All Questions
1
vote
2answers
80 views
Essay critique: flow and how compelling it is
I dragged myself sluggishly out of bed and instinctively reached for my phone, then I remembered: there was no cell coverage or wifi.
I wasn’t used to waking up this early. I didn’t think ...
11
votes
2answers
448 views
What are advantages/disadvantages to use a CC-license for your writings?
What are the implications, if I choose a Creative-Commons-license for my work? Cory Doctorow seems fine with this. Is this exceptional?
5
votes
9answers
246 views
What do you do if you enjoy writing, but have no ideas?
I've done some writing in the past - mostly short descriptive pieces, although I once wrote 9000+ words of a story idea I had.
What I enjoy about it are the technical, intellectual, creative ...
10
votes
3answers
118 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
What factors to consider when choosing an e-book platform?
Some students that I mentor have written a number of short stories that they want to publish now.
I am totally new in this area. I did preliminary research which indicates that there are now a ...
-1
votes
1answer
35 views
How do you Open with an Anecdote in a persuasive writing? :'( Or maybe in the middle? [closed]
I'm very eager to get high grade in my English exam which is seriously so close :)...Anyway we're going to do persuasive writing (no surprise there) but I want to try something new and this year it's ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
How does one involve people in writing non-fiction?
I haven't written anything serious in a while, but I would like to get back into writing non-fiction. In particular, I want to write about "big ideas" that interest me; however, I realize that ...
3
votes
2answers
116 views
How do I create a book on iBookstore without having a Mac?
I use Linux, and I'd like to format a book for the iBookstore. When I go to signup to iTunes Connect to upload my books, it
says:
3. Download iTunes Producer
Download our delivery ...
-1
votes
1answer
39 views
Forming a tagline for customers, drivers and software [closed]
We are designing brochures for attracting possible vendors to use our software platform to attract/retain their customers.
The kind of vendors here are the hardworking type, with not necessarily any ...
1
vote
2answers
120 views
What is the smallest amount of text that can be plagiarized?
Can the following be considered plagiarized? I am interested in finding out the limit of words one is allowed to use.
Java is a programming platform that's used for developing computer ...
0
votes
0answers
150 views
Short exclamation to mean: “This is driving me crazy.” [migrated]
(Edit: The exclamation should be a "word" instead of a "sound" because it is the first human word uttered by the protagonist (the chimp). I don't really have much choice with the phrasing since it's a ...
19
votes
7answers
683 views
How does one write a character smarter than oneself?
How does one write a "genius" character? I don't mean a scientific genius, or someone who is a prodigious talent in math or chess or something like that. I mean the following scenario (or an ...
2
votes
0answers
37 views
How to cite a Terms of Service in APA style
I need to cite a Google condition using APA style.
I have the following paragraph, but when I pass it through Viper I get plagiarized. How shall I do?
1
vote
3answers
159 views
Expression or word like “aura” that can be used to describe a “force” of death enveloping your body? [closed]
This a piece of Korean text that I'm trying to translate into English. So I really don't have much freedom to change the phrasing. The original word, in general, has a meaning that is somewhat related ...
2
votes
1answer
152 views
Software to change American punctuation to British
My apologies if this is off topic.
American and British writing have different punctuation styles. Is there any software that can change American style punctuation to British? I am referring to ...
1
vote
0answers
20 views
APA: how to cite a translation of an old work in a compilation that has been reissued
This might seem to be a strange question, but I can't seem to get my head around it.
I am trying to cite from Anselm's "On Truth", which is part of a compilation.
I have read it in Oxford World ...
5
votes
4answers
153 views
Best Practices To Learn By Reading?
I've been browsing writers.se for a while and I've noticed a lot of folks state you have to READ to be able to write. I'm currently having trouble working time to read fiction into my daily routine.
...
1
vote
7answers
201 views
How to assure your plot isn't a carbon copy of another story?
In what case is it justifiable for your own story to differentiate its plot from another, similar plot? For instance, I'm writing a story with a serial killer who whose motive sounds akin to the ...
12
votes
6answers
1k views
How should I break up chapters in a novel?
Is it acceptable to pace my chapters in terms of an event? Can I get away with a 4 page chapter here, and a 30 page chapter there?
Are there any reason why I should or should not be sticking to a ...
4
votes
2answers
100 views
Placing similes at the beginning and at the end of a sentence
Would the following sentences have different effects on the reader?
He washed his hands thoroughly, like a surgeon after an operation.
Like a surgeon after an operation, he washed his hands ...
2
votes
1answer
127 views
How to quote something twice
If I use a quote and then want to explicitly refer to a small part of that quote again, within the same paragraph, do I need to use quotation marks again? Can I use italics instead? I am writing in ...
8
votes
6answers
380 views
What is the term for an accessible character that knows nothing?
In a lot of books, movies, or TV shows, there will be a character that knows little to nothing about the subject at hand. Most cop shows and medical shows will have someone who doesn't know very ...
4
votes
4answers
150 views
Is it strange if a novel starts the first chapter without one of main characters?
I'm writing a novel with the following structure (I'm not very sure what's the technical term):
Chapter One (based on the POV of Character C): C sees B for the first time
Chapter Two (based ...
0
votes
2answers
69 views
Best Grammar checking software
What is best the grammar checking software to check the grammar errors in novels and screenplays?
3
votes
4answers
129 views
Iambic pentameter: how do you use words with 'secondary stressed' syllables?
I'm trying to create textbook-perfect iambic pentameter.
