Posts by Standback
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 b...
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...
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 hones...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 communiti...
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 ...
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...
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 defea...
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 wonderfull...
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 - ...
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 n...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 f...
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-...
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 a...
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,...
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 ...
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 i...
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 recommendatio...
