33
votes
What is the difference between character-driven stories and plot-driven stories?
Character driven is typically about life changes (or life ending) for a character, basically the character(s) undergo some kind of deep emotional transformation that is life-changing. Becoming a ...
- 104k
24
votes
Are there any general rules or guidelines for using neologism or newly coined word (Cutease)?
Writers Should Disappear
The work of a writer is to disappear.
In the best writing the reader does not even notice that there is a "writer at work".
When I first read that word, I read it as Cut-...
- 6,486
24
votes
Is there a phrase that means "a character suddenly gets a lot of development right before they die"?
The trope you are thinking of is called Death in the Limelight.
Briefly, an episode or issue that suddenly focuses on a character specifically because they're going to die at the end (or fairly close ...
- 8,762
20
votes
Accepted
Term for a character that only exists to be talked to
I believe in this case, a 'sounding board' fits the bill, simply a person to bounce concepts, dialogue, and ideas off of. Just how some characters act as nought but mouthpieces, this one acts as ...
- 9,134
18
votes
Accepted
What is an arena-driven story?
Arena driven story: A man crashes his airplane in the desert, breaking his leg. His radio doesn't work. If he stays there he will die. He splints his leg, takes all the water he can carry, and tries ...
- 104k
16
votes
Accepted
What do you call a fact that doesn't match the settings?
Your example is an anatopism, just as everyone speaking Latin would be an anachronism. But more generally, I think you're interested in incongruities.
- 9,557
13
votes
Accepted
Is there a term for this?
The technical term I have heard in writing is resonance. In psychology, we would call it priming of the audience.
As you say, it isn't exactly foreshadowing, but it puts an image into the reader/...
- 104k
12
votes
What is the difference between character-driven stories and plot-driven stories?
Plot-driven vs character-driven is a spectrum rather than a dichotomy. But generally speaking, character-driven means that the plot is primarily guided by characters reacting to other characters, ...
- 11.4k
12
votes
Are there any general rules or guidelines for using neologism or newly coined word (Cutease)?
A newly coined word is more likely not to be understood by your readers. Consider: your readers might not hang out in the particular circle where the word was coined and is known. In effect, such a ...
11
votes
Accepted
What is "Buying Back My Book"?
The reference is to buying out of a publisher's exclusivity clause, in order to regain the rights required to republish your own work elsewhere. Writers often refer to "getting your rights back" for ...
- 5,292
11
votes
Is there a term for this?
I think that's what TV Tropes would call a meaningful echo, but I'm unaware of a technical term. They usually state one if it exists.
- 9,557
11
votes
Term for future-tense technique that isn't exactly foreshadowing
I think more than one term would apply here.
From wiktionary,
flashforward (plural flashforwards). A dramatic device in which a future event is inserted into the normal chronological flow of a ...
- 3,137
11
votes
Accepted
Is there a word for something that is structured like a parody, but utilizes an idealized or improved version of the original context?
I would argue that a parody is not always a negative imitation of something, nor is it always intended to mock. What it is is something that imitates another thing in order to comment on it. For ...
- 4,335
10
votes
Accepted
What is it called when poets change grammar rules?
This is called poetic license. Although the more familiar use of the term is to depart from the facts for a better sounding story or phrase, the use of it to mean departure from standard grammar and ...
- 56.5k
10
votes
Alternatives better to the binary "0b..." format?
As somewhat alluded to by Chenmunka, if your documentation is generally in the context of a specific programming language and/or compiler, it is probably best to stick to what is required by those. ...
- 725
10
votes
Are there any general rules or guidelines for using neologism or newly coined word (Cutease)?
There is no problem in using new (or even non-existent) words in your story. However...
Writers do this all the time. It is part of the experience to develop a larger vocabulary. But when we learn a ...
- 1,987
10
votes
What do you call a fact that doesn't match the settings?
I'd go with inconsistency; to be even more specific, I'd say the worldbuilding is not consistent or poor.
I second J.G. in saying that you're interested in inconguities at large.
- 15.9k
10
votes
Term for a character that only exists to be talked to
I don't believe there is a single term for this kind of character. The terms usually applied to those characters roll in relation to the protagonist are Foil, Confidante, and stooge -- or as I call ...
- 12.9k
10
votes
Term for a character that only exists to be talked to
The term for this person is the interlocutor, from the Latin. It means the one who "speaks between," and often used for a character in a dialog --for example, the Platonic dialogs --whose role is ...
- 56.5k
10
votes
What's a moment that's more impactful on a reread called?
I would say Rewatch Bonus or The Ending Changes Everything.
As a discovery writer, I often don't know my ending until I have written 50% or even 70% of my first draft. So when I am done I actually go ...
- 104k
9
votes
How Can You Use "In Medias Res" To Beautify Your Amazing Masterpiece?
In Medias Res: in the middle of things. What you're referring to isn't commonly done (that is to say, starting your story at the climax or at the end of the story). That doesn't mean it isn't done, ...
- 5,431
9
votes
Accepted
Does the use of a new concept require a prior definition?
How do you handle, the introduction of a concept and its use?
There are many ways to do this. Generally, you don't introduce it at all, you just have a character (or, say, a sign or something on a ...
- 104k
8
votes
What is the difference between character-driven stories and plot-driven stories?
In the context of experiencing a story, character-driven and plot-driven mean very little. It is only during the writing process that these terms have any importance.
In a character-driven story, as ...
- 5,290
8
votes
Accepted
When should we redefine a term that's used in a different way in the book we're writing?
Just redefining a word from everyday usage is rarely good. People will always first associate it with their real-life usage. Maybe switch around a few letters to make it a new "fantasy" word.
About ...
- 5,696
8
votes
What is the correct term for a "thesis statement" for individual body paragraphs?
A topic sentence would be the "thesis statement" of each paragraph.
- 426
7
votes
What other kinds of writers are there besides plotters and pantsers?
Edit warning: I seem to have upset my sister (who also writes) so I've added more detail to no.2.
This question has been troubling me for a week now.
I met the terms - plotter / planner and pantser /...
7
votes
Accepted
What is the opposite of self-publishing?
I don't know whether you use different terms in the USA, but as I understand it, here in the UK, there are five different routes to publishing, briefly:
Traditional publishing, where you have gone ...
- 9,923
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