Activity for linksassin‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Is writing about your childhood in creative writing/fiction class necessary? All writing is, in some way, rooted in our experiences > The story you want to write isn’t always the story you need to write. Before finishing my novel, I was under the impression that my characters could exist without unsolicited influence. In other words, I believed that my story would be entirel... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the advantages and disavantages of different triggers for character transformation? Exact mechanics are less important than control No matter how the exact transformation works the key thing that matters is how it is controlled. A scientific device, a superpower, and a magic wand, all fundamentally work the way just in different settings. You really need to choose between the follo... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Handwriting speed Is your handwriting slow? This article claims the average speed for adult handwriting is; > 68 letters per minute (approximately 13 wpm), with the range from a minimum of 26 to a maximum of 113 letters per minute (approximately 5 to 20 wpm) Based on your experiments a writing speed of 56 words per... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Don't look at what I did there If you do this, lean into it Skipping a scene in an otherwise continuous story will always be jarring. The last thing readers want to feel is "this doesn't make any sense". You want your story to be believable and for readers to follow the action. If you want to use this device only occasional with... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is an easily guessed plot twist a good plot twist? Balance is key There is a very delicate balance between a plot twist that feels contrived and unrealistic and one that the reader can see coming from a mile away. There is no exact correct answer to this, and a lot of it comes down to execution rather than one being strictly better than the other. ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Would it be appropriate to end a side story as soon as a character is killed off? You absolutely can do this What is appropriate or not is entirely a matter of your own personal style. How you handle character deaths is part of that style, and it may separate good works from the great ones. There are a couple of different broadly-generalised way to handle the death of a POV chara... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does every chapter have to "blow the reader away" so to speak? Not every chapter needs to blow the reader away No, not every chapter needs to blow the reader away, and you shouldn't be trying to. There are multiple reasons that this isn't something you should try to do. Also, this probably isn't really the issue with that chapter. Why you don't want to do this... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How to write a good moderator nomination post? Another stack site I use is currently having an election and I am considering nominating. There are two parts to the nomination process; the nomination itself and the questionnaire to candidates. This question is focused on the first part. There is a 1200 character limit on nomination posts and the ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Plot twist where the antagonist wins You can absolutely do this WARNING: This answer contains multiple spoilers, beware of things under the quotes You aren't the first to think of this. Often this is used to setup a sequel but you can also subvert it. Below are a couple of well known examples, beware spoilers (you have been warned). ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How much indirection is too much? Indirection is only a problem when reader can't tell which layer of the story they are on Using a narrator that is retelling events from their life is a common literary technique. Many books do it well. In these books is it not uncommon for the narrator to then retell a story that was told to them. ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How can I effectively research for a high-fantasy setting? When you write in a modern day setting, you research the culture, climate, location and history of that setting. You can do the same for historical fiction or low-fantasy settings based on real places. When you write for a high-fantasy setting none of this information exists. The history, culture, e... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can we make images with (necessary) text more translatable mechanically? Search for localization tools I haven't personally used Visio in any formal capacity but have done translation/localization when developing web apps and other software. Most professional tools have a way to include localization for text strings and it is somewhat surprising that Visio does not nativ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Podcast Transcripts: suggested collaborative tools? Github or similar is a good choice I can't say I have used it personally for this type of work, however as a software engineer by day it is my collaboration tool of choice for most things. > Unlike the StackExchange Podcast that inspired this, I am not familiar with GitHub. I'd like to assure you ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How do I record information when planning to write a recap of events? For my pathfinder game I write session updates after each session. I have previously asked about How to write exciting updates?This question is about the planning phase for writing these updates. During game sessions I intend to take brief notes to document the session and make writing the updates e... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How to create place names that feel like they belong to a culture? As somewhat of a follow-up to my previous question: How to create a consistent feel for character names in a fantasy setting? Once I have named the characters in a given setting, how do I create place names for towns, roads, rivers, mountains, countries, etc...? I want the names to feel like they we... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: A poker game description that does not feel gimmicky Ditch the omniscient viewpoint Tension comes from the unknown possibilities. By using an omniscient viewpoint the readers don't feel any of the tension the characters do because they already know the outcome. Instead I would use an 'over-the-shoulder' 3rd person view. You don't need to get inside a... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How to create a consistent feel for character names in a fantasy setting? Recently while doing some world-building for a role-playing game with a friend we were seriously struggling with naming character consistently. By consistently I mean make the names feel as though the belonged to the same culture or race. We had a particular theme or structure in mind but struggled ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is Social Media Science Fiction? Social media is no longer sci-fi In years gone past concepts like the internet would be considered sci-fi. Many book exist which use digital communication on a global scale as part of a sci-fi setting. Oxford Living Dictionary defines science fiction as: > fiction based on imagined future scientifi... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How can I incorporate poetry techniques to improve my prose? My first question on the site was How do I stop using 'the' to start sentences so much? , One of the answers said: > I would suggest reading more English poetry to pick up some techniques. I commented asking for advice on how to do this but the answer writer never responded so it has earned its own... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to keep a dark protagonist who wants to keep his humanity dark? Establishing a conflicted character > My MC is in a dark line of work. He is an assassin. Good start, a character in a dark line of work is assumed to be dark until told otherwise. Start with a murder; cold, