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[X]'s chosen move requires [n] MP. [X] cannot afford MP cost for chosen move. [X] doesn't have enough MP for that. Clear, simple. Although frankly, the examples OP gives of his own a...
Duotrope's Digest is just that.
Have a look around for the AD&D 2nd Ed. Monstrous Compendium (or whatever the current equivalent is under their new rules), which listed hundreds of possible monsters (I think there were severa...
I don't think it will be particularly helpful to you, but there is a book of imaginary beings that you might consult - read more here. This book does not offer much details in its entries and list...
I think fairy tales and folklore provide a huge resource for monsters. Around the world you can find an infinite amount of scary stories to crib from. You can take them and use them as they are, ju...
I wrote a short story whose two characters were a white-collar criminal being held under house arrest in rural Maine, and a guerrilla soldier who broke into her house. It became clear as I develope...
I have found character sheets for online roleplayers in MMOs to be very helpful for fleshing out characters; after all, the main thing that their writing is based off of is their character and the ...
Just be aware, why flashbacks are considered bad: Many people cannot follow them. Take as example the movie Pulp Fiction. There is a character which is shot during the movie (I do not want to spoi...
Perhaps the most common reason to tell a story out of order is to put an exciting scene at the beginning to get the reader interested. Then go back and put in all the exposition to explain how that...
An interesting story. I've heard both fiction and non-fiction audiobooks. The only thing that's really required is interest. The reader can add a lot, but if there's nothing worth knowing or exp...
Straightforward sentence structure will help. Try listening to some radio drama or the BBC Radio 4 "Book at Bedtime" (a slightly abridged version of a existing novel).
What do you want to emphasize? If it's the person doing the action, by all means use active voice. "Heinrich Schliemann ate a sandwich" emphasizes Schliemann, while "the sandwich was eaten by Hei...
From my own experience to discover a black sheep: If you've found and agent, google him. Google harder! If you think, he is reputable, change your keywords and google again! No, not kidding. I ...
An immensely helpful resource on this topic is Writer Beware, a volunteer organization associated with the SFWA and MWA. Their essay on warning signs of questionable agents answers your question in...
One thing that should be used as a seasoning in Odyssey tales is the idea of the false destination. The idea that where the characters thought they were going is not in fact the destination and a f...
David Weber's The War God's Own has some lengthy travel scenes in it which he does quite well. I suspect this as an older book predates his Heinlenesque tendency to include huge info-dumps. You can...
Here's an example of how this can be handled: The journey took three, long, weary days, and when they finally reached the city, the sun was about to disappear below the horizon. Hoping they...
Follow your instincts. If something is boring you, then absolutely don't waste your time writing about it. I have found that travel scenes are ideal for side plot developments; so, what I tend to d...
I used to love running on the beach. It was best in winter, when grey skies and cold air kept the coast clear. I'd run as far as I could, marking the sand with my shoe prints before turning to foll...
Here's my stab at brevity: I ran alone on the winter beach racing the storm home.
Two tips for submissions (no matter how short the story is): Write just a letter/email and ask for permission to send them your story. In this letter (like in every cover letter) you should descr...
When has the character picked up too many skills and interests to be found realistic? At the point you seem to be describing, he already has. In this reader's view, anyway. But that does not mean ...
I think most people identify better with someone who has failings - as noted by other respondents. Keep in mind the trope "Jack of all trades, master of none". Most "average" people gain a little b...
There a couple of ways to deal with the issue. Maybe he knows a bit of everything, but not a lot. Have issues in the plot where his lack of specialist knowledge causes him issues. Great at learni...
I think it probably depends on how much you simplify the plots. You can boil any plot down to: Scene is set. Problem arises. Problem is resolved. For example, the book Prey by Michael Crichton ...
