Fiction is a form of prose writing that deals with at least partly artificial or imagined events and characters. This tag should be used for any questions relating to fiction, including fiction formatting and technique, fiction critiques, and the publishing of fiction.
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156 views
Do writers use highlighting to clarify ideas in their work in progress?
In programming we often use syntax highlight in order to have a better picture of what the role of particular bits of code is (using different colours).
I wonder if writers do something similar - ...
3
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2answers
192 views
Is it safe to write about a fictional murder in a real-life location?
I am writing a novel, and part of the plot has one character killing another in a specific real-life location. I mean the setting is extremely specific - for example, a particular hotel, or one ...
3
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1answer
82 views
Flashback or dream as a means of hinting at more going on than meets the eye
I plan to use a dream or flashback as a way to show the reader the story has more going on behind the scenes. As well to sprinkle in a little of my main characters back-story.
I haven't written it ...
2
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4answers
255 views
Is it a bad writing practice to start sentences with a verb?
I realized I start sentences with the, he, she, it, after and then all the time. So I'm starting to use verbs instead. Here is an example of something I wrote:
Erin left out a sigh. "Why am I ...
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4answers
631 views
How to explain a war scene?
In my novel, I have a part where there is a war scene, and I need to explain it precisely from the king's point of view. How can I explain the war graphics vividly?
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2answers
152 views
First conversation scenes I've written (looking for errors, conventions, and improvements according to writting standards).
Basically, I would like to know if I'm doing something wrong (according to witting standards) in the following conversation and how to improve it to help readability, quality and feeling (making it ...
2
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3answers
115 views
How do you connect a non sequitur hook to a novel?
A pineapple is walking down a street, but here’s the kicker: he’s completely naked.
That was a non sequitur hook I thought of. I figured that it would raise a bunch of really interesting ...
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3answers
117 views
What work better for the following piece of writing? Past or present tense?
I'm writing a short story but I'm not sure whether to write it in the past or the present tense.
This is the opening paragraph:
Sophia was awakened by the rattling sound of her washing machine. ...
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3answers
140 views
Gadgets that make the world/story broken
Every so often I see a nice piece of fiction where its author adds something (to save the plot, or to make it interesting, whatever) that makes the story broken (usually it makes the world, setting or ...
2
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2answers
79 views
Writing exercises to practice the art of giving unique voice to characters?
I've read many blogs where they teach you how to give an unique voice to your characters. I feel I understand how to do it, but I think I'm a little stuck the the voice that I've been using since I ...
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1answer
60 views
Is it a bad idea to vary the voice of the narrator in third person (limited omniscient)?
I did some thorough searching for duplicates of this question, but I don't think they really cover the same spirit of the issue I'm having. (here are some examples of similar but different questions)
...
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2answers
1k views
Opening paragraphs of a short story set in an aquarium
I'm writing a short story about a schoolgirl who is visiting an aquarium (this setting is connected with her past and with the conflict of the story).
Sophia found herself walking through a glass ...
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1answer
200 views
When to use the character's name and when to use she/he?
This is the first short story where I'm using actual names for the characters. Here is a sample:
"Sorry for the question," Jun said. "But why don' you have friends?"
Ling glanced at him, then ...
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3answers
1k views
Adding breaks in a novel—spaces, asterisks, or a chapter break?
I am editing my first novel and wherever I find a natural break in the story, I add a few spaces. I want to go back and adjust what types of breaks those are, but how best to represent those spaces in ...
2
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3answers
181 views
Italicizing and adding accents to Spanish words in an English novel.
In my current novel I have a few characters who speak Spanish. The book takes place along the Texico border, so it happens frequently. I know that in more foreign Spanish, or when someone speaks a ...
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3answers
922 views
Write a 1st person story with a 3rd person narrator
I am writing a story in the 3rd person and i would like to switch the narrator for one of the main characters half way through so that the reader can read how he perceives the story. does anybody have ...
2
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1answer
67 views
Is translation work likely to help me develop my own writing abilities?
