All Questions
9
votes
3answers
226 views
Conlang question
Diving (OK, dove) into conlanging for a novel I'm working on. The Conlang is atmospheric and allows for some subplot intrigue, but it's not absolutely essential to the story. I've got basic grammar, ...
9
votes
10answers
1k views
Fictional diary for a novel
When it is appropriate to use the diary form for a novel?
Which are the most effective published examples? (I mean fictional diaries, so not Anne Frank's diary).
9
votes
2answers
273 views
What is the requirement for a book to be a NYT Bestseller?
I've seen "New York Times Bestseller" written across the top of more books than I can count. It seems every other book I look at has this advertisement, so much so that I discount it as a meaningful ...
9
votes
6answers
930 views
Technical Writing Software
I'm interested in newer software/software stack to use in writing technical papers. For the longest time I have been use LaTeX to handle this but in looking at getting longer pieces published, such as ...
9
votes
2answers
239 views
Striking the balance between dialogue and narrative
I am participating in National Novel Writing Month this year. I have never in my life written so much of a single story. Although I am supposed to tell my inner editor to shut up this month, she is ...
9
votes
2answers
205 views
How should I go with hiring an illustrator for a webcomic?
I want to start writing a webcomic, but as my talent as an illustrator is limited, I would only write the scripts and let to someone else the task to bring my script into picture. The only problem is ...
9
votes
3answers
268 views
How can multiple viewpoints be used without breaking the flow of the story?
I'm currently writing a story in first-person that has a connection to a series of external events - things that the main character has no way of knowing but are vital to the progression of the ...
9
votes
4answers
368 views
Writing a programming book: how to present directory structures
What is good/preferred way of presenting directory trees in programming books?
My main criteria are following:
It should be readable and intuitive
It shouldn't take too much page space
It ...
9
votes
3answers
267 views
Best e-book formatting process?
The question I would like to ask is this: does anyone else have their own process (or one borrowed from elsewhere) that they use for formatting and then creating their e-books? Are you using other ...
9
votes
1answer
240 views
Royalties - how to calculate author's take from the end-price?
Supposedly I'm offered 16% royalty rate and the book store-price is 15$. How much would that be in royalty amount per sold copy?
Would that be just 16% out of 15$, or is 16% out of (15$ - reseller ...
9
votes
2answers
248 views
What are the structural differences between scripts for comics and scripts for films?
Has anyone experienced the transition from writing plots/stories for comics to writing a script viable for films? If so, what are the main differences and challenges?
9
votes
1answer
163 views
How do you deal with procrastination when writing?
Most of the time when I get ideas for a story, I first get really excited about it, start writing it immediately and get roughly 1-2K words. Afterwards, it starts to fizzle, the idea, inspiration, and ...
9
votes
2answers
209 views
What's the best version control system for a book writer?
I'm a writer—no programming, only prose in text files, mostly in Emacs org-mode, some in markdown-mode.
I want to implement a version control system for my writing projects.
I work with two types of ...
9
votes
4answers
417 views
New digital ways of presenting a novel in 2011?
The traditional way of presenting a novel is in a book. I know about e-books too.
Do you know another digital ways of presenting a novel?
For instance, a blog, a twitter novel or something like the ...
9
votes
3answers
177 views
Should freelance writers keep their online business separate from offline?
Freelance writers have a lot of opportunity to write online, but in some cases the rates are less than the same writing project might command offline. Assuming that there are enough advantages in ...
9
votes
1answer
167 views
Creative Commons and writing on the web
I usually write on the web; I would like to license my writings using one of the Creative Commons license, but I can't understand how that license can protect our works. We really like to share our ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views
Techniques for writing internal monologue
I've seen the thoughts of a character written in a few different ways:
Example 1: Indirect
Ender liked it better, though, when two boys played against each other. Then they had to use each other's ...
9
votes
1answer
183 views
What are some regular contests unpublished short story authors might enter?
One good way for new authors to become recognized is a contest. What contests exist that:
Accept short stories
Occur on a regular (annual, semi-annual, bi-annual, etc.) basis
Are friendly to ...
9
votes
3answers
268 views
Lists of Suggested Magazines to Submit To
I recently began writing poetry again. I would like to look into submitting my poems to a magazine.
Where can I find a list of literary magazines through which I could sort to find a possible fit?
...
9
votes
3answers
190 views
What to include in agreement with a Ghost Writer. . .
I am exploring engaging a Ghost writer to partner with me on the development of a non-fiction (well, mostly) business book.
What are the critical elements of the agreement that need to be included?
...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Citing parts of a thesis or dissertation using IEEE referencing
I truly hope I'm not asking this question in the wrong place.
I've found myself extensively referencing parts of theses and dissertations for my own research paper. [The IEEE editorial style ...
9
votes
2answers
176 views
What exactly do I do to get published?
I'm interested to know what the publishing process exactly entails for future reference. I'm in my last year of school and I recently finished my first substantial piece of creative writing (a subject ...
9
votes
1answer
207 views
How long can I expect to wait between accepting an offer and signing?
I accepted an offer from a publisher recently on a non-fiction title. It's my first book and naturally I'm excited. My agent negotiated a good deal since which time the publisher has not been in ...
9
votes
2answers
183 views
What are good writing newsletters to sign up for?
What are some good newsletters writers can sign up for? I signed up for Funds for Writers and Worldwide Freelance Writers because they have some excellent tips and advice for both freelance writers ...
9
votes
5answers
5k views
How does one go about publishing erotica, and how far is too far?
