Activity for Standback‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Translation of my book "Babymoves" into Japanese These are all details that need to be determined in some sort of contract or agreement with her. You can grant and withhold whatever you choose. Be familiar with what different rights you have over your work, so you know what's on the table. Similarly, the terms of payment are part of your agreement... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I learn how to outline, so I can write like an architect? Read and write. Read Innumerable guides and advice exist for outlining and plotting a story. Pick a few and read some! This will help you absorb fundamental concepts, common techniques, and typical pitfalls, so you're not wandering around completely blind. Dip into some simple Google results. Spen... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it appropriate to credit someone with a quote if I am not absolutely sure they are the source? No, it would not be appropriate. It's quite possible that nobody would check you up on this, but quote attributions are expected to be, you know, correct. Mis-attributing a quote might be an honest error, but it's more likely to be a case of insufficient research, or even intentionally lending weig... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I publish a translation of a book? You'll need to contact the original author and/or their publisher. Either one will direct you to the correct person to deal with - there's no blanket rule over who has which rights, so you'll need to check who's got translation rights in your specific case, and whether that person is willing to let y... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is going 'off-topic' a sign of bad dialogue? If it distracts from your plot and from your theme, then yes - sooner or later, that dialogue should be rewritten or cut entirely. Real conversations get sidetracked; they go off on tangents. If you do a lot of your writing by figuring out "what would they say next," you're likely to follow that nat... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: If I'm going to hire a copyeditor, do I need to do any proofing myself? Generally speaking, this is a perfect job for a proofreader, so there's not much point in you trying to "double up" with a professional. There might be some minor cost difference if they charge by hour, but I would guess it to be negligible - the effort is less in fixing errors once found, and more i... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: First-time meeting with publisher & editors (What to expect) The precise process from manuscript to distribution may be different from publisher to publisher - in fact, explaining what to expect is probably a major purpose of such a meeting. In many ways, this meeting will be similar to a job interview - and the advice will be the same. Don't stress out too m... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it typical to add variation to the words used for a character's name to keep it spicy? Orson Scott Card answers your question precisely and eloquently in his excellent Character and Viewpoint, under the heading One Name Per Character. Go, read. For posterity, I'll summarize: - Names should be treated as "invisible words" - they're so common, the reader hardly notices them. You can re... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Tools or communities for word association? Two resources that sound appropriate are: - http://wordassociations.net/ - http://www.wordassociation.org/search/ Though I can't rule it out, I kind of doubt you'll find existed dedicated communities - I expect very few people are interested in regularly checking into a site for the sole purpose of... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should my story's main obstacle be secret or common knowledge to the society? Both scenarios have lots of potential for great storytelling. When choosing between them, consider what kind of story you'd most like to tell, and which of the two is going in a direction you find more interesting/compelling. Let me throw some light on the primary differences between the two avenues... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to figure out if an agent is "on the straight" or "shady"? 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 great depth. For completeness, I'll summarize the main points here - but do read the entire article...... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can a literary agent be hired? Probably not a professional one. All agents are hired - they take a percentage of whatever contracts they get you (or which they negotiate for you). You're asking if you can pay extra for an agent to represent an author or an MS which they'd otherwise turn down. Here's the thing: an agent represent... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are these fictional musings convincing or overwrought? What strikes me most about your excerpt is that you're speaking in vague generalities, which on their own feel somewhat bombastic. "People have given up," there is "an unarticulated notion of defeat," and "they [i.e. everybody] has overestimated themselves." That's a sweeping, bombastic statement, an... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Legal ramifications for writing about fictional relationships with celebs > I AM NOT A LAWYER. As long as it is clearly evident that the piece is fictional, my understanding is that you can basically employ celebrities however you like. Major issues you generally want to avoid are: - libel and defamation - copyright violation - use of likeness without permission But a ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it a bad idea to linger too long on a first draft? It's an excellent idea. Your considerations are quite correct - a first draft can be absolutely terrible; most of its value is in fleshing out general details, structure and plot. It gives you a skeleton framework which you can the edit the heck out of. Therefore, there's no reason to worry if some ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I switch to third person or continue in first person? The initial "feel" I get from this piece works very well with the first-person narration you've chosen. Your suspense and action revolve around immediate danger; first-person contributes wonderfully to that immediacy- you're writing "Whoa, I'm in trouble," not "So there was this guy who was in troubl... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Ways for main character to influence world following their death Option 1: I'm Back! For an IF game, probably the easiest way to allow character death is to allow some kind of backup, or a chance to be restored to life. Examples include: - Cloning Technology - Your character has been cloned (or can be), and when the original dies, a clone takes his place. This m... