Activity for GGx - Reinstate Monica Cellio‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How to organize ideas to start writing a novel? Starting from a blank page is always hard, so don’t beat yourself up. But there are tools that will help you get started: The first I would recommend is Scapple by Literature and Latte. Scapple is a virtual corkboard where you can store ideas before you start writing. I start with photographs of my... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: If I wouldn't want to read the story, is writing it still a good idea? Why to abandon an idea In considering the question of whether or not you should write an idea you don’t like, my instinct would be no. If you don’t like it, it will show in the writing. If you are bored writing it, you can guarantee that your reader will be bored reading it. How excited you are by a... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: When do you stop "pushing" a book? Converting comments to an answer as suggested by @wetcircuit WHY BOOKS SUCCEED I was in the same place with my first novel. Many writers assume that the doors aren't open to them or there's some magical query that will open them. Remember: books are picked up based on how marketable they are, not h... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What matters more when it comes to book covers? Is it ‘professional quality’ or relevancy? It depends. Using Amazon's book store as an example: If your book is in an Amazon category that has very few books and the reader finds a poorly-done homemade cover that speaks to what they are interested in, they may click on it simply because there aren't many others to choose from. However, if ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it true that a great cover is enough to sell many copies of your book I'm not sure it's the ebook buyers who are the silly ones here. Of course people judge a book by its cover, as they should. To navigate the thousands or millions of books on a real or virtual shelf, a reader needs a guide. A good cover will convey genre and hint at the story inside. It sets an expec... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What benefits might there be to membership in a Writer's Guild? Along with depending on the guild itself and what membership benefits it offers, it also depends very much on you and which (if any) of those benefits you feel you'd truly make use of. I have belonged to the SOA and to a local writers' society. At first, it seemed like it was worth the price tag: I ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Plain language with long required phrases It's possible you're tying yourself in knots with Hemingway which is, perhaps, better for prose writers than technical writers. Hemingway themselves state: > But what if I want to break the rules? > > Rules are meant to be broken. If you know what you're doing, don't let us stop you. View our sugg... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Relationship Problems I suggest breaking the story into smaller scenes which you approach individually one at a time. Make each scene a connection between the characters that grows slowly over time, each scene bringing them that little bit closer. Perhaps, at first, they are invited to the same party but refuse to speak ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Help/tips for a first time writer? Starting from a blank page is always hard. > Read Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg. It's an excellent book to get you writing. Writing, you will find, is like any art. Like learning the piano, or learning ballet. If you drown yourself in the technicalities, you will soon become overwhelm... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Tiptoe or tiphoof? Adjusting words to better fit fantasy races I think Secespitus hits the nail on the head by saying: > People will rarely look at the letter of a word means. They know what "tiptoeing" implies and that is all they need to imagine the scene. Imagine being the key word. IMHO, immersion is far more crucial in a story than correctness. The true j... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Casually inserting sexual orientation If I'm reading correctly, the crux of your issue is this: > Eris is a girl, she forms a romantic attachment to a boy, the reader assumes she's straight. Later, when she forms a romantic attachment to a girl, the reader may have problems believing it. If you were to set the issue of sexuality comple... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Question	—	Naming Characters after Friends/Family I drafted a book two years ago that I'm now polishing to publish. When I drafted it, for speed's sake, I named one of my primary characters after an old school friend who I'm still in contact with on Facebook. The character's personality isn't him (though he does look a lot like him), I've just used ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Creating and keeping track of characters I use Scapple by Literature and Latte, the makers of Scrivener. It's basically a storyboarding tool, much like you have created on your wall, only you can't run out of wall space or damage your walls! The way I use Scapple to develop my characters is roughly through the following process: Each cha... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Alternatives to starting a sentence with well I'd recommend visiting your local cafe with a notebook. Sit and listen to the people around you and see how they talk. You'll find that people often speak in fairly clipped sentences, they don't spell everything out. It'll really help you learn natural dialogue. I also watched every episode of Gilmo... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	What techniques do you use to maintain your writing focus and maximise your productivity? How do you keep writing no matter what’s going on around you? How do you avoid the distractions of social media, that dishwasher that needs unloading, that wash that needs putting on, that cup of tea you’re dying to take a break for? How do you force yourself to write, even when it’s hard, keeping... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it considered lazy writing to have a dry prelude at the start of a book? The thing about the Star Wars crawl sequences is they’re very short, less than 100 words. They work because they’re short, interesting and presented in a novel way (back then). They’re also necessary to provide context to the opening scene of action that follows. I would ask yourself the same questi... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How does a writer go about consulting experts? I had to do the same thing for my novel only instead of a doctor, I needed a vet. It was only one scene but it was very detailed so I needed to get the information bang on. I think the key to consulting experts is to respect their time. To that end, I started with Google and did as much research my... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to Write a Good Metaphor It's a brilliant answer from Amadeus (as always). I'd like to add a technique for when you cannot find a metaphor/simile that hasn't already been overused: distracting with detail. For example, say I want to describe a man listening to me intently. If I were to write: > I’ve never met anyone with s... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What ages should I market my book towards? In my personal experience, the advice you have been given is correct. I had your exact problem and was told by two editors that my story was too dark/complex for children and my protagonists too young to appeal to an adult audience. I was told I had pitched it mid-market and would struggle to sell i... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Using profanity I think the answer to your question lies in the very problem you're having. You say you've created a character whose language is so clean it's almost comical, and you yourself feel awkward when you write profanity, so use that to your advantage. Have the MC refuse to use profanity while the other c... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I focus on ideas which the market enjoys, or ideas which I enjoy? Writing a novel means: Planning, drafting, editing, submitting, finding agent representation, editing again, submitting again, finding a publisher, editing again, approving cover designs, typesetting, final proofing, pre-release advertising & reviews, and waiting for the publisher's release slot (wh... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	Will traditional publishers force you to remove brands? I’ve read the other questions on this topic but the answers seem contradictory and somewhat opinion-based. Some posters have said you ‘don't want to risk the wrath of corporate lawyers’ (or trademark lawyers) others have said that using brands is good for specificity. What I want to know is what act... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Writing a Novel Set In The Future I’m a little confused by your question and it may be worth providing more information if you want more answers, but these are my initial thoughts: As per the link that @J.G. has provided suggests, futuristic fiction is set apart by its distinctive setting. If your future is exactly the same as the p... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to refer to characters in a non-repetitive way in the third person? @LHH I'm posting an actual answer in response to your comment above. Firstly, I gathered it wasn't the actual scene. There's nothing wrong with posting your actual writing so long as you are asking a valid question (which you are) and not expecting an edit of that sample. I would change your questio... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	How do you deal with Chapter 2 when Chapter 1 is a volcano opening? I know the logic behind volcano openings and why they’re problematic (they set the expectation that that level of action and excitement will continue; they’re a hard act to follow; they make a promise you can’t possibly fulfil; etc.) but it is the natural place for my story to start: the moment my pr... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the most fundamental advice when it comes to writing? One of the best pieces of advice I've read, which I didn't believe at all when I first started writing (I think it was either Natalie Goldberg or Anne Lamott who said it, and either way every writer should read Writing Down The Bones and Bird by Bird) was don't hold onto your writing gems because you... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can your narrator talk to the reader of the novel? Clarifying as per discussion below: It depends on how far you are planning to go in terms of addressing the reader. As pointed out, it is quite common in a first person narrative for the narrator to address the reader directly in terms of expressing thoughts, musings, questions, and so on, when the ... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Question	—	How do you avoid smiling, head-bobbing characters? Posting on a question about word frequency data, I read an excellent answer from @DPT about avoiding words that become so frequent, they're problematic. In a snippet of that answer, they wrote: > But, you end up with bobbing heads, smiling at each other, and it's neither realistic nor enjoyable to r... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's a shorter way of saying, "If you had asked me, I would have said, 'I suppose'"? > With "I supposed", I'm trying to convey that if you had asked the narrator, at the time the story takes place, whether Rebecca was one of his closest friends, he would have said, "I suppose." But the way I've written it makes it sound as though this was something he was actively thinking about at t... (more)	—	about 6 years ago
Question	—	How to handle a massive info dump post-ending? I know this question has been asked a few times , and I’ve read all the helpful answers, but can’t implement them in my situation. So, would love some further assistance. I’ve written a psych thriller which ends on a single line and a massive twist that makes the reader go, ‘Huh?? What?? How on ear... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I introduce languages that will be spoken in the long term? Do you know any Japanese? Peppering your work with local language, when done well, can add character, authenticity and ambiance to a novel and you don't have to tell the reader outright that the characters are speaking Japanese. For example, Troppo by Madelaine Dickie won the T.A.G Hungerford award.... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Question	—	Inside your character's head - when does it become too much? I've read that leaving your character alone for too long can spell death for your novel. That you should put them out there in the world so they can interact with other characters. That you shouldn't leave them inside their heads thinking aloud. But there's an element of that that doesn't feel real t... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Question	—	How do you communicate to people that writing is a job and prevent interruptions? I’ve been a writer for fifteen years, five as a full-time writer, and still haven’t figured out how to get the people in my life to view it as a job. Right now, I’m editing a novel to a very tight deadline (in force due to timings with the London Book Fair and they aren’t going to move that for me ;)... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is show not tell less useful advice in first person Amadeus has given an excellent answer to your conundrum and the article by Palahniuk is excellent. I just wanted to add one little point from experience that I hope will spur you on (can't comment as too new to this branch of StackExchange). I sympathise, because scenes like this are difficult to sh... (more)	—	over 6 years ago