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| bio | website | |
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| location | ||
| age | ||
| visits | member for | 7 months |
| seen | 2 days ago | |
| stats | profile views | 16 |
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Dec 22 |
answered | Inventing names for Sci-Fi characters |
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Dec 22 |
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Peeking through character's mask @tylerharms: Abstract non-personified third-person narrator, narrating actions and thoughts of the protagonist. Arbitrary decision guided my need for variety (recently finished 12k words in 1st person). But "The Stranger" is not the protagonist! The protagonist is a story unto itself, outside "James Bond almighty", inside not much better condition than The Stranger. She needed mundane services, found Stranger in Yellow Pages, small talk got them somewhat closer, then she falls victim to collateral damage of the Stranger's bullies. That escalates quickly, Stranger stuck in the middle of war. |
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Dec 20 |
revised |
A cross-[What] kind of romance? added 216 characters in body |
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Dec 20 |
answered | A cross-[What] kind of romance? |
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Dec 20 |
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Peeking through character's mask @Tannalein: Yes. But, at risk of sounding "Why should we make it easy if we can make it hard?" I'd still like to know a way that does not involve looking into directly that character's mind. |
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Dec 20 |
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Peeking through character's mask It would be pretty nice, but he really is pretty lonely with nobody to stick for him, and I'd prefer to avoid deus ex machina rescue early on... as there will be quite enough of that happening later. (natural-born prey, a perfect bait.) |
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Dec 20 |
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Peeking through character's mask @Tannalein: That would be "easy mode". Personally, for my story I have a cheat planned if writers.SE fails to deliver: peering into dreams of others is allowed by mechanics of this universe, and within reach of the protagonist. Still, I'd prefer a good old "show, not tell." Also, I don't have to show everything, just enough. |
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Dec 19 |
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Characters with no names @tylerharms: No, ones that appear once and vanish without reappearing ever again, without "living" longer than a chapter, or more frequently a short scene. (or their reappearance bears no connection and significance - introducing a different character would be pointless. Say, a waiter whose only role and significance is to lead you to a table, say some platitudes and recommend a meal; it really doesn't matter if tomorrow it's the same waiter or another.) |
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Dec 19 |
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Peeking through character's mask @Standback: No, "narrating from perspective of an external observer" - it's a 3rd person narration with "partially omniscent" narrator bound to a different character with rare exceptions; definitely not peeking into minds of others. You can assume 1st person of a different character for all practical purposes of this question. If the narrator could peek into the mind of that character, I wouldn't be asking this! |
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Dec 19 |
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Peeking through character's mask @JohnSmithers: if you think this sets the mood of the story, you're quite mistaken. Only after learning how poor and depressed our character is, you can appreciate how inadequate he is when thrown right into the middle of a James Bond style intrigue. |
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Dec 19 |
asked | Peeking through character's mask |
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Dec 19 |
answered | Please help me re-word this sentence |
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Dec 19 |
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Non-cheap ways to make villains evil? One of few situations where the advice of "Show, don't tell" becomes of paramount importance... |
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Dec 19 |
answered | Using uncommon abbreviations |
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Dec 19 |
answered | Characters with no names |
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Dec 17 |
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How Do You Genuinely Improve The Quality of Your Writing? @tylerharms: I disagree with "pick an author and emulate." There are things our brain simply abstracts away and we overlook. (just last month, at least 12 years since I saw the expression for the first time, and saw and (mis)used it countless times in the meantime, I noticed it's a sEaring pain, not sOaring.) No matter whom you want to emulate, if you don't have someone to point out your errors, you'll just keep making them over and again without noticing. |
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Dec 16 |
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Looking for a verb that means “making something looks very simple by ignoring its complexity or details” maybe I didn't make myself clear: using a pejorative/loaded word is perfectly acceptable if you express a negative opinion. It's not the same as a vulgar/obscene word after all! |
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Dec 16 |
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How Do You Genuinely Improve The Quality of Your Writing? @tylerharms: Most teachers have issues, but academic (graduate studies) professors (the high title) have them exceptionally pronounced. Still, as they are experts in their domains, they may give you helpful advice on their domain - English professors will help you with your English. This is unfortunately not true for domains they are not experts in: a professor of molecular biology may have some very strong and entirely incorrect notions about what comprises correct English. |
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Dec 16 |
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How Do You Genuinely Improve The Quality of Your Writing? This isn't true when the problems are grammar, punctuation etc. In this case many eyes will find more errors, and help you learn and improve. But it's entirely true in case of style. |
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Dec 16 |
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How Do You Genuinely Improve The Quality of Your Writing? Do NOT depend on opinions of academic professors of other subjects than English on writing advice. In my experience it takes a certain very peculiar set of traits of character to get to that position, and the personal issues, hangups and opinions of these people on domains that affect them but are outside their field of expertise deviate so far from the public consensus it's more frequently than not actually harmful to learning these subjects. |
