Activity for StrixVariaâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit | Post #6340 | Initial revision | — | about 5 years ago |
| Edit | Post #879 | Initial revision | — | about 5 years ago |
| Edit | Post #624 | Initial revision | — | about 5 years ago |
| Edit | Post #486 | Initial revision | — | about 5 years ago |
| Edit | Post #34 | Initial revision | — | about 5 years ago |
| Question | — |
How can I reconcile the exposition of the three act scheme vs. starting out with a bang? I am a few thousand words into my newest draft and starting to question if I picked the right beginning. As usual, when I get back into the habit of writing regularly, I have also gotten back into the habit of reading about how to write. There are two very core ideas I've come across that I really l... (more) |
— | over 12 years ago |
| Question | — |
How to make travel scenes interesting without adding needless plot diversions? I have always had a problem with travel in my stories. Since I'm writing an epic fantasy novel, travel is a big theme as characters often have to move from where they are to where the plot dictates. However, one of the difficulties I have is that the travel itself is often not important to the plot.... (more) |
— | about 14 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: For Fantasy Stories, Should You Include a Map At the Beginning of the Book? It often helps because fantasy books often involve quite a bit of travel. It is not strictly necessary for the novel to be coherent, but I have found the ones that I've read that lacked maps to be worse off because of it. Namely, "The Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie is a good example of a book that... (more) |
— | about 14 years ago |
| Question | — |
How to switch pov characters mid-scene without jarring the reader? I am writing a novel wherein there are many characters whose thoughts are key to telling it properly. In an earlier draft, I attempted to have any given chapter told from the point of view of exactly one character, but that turned out to be problematic. Usually it led to chapters I found uncomfortabl... (more) |
— | about 14 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Decide on a theme/overarching meaning before writing a short story? If you have a point that you do want to convey, this is certainly a legitimate practice. You shouldn't make artificial points just to have them, however. It is important to ensure that your point does not become too contrived, as well. There are cases where everything should be a microcosm of your m... (more) |
— | about 14 years ago |