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First off, I basically agree with Cyn's statement that lots of footnotes can make a text feel more like an academic work than a novel. That said, you say that the purpose of these footnotes is to ...
Iain M Banks "The Player Of Games" is the gold standard for me on this question. The game and its rules are the focus of the whole story, but only as much info as is needed to follow the plot is gi...
One defend-able use of the "It was all a dream" trope involved sleepwalking. I forget the medium where I encountered it, but I remember a story in which the point of view character wakes in an out...
"It Was All Just a Dream" [IWAJAD] is useful for "character" stories; Dorothy undergoes a large transformation in the Wizard of Oz, from being a little girl to being at first an unintentional hero ...
The most memorable lines seem organic and natural to both character and situation. There must be a context or it will look and feel out of place - like a motivational poster in the middle of a batt...
What makes this phrase meaningful is that it sums up a particular philosophy --the philosophy of these characters and their subculture --in a form that is both brief and meaningful. If you look at...
First of all, I've never come actually met anyone who has said that they prefer to read 1st or 3rd pov. But to answer your question, if you're better/more comfortable with 1st then you should prob...
Yes and then again no, there is no one answer to this question, write using whatever perspective gets your point across. Usually it's a good idea to pick a perspective and stick with it throughout ...
Get your best work published in the best journal you can manage. The "best" journal will depend completely not just on your field but on your speciality and the school of thought you subscribe to....
Well, remember, many totalitarian regimes are in fact woefully inefficient. Largely because the emperor/fuhrer/first citizen needs to make sure the people beneath him are either not ambitious enoug...
Talented individuals can be seen as dangerous to totalitarian regimes. Stalin executed many very capable generals and when the crisis came, talented, experienced officers were in short supply and r...
I agree with Galastel, but if you must incorporate creations not your own, ask yourself this: what excited you about this game? What characters and situations are your favourites and let those reki...
Surely you can imagine your protagonist possessing more than one character trait? He can be intelligent and kind and charmingly clumsy? Why then can't one girl be attracted to his wit, another - to...
I think the nude scene in Titanic is 'tasteful' because of the motivations of the two characters. Sure, they are attracted to each other, but Rose at her heart is rebelling against her mother and h...
Sure, take the example of the Library story arc in Doctor Who, we see River Song tell the Doctor his name by way of convincing him she's trustworthy but we don't hear it. The audience only know wha...
It's [not] a Conspiracy There are no simple, black-and-white rules to writing a perfect story; there is no secret. Writing is a complex endeavor, which different people approach in different ways...
With that many characters, you're dealing with an ensemble cast. That means you're going to have to carefully structure your story so that each major protagonist is introduced to the story in a way...
The Rain Queen is a real-world example that meets some of your requirements. There are also many explanations for the "contradiction" evolving over time. Many vestigial monarchies exist today whi...
There are nearly as many opinions on this subject as there are writers. Some people meticulously plan out every little detail of their stories in advance. This is often done by writing an outline...
While I agree with @Amadeus's answer, I'd suggest thinking about three different points: 1. Style of the letter. Decide if you want to write it as a real letter or just a chapter pretending to be...
I would say yes, start writing. My pieces are more character driven and end up going in directions I did not anticipate. I have a good grasp of my characters and watch them interact with each other...
It's perfectly reasonable to say, "Hey, I think it was interesting the way this character was so calm under pressure, I'd like to use that in a story of my own." But if you write a story with a cha...
Write first, ask questions later. The best way to understand your story is to write it. This means that sometimes you need to put words on the page before you know where those words will take you....
It is acceptable when relating a sequence of actions or events. Jake fed the chickens, then walked the rows of the tomato garden and pulled six new weeds that had sprouted, and now he was throw...
Research is your friend. Most of the (fiction) books that I enjoyed the most show how thoroughly researched they are. On virtually every topic you can find first-person accounts describing the exp...
