Questions tagged [creative-writing]

"Creative writing" is a vague term, but generally means fiction, or writing that's not non-fiction, technical, or business writing. This tag should be used when asking questions that apply to multiple categories of creative writing, such as when asking questions that could apply to fiction or poetry alike.

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How can I make a character memorable and not stereotypical?

I am planning a novel and am currently developing the characters. I have written one sentence for each character that defines them, come up with the roles they would play in the story, as well as ...
1 vote
2 answers
442 views

Advice on writing a book on travelling when I have never travelled before

I am writing a book about travelling. However, I have never travelled abroad before and currently, in my situation, cannot. I feel a little discouraged on all the backlash I could receive on cultural ...
3 votes
2 answers
95 views

I want to describe a young man sitting astride on a chair, leaning his forearms on the top of the back

I want to describe a young man sitting astride on a chair, leaning his forearms on the top of the back. I am aware that I am focusing too much on the mechanics of the posture, and I will deal with the ...
1 vote
1 answer
59 views

How and when do you reveal information about your character?

Similar to my previous question 'How/when do you reveal a big secret to the reader,' I'm looking more specifically at the first few chapters and when to reveal anything, not just big secrets. For ...
1 vote
5 answers
157 views

Are there any theories as to what makes a story's premise good or compelling?

John Truby, in Anatomy of Story, says you shouldn't write a story that doesn't have an exciting premise. But what makes a premise good, bad, boring, compelling, or exciting? This is what Truby says ...
9 votes
5 answers
2k views

How do I avoid repeating a sequence of events that occurs multiple times?

In a story I am working on, there are many doors that require a fingerprint, a passcode, and a key card to open. Writers say 'Show instead of telling.' As such, instead of writing something like: ...
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3 answers
94 views

Urban or Epic Fantasy? [closed]

I can't decide what I want to write about: Should I go with urban or epic fantasy? And what are the pros and cons of them?
13 votes
9 answers
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What counts as exposition dump and is it possible to do exposition dumps without affecting pacing?

One effective technique I was told to use is to integrate the exposition within the narrative, rather than presenting it as a separate block of information. This can be accomplished through various ...
0 votes
1 answer
111 views

How can I make a character death that's relevant to my book and hits really hard?

I'm writing a stand-alone fantasy novel about a bunch of kings. The protagonist is a girl I am basing off of a female king from Sweden in the 1600s. I am planning on killing off one of the other kings,...
2 votes
2 answers
65 views

How to describe my character using a power

My character has the ability to charm others. She can use her powers of charm to persuade others to do what she wants or daze them for a small period of time. Too much use of this power can drain her ...
0 votes
3 answers
84 views

How would you write a character turning invisible?

One of my characters in the story I'm writing has the power of invisibility. I was wondering how it would feel for her to turn invisible from her perspective.
1 vote
3 answers
84 views

How/when do you reveal a big secret to the reader using first person or third person viewpoint?

How and more importantly when do you reveal a major secret about the character? My character is a mythical species, highly valuable for both intel and magical properties, however she is humanoid and ...
2 votes
4 answers
102 views

How can I come up with meaningful (and exciting) scenes for my character's journey?

I am struggling to find conflict in each place (countries for my story) I'm working on. I have some fun ones (small but whack adventures that my character partakes) but I don't have an intriguing ...
2 votes
3 answers
93 views

Is it considered a story if I write short pieces that are just dialogue and philosophical-ish stuff?

I have a couple of short stories that are basically just dialogue and philosophical-ish stuff, such as “There’s no such thing as good or bad.” “Then why do we have laws? Why do we have prisons and ...
2 votes
5 answers
146 views

How can I not give up on writing my story?

I am planning a book, but I can't convey it into words. I am stalling, planning unimportant things that won't be essential to my novel. I have given up on over twenty drafts, thinking one idea was ...
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

How can you put a lot of time-skips as soon as possible in a story?