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: My cool character is doing nothing for the plot. How do I deal with him? There are some different diagnoses that might be appropriate here. The Xander You've clearly established how the character came to be involved, but now that he is, he doesn't seem to actually be very helpful. He's kinda there all the time, and occasionally he just happens to have precisely the ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Self publishing: Do I still need to follow the arbitrary word count limits? You're quite correct in your assumption that digital publishing removes a lot of the necessity of typical length categories. Here's some things to bear in mind when coming to a decision. There's no restriction except "what works well for the story." Traditional publishing is bound by all sorts of re... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I convey that my viewpoint character is lying? Frame It Appropriately Here's the issue: There's a pretty firm assumption that, the moment you're following a tight first-person (or third person) narration, you're following around in their head. You're not just hearing them tell you the story (which gives them an opportunity to lie about it), you'... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does anyone know the average number of times a new author has to submit before acceptance? I'm afraid I've never seen any statistics on this. As the comments have noted, this is a very difficult estimate to make - there are many different definitions of "getting published" (does self-publishing count? e-Publishing? Vanity? Short stories? Posthumously?), and it's practically impossible to t... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	Where in a CV should I mention a relevant but unpaid (volunteer) project? I'm writing up a CV (my secret identity is a mild-mannered software engineer); there's a volunteer project I did (related to my undergrad studies) that I want to describe, and I'm not sure where to put it. It's a standalone program which completes a certain task. Is that "work experience" because it... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	My story portrays a process, not a conflict - how do I make the process my focus? My current WiP is a science-fiction piece which is less about characters coping with a particular problem, and more about the process they go through in reaction to the SF-nal catalyst. My story is not without conflict, but the main driving force is "where will this develop to next?" rather than "how... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are online critique groups a good substitute for editors? Critique groups are great for getting typical reader reactions, and for spotting major flaws. That's certainly immensely helpful for improving your book! But a critique group is much shakier when it comes to figuring out how to fix things. When a reader tells you "I read [Scene X], and had [Reaction... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: The ethics of multiple contest submissions This is called a "simultaneous submission," and a well-organized contest should have a clear-cut rule on whether or not they're allowed. If a particular contest doesn't call simultaneous submissions out specifically, the safest is to try and contact them and make sure what their rules are. At very l... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How does one break into the field of professional writing? Define Your Goals. "Breaking into professional writing" is a very loose definition. It could mean somebody who's only ever published a single book or a single short story; it could be somebody who publishes regularly but is widely held in low esteem; it could be somebody who self-publishes eBooks th... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I write a believable romance subplot? Here's a great article by Mette Ivie Harrison: How To Write Romance (in Fantasy), published in OSC's Intergalactic Medicine Show. I think it's particularly appropriate to your question because it focuses on romances as subplots, romance combined with other elements. Harrison starts out by rejecting ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is calling this process a "convergence" accurate and clear? If the process you're trying to describe is complex or can be looked at in two different ways, you can explain it pretty much in those words. Because inside your story, the same tension and double-definition exists - so that can be how people think of it and describe it. Consider these two possibili... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why are some words in screenplays set in all caps? Here's the money quote from the script formatting rules that cornbread ninja linked in the comments: > Some writers also use ALL CAPS when a sound effect appears in Action. Others capitalize important props. This would look like this: > > `MORTIMER groans and pops a handful of aspirin. The tea kett... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I make a collection of essays / arguments more attractive to publishers? Your difficulty is that you need an elevator pitch. If you're unfamiliar with the term, an "elevator pitch" is a super-brief description of your book - basically, how you'd pitch it to somebody sharing an elevator with you. A line, two - no more. This level of succinctness is crucial, because from m... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Could a different structure for "Feast of Crows" have been a better solution to Martin's five-year-gap? GRRM's primary goal with Feast was to fill in crucial details , whereas most of the volumes had the goal of portraying epic plot and conflict. I'd suggest that the structure used in the previous volumes - interlacing novellas told from different viewpoints, collectively portraying a larger plot - is ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	Could a different structure for "Feast of Crows" have been a better solution to Martin's five-year-gap? The latest two volumes of Martin's Song of Ice and Fire have been poorly received compared to the series' earlier books. What's interesting here is that Martin's original plan did not include these books. Rather, these books were a solution to a problem Martin had: > The fourth book, tentatively tit... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	What methods does Rowling use to establish Dumbledore as being wise and trustworthy? In the Harry Potter series, Dumbledore seems to represent ultimate wisdom and authority. Harry (and the readers with him) hold him in awe; many times throughout the series Harry willingly accepts and follows Dumbledore's plans even when he doesn't understand them. Dumbledore is portrayed as trustwort... