Questions tagged [fiction]
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, techniques and publishing.
1,734
questions
10
votes
4
answers
771
views
How do I write dialogue as heard by a POV character who isn't fluent in the language?
So I'm writing a story during the course of which my main, first-person-POV character learns another language, one used heavily in her surrounding. This generally works, but I regularly get stuck on ...
- 1,915
10
votes
2
answers
332
views
What to do with my odd-length work?
I've just about finished up the first draft of a piece of work I've put a good deal of love into. It's genre fiction (paranormal/supernatural horror/urban fantasy/whatever they're calling it this week)...
- 1,168
10
votes
2
answers
923
views
How can I create drama in a story that is mostly political and procedural?
I'm writing a fantasy story about whether a teacher should be fired or not over teaching competency; most of the story revolves around the politics and the procedural process of the decision.
So much ...
- 28.3k
10
votes
1
answer
275
views
How to write character accents in dialogue respectfully?
When writing dialogue how should one tackle accents? Changing the spelling for certain words (V for W in German) is effective but may come off a little cheesy.
Then again, not doing this might cause ...
- 327
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How to identify a scene type?
What are the main types in which a scene can be classified, and what are the key concepts for each type?
I am thinking something along the following (guessing the descriptions):
suspense - scene ...
- 677
9
votes
9
answers
5k
views
Do I have to start my story with my main characters?
What I mean is, does my story have to start with my main character being introduced, or can I start with their parents and then ease into the main character after a time skip?
- 107
9
votes
8
answers
5k
views
The use of footnotes to translate foreign words in a novel
I'm writing a fantasy novel and one of my characters speaks in English, but sometimes utters single words in an ancient dead language, and I don't want to abusively use that language.
For example:
...
- 367
9
votes
8
answers
5k
views
How to write a death scene without making it overdramatic?
In the story there's a flashback where one of the main protagonists loses his best friend in a battle where he was the only survivor. His best friend is a important character and, because of that, I ...
- 1,005
9
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Is it permitted to mention a real life work of fiction in your story?
I am working on a new project that draws influence from a currently running television show. What I want to do is make a reference to that show in my work. Almost as a joke to say, "We're nothing like ...
- 661
9
votes
10
answers
1k
views
Should dull dialogue be removed completely?
The following dialogue is from a novel I'm writing (first draft):
"You're quiet tonight," Erin said to Benjamin, who seemed to be lost
in thoughts.
He looked up and took a sip of his drink. "...
- 12.4k
9
votes
7
answers
8k
views
In what order should I describe a setting?
For instance I'm describing the park of an art museum in a foggy day. I'm not sure if I should start with the fog, wind, grass, threes, walking paths, buildings, stairs or something else. Is there a ...
- 12.4k
9
votes
5
answers
3k
views
How to describe a kiss between the protagonists in third person?
I'm writing in third person because I want to express the standpoint of both of my characters. Everything's running smoothly except for the part where I want to describe their kiss. I'm in conflict ...
- 455
9
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Writing about extreme trauma
I've just written a chapter in which one of my protagonists witnesses her entire family massacred during an invasion of her home city. This is obviously an extremely traumatic and horrifying event and,...
- 6,555
9
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How to make the villain's motives understandable if his logic is flawed?
In a story I'm writing, the villain has his motives for his attitudes.
However, he is very mentally disturbed, which makes the logic of his motives be kind of illogic to other people (including the ...
- 4,619
9
votes
7
answers
2k
views
When to ask for constructive criticism?
I have 40,000 words of a novel and I am not sure at what point to ask for constructive criticism.
9
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Can I include Acknowledgement page in a novel?
I am a new author and I want to mention names of people who helped during my writing. Can I include Acknowledgement page in a novel?
I looked in many novels by famous authors and they don't seem to ...
- 713
9
votes
3
answers
361
views
What challenges are there in writing a fantasy cookbook?