How can you put a lot of time-skips as soon as possible in a story? Because of certain restrictions, I am forced to put a lot of time-skips at the beginning of a story, but how do you do that ...
-5 votes
6 answers
7k views

How to write an actually psychopath character

I'm constantly running into problems, this time it's wannabe Pennywise again. So, one of my characters is supposed to be emotionless but still, pretends to have them. Problem is that I don't know ...
14 votes
11 answers
3k views

Can technical writing suck less

I currently have the prospect of writing a considerable amount of technical documentation (describing interactions with an extremely complex online service). I consider myself a reasonably proficient ...
1 vote
2 answers
179 views

Would it be "wrong" to rewrite a fanfiction as a writing exercise?

I've been reading a fanfiction lately that honestly has a good plot, though the writing is subpar—grammar and punctuation errors, lack of descriptive detail, bad formatting, etc. I've been thinking ...
1 vote
1 answer
227 views

How to keep an original fiction from becoming fan fiction with world-hopping?

I've got an original fiction I'm writing with the concept of a multiverse where every story written or drawn in one version of modern earth generates attached universes. Everything from anime to ...
1 vote
2 answers
78 views

I need help writing a scene or experience about air being knocked out of you

How would you write a scene of someone trying to breath again after getting the wind knocked out of them? I am trying to describe the experience and how your body reacts physically while your brain ...
1 vote
3 answers
239 views

I'm trying to write a love triangle, but the relationship with the second companion seems unnatural

I will start by saying this isn’t a romance, but has your classic love triangle within the plot. The problem is, within my writing, I got in too deep with my first two characters' love story, and now ...
0 votes
2 answers
373 views

Is it possible to use an intentional plot hole as a literary device?

Is it possible to use an intentional plot hole as a literary device? If not as a literary device, can you use a plot hole intentionally for other reasons? I am wondering if there are authors who use ...
1 vote
1 answer
256 views

Tips on writing a character with bipolar disorder

I am writing a novel about a young man who is grieving the loss of his mother. He's also been diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder in the last two years. I really want to do his character justice, and I ...
4 votes
7 answers
1k views

How can I get myself writing again?

I have authored a particular fanfiction, which has garnered a moderate following on the fanfiction website I published it to. As of now, the story has 279 users following it for updates, as well as 45 ...
0 votes
4 answers
247 views

How do I determine if the premise of my story is believable?

This post is part advice and part discussion. How do you determine if a story's premise is believable? Is the believability of a story's premise more of a demographic thing? Do people determine how ...
0 votes
1 answer
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How can I write a fictional college?

Im having trouble creating a fictional college for my books. I'm trying to make it realistic with a lot of different majors, but I'm only in high school and I don't understand all that much about ...
0 votes
3 answers
107 views

In a subjective omniscient PoV, can a writer ask a question in the narration?

When a narrator filters the thoughts of characters, can the narrator ask a question as if it comes from him or her? For example: “Who could ask such a question? John was upset.” Or “Was she scared? ...
1 vote
2 answers
165 views

What is an inciting incident?

I've been struggling to find a clear definition of what exactly an inciting incident is. According to Masterclass, an inciting incident is: The inciting incident of a story is the event that sets the ...
5 votes
3 answers
582 views

Is it good to publish a novel online for free?

I am not after earning money but to spread knowledge about something for free. But if money is neglected, what else can be the disadvantage of publishing it online?
0 votes
1 answer
116 views

Is it better to write a novel with contractions?

In a subjective omniscient PoV, is it better to use contractions for the narrator’s voice, or to avoid them for a more formal and distinctive tone?
0 votes
1 answer
59 views

Swapping between third and first person in a book

So, I was wondering in the case of a book is it okay to swap from 1st person to 3rd person? Like on the spot swaps, almost like breaking the 4th wall. So, for most of the book it'll be a third person, ...
1 vote
3 answers
147 views

How to write symbolism into a story?

I'm writing a dark academia/Gothic romance. It's about this guy named Humphry who accidentally summons a ghost girl named Cal after a failed experiment. He at first is freaked out and wants nothing to ...
8 votes
8 answers
6k views

What pronouns should I use for a character with no gender?

I'm writing a book in which there is a character with no gender. I don't know what pronouns I should use for this character. I can't use he/she. What pronouns should I use? Example: With gender: She ...
2 votes
1 answer
122 views

How do you handle hallucinations/daydreaming in comics?

How do you handle hallucinations/daydreaming in comics? I remember instances where people in TV shows are literally dreaming while awake with their eyes wide-open and just wakes up from their ...
4 votes
2 answers
123 views

How do you create an emotional attachment to a character who never appears?

Main Question My protagonist, Dannie, was taken from her home for 7 years. The story starts when she escapes and follows her journey home. Dannie discusses her home with her traveling companion, and ...
6 votes
6 answers
6k views

How short can a poem be until it can no longer be a poem?

I am on a small journey to help me understand what the definition of a poem is to different people, what poems mean to them. This made me wonder, some poems are longer than others, so: How short ...
7 votes
8 answers
2k views

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?
3 votes
2 answers
179 views

How do you prevent the readers or viewers from guessing the whole plot when you use foreshadowing?

How do you prevent the readers or viewers from guessing the whole plot when you use foreshadowing? I remember watching Monster.Inc when I was young and I was able to guess the whole plot of the movie ...
2 votes
3 answers
87 views

Is there a term for the underlying concept that must be accepted for the story to work?

Is there a term/trope for the sort of underlying concept of a story, which itself is most likely unrealistic, but which we must accept without explanation, proof or tie back to real-life, for the ...
0 votes
2 answers
111 views

Writing a character with amnesia

I'm working on a webcomic in which the main character has amnesia from head trauma. She was an experiment and when escaping she hit her head. She has one sentence of dialogue to the other main ...
5 votes
2 answers
457 views

How to write "The Breakdown Scene"? (cosmic horror)

I am currently writing a cosmic horror story, (without an eldritch abomination) and I am wondering how one would write the classic "You've seen too much and now your mind is breaking" scene ...
0 votes
1 answer
102 views

How to refer to different versions of a character?

In my historical spy thriller, there are five different characters named Miku that our protagonist has to fight. So initially, they're refered to as Idol Miku, Vampire Miku, etc. etc. etc. But then ...
0 votes
3 answers
201 views

What is a good way to practice essay writing?

I was never that good at writing essays, especially if the essays require works cited or sources. I have a basic idea of the methods but how do I practice making a good essay I am no longer in school ...
1 vote
1 answer
120 views

Writing a surreal, dreamlike setting?

I am working on a concept for an existential horror / comedy, similar to works like the DHMIS TV show and Little Runmo. I already have a collection of strange, dreamlike entities; like an organic ...
0 votes
4 answers
156 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 vote
2 answers
316 views

Past progressive in a novel

I have been reading a lot of different options on how to write a novel. Many people suggest that the past progressive tense is most often used in fiction to describe interrupted actions (in relation ...
0 votes
4 answers
1k views

How do I make my characters sound British?

This might sound silly, but I am trying to make one of my characters British and I have a hard time portraying that idea on paper. My novel is set in a fantasy land, nothing like this world and I am ...
0 votes
1 answer
82 views

What does it mean when people say your dialogue should have its own line? [duplicate]

So, I've been trying to write a novel and some people have read it and said it was great and I've also received some criticism saying I needed to give each line of dialogue it's own line. Does it mean ...
5 votes
2 answers
659 views

Should I use 1st-person or 3rd-person perspective for an alien character alone in a post-apocalyptic world?

This has been a difficulty for me for a bit. I'm writing a story about an alien character alone in a post-apocalyptic world. Them being alone makes me think it'd be easier and better to chose 1st ...

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