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	How could the surprise-villain thread have been less contrived in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"? Throughout Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry is certain that Snape is serving Voldemort, and bulling Quirrell into helping him. At the climax, we learn that Snape is protecting Harry, while Quirrell's master is Voldemort himself. Unfortunately, Harry's misconception is built up through... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are there online research resources that cater to writers? A all-questions-welcome resource will, almost inevitably, be less helpful than finding pertinent resources for the specific topics you're asking about. And that'll be a case-by-case process. The general workflow will be: - Figure out which field your question falls into (e.g., physics; architecture... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	How can I find short-story spinoffs for my fantasy epic? I write epic fantasy; I've written two trilogies in a joint setting, and am writing further books in the same setting. I would like to start writing short stories for my setting as well - stories that I can send to short fiction venues, that can introduce new readers to my series and provoke their i... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	Preventing the symbolic conflict of "Hunger Games" from overshadowing widespread social plight > SPOILER ALERT: Questions and answers may contain spoilers for all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Symbolic Conflict as the Climax of Social Conflict I noticed an interesting structure inherent in Suzanne Collins "Hunger Games" trilogy. It seems an unusual structure, pr... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What marketing techniques are effective for short story eBook collections? Who's your audience? Answer that, and you'll know where to focus your efforts. Wherever that audience gathers; whatever the norms are among them; whoever within that group makes book recommendations people pay attention to. Blogging and telling friends is nice. It also doesn't get you very far, be... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should my readers be able to identify with the bad guy? How sympathetic to make your villain depends heavily on what your villain's role in the story is. Once you're able to figure out what role he has, what effect you'd like him to have on your audience, I think you'll be able to see quite easily whether that role demands reader identification (and how m... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	What exercises will help me write my co-author's character? I'm working on a novel together with my co-author, K. K's come up with this great character - a sassy were-cat name Garlic. Unfortunately, I'm having a really tough time writing for Garlic - K has a feel for the character that I just don't have yet. I don't want to leave K doing all the work on Garl... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	How can I keep up with my co-author's detail creation? Keeping track of details invented for a work of fiction is never simple, often requiring writing bibles and continuity editors. But when two people are working on the same book simultaneously, then you're not only dealing with the details you've made up, you also need to work around a slew of fiction... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	How does collaboration affect a publishing contract? A publishing contract is generally a contract between a publisher and an author; a collaboration seems to add an additional party to the agreement. I would like to know what kind of complications this introduces to the contract. Is there anything I should be wary of when negotiating such a contract?... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	How do co-authors' rights to a manuscript work? When an individual writes a novel, he owns all rights over the manuscript until he starts selling those rights to others. What is the situation when the novel is a collaborative work? How are such rights as "first publication rights" and "movie rights" defined when the rights are held jointly by two... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	How do collaborating authors choose an agent? If two authors collaborate, and each of them already has an agent - then who handles the collaborative work? Do the authors decide to be jointly represented under one of their two agents? If that's the case, doesn't that "cut out" the other agent - barring them from a major project of an author they... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Would a paid-for review from Kirkus give me real insight into quality of my manuscript? It's really good that you're looking for professional critique - that's a really helpful thing to have! However, a Kirkus book review might well be the wrong address. Kirkus Reviews A Kirkus review exists to help people find books they want to read, or to choose whether or not to buy a particular b... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How far into a speculative novel should one go before introducing the central conflict? To a large extent, a plot-centric book should make its central conflict clear as early as possible. If the reader needs to get past hundreds of pages of exposition to find out what the book is "about," that's definitely a structural flaw in the book. It might not be an insurmountable flaw (if the le... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to summarize prolonged plot Your query is meant to introduce the book and make clear why it's compelling. That doesn't require you to explain its plot in detail, particularly if the plot isn't the compelling aspect of it. On the other hand, you can't just write "My novel is called [TITLE HERE], it's very funny, you should total... (more)	—	almost 13 years ago
Answer	—	A: Attributives in dialogue They're fine; they certainly aren't an error. If a particular use sounds awkward, don't hesitate to drop attribution entirely (it's often still quite clear who's talking, because most conversations are dialogue, so it's whoever wasn't talking the previous paragraph), or to move the attribution up to ... (more)	—	almost 13 years ago
Answer	—	A: Quality examples of 'in medias res' starting sequences in SF literature From TV Tropes ("In Media Res" and "How We Got Here"): - Fight Club starts with Tyler Durden holding a gun in the Narrator's mouth, then goes back to the beginning and catches back up. - Kill Bill Volume One opens with The Bride killing victim number two before jumping back to explain how she got to... (more)	—	almost 13 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do these starting paragraphs make you want to keep reading? I'm afraid this piece feels far too jumbled for me to be intrigued by it. I feel like a lot of unrelated information is being thrown at me, and most of it isn't even real information - it's vague hints at details that haven't been revealed yet, and at this point I still have no idea why these details... (more)	—	almost 13 years ago

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