I may be wrong in my assumption of there being such a thing as a 'secondary stressed syllable', but in the word 'poetry', the rhythm of it ...
1
vote
1answer
97 views
How many words in 350 pages typed and double spaced?
How many words in 350 pages typed and double spaced? I want to know because I am 66 of those into my first novel, and I set my goal at 350. I'd like my word count to be epic novel sized.
2
votes
1answer
92 views
Mashery vs. Apigee
I was wondering if anyone could lend some advice as to the pros and cons between using Mashery versus Apigee for documenting an API? I have do some evaluating and have about 2 weeks to come up with a ...
4
votes
3answers
100 views
How to format dialogue with an embedded long monologue
I use the following formats for dialogues:
dialogue
dialogue - describing action (if any)
dialogue - describing action (if any) - more dialogue (if any)
There is a chapter in my book that is ...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
How do I quote a song from Youtube? MLA format
I need to quote a song from Youtube. I don't own the song and the artist who sings it hasn't put an official version on YT.
How should I do this? It needs to be in MLA form.
This is the song: ...
6
votes
4answers
91 views
When quoting a person's informal speech, how much liberty do you have to make changes to what they say?
Even during a formal interview for a news article, people speak informally. They say "uhm", they cut off sentences half-way through, they interject phrases like "you know?", and they make innocent ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Using senses and similes in descriptions
I'm trying to make my descriptions to look less like a bunch of bullet points.
So I decided to use more senses and similes.
This is something I wrote:
The sun hung in the cloudless sky, like a ...
5
votes
4answers
237 views
Ways to improve your writing skills
As a CS major I've learned that knowing how to write is critically important, but, I'm not really sure how to improve my writing skills. I'm currently trying to write a tech blog in English, but, ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
Where to find editors to hire for tech blog?
Recently, I secured a job with big MNC. Now, I want to concentrate on it and appoint 2-3 editors to look after mildly popular tech blog.
Can you guys suggest where should I search or post to hire ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
When quoting a person's informal speech, how much liberty do you have to make changes to what they say? [duplicate]
Even during a formal interview for a news article, people speak informally. They say "uhm", they cut off sentences half-way through, they interject phrases like "you know?", and they make innocent ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
Comma between the following clauses in AP Style?
The AP style says that a comma is not needed between two clauses that have the same subject. However, it would become ambiguous if I removed the comma fromt the following:
When you walk straight ...
3
votes
1answer
156 views
Not happy with format of self-published book. How to proceed?
I currently have my book published on Amazon using createspace and Lulu (google weave of the ride). However, I am not happy with the quality of the product.
I don't want a glossy cover, bleached ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Maintaining the consistency of voice and spontaneity throughout a piece
So straight to it, I don't write very long pieces. Usually poetry or flash fiction and a smattering of short stories whenever it needs to be longer, though I have aspirations (mostly just dreams) of ...
1
vote
3answers
68 views
Create automatic index from text document
Is there some software which can automatically do a basic index from my Text document (MS Word) for me?
I have written multiple speaker text's (each 2-3 MS Word pages in german language) for videos I ...
6
votes
6answers
717 views
Coming up with names for species in fiction?
When you are writing a story that is set in a fantasy world (maybe our world with just one made-up element, or a completely different world), what is a good way to come up with names for species that ...
3
votes
1answer
31 views
how to cite a dubbed TV series? APA 6th edition
I'm quoting lines from a dubbed TV series and I'm not sure how to reference it?
I have looked everywhere and I only found how would you cite an original version.
Help please :)
5
votes
5answers
604 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 ...
4
votes
4answers
142 views
Does writing in a certain mood change how a writer writes?
I'm not sure if this is right for this part of Stackexchange, but since there is no psychology section, here we go:
I'm currently writing the same short story several times with the intention of ...
5
votes
7answers
597 views
Is it OK to refer to some characters by first name and to others by last name?
I'm writing the outline for my first novel, which has three main characters. I'm very happy with their names, however I recently noticed that I was naturally referring to the first two by first name, ...
2
votes
4answers
803 views
Link shorteners for research paper citations?
I'm curious about the "properness" of using shortened links (a la bit.ly or tinyurl) in research papers. I haven't been able to find any sort of definitive reference about whether or not this is ...
0
votes
1answer
118 views
To translate a novel with Westerner's point of view
I am an Easterner. I have been translating a novel, that is originally written in my native language, into English. During the process, I have also been learning about cultural things, meant to ...
-1
votes
0answers
32 views
Peter Abel biography [closed]
I have been reading a great and famous book IBM PC Assembly Language and Programming by Peter Abel. But I didn't find his biography or any info about him. Who know who is he in IT world? It's very ...
-1
votes
3answers
45 views
Which one is correct? [closed]
This book will expand your knowledge of Italian food and allow you to surprise your friends and family with authentic home-cooked meals that taste delicious.
or
This book will expand your knowledge ...
2
votes
3answers
171 views
Fan-fiction and legalities [copyright etc.]
I contribute to a motoring website, well, one that's got Photoshop of cars, motoring history etc. - it's a small obscure site with only a few users.
Recently I've been learning InDesign and Quark ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
Is it possible my book could be taken off-line for sale if there is a cease and desist letter?
I have written a true story on my experience with some individuals and major corporations. The book has factual proof throughout story. I am afraid that they may get angry and send cease and desist ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
My Reviews for Free Books?
I would like to provide reviews in exchange for a free copy of the book. I have a great blog website with excellent SEO and social media following. I'm happy to provide the review on my website with a ...
