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Q&A

Posts tagged narrative

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Q&A Can I state a fact in a first person story?

If I have a sentence such as this: Footsteps were heard coming down the alley. Can I use that in a first-person story? I don't think it's technically third-person, but it sort of feels like i...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by Jared‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to organically and believably introduce the tools and skills necessary to survive after an apocalypse?

So I'm writing an urban fantasy story about the modern day after a mysterious unknown entity suddenly imbues humans with the ability to use magic powers. While the story initially starts out as a m...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Jason Clyde‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A When does something become "torture porn"?

I've heard this term thrown around sometimes in a derisive way (obviously), and usually not just to refer to Saw movies. I don't remember who it was, but I remember someone saying how the movie "Lo...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by noClue‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question genre narrative
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Q&A In a "Gatsby" type story, how does a narrator relate what he doesn't get to see?

"The Great Gatsby" was told from the point of view of Gatsby's neighbor, Nick Carraway by name, with Nick using the first person. Nick gets to see a lot, but not all of Gatsby's dealings. A case in...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Tom Au‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How much can I trust my players to remember previous states of the story and not get confused?

In my game, the player may run into deadends in the story, which causes the game to end prematurely. This can range from the player simply getting killed, another important character in the story g...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by noClue‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A A novel in which the only dialogue is internal? [closed]

I am mulling the idea of writing a novel in which the only dialogue is internal. Has anyone yet published such a novel? I define "dialogue" here as any kind of speech addressed by a fictional pers...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question dialogue narrative
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Q&A How to turn a single narrative into a branching one?

I'm currently writing a story which started out as a short story but kept growing, until I discovered it would work well as a visual novel. I have all of the possible endings in mind, but for now I...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by CatOfHearts‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Should I signal completion of a decision point in an interactive novel?

In my visual novel (an interactive, narrative-based video-game), I have a detective character who decides whether he believes interviewees controlled by the player. The detective doesn't explain ...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by wetcircuit‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Narrative arc in erotica?

Usually a story will have a narrative arc of increasing suspense: obstacles become more and more difficult to overcome, setbacks more painful, complications more confusing, the stakes are raised hi...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question erotica narrative
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Q&A How to get readers to care about a dead character?

My story happens as a result of one of the main characters getting murdered. I'm wondering how to get readers to care about someone who's not even in the story (as far as the readers know anyway) o...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Touchebag‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question plot style narrative
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Q&A Non-linear style used by *Arrow*

I was wondering if there is a term for the non-linear narrative technique used by the TV series Arrow. That is, flashbacks from the past feed into the story line going on in the present. I'm think...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Thom‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Does this text flow smoothly (description of suicidal thoughts)?

So how did this animal suicide thing start? Ironically, it began with my own death wish. But why? I had perfect health, friends and family who cared about me, plus I had just been admitted i...

1 answer  ·  posted 9y ago by Alexandro Chen‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Emotional arc types

Assuming this vocabulary: the narrative arc is the arc which makes the plot go forward, while the emotional arc is the arc which engage the character on a deeper, not always logical level. While t...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by laancelot‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What is one way to write about feeling someone's sadness? [closed]

For example: I sensed as if he became sad from the way he spoke after telling him that I would go with her.

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Emilia March‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Avoiding episodic writing

I'm working on a novel that will have at least three distinct sections in three distinct locations (the two main characters start in the first location, travel through the second location, and one ...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Chris Sunami‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How can I radically time-jump for my epilogue well?

I'm working on a branching narrative kind of story, and the entire story focuses on the reader uncovering a mystery in the house that they're in. There's only one ending where they survive. In th...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by tryin‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it advisable to add a location heads-up when a scene changes in a novel?

In my novel, I have a scene at home which changes to scene at the office which is completely different. I have written it in a way that in a line or two the reader will understand the scene is chan...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by codeNewbie‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question style scene narrative
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Q&A What are the differences in writing a narrative between a CV and a resume?

When I googled "The Difference between Resume and CV", the first result I bumped into was this. I am highlighting a few points that are mentioned in it below: The primary differences between a ...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Karan Desai‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to provide realism without making readers think grimdark

So, I have a couple moments in a fantasy story where I want the heroes' actions to actually have consequences (Well, that are really impactful to the story.) One is where the MCs kill a minor lord,...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Kale Slade‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to find different meanings behind metaphors used in speech writing?

I'm looking for ways to discover what others might think when they hear or see a metaphor used in a speech. I tend to think a certain way. I have certain prejudices. I think we all do. If I use a m...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Michael Riley - AKA Gunny‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is writing literary devices in a narrative essay (reflective) always good?

In narrative essays, writing literary devices almost always makes the reader feel more of what is in the story. However, sometimes I like writing reflective narratives, where thoughts of the charac...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Osprey‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What are the components of a legend (in the sense of a tale, not a figure legend)?

I'm compiling in-world legends for my built world, and would like them to feel like established legends from our own human experience. What should I keep in mind while writing these legends? What...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by DPT‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A A poker game description that does not feel gimmicky

I'm writing a scene in which four characters play a high-stakes poker game. So far my narrator has been an omniscient third person, who just does not wish to enter into the characters' heads. I st...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by _X_‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Does detail obscure or enhance action?

I have two versions of a pivotal scene in my novel (both already written). My SP is a rather impulsive young woman who is learning to be a bit less of a hothead. She saves the MC by literally taki...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Rasdashan‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Relationship Problems

In my plot, there are these 2 characters who were originally close to each other. However, they had an argument and broke up. In the end of the book, though, they get back together again. What I ne...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Jaystar‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What are the points to remember when the pet is the narrator and is narrating the story of its owner?

