I was thinking of writing a story that starts out as a serious drama, but suddenly shifts to a comedic tone without any clear reason or transition. I thought it would subvert expectation and make the ...
- 255
4
votes
4
answers
33k
views
How should I write "shush" in a narrative?
I said shshshsh! I know I could say shush, but there are times when I really have to say shshshshsh. What would be the best way of writing this. Maybe Shhhhhh?
19
votes
11
answers
6k
views
How do you write about the human condition when you don't understand humanity?
I was talking with some writers, and they were mentioning how writing is fundamentally about "the human condition, our take on it, what we see in our world and experience. All stories, no matter ...
- 1
7
votes
5
answers
27k
views
How to indicate that a single letter was removed from a quotation
Suppose a source text says:
1 Timothy 2:4 says that God desires all people to be saved.
Now suppose I want to quote it like this:
It is possible for God to "desire all people to be saved."
...
- 4,013
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
How to make my roleplay responses more lengthy/detailed?
How can I make my roleplay responses more lengthy and detailed?
For the recent months I've been roleplaying with several friends. our replies are normally two or three sentences. While I've shown ...
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
71
views
How to externalise internal thoughts better?
I've been watching a lot of Krzysztof Kieślowski movies lately, especially Decalogue, and I've noticed how adept he is at using visuals to externalise the inner ideas of his characters.
How can I ...
- 2,389
3
votes
3
answers
588
views
Scrivener: Can I set spacing below the header?
Can I set it so that there is a certain amount of space between the text on each page and the header?
- 6,028
2
votes
2
answers
323
views
How to write a time-lapsed style scene in a screenplay?
This is a brief example, but it gets the point across ...
deep in thought Bathsheba shakes off her zoned thoughts by dipping her brush into the green paint and beginning on the canvas with her three ...
- 10.8k