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6
votes
2answers
929 views

What is the most effective way to deal with flashbacks in a novel structure ?

In writing a novel, often flashbacks are difficult to manage: if too long and detailed, they can appear as second class (at worst, aborted) plots whose only task is to sustain the main plot line; if ...
3
votes
3answers
194 views

Put text between section and subsection headings?

Are there rules about whether or not to put text between section and subsection headings (in scholarly works)? 1 section heading text / no text here? 1.1 subsection heading more ...
5
votes
2answers
483 views

Guideline on turning points in a novel?

What are some popular guides regarding structuring a novel, specifically what turning points the story should hit and approximately at what point in the manuscript? I'm looking for something more ...
8
votes
4answers
427 views

How do I avoid a “mid-story info dump?”

I am revising the manuscript for a novel. About a third into the story, a major turning point occurs when the main character (through whom the reader follows the story) realizes that things are not at ...
19
votes
17answers
1k views

Are complex sentences uncommon or unwanted in English?

I wrote my opinion essay using a lot of different complex grammatical structures, linking words and so on, and some of the sentences were even over 4 lines long. However, I was afterwards told by my ...
5
votes
5answers
605 views

Do episodes of the show House follow a constant structural pattern?

I've seen a few episodes of House M.D., and I wonder, are the episodes written according to a fixed structural pattern? If so, what are the details, and why does such a structure make the show ...
13
votes
5answers
1k views

Dashes vs. Commas vs. parentheses?

Occasionally I write sentences containing subparts with extra information. I never know how to block off his information from the rest of the sentence. Three ways I have seen are dashes, commas, and ...
1
vote
4answers
413 views

Formula for a memoir

If one were to distill memoir writing to a formula, what would the formula be? This question is inspired by the following quote from the article America's Top Parent: She knows enough about the ...
5
votes
4answers
779 views

Do Novels follow a 3 Act/2 Plot Point structure like most Movie Scripts?

Many Movie scripts use a Structure where there are 3 Acts (Setup, Climax, Resolution) with 2 Plot Points (end of Act 1 and end of Act 2) (Three Act Structure) I wonder if there are standards for ...
2
votes
1answer
636 views

Characteristics of an “example” in essay writing

Example: an item of information that is typical of a class or group; "this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome"; "there is an example on page 10" (Google) Maybe I haven't ...

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