I ask mostly out of curiosity. Obviously, a proper cookbook would involve real ingredients and not fantasy creatures. There's such a cookbook for Skyrim and Lord of the Rings. What I am curious about ...
- 2,522
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Sensory Information Overload
I'm reading The Book of Human Emotions by Tiffany Watt Smith (good stuff if you want to inform the use of emotion in your writing), and I've just come across Overwhelmed (feeling). It talks about the ...
- 7,743
9
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Is it strange to describe the narrator's facial expressions in a first-person narrative?
Examples:
“Really?” I said, widening my eyes.
"What?" My eyes lifted and I raised my brows in shock.
I think this reads strange because the narrator can't see his or her own face (or wasn't ...
- 12.4k
9
votes
6
answers
9k
views
How to introduce a world that's alien to the reader
I'm writing sort of a space-opera and I was wondering what would the best way to explain everything about the world to my readers. The story is kind of a political intrigue, and it would be very easy ...
- 211
9
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Using poetry in novels a good option?
I write fiction as well as poetry. And many a times I use poetry as a tool to bring out that acute feeling of pain or love (as required) in my explanations. What if I use poetry to introduce or end a ...
- 177
9
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Use of past vs. present tense in works of fiction
I have recently picked up several works of fiction and begun to read them. I have found that some are written using past tense while others use the present tense.
What is the significance of using ...
9
votes
4
answers
983
views
Can Extensive Outlining Take the Place of the First Draft?
Background: I've been writing fan fiction for five years now. I began when I didn't have a clue what I was doing, so my methods have evolved during those years. By now I have a solid process that I ...
9
votes
8
answers
10k
views
Is it okay to end a novel with a cliffhanger?
First thing you should know: I'm writing the first book in a trilogy and I'm at that beautiful moment where I'm ending it. I know exactly how I want to end it BUT there's one problem. I've been ...
- 91
9
votes
6
answers
544
views
How much indirection is too much?
I'm writing a chapter with a lot of indirection, and I'm wondering if I'm doing too much of it.
To be specific, it is the main character remembering an event from his youth when a merchant who stayed ...
- 4,017
9
votes
10
answers
1k
views
How can I establish the nature of a person/group without action?
How can one establish the nature of a person/group to the reader without relying on actions to 'show' it? For example, if I have a group which is evil, how could I convey that to the reader without ...
9
votes
4
answers
978
views
Will science fiction as a genre ever go the way of the western?
It is a fairly undisputed fact that the genre of western fiction has had a declining audience for decades. The Western Writers Association still exists, but if I had never worked in a Border ...
- 6,675
9
votes
5
answers
1k
views
How to subtly portray a secret relationship
I currently have a set of characters in which two of them have had (and still do have) history together, however I do not intend to drop the ball on the reader and write down their backstory because ...
- 93
9
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Is it bad not to explain things?
Background
So I see a lot of questions on the site like this. They're all about deeply explaining worldbuilding and stuff, doing all of that explaining type of thing. Normally, I just skip that. For ...
- 4,429
9
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How to hide a character's identity from the audience?
My trilogy features two important characters whose identities I wish to keep hidden. The first is the series' deuteragonist, who is heavily implied to be Jeanne d'Arc (yes, THAT Jeanne d'Arc), who for ...
user29299
9
votes
6
answers
4k
views
What defines a Fairy Tale versus typical Fantasy?
My second-grader has been asked to write a "fairy tale." We are both clueless about what makes a story a "fairy tale" different from a fantasy story. Is there some special, defining element to a fairy ...
- 193
9
votes
6
answers
1k
views
How to handle a character when she is lying about her name
I am in the midst of writing my second NaNo novel, and I have encountered a problem I didn't anticipate. It is similar to this question, about changing a character's name in the middle of a story, but ...
- 1,995
9
votes
9
answers
1k
views
How Can I Make a Great Plot?
