Activity for Amadeus
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
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A: Academic Writing: Paraphrasing few words when quoting Speaking as a college professor, If "Work A" quotes "Work B", you should verify this is true in "Work B", and then reference "Work B" directly. If you cannot find "Work B", reference "Work A" and in the footnote or citation, put "['Ten Points', Izutsu 1965, p. 146, quoting 'The role of faith', Johns... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can ‘Stupid’ Characters Make Plot Narratives Memorable? Terror, Cowardice, Selfishness and Greed. "Stupid" mistakes need to be understandable or the story is not satisfying. They can BE understandable if the stupidity is part of human nature: Somebody is overworked to exhaustion and makes the mistake. Somebody is engaging in a criminal exercise, and doe... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Are the most successful authors like Stephen King and Jk Rowling all trade-published? Professionals are used by the famous, and even the not-so-famous but successful. Nearly all of them. The reasons are simple; really, publishing enough books to let you be a full-time fiction writer earning as much as you could doing any other job you are capable of doing requires highly specialized ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What techniques do you use to maintain your writing focus and maximise your productivity? I write when I wake up. Every morning, 365 days a year, with perhaps 2% exceptions for travel days. Even then, I have written on airplanes. I work in 90 minute cycles, for both my job and writing. I always wake up early and spend 3 hours on getting ready to start actual work, about 2:15 of that is w... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it considered lazy writing to have a dry prelude at the start of a book? It's not exactly lazy, it has the potential to be considered bad writing. If an agent asks you for the first five pages of your book (and many ask for just five), is that what you want to send them? They don't want to represent "dry" writing, they want something engaging from page one. Not fireworks ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can a mystery novel have more than one mystery in it? And does it have to be a "who dunnit" concept? As long as both mysteries are resolved, I don't see a problem with it. +1 Ash for Columbo. Also, there was recently some miniseries on TV about a woman, a young mother. In the opening, she inexplicably attacks a man and murders him in front of many people. The mystery is not who did it, or how to pr... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to avoid info dumps in fan fiction? First, Ash's "drip-feed" is good advice. We are trying to avoid info- dumping , not information in general. As for technique, my personal favorite is through the thoughts and memories of the POV character. This can take some engineering on the part of the author to produce scenes that force the info... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: The role of the supernatural in hard science fiction +1 Galastel. Along the same lines, you can keep a "supernatural" element in the realm of science fiction by having characters refuse to acknowledge it as supernatural, and insisting (as scientists would) that just because we don't know how something works, and just because it seems miraculous, does n... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Would a research team of this size be too small or too big? I am a research scientist, and I have worked on teams ranging from two (I suppose the smallest group that could be called a team, although I have done solo research as well), to fifty six, if you include support personnel; and that included a few dozen PhDs. The team at the Large Hadron Collider has ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: The role of inexplicable events in hard science fiction > is there any room left for not being able to explain odd happenings? Yes, the flip side of high tech detection is high tech concealment. Criminals can know all the tricks used for detection, and have their own high tech to conceal what they've done, or mislead the high tech equipment, or fake the... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: When can I kill my character? Generally, non-MC characters are killed to provide some sort of motivation or commitment to other characters, or to prove the lethality of the setting and raise the stakes of whatever the MC is doing to life-or-death. One more reason is self-sacrifice, somebody dying for their cause. This is often co... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How can I make my anti-heroic protagonist more likable? Skip the flashbacks. That IS the story. Instead of flashbacks, just consider a story (trilogy or not) that shows present-tense scenes with time-skips between chapters showing the transformation from an innocent child, wanting to play, with an imagination, to nihilistic jerk. - Abuse and neglect by ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How can I write about historical realities that readers mistakenly believe are unrealistic? In Fiction, Write about them as unusual; or give people what they expect. Everybody expects unusual characteristics in their prominent fictional characters (protagonist, antagonist, mentors, sidekicks, minions, love interest, etc). My protagonist almost always has some unusual mental or physical ab... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How does one add puns in another language? Go long! Write about the custom, and the reader will get it. In a recent Writing Challenge here on SE, I had a short Human and Extraterrestrial exchange: > Human: Where are you from? > ET: Earth. Sorry about that. In translation, all planets are named Earth. Suppose the alien communicated in a f... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Number of People on a Team Six or seven is not too many on a team, for a story. The problem is making sure you can make them distinct and don't have two or more people doing basically the same job in the plot. The problem with big teams is writing them; it is a lot of people to introduce and make unique and that puts a lot o... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How much value do publishers and editors place on informative/educational content in fiction stories? > How much value do publishers and editors place on informative/educational content in fiction stories? No value at all. Consider a Romance; When Harry Met Sally. What did you learn there, that you did not know before? New, factual, interesting things, mind you. Consider a SciFi movie, Star Wars. ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Archetype or Stereotype? Just break the stereotype, hard. Perhaps don't make him a professional jazz musician, make him a popular, highly skilled amateur that likes to hang out at jazz clubs, and can pitch in when needed. Perhaps with an instrument one doesn't carry, like pianist; he can spell the pianist for breaks (and th... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How much agency should main characters have in the plot? In my opinion, your story would be fine, and readers would be fine, if your characters exhibit a significant amount of agency once and early. If the hero (and sidekick or whatever) chooses to subject themselves to a harrowing experience that lasts the entire book, and this choice is real (not a "you... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Where can I find information on how different genres are conventionally written? I believe genre is primarily determined by plot, setting, and "justifications"; i.e. SciFi justifies fantastical elements (like FTL drives) by hand-waving some futuristic technology (or some technology we know would be possible if we could make some element that is impossible; like a particle with ne... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How do I know if a concept is sexist or not? In general, bigotry is calling or assuming something inherent to a trait (gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, language spoken) that, even if it is true, does not have any rational basis for being associated with that trait. For example there is no rational basis for assuming skin color has an... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: When are single-use POVs a bad idea? > Is this a bad idea? It would be odd for the protagonist to suddenly dwell upon those past events himself, Yes, I think this is a bad idea. Non-POV characters that come and go are foils for the MC (POV character) somebody in their world to interact with, to reveal new information, make a social set... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to write a good sex scene specifically for erotica? I use two approaches: First, like @ggx, I steer clear of metaphors and similes in describing anything about the physical parts. The characters think and use the words they are accustomed to using and thinking, any description or dialogue is direct. The second approach (in combination with this) is d... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can I include a short biography of the person to whom my book is dedicated? That is probably up to an editor or publisher. If by "short" you mean a few paragraphs that won't cost them printing any extra pages, it is possible they will not object. But they are profit driven and this biography does not serve the story or earn them anything, so if it is also going to cost them ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is there a story structure for a non-traditional hero (an extreme introvert)? A little background on introversion, to set the stage: Here is an article in Psychology Today that describes traits of an introvert (They are fully explained there; I took out the explanations for brevity): 1. You enjoy having time to yourself. 2. Your best thinking occurs when you’re by yourself. 3... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How graphic should a grimdark fantasy setting be? IMO it is the job of the author to guide the imagination of the reader, not force the imagination of the reader too specifically. So some details are important, but a blow by blow is seldom necessary. (Sometimes it is...) This is analogous to sex scenes. If the sex scene is pretty much generic sex w... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What could be done to generate and maintain reader interest in plots without a lot of conflict / tension? Conflict does not have to be grand, and the stakes do not have to be enormous. Consider a romance, like "When Harry Met Sally" or "Sleepless In Seattle" or "You've Got Mail". I'm not saying you should write one, I am saying not one of them has much consequence to them other than "How will they overco... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How do you show character reactions without making them do something physically that is unrealistic? Skip the physical actions you find unrealistic (although most of them are metaphorical, not 'unrealistic'). Tears welling in eyes, trembling, etc are realistic enough. Also, go inside; physical symptoms are not all you can show: > He felt his neck muscles tense up, his temples started bulging, he s... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to describe something visual in preparation of said visual? You are writing a script (screenplay) for a visual display; I'd follow (roughly) the format of a script. For this particular question, you are looking for "Personal Direction" (of an actor) and the standard would be to specify what you want in parentheses after the name, before the speech. Although y... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Accusing private figures of crime in print Although you have the right to tell the truth, that is not defined by what you just know must be true. The truth must be verifiable. What proof do you have to publish, or to back up what you publish (like video)? The word of a victim that, conceivably, might be lying to you? Professional news outlet... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What do you do when your message could be dangerous? From my POV, if I strive to make myself clear and unambiguous, and people take that the wrong way, that's on them. Not me. Virtually every revolution for the good has involved "illegal" acts, including lethal violence, in one way or another. The founding fathers of the USA fired upon the duly consti... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to Write a Good Metaphor Zoom out. Zoom in. A metaphor claims that one thing is another thing. For that to work, the salient feature you are describing about one thing must be THE most important feature shared and exaggerated by the other thing. So first, we must zoom out: meaning stripping our original thing down to this... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What ages should I market my book towards? Pitch it as New Adult (18-30) or Adult. The age of the protagonist is not the whole decision, the real decision is which age group can find the story entertaining. Adults are willing to follow the story of teen; there are many Harry Potter fans that began in the 18-30 age range without being parents.... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How do relationships build the main character or plot Q10 is How does she relate to other female characters? I think you misunderstood the question. One form of a weak female character is one that exists for men; is portrayed as, and acts as if, her only purpose in existing is to be pursued by men, to get married, to have children, to be sexually attra... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How can I avoid using I repetitively in a resume/about me? Speaking as a former division manager of a public company that has hired dozens of programmers and engineers and read hundreds of resumes: Use "I". It is expected. Stick to the facts, do not engage in puffery, but do not be afraid to note very positive results; either (as you have). Do not be so st... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it posssible to find a literary agent if I'm Egyptian but write in English? I see no reason why not; agents have no bias against foreign writers, they want good stories. You seem to have a command of English, and you obviously have Internet access. The technical details of you getting paid (if the agent sells your work) is easily solvable, on our end at least (American), I ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to address family members solely by relationship in dialogue? You don't try to be accurate, you anglicize it. If you are writing in English about a Korean family, the reader expects you to translate dialogue into understandable English that is not awkward. > If the speaker is male, then his older brother is 형. If the speaker is female, then her older brother i... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Preventing unintentional reading between the lines When you ask a question, people assume you are asking for a reason, that you intend to use the answer to make some decision. There is no such thing as "just a question". The reason they read between the lines is because you have not made it apparent why you are asking this question. Thus if you wan... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: When is a lack of long, sophisticated words to describe an otherwise simple concept bad? I don't think there is anything wrong with your vocabulary; if YOU are worried about it, I'd suggest you consult an online thesaurus at times. Here is one I use, it's fine and extremely extensive (2656 suggested synonyms for "fine"); so consult a dictionary or other source to fine tune the word you w... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How can I stop overusing "I" in my writing? You can talk about you. This is a sales letter trick, often used in manuals as well. Make all your "narrative" lines as "you," (the reader), or some equivalent. > I will also try to show that the unrelaxed difference density is still not equivalent to the transition density. Hopefully you will see... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How can I stop overusing "I" in my writing? Put it in Neutral. As if YOU did not write the paper, but must describe the action line by line. An example from your first linked example: > I will also try to show that the unrelaxed difference density is still not equivalent to the transition density. An attempt will be made to show the unrelax... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: The advantages and disadvantages of Fantasy-time Constraints! I would be interested in both; the historically accurate vs the "alternative history" or "general past" setting. I'd also suggest there is a spectrum; at least I see it that way in my own writing. In both cases, the advantages and disadvantages arise from constraints. Or as you said, "... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Should I explain the consequences of the contributions in the contribution section? I would not provide the consequences; those are detailed in the paper itself. If anything, you have an abstract at the front of the paper that will tend toward that, e.g. > We will show that there is a unique fixed point in this transformed mapping, thus demonstrating the viability of Finkleworth's... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is a parenthetical reference to a later part of the text redundant in non-fiction writing? It is not redundant. You are providing information about the structure of your presentation to come, making a promise to discuss all of the possible classes of "a response". Such promises are recommended, if the alternative to "evasion" is XYZ, then it is easier for people to listen to your XYZ discu... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it true that stories get rejected simply because the stories are not appealing enough and not because of the quality of the writing? Those are two different questions! Yes, stories get rejected because the stories are not appealing enough. No, if the writing is bad, the story premise probably doesn't matter, the writing will be rejected anyway. Publishers & editors & agents are all basically the same when it comes to judging a ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Are connotations with certain names inevitable? There are many names starting with B; here are 1000 most popular boys names. Do a CTL-F and search for "B" capitalized. I am sure you could google for others. Yes, Brad will have a frat-boy vibe for as long as your story sells. No, "Barney" is dufus; think of Barney Fife, Barney Rubble. Perhaps Br... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How can one provide more clarity and still be concise? I don't have time to read your petition; but quickly here is a guideline. First, you should avoid saying the same thing in other words. Second, prioritize. For each thing you are talking about, figure out what will be most important to a new reader, and talk about that. In the high-priced consultin... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to pitch TV show with a 'hook' when have a complete bible and treatments? I know we don't like link-only answers, but pitching and finding agents in the film industry is far more than can be told in an answer on this forum. I highly recommend you look into the courses offered by Stephanie Palmer; author of the book Good in A Room, a veteran of the movie and TV industry. S... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it important to describe every character of the storyline? > I am confused here of whether I should describe each and every character with detail for readers to understand that character's norms, habits, beliefs and nature? Do not do that. All that matters is the feelings and reactions of your protagonist in the moment. Treat your reader like a ghost frien... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Eliminating the Dash in Prose Writing I disagree with the premise -- Mostly I disagree. I think this is a matter of opinion. I think like the use of a pet word, using the dash can be overdone, but the error is in using it to the point of irritation for the reader. Dashes and ellipsis indicate pauses for dramatic effect; or with a charac... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is writing big facts about a character's background good when first introducing them? As the others have said; you are doing too much telling. As a rule of thumb; don't impart information about the character or environment if it is something they would not be thinking about at the time, or would not be affecting them at the time. Try to relate such reveals to character interactions o... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |