Activity for Amadeus‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How to write good erotic scene? I can't write the direct and explicit scene, and I don't think they are necessary. And really, as a reader I feel like they are 'telling' me something and hoping I will translate that into character feelings and sensations: In your example, shouldn't that movement produce some sort of feeling in him,... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How important is writing for games? Stories can make the game very much more immersive. That said, it depends on the game. We don't have to know a back story in order to play Battleship, or fight zombies, or shoot bad guys on one side of a war, really. I don't need a backstory to play Monopoly. But games that take off from fantasy ro... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: "The more fleshed out the character is, the more the reader will care about him". Always true? First, congratulations on sticking with it so far. Let's try to fix some stuff. > ... the more the reader knows about him, the more they will care about his death, and thus his death being a great loss. It depends on what they know! If they know he stomps on puppies, they don't care about his death... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: I am losing significant word count in the second draft of my novel. How might I use that space to deepen the characters and story? I think in general you want your character to suffer pain, or inflict it. You want to create conflicts where there were none before; not tectonic conflicts but more minor ones. Problems that reveal something about their character (which of course demands you invent something about their character, co... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Interactive feedback - is it a good idea? To the specific issue about something technical being boring: It was probably boring because you were bored. Unless you really wanted to inform the reader about the important differences between "latent fees" and "semi-optional fees" and "non-fee application expediting fees" or whatever, the point of... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: A Question of Pacing - Trilogy or Quadrilogy - Cluttered Story > The thing is, readers don't care about non-human perspectives, If you believe that, then why in the world would they buy your next three books? You have essentially told us that, you believe so strongly that you can't write a compelling story from an alien perspective, that you wrote an entire boo... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: I'm not sure where to start with writing a horror story Start with introspection. Your friends said some things you wrote were creepy; so it sounds like you did not even think so until they told you so. What was creepy about it? Do you write cold-blooded characters well? Do you write scenes of blood and guts well? Do you write emotional devastation well?... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the risks and benefits of using humour in business/commercial writing? Humor has very little place in business writing, just like erotica or violence. The reason for this is people are not generally in the frame of mind, when consuming business writing, for anything but what they are trying to learn or understand. Sitting in a club or theater or at home watching TV, th... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What elements should be included in a story's setting? I suggest a checklist, at least, of sensory information, and another of "implications". I say checklist because you don't necessarily need all of them, and trying to describe all of them becomes ridiculous. Look to prioritize and pick one or two. In senses we have what is seen and heard and smelled... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I test if an idea I have for a plot twist is satisfying for (most) people? I do not think you would get accurate feedback, because in a synopsis like that the readers are not invested enough in the characters and story, and the twist is likely to leave them flat. The key to a twist is if, on first read, a reader doesn't see it coming, but when it does they realize it all m... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How little "fantasy" can be in a story and it still be recognizably fantasy? I will say zero! Reasoning below... I presume you mean magic, or other species with human level intelligence (or more), etc. So that is the part I would say has a lower bound of zero. I think fantasy is about setting. Consider science fiction: We have zero evidence of any kind that FTL is possible,... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to write from the male point of view? I will recommend you begin with a book, non-fiction popularized science, "Is There Anything Good About Men? [How cultures flourish by exploiting men]" by Roy F. Baumeister, the Eppes Eminent Professor of Psychology at Florida State University (at the time of writing he was). I am speaking from memor... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Classic fantasy races lazy or boring? I think you can use the traditional ones if you do not stray far from what readers would expect. Don't call them "elves" if they are ogres, or have extra arms. As you note for yourself, when you encounter "elves" in a new book you want to see what the author has done with them: you have a basic ment... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What exactly is the "five (consecutive) word" plagiarism rule? Plagiarism is like patent law: You cannot patent something that is not original; you cannot patent "cake" or "bread". Only original mechanisms can be patented: The common screw has been around for so long, you cannot go patent it. You cannot patent the idea of a clock, or coffee cup, or book. Simila... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to make travel scenes interesting without adding needless plot diversions? I use points in the travel scenes for character development, and skip the rest with a sentence. "It was a two day walk before they got to the travel barge headed down the Black River." Then one of the characters lies her ass off making friends with the captain, not to get a cheaper price or get any ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are techniques to explore a world you've built? I am of the opinion that nobody wants to read about the world I built! Or really I mostly sketched it. I don't think people want a museum tour, I think they want a story. If what you built does not relate to that story in some way, it doesn't belong. But much of it can, where characters have come fr... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I handle a backstory big enough to be a story of its own? Personally, I'd be leery of writing a book with an ending in which the good guy is betrayed, fails and dies, which is your back story. If evil prevails, then I would prefer to refer to it later. Similarly I would not write a book length backstory in which my hero is just drifting with the current an... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Help! My brain is writing several chapters at once! It sounds like you write much like I do, discovering the story as you go. My approach is to put notes, as I think of them, at the bottom of whatever I am writing, and carry them forward. By "notes" I may mean half a page for a note, as much explanation as needed for what occurred to me (and where: i... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: When does use of offensive language in a book go from a character trait or to convey emotion to bad use of English skills I think of cuss words in my writing like spices. I don't want hot sauce on everything, and I don't want my carrot cake doused in Habanero Death Spiral. If you use them too liberally, then like spices you overwhelm the rest of the flavor of the dish. In writing, that includes any poetic imagery, turn... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Alternative for the Hero's journey (since it is about Ego) Consider the Self the axiomatic being. An axiom, in science, is something we take as self-evidently true. It is axiomatic that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line: It needs no formal proof, if you reflect upon it there is no way anything else could be shorter. It is axiomatic... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Doing walls of text dialogue right +1 Thomo. To expand, IRL two people do not stand still and stare at each other and spout dialog while only moving their mouths. Even if they are on the phone! They are doing something, thinking something, wondering, realizing, pausing for some good reason to collect their thoughts or feel some emotio... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What do sentences look like in a rough draft before they are combined into a cumulative sentence? I'll offer a middle ground that requires a lot of polishing as I go. I write polished and readable story as I go. The only thing I would say is 'first-draft' is that I may postpone easy details that don't influence the character or plot but may add authenticity for the reader. The name of a piece of... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I make my prologue chapter 1? I would put it as chapter 1, subtitle, "The beginning of the end", or "The seeds of destruction" or something that makes the reader realize it is important and necessary reading. I prefer to move as much as possible to the present story, but not using flashback. My own preference is in dialogue; a f... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to write a death scene without making it overdramatic? +1 Mark, insightful as usual. Agree with StarPolisher; avoid the trite promise that cannot be kept. That said, promises can be made, promises that are at least plausibly able to be kept if the MC does not give up, takes risks with his life, etc. For example: > "Promise me you'll take care of Karen"... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the balance between 'stating a problem clearly' and Hemingway's literary iceberg? I think a story needs to be consistent. Consider "The Sixth Sense" [\Spoiler Alert, I give away the Twist], the "I see dead people" movie with Bruce Willis. For myself, I made sure I saw it early, I knew from rumor there was a killer twist, and I did not want it spoiled. I was not disappointed: Bru... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What raises the stakes and suspicion in a plot? A person acting out of charity or selflessness is aiming to help somebody more than they help themselves, and would take such an act even if nobody knew they did. Just recently viewing news of Hurricane Harvey, we see selfless people risking their own lives to save others, and in interviews with the ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to handle a character's failure? Mike's career is over either way, and his choice is selfish and self-centered. If he can hack the SETEV, hack it in a way that forces the rest of the crew off it, then steal it, so he is the ONLY one at risk. You say "A" SETEV, surely this is not the only one. The rest of the crew can find another p... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to refer to character of focus in a story I probably use attribution other than he/she about 10% of the time, I intentionally try to write without it, and upon re-reading I look to see if anything I wrote is ambiguous, if a reader following along would not be sure which character said something, did something, etc. Also, attributions need n... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Character Development - How much is too much? This is my opinion and how I write: Your character has (at least) a physical appearance, skills, morals, sexual persona, and beliefs (about how the world works, what people in general want and how they go about getting it, etc). Describe none of that! Not without reason. I don't care if Sheila is 5 ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How often should you use walk on and characters that just are moving the story forward? Never, really. Or it depends on what you mean by "moving the story forward." I am writing a scene with a character that has to prove she is lethal. In a movie, we would use a walk-on, unrelated to the main plot of the story, to prove this trait: She would kill somebody, as part of an unexplained job... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Other authors' fictional characters in writing I'm not a lawyer. The correct answer is you should pay for and talk to a lawyer experienced in intellectual property law (copyrights, patents, trademarks) before you attempt to publish. Pay for it, don't just have a casual conversation, the pay makes you an official client: Whether ultimately proven ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: I wrote a book, but changed my mind on the ending > The whole book needs to be restructured. At least the way I write (more of a discovery writer), a new book would have to be written with the ending in mind. I would keep the old book for reference (I presume I have infinite disk space and never throw anything away anyway); mostly for some hard-cra... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Common mistakes made by first time fantasy novelists? > Talking like real life ... Generally, the vocabulary of characters should match their character. My warrior girl Alex doesn't say "ubiquitous", she says "everywhere." But if she is talking about a weapon, she knows the correct name of every part of it, and the correct name of every move with it. H... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Common mistakes made by first time fantasy novelists? They aren't tropes, but both examples are indicative of common mistakes for beginners. "Utter" is an extremum word, like "absolutely", "completely", "devoid", "unbelievably", etc. These are shortcuts that shouldn't be used. An utter lack of social skills for nerds, for example, is a cop out and unre... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does a first novel in a fantasy trilogy have to end with a va-voom? My opinion: Your book needs to end with closure on the Trilogy Setup. I think books follow the Act structure often used in film. Act I sets up the problem, introduces the characters, and ends with a clear statement of the Problem. Act IIa complicates the Problem, and ends with a turning point; Act I... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I write a description of something that's not concrete? +1 To Sheila. A slightly different answer: Make him feel what they feel. When he meets the girl, he is as happy as he has ever been. He feels love and compassion for every stranger he sees as if they were his best friends gone for years. When he meets the serial killer, he is cold, enjoys the pain o... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is putting Heaven in my book title a bad idea if the book isn't religious? I think it would be fine; "Heaven" is not really a religious element, people use it all the time to refer to pedestrian real world things. (The same could be said for the word "pray"). "That dessert is heavenly". "How was your week in Hawaii?" RESPONSE: "Heaven." I think that is a clever title. Yo... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: First Person vs. Third Person: Advantages and Disadvantages? Although I have read a few things I liked written from the first person, I can't write that way myself; it is far too limiting and constrained. For one, the POV character has to be in every frikkin' scene or learn about what happened from other characters, books, videos or some other kind of discover... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: 2 questions about screenplays INT. HOSPITAL - DAY - 7 YEARS LATER BATHSHEBA MOANS as she gets to her feet. BATHSHEBA LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY. BATHSHEBA SNORTS BATHSHEBA (wheezing) Please ... stop ... don't RON loosens his grip on her throat, but doesn't... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: In my screenplay(spec, I believe) can I use "we see..." in action line? Do not use it! Do not use "we hear", either. See: http://reelauthors.com/screenplay-coverage/do-not-use-we-see.php Don't give camera directions (focused on...) Sounds are just in CAPS. If you want the above sequence, use CUTS. > CLOSE ON BATHSHEBA's distraught face in the rain. A CAR DOOR OPENS. >... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What makes writing emotional? To elicit emotions, you have to have emotions. That is actually a problem for some people; they (by nature or upbringing or both) remain analytical or cynical about most things. They don't get very emotional about topics that are not extreme in nature, or to them seem to be par for the course (like p... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What do you think would make you a better writer - Writing with pen and paper or typing on your PC / Laptop? Since I type at about ten times the rate I write by hand; and my hand gets sore writing by hand for more than a page or so; I opt for typing. Writing by hand is a sensory ritual for some writers. It makes them feel good and puts them in the mental zone of writing. In the end I think this is entirely... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Copyright of examples used in books? Speaking as a programmer, the solution to your problem is "don't be lazy." Taking screenshots is easy but risks libeling others: It can include their logo, their product picture, their address and phone number, and they can argue that your criticism is costing them money, reputation and good will. ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why are writers so hung up on "show versus tell"? I take the "show don't tell" maxim to deal primarily with how my characters feel, or the content of their personality, and to mean "write about effects and manifestations, do not just state such things." here is an obvious example: Does it help you, as a reader, if I write "Andy is hilariously funny... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I write a generic romantic relationship between a male anti-hero and a female antagonist? In broad terms this depends on what you think of as "romantic", whether it is just sexual or they truly enjoy each other's company outside of the bedroom. An easy way to accomplish this is to refer to a previous history: Your hero wasn't always a hero, and your villain wasn't always a villain. ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is a subplot based on: conflict or tension? +1 Mark's answer, subplots often provide counterpoint. They can also provide examples of the alternative outcomes for the hero. In the case of Thor and Jane (or Superman and Lois) The subplot adds stakes : Saving the world is not enough, now there is a personal stake as well. I'm not familiar with ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: When/why are action lines broken up into different entries? It is difficult to tell from your question and examples, but generally different action lines are similar to paragraphs in prose: There is no hard and fast rule for when they break off; it is basically at the end of one thought or description, and the beginning of another thought or description. In ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to make my story structure less repetitive? I think you are being too visual and too step-by-step; hoping to create an image / screenplay in the reader's head. But even in the movies, every second of film counts: This scene would be three lines in a movie and about two seconds each. The ALARM; Gabrielle wakes up; grimaces, closes her eyes. Be... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How Important are essay writing conventions in the university level and above? I'll answer as a professor at a university: Stick to the script. I have 30 papers to grade! Going off script is, IMO, just proof you couldn't get your point across in the standard format so you ditched it. To me it isn't a demonstration of strength, it is a demonstration of weakness. If you want to ... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to do if I end up confused by my own plot because of 'trying to be original' or 'trying to make the story more deep'? I think you are confused about "originality". Every super-spy movie is "original", but the plot is the same. Nearly every romantic comedy is original, but the plot is pretty formulaic. What is original is the setting, the characters, their motivations, the complications. One rom-com about a break-up... (more)	—	over 6 years ago

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