I'm working on a novel which is based on a true story. I first thought of writing from the heroine's POV, but later changed my mind and introduced a pet in the plot as the narrator of the story. Wh...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by user37485‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question novel plot narrative pov
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Q&A Switching tense and point of view between the chapters [closed]

I'm writing a story told mostly in first person point of view in present tense where the narrator alternates between two characters from chapter to chapter. I have gotten some critics about this p...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by user37470‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question tenses narrative pov
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Q&A Using time travel without creating plot holes [closed]

There are different types of time travel (they have different rules and constraints) throughout literature, so I was wondering if you could list some of them here, and which ones are best for drivi...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by repomonster‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Difference between a descriptive essay and a narrative essay?

Okay, so here's my problem: I am trying to write an essay from a prompt that uses the word "describe", but what I'm being asked to describe is not a single person or object, rather it's more broadl...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by pandalarry‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What are some examples of an inciting incident that would force a character to go on a quest or adventure?

I've noticed that my novel is missing a really strong inciting incident and I can't think of anything strong enough to suffice. The only inciting incidents I'm familiar with seeing in nearly every ...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Nsim‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Third Person POV: What level of telling is acceptable for character motivation?

The novel I'm writing is third-person limited POV in style. This means that the narration's coverage is limited to what the POV character can observe, think, feel, while others' thoughts, feelings,...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Matthew Dave‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Is it true that "Any story can be great in the hands of the right storyteller"?

Presumably, like all trite sayings, it's a bit of an exaggeration since a story has to be at least interesting. (I mean, it would take amazing talent to write simply about someone sleeping and make...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by user394536‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Alternatives to starting a sentence with well [closed]

I'm new to narrative writing and especially have trouble with dialogue. I too often am using the word well to start a character's sentence after receiving some information to then ask a question ab...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Seth Painter‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Static Scenes that still Move the Story Forward

I've just read a tutorial about scenic techniques in novel-writing that recommends that a story should have a rhythm of static scenes and dramatic scenes. Here's an excerpt: Dramatic scenes are...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by robertcday‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A In a branching mystery, should branches be "self-correcting" or follow the impulse of the reader?

A mystery with 3 subplots I'm writing a branching mystery novel. It's more Raymond Chandler than Agatha Christie: the mystery is a driver-of-plot rather than a puzzle for the reader to solve. Foll...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by wetcircuit‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Writing a Satisfying Ending

It strikes me that the last chapter (or so) of any story needs to make the reader feel that reading the book has been a worthwhile experience. An exceptional ending might leave a reader with such ...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by robertcday‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How do I structure branching-narrative choice prompts for limited 3rd-person?

Character POV My interactive novel has Old Cop, Young Cop protagonists with different skillsets, backgrounds, observation of details, etc. The POV switches between them using 3rd-person limited. B...

0 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by wetcircuit‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Creating a logical framework for the concept of "decisional causality"

I'm working on a science fiction universe in which time travel exists, in a very limited form, but it's useless, at least it's the intention that it be useless. To that end time travel, on the rare...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Ash‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Plotting a Compelling Story [closed]

How should I approach plotting a compelling story, i.e. one aimed at changing the way people think and behave (rather than just being "art for art's sake")? I want to write a novel or collection o...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by robertcday‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question plot narrative
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Q&A How can I hide a second narrative within my story? (using time travel)

I've been planning a story that follows two characters. At the end, one character (let's call him Joe) goes back in time and appears at the start of the book. I intend to explore themes of determi...

0 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Aric‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How can I convey an absolute truth from the author to the reader without a mentor character?

There are sometimes moments in works of fiction where the author needs to convey something to the reader without ambiguity. Let's say the situations around the characters get so weird that the auth...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Andrey‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Does the degree of immersion in the character alter the extremity of plot points used?

Star Wars IV: We never really get to know Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, and so when they're burned to a crisp, little pieces of human toast, it's horrific but yeah OK. Not as horrific as if we saw Obi ...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by DPT‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What's a shorter way of saying, "If you had asked me, I would have said, 'I suppose'"?

I have this sentence: Rebecca lived in the building and was one of my wife's closest friends. One of mine too, I supposed. With "I supposed", I'm trying to convey that if you had asked the ...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Tyler‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A In first person narrative, is it acceptable to end rhetorical questions with a period?

In first person narrative, would it be acceptable to use a period in place of a question mark when the narrator is asking a rhetorical question? example: My car broke down again. Why does this alw...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by WelderGuy‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How do readers/writers alike feel about too much narration in a story?

My question is pretty much summed up in the title. My story includes a lot of narration. Narrating events, narrating character's thoughts. There are several intervals in each chapter where the char...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by B.fox‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What type of stuff should someone read to improve their email skills?

I've heard that writers should read the type of stuff they want to write. Usually that implies really good fiction and prose, but I want to write great emails to my colleagues and network. What typ...

0 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Eric‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to slow down the pace of the story?

How do I slow down the pace of my story? And please refrain from answering with "add more descriptions," because I'm already aware of that technique :). I'd like to see if there are even more ways ...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Klara Raškaj‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Help! My brain is writing several chapters at once!

So, I've been thinking about my story, and suddenly I got inspiration for the continuation of the chapter (I'm not even sure what chapter it should be). So, basically, I ended with progressing 3 ch...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Vylix‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Point of view, narrative voice, and when to name a character in narration

Let's say you have a scene with Maria, written in third person from Maria's point of view. Then you have a scene with Akash, written in third person from Akash's point of view - and suppose they do...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by writersam‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How can I have a war with no "good" or "evil" side?

I'm conceptualising a story involving two heroes who go on an epic journey and return bitter rivals etc. etc. and form their own forces in a sort of civil war. My issue is that I want them to both...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Aric‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