I've been offered work translating/interpreting some creative works into English. Is this kind of work likely to push my creative boundaries, and teach me how to be a better write of original creative ...
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3answers
156 views
What genre is this?
I'm trying to figure out what genre the following is, if any. (I asked a similar question, but this is different now, and more detailed.)
The story takes place in an imaginary world. It's more or ...
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2answers
66 views
Does inclusion of significant quotations from literature make a novel harder to publish?
I'm considering using quotations (a sentence to a paragraph) from various pieces of literature at the beginning of each chapter of my novel. The quotations connect thematically to the events of the ...
2
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2answers
178 views
Issues with Scene/Sequel model
I'm using the Scene/Sequel model to go from an informal outline of my novel to a list of scenes. In summary, during a Scene the POV Character has a Goal, encounters some Conflict, and it ends in ...
2
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1answer
130 views
Style signatures and uncommon formatting patterns
Style signatures are bits of words and phrases used consistently throughout the entirety of a work (but not necessarily among my unrelated works). I would like to try using style signatures in a work ...
2
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1answer
64 views
Looking for some tips on how to improve writing [closed]
I have just completed my first draft of a novel. Now the story is completed it's time to capture the style so the reader can engage in the story. I want to make sure the story style is easy enough for ...
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3answers
142 views
When to start a new paragraph and when to start a new “scene”
This is an extract of a short story I'm writing. Sometimes I get confused about when to start a new paragraph and when to start a new "scene." So I would like to know if I'm doing it properly here ...
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1answer
258 views
Should I switch to third person or continue in first person?
Is the following first-person POV introduction good, or would it be helped by switching the story to third-person limited? The book is very action-centric, involving a good deal of fights and ...
2
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1answer
187 views
Will 9/11 fiction get a writer into trouble with the US Government?
I want to write about the very interesting topic of 'what really happened' on 9/11. How close can I possibly get to real characters and facts without getting sued?
Facts I might include in my work:
...
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3answers
156 views
Is writing a light read or “chick lit” a good option for an aspiring literary fiction author?
I live in India and here light reads and "chick lit" have made a great impression. The youth are picking up such books like petrol on fire. Even non-readers are giving reading these genres a try. ...
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2answers
329 views
Do these starting paragraphs make you want to keep reading?
OK, first, I'm not a native. So, what you do by instinct and a bit of research, I do by extensive research, including accents and dialog style.
I’m dead.
‘But you have a chance,’ I was told, ...
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1answer
195 views
Magazines taking submissions for short stories?
Does anyone have or know of a list of magazines (print or online) accepting submissions for short stories? It would be nice if it could be broken out by genre and payment rates (if applicable).
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2answers
161 views
Using a town to symbolize/represent a character within a story (fiction)?
I'm not sure if this has been done before. In my story, the main character's wife takes the form of a town. The town represents how he feels towards his wife (mostly sad feelings and repulsion).
It ...
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2answers
202 views
Why is this ‘loved’ italicized?
I’m interested in italics in novels. Italic writings in novels have a wide variety of feelings, for example surprise, delight, anger, irony, humor, etc. However, consulting reference books, I only ...
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3answers
1k views
Quality examples of 'in medias res' starting sequences in SF literature
You can find my initial trials here, and, based on feedback, version two here.
I was trying to create a sort of 'flashforward' opening (please don't cite Sawyer) for a novel. That is: of the 45 ...
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3answers
133 views
Is it a bad idea to have all the action in the beginning and all the dialogue in the end?
I wrote a short story. All the action happens mainly at the beginning of the story. You can see part of the beginning in this question, and the full story here).
This is the dialogue and ending (just ...
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2answers
149 views
Will this opening and dialogue grab the reader's attention? And how can I improve it?
Disclaimer: I'm not an native English speaker
Here is the first part of a short novel I'm writing. For the description I wanted the reader to have an idea of the place first and then let him know ...
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1answer
166 views
How to improve/fix this short introductory paragraph and dialog?
