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This is a classic example of why writers need to be well-read: they can learn from how someone else solved a similar problem before. You're probably well-aware (if familiar with the plot of Treasur...
One thing I see to make this come across as sad is to make it devastating to one of the more main characters. "He was my best friends, ex-wife's, brother in law from her third marriage..." isn't a...
We, as the audience, get sad when something feels incomplete. When any central character dies, the story or the world feels incomplete because we got used to them and/or because they are important ...
Awkward talks, no words, a night full of talking, all are realistic parts of a potential first date let alone a blind one. This also greatly depends on their personalities. Is one shy? is one aggre...
The only stylistic problem is that a quote is supposed to be an exact reproduction of something that has been said or written by someone. If you look at academic writing for example it would be unf...
In these cases it is generally preferable to use the imperative mood: System developers must transport their systems to the facility in Boulder, CO. The declarative mood (in which the questio...
Why is the character black? This Wiki contains a chart, based on the US Census bureau and self-identified race, that shows 72.4% of Americans identify as White alone, and 12.6% of Americans identi...
I agree with several of the other answers that we should not contribute to the huge amount of racism we already have in western media and should try to counterbalance that. That said, I have thi...
That's just like asking if it's wrong to kill off a white character, or an Asian character - it's no different. If it's part of the story, it is what it is. It's only racist if you are directly tar...
It appears to be just the cost of doing business. Pretty much everything I am going to say here comes from https://techcrunch.com/2011/08/23/book-piracy-a-non-issue/ but I will sumarize. First, i...
I don't think you should expect to find a term like "brand statement" defined too rigorously. I think you will find different companies using different mechanisms to control their message and calli...
Read literature from the country or period you want to write about. If you want to write about norse mythology, open the Edda and get names there. If you want to write about the french revolution...
No, "dramatic" means you show only actions, you do not describe anybody's thoughts or feelings. It is related to movies/TV/Plays in that on screen you only see acting, (other than rare exceptions)...
This answer requires two parts, because it is important to note the difference between cliches in the plot, and overused phrases in dialogue. They might technically both be cliches (I'm not sure), ...
When organizing my novel, I divided it into sections. At first I simply split it intuitively where it "felt right" to do so, points where there were big changes in story structure, setting, new cha...
I'd note that there's a difference between using cliches in dialog, and having a plot that is a cliche. But anyway ... There are lots of tried and true plot lines. Anyone who watches a romance sto...
I find myself giving versions of the same advice over and over, but it's applicable to so many situations. I call it the Sturgeon/Delany rule. Work out every last detail and implication of your n...
While no one can say for sure, my guess is that you are probably suffering from what seems to be a recurring problem for people posting here: confusing plot with imaginary history. Story never st...
I think if you can find a way to enjoy each part of the process separately, you'll be able to get past your concerns. Whatever works for you, write in that way. Outline, stream of consciousness, po...
Whose laws of physics...? You're writing this world. If you can make it internally consistent, that's what matters. It doesn't have to follow our physics, so long as everything hangs together. ...
Looking at companies that offer to print and laminate books you can find out what typical paper stocks are used. For example the site printabook.ca mentions: 300gsm art stock (option for glos...
To be fair, writing horror is where I struggle most in writing as well, but I do listen to a lot of very creepy stories online. One thing I am certain about is with all of the stories, they all h...
+1 Thomo. To expand, IRL two people do not stand still and stare at each other and spout dialog while only moving their mouths. Even if they are on the phone! They are doing something, thinking som...
Editing as you write isn't bad but it's not good either. As you are well aware it stops your creative thoughts to switch to the more logical thoughts for editing. Fixing things like a typo or rew...
The most terrifying novel I ever read and one of the greatest horror novels (Stephen King's Pet Sematary) started with a happy family moving into a suburban house. The horror element starts many pa...