I'm a plotter, meaning I plan and develop my books before ever writing the first draft. I've given a good deal of thought to character, stakes, and the other parts of novel creation, and I feel like I ...
9
votes
10
answers
1k
views
I feel my protagonist is too "detached" from the main plot. What should I do?
Here's a summary of the plot:
The main character goes to a mountain to visit his half-sister. He hasn't seen her in years.
She went there to undergo a spiritual healing. Later he discovers her ...
- 12.4k
9
votes
9
answers
24k
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 ...
- 165
9
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How can I make my anti-heroic protagonist more likable?
A while ago, I asked if there any possible way for my series to avoid causing Darkness Induced Audience Apathy. A well thought-out response stated that unless I give my readers a reason to care about ...
user29299
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Sizing of a chapter and how many should I use?
This is basically a follow-up question I asked here: Scene switching and how to do it?
I always considered it normal for a chapter to have between 3000 and 5000 words.
And people around here thought ...
- 1,987
9
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Fiction writing: is using Git overkill? [duplicate]
Hope this question isn't off-topic because it involves programming software (for some reason I think many people in this site has used Git, though). Git is a revision control software to keeps track ...
- 12.4k
9
votes
4
answers
861
views
What is a good way to handle lengthy monologues/lectures in a novel?
In my novel, the MC is a woman from London who gets divorced and moves to Wales. Here she meets a Buddhist master with whom she has philosophical conversations about Life, Love, Relationships, etc.
...
- 683
9
votes
8
answers
3k
views
World Building vs Story Writing
Note, this might be off-topic and belong on World Building SE?
I have always been far more interested in building the world my stories take place in than the stories themselves. I will spend large ...
- 237
9
votes
3
answers
965
views
How to write a book about an amnesia patient properly?
I am writing a book about an amnesia patient. I do not know much about amnesia, which is quite shameful, but I want to know how to write this book in a way that does not make it cliché.
My ...
- 370
9
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Is it possible to work with characters that you dislike?
I'm currently developing a minor character that will appear as the "shadow" (Hero's Journey slang for an antagonist that has the potential to destroy the hero) of two other characters. In the eyes of ...
- 1,794
9
votes
4
answers
576
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
9
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Acquiring vocabulary to write fiction [duplicate]
I am a non-native speaker, learning the English language, and I am already fairly good in reading and writing technical texts. I also enjoy reading fiction books much, but there's one thing that hits ...
- 191
9
votes
4
answers
9k
views
What are some good strategies to use when naming a fictional city?
I've read a lot of the questions on here concerning naming characters and deciding on whether to use a fictional city. I have already decided to use a fictional city in the piece. But, my problem with ...
- 1,185
9
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Why is having too many symbols a bad idea?
I'm writing a speech on using symbols, and I've just made the statement that you should generally stick with one, maybe two, symbols that span the story (smaller symbols that arise and fade quickly ...
9
votes
5
answers
532
views
Is it "fair" to hide specific thoughts of a character?
I kind of like the style of writing the thoughts and feelings of many of the characters, most of which aren't the protagonist.
The problem arises when some of these characters are hiding a certain ...
- 1,299
9
votes
4
answers
564
views
Why introduce new physical appearance details late in the narrative?
I find it horribly irritating when I'm half way through a book and suddenly discover a character I imagined as skinny is now "folding his arms across his barrel chest" or a character I envisioned as ...
- 1,021
9
votes
3
answers
473
views
Using ”as” after dialogue tags
Should a comma be used after a dialogue tag and before the word ”as”.
For example:
”I don’t like this at all, ” he said, as the door closed behind them.
Or ”I don’t like this at all, ” he said ...
- 99
9
votes
2
answers
756
views
Why does word-count matter for a debut author?
Background
I'm not sure if this is a bit of a self-explanatory question to many people, but I just can't figure this out. Tons of blogs made for writers, magazines, and other forms of media state ...
- 4,429