These are the things that I want for this introductory paragraph:
Grab the reader's attention
Create a melancholic and dark atmosphere
Inside was dark with just enough light to see shapes, and ...
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1answer
58 views
Does this excerpt strike a balance between the formality of steampunk and accessible writing?
I'm having a bit of trouble, since I'm writing in a semi-new genre. I ordinarily write fantasy with a modern-day setting, but my latest experiment is steampunk set in not-exactly-Earth, so it has a ...
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1answer
95 views
What type of writing would this fall under?
Would this be considered prose, or poetry? The reason I ask is because someone had told me that I should submit it to a magazine but I don't know what kind, if any would look at it. I write it about ...
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2answers
409 views
Is this dialogue and situation intriguing (short story)?
This is the continuation of a story I mentioned in a previous story.
I would like to know if the reader would feel intrigued by the dialogue and situation (a girl who seems to be a stripper is lying ...
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1answer
235 views
How to effectively jump from one period of time to another in a short story?
This is the first time I'm writing something that jumps from one period of time to another in a short story:
The field was vast and empty, like a green abandoned planet. Icaro and
Maru were ...
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1answer
1k views
Critique: three person dialogue
Up until now, I'd only written dialogues between two persons. I'm not very sure if this dialogue is flowing smoothly. Is there anything I can do to improve its flow?
Specifically, I'm wondering ...
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2answers
69 views
What constitutes historical fantasy?
I'm writing a trilogy set 80% in Italy and 20% in other European countries. Each novel incorporates real historical characters and fantasy elements (a magical object, real/imagined symbols, ...
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1answer
86 views
Faith, Hope and Love as the keys to victory in an action-adventure novel?
I'm at the outline stage of my novel writing.
It is pretty straightforward to think of an action-adventure novel's victory as attained by physical attributes and/or courage.
I'm looking for ...
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1answer
89 views
Does this qualify as a prelude or prologue?
In the story I'm writing i have a 2k word chapter that will either be attached to my fourth chapter or be a prelude. (prologue? I'm not really sure what the difference is or if there is one.) My issue ...
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0answers
60 views
How to use His/My/Your permutations in adressing persons [closed]
I'd like to understand the rationale of when, why and how His/My/Your are used in titles of addressing people.
For example, the standard commonly accepted uses are:
"His Honour"("His Grace", or ...
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4answers
141 views
Should it be a Short Story or Full Story
I asked Three questions in another question. To break it up, I am going to ask one which I still would like more feedback on.
NOTE: I was told to break it up by the moderator who closed it. Although ...
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6answers
349 views
Does my story beginning hook the reader? (dialogue + narration)?
The following is the opening of a short story I'm writing:
Erin stared at Ruth, eyes narrowed. "There was
an earthquake last night?"
Ruth nodded. "Around 9p.m. The news says it
was a 4.3 ...
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1answer
128 views
Is it good style in fiction to write sentences as a flow of (disjointed) thoughts? [closed]
I was wondering whether it is okay to write like this or not:
I never went for the grooves. But I did take a seat near the bar table and checked out the pretty ladies. Drinking was not my cup of ...
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2answers
154 views
Level of detail in description of character checking the news
I'm writing a short story about a girl who has apparently 'missed' an earthquake. This is the beginning of the second scene (here is the first):
Erin was sitting on her bed, working on a new ...
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3answers
116 views
Is there a description of location required in intense moments of the story like in a love story
I am writing a short love story. There is a moment when the man and woman he loved meets after 3 decades at his home and they strike up a conversation. They had some unsaid feelings buried deep within ...
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3answers
184 views
Is the opening of this detective short story gripping enough to read on? Can it be shortened?
Is this opening too short or too quick? Can it be shortened further, removing any unnecessary description like "not giving him a lift to the office"? (I feel this last can be avoided but I am not ...
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1answer
106 views
How well would this beginning sell the book to readers? Not necessarily for money
Disclaimer: English isn't my native language.
A while back, I posted this and this. I got... well, reviews. While not outright helpful (ie. indirect, which is the whole point of critiques, I guess) ...