I write erotica, it started out as an amusement to see how far I could go, but it became a real passion after three or four stories. I have even published a few online and those stories have become ...
9
votes
1answer
286 views
What are the best online writing classes?
I've taken some classes at Mediabistro.com -- both nonfiction -- and while the teachers have been pretty good (one gave me some excellent advice that led to publication in national magazines) ... the ...
9
votes
3answers
94 views
Do publishers really need to translate between UK and US English?
Is there really a need for a book to be translated from UK to US English? I'm nearing completion on my own great work, and just want to know if it is truly worth doing a British and an American ...
9
votes
7answers
210 views
Text Editors. Suggesting & Tracking Changes to Plain-Text Documents
Many word processors are capable to tracking and displaying changes made to a document. Those changes are typically displayed in special markup supported by the editor. E.g.
But when using a plain ...
9
votes
3answers
162 views
What do publishers do for me?
I'm writing a book, and it's my first one. It seems to me that the following things need to happen to publish my book:
Finish the book
Design cover (a friend is helping)
Edit manuscript (help of ...
9
votes
1answer
88 views
Where to find comparative information about publishers?
Is there any reference for comparing publishers (or at least major ones)? Writers choose a publisher based on fame or by chance, but is there any system for rank of publishers? Or providing ...
9
votes
2answers
113 views
How do collaborating authors choose an agent?
If two authors collaborate, and each of them already has an agent - then who handles the collaborative work?
Do the authors decide to be jointly represented under one of their two agents? If that's ...
8
votes
5answers
277 views
My cool character is doing nothing for the plot. How do I deal with him?
So I have this great character( not the main protagonist), who is funny and intelligent. Each scene I write for him is a delight.
But the problem is, he is doing nothing for the plot. I have tried to ...
8
votes
5answers
653 views
Do you have to be good at grammar to get published?
I am not very good at grammar. Is there someone who would go through and correct your grammatical mistakes, even if you are not good at grammar? Who would this person be?
8
votes
5answers
356 views
Am I too prepared to do NaNoWriMo?
I've been wanting to do NaNoWriMo for years and finally decided that this year will be the one. But I already have extensive notes and a plot outline, and I'm concerned that this might actually trip ...
8
votes
5answers
785 views
If you get an advance do you ever have to give it back?
Do publishers give you an advance as some sort of earnest money for your manuscript? If your work doesn't sell very well do you have to give the advance back to them?
Do they ever just buy your work ...
8
votes
3answers
345 views
What's the proper etiquette/format for updating a blog post?
I've been doing websites for 16 years, but am new to writing a blog. Websites pages change all the time, but it seems to me that blog posts are relatively static once they've been posted.
If I want ...
8
votes
5answers
428 views
Is it really so “impossible” to get published by a traditional publisher?
I was an avid reader in my early years (as in hard copy - books), and I still am (just now via computer)... and I never got wind of such difficulties in publishing, until now.
Is it like going up ...
8
votes
7answers
370 views
Potential confusion: referring to home planet as “Earth”
I'm writing a science fiction story and it's based in another galaxy, colonised by humans originally on a geographically equivalent "Earth".
My current usage refers to it as "Earth" and provides a ...
8
votes
8answers
588 views
How to handle foreign military ranks?
Suppose you have a character who has a rank in a foreign military - say, Feldwebel Hans. That's the equivalent of a Sergeant.
On one hand, having people call him "Herr Feldwebel" gives some flavor ...
8
votes
4answers
222 views
What to do when characters disagree with the plot?
I'm writing a romance novel and have hit a brick wall. The problem is every way I think the future lovebirds could meet and become friends is totally cliché. After thinking about it, I've realized ...
8
votes
5answers
431 views
What is a discovery writer?
From an answer to this question: How do I successfully structure a long fiction piece?
I think I can infer the meaning from the usage but some elaboration would be helpful.
8
votes
6answers
579 views
What to do if I can't meet my chapter word count?
I usually set a word count goal for each of my chapters, say 2000 words. But sometimes I can't meet that goal, for any number of reasons. What should I do:
A. Continue anyway, and hope to increase ...
8
votes
7answers
733 views
Good Outlining Solutions For OSX?
I write technical non-fiction and find that I cannot write well without first constructing a detailed (10-20 page) outline. Are there any good outlining solutions for OSX? Apps? Templates in Microsoft ...
8
votes
5answers
528 views
Self publishing: Do I still need to follow the arbitrary word count limits?
I am thinking of going down the self publishing path. Now looking at most agents and publishers websites, it seems the expected word count for most novels is around 70-90K.
Now these word counts may ...
8
votes
4answers
942 views
What's the best way to show a foreign language in a manuscript?
What's the best way to show a character speaking a foreign language in fiction manuscript? Should the foreign words be italicized and include a translation? Should it just be included in the sentence ...
8
votes
13answers
961 views
Does a technical writer need a technical background?
Does a technical writer need a technical background?
8
votes
5answers
548 views
How should dialog be formatted?
Is there any "official" rule that I should keep in mind when formatting character dialog?
Line breaks, placement of quotes, mixing dialog with action descriptions etc.
For example, I want to build a ...
8
votes
6answers
327 views
The polymath's dilemma…?
The main character of a YA story I am working on is fast becoming a polymath, i.e. someone with a broad base of skills and interests across unrelated areas of endeavor. I really like how this ...
8
votes
4answers
245 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 ...
8
votes
5answers
506 views
Is this character generator useful?
After some feedback from this site and a training course, I developed a little tool to help with character generation. It's called "20 Questions" and works just like that: It picks 20 questions (or ...
