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| bio | website | |
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| location | ||
| age | ||
| visits | member for | 2 years, 6 months |
| seen | Dec 27 '12 at 5:55 | |
| stats | profile views | 11 |
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Jul 9 |
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Something different: Help me find the unnecessary words. @standback: Suit yourself. I didn't even know this site was still here. |
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Jul 4 |
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What is Literary Fiction? @standback: I haven't been to this site in months. Thank you for reminding me why. Nice to see things are so exciting that you have time to be pedantic on an 8 month old question. |
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Mar 22 |
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Are complex sentences uncommon or unwanted in English? @kosmonaut: It's not inherently bad, but it's wishy washy and a bit dull. You'll never have an editor look at your work and say, "You know what this needs? More passive voice!" |
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Mar 1 |
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Do fullscreen writing environments help for writing? Why? @justkt: Lack of distraction? Wanting to use really big fonts? The possibilities are limitless... |
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Mar 1 |
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Do fullscreen writing environments help for writing? Why? @justkt: I usually just roll with it. It's like those people who can only write with typewriters, or long hand. People have quirks. |
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Mar 1 |
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Do fullscreen writing environments help for writing? Why? @justkt: I assume because he likes "full screen writing environments" but wants to keep using word. |
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Dec 20 |
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Breaking into journalism without a degree It's good for some things, learning the laws, how to interview, etc, etc. But being a good reporter is more about being a ridiculous gossip than anything else: if you want to know what's going on, if you're capable of wheedling it out of people who know, and if you're then capable of sharing it with the world in such a way so as not to piss off the person who told you, then you'll be a good journalist. Being a good writer helps, but isn't critical. |
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Dec 20 |
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Breaking into journalism without a degree @sjohnston: Doh. Sorry, I actually work in the industry, so I forget that it's not in the vernacular. |
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Dec 9 |
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What does active voice mean? +1: Professional writing often stresses "punch" and active voice has much more than the wishy-washy passive voice. |
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Nov 29 |
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How to vary writing style? Reading out loud is huge. It may look fine on the page, but if it sounds stupid out loud, it needs to be changed. |
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Nov 23 |
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Should I avoid modern words/phrases in fantasy writing? @mootinator: Verily! 'Tis most soothish indeed. puts on sunglasses Most soothing. YEAAAAAAAAAAAAA |
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Nov 22 |
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How Much Can You Make From Writing a Book? @mgowen: Well, consider how much they cost per copy and ask yourself how much you want to set yourself back? Publishing houses (usually) aren't stupid. If you can't get one to take your book, it doesn't mean you're an unappreciated genius, it means you're probably not going to be a commercial success. There are exceptions, and you should never give up after just one rejection, but sometimes it's just not meant to be. |
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Nov 20 |
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Switching POV: Should it ever be done at all? Those are more third omniscient (and I think Weber is going off the deep end by spending too much time with unimportant third parties...but I digress). I'm really thinking more about multiple 3rd person limited points of view. I do it, and I feel like I shouldn't. |
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Nov 19 |
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How to switch pov characters mid-scene without jarring the reader? You can also do the opposite: if you have two characters whose perspective you want to visit, visit them via a third character. This is more challenging because you'll have to convey their thoughts via action and dialog. Still it's often a better way to build a character than just dumping their internal monologue right out there on the page. |
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Nov 19 |
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What is the requirement for a book to be a NYT Bestseller? My .02 cents on this, from working in bookstores, is that sales numbers are almost completely driven by pre-orders from large bookselling chains. This is how books end up on the bestsellers list before they're even available to the public. So, at least initially, the numbers only reflect the opinion of the management of Borders & Barnes and Noble (and their various subsidiaries) on which books people are likely to buy. Of course, then people buy based on the list, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. |
