70 Answered Questions for the topic fiction

Fiction Writing Outline Plot

07/15/19

I am overplotting my story - how can I figure out what is necessary and cut out what isn't?
I have recently discovered that the plot and cast of characters of my novel is so unbelievably complex that I am the only one who can actually understand it. I have too many characters, with too... more
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07/14/19

How to start writing a book?
I'm new to writing and I'm still young (preteen young). I want some advice on writing and help. How am I gonna start my book? What is the best way to begin writing a book?
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Fiction Writing Dialogue

07/14/19

alternatives to "he said" in dialog?
I'm working on my first fiction story. And one mechanical thing I struggle with is how to identify the speakers in dialog without constantly saying "Bob said", "Mary said", etc. Any ideas?That is,... more
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07/14/19

Is it better to describe the main character's physical appearance early on in the story?
I'm writing a novel, and I just realized I don't describe be main character's appearance until Chapter 3 (each chapter is 1500~2000 words long and there are 25 chapters in total).I *do* mention... more
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07/13/19

How do I get my readers through the early, "hardship" part of my fiction?
A reader of one of my works told me, "It was very interesting, the last two thirds of it anyway." Her fear was that I might lose my readers in the first one-third of the work.The above work was a... more
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Fiction Writing Series Novel

07/12/19

How can I Switch Protagonists Between Books?
*Disclaimer: I am not intending on doing this. It is just a question I thought was fascinating and might be useful to other writers.* Here's the scenario. You're writing a series of novels. After... more
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07/12/19

When can You Pause the Story and Speak Directly to the Reader?
## Note: This question was previously about breaking the fourth wall. I discovered that my interpretation of that phrase was wrong. I have therefore rewritten the question. ##*(The above is in... more
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Fiction Writing

07/12/19

What does being "heavy handed" mean? And how does one avoid it?
I've come across the term "heavy handed" before, and it seems to be one of the more egregious mistakes that one can make while writing - at least that's the impression I get from critics.What does... more
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07/11/19

Can I make a character make a philosophic observation or say their opinion, even if it's unnecessary for the plot/story?
I have a character in my story who has the habit of making philosophic observations about life and the functioning of things, or his opinion/vision about something. Although most of his... more
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07/11/19

How to write two seemingly different characters that are actually the same person?
I'm currently working on a book with two protagonists and switching the perspective between them. They have quite different plotlines, but actually they're the same person. English is not my first... more
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07/11/19

Do writers write philosophical essays?
I'm son to two philosophers, and maybe this shaped too much my way of understanding the world. I think a lot, or maybe thinking means a lot to me. And, mainly, I think about art questions and art... more
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Fiction Writing Mystery

06/28/19

Why aren't detective stories written in the protagonist's POV?
I've noticed that successful detective stories are, nearly always, not written in the point of view of the detective himself. The protagonist (i.e. the ingenious detective at the heart of the... more
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Fiction Writing Style Genre

06/28/19

What is flash fiction?
Is it simply defined by its short word count? Or are there other accepted conventions in flash fiction? If it's just the word count, how short is too short? How long is too long?
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06/28/19

Protagonist constantly has to have long words explained to her. Will this get tedious?
A while back, I redrafted my NaNoWriMo 2017 story, but it still needs another draft. This question is about one of the concerns I have.The story takes place in a medieval fantasy setting, and the... more
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06/25/19

What are character flaws and what makes a good one?
I mean, what exactly defines a flaw for a character? I know that the character's flaws should have at least some impact in the story, instead of being just a mere detail, but what makes flaw X... more
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Fiction Writing Plot Pacing

06/25/19

Problem: Scenes that are unavoidable, but boring?
More specifically: Two of my book series' main characters are (temporarily) diplomats. It's unavoidable to the progress of the plot. But diplomacy is inherently slow and boring. So, the general... more
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06/25/19

Would it be wise to make the turning point of a story coincidental?
I've written a fictional story and the way my characters are coming together and forming a bond seems way too coincidental to me.>A lady lives on the first floor while her tenant, a guy, lives... more
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Fiction Writing Series Plot

06/25/19

What techniques are used to plot long (multi-novel) story arcs?
As a very visual person, I have always considered plotting a story to be somewhat like knitting or macrame. How do series authors handle multi novel story arcs? Do they just keep throwing out... more
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Fiction Writing Setting

06/25/19

What are the advantages and disadvantages of setting a story in a made up country, compared to a real one?
I have story ideas that involve civil wars or revolutions happening while a character is travelling. I was wondering what would be the advantages and disadvantages of setting such a story in a made... more
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06/25/19

What's the benefit of using invented languages in-story?
I'm working on a fictional story set in a fantastical (although coherent) universe. I'm used to seeing invented languages in works like this: Tolkien's languages for The Lord of the Rings, or... more
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06/25/19

Will using real-world cultural vocabulary in a fantasy setting disengage readers?
__If I have certain minor rituals/garments/culture tidbits in a fantasy setting that mirror those of Earth, and I describe them using the real-world vocabulary, will that disengage readers from the... more
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06/25/19

What is considered "childish" in fictional writing?
There are some people who have read some of my book so far and they think it is childish and then some say it's somewhat morbid. What are your views on what each of those terms means?
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06/19/19

Can a book be written without an antagonist?
I have had this thought running through my head and wondered what your thoughts were on it. Can a book, a story I should say, be written without an antagonist or antagonistic theme? I have an... more
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Fiction Writing

06/18/19

The protagonist can't defeat the antagonist without the antagonist being stupid?
What should I do if my story's plot is built around the antagonist being extremely strong, and by the end it's clear that the protagonist cannot possibly defeat the antagonist, unless the... more
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06/18/19

The Chosen One' paradox?
In many books novels or other forms of fictional writing, the reader is introduced to a so called 'chosen one'. This character or being is of higher power or in general, of different nature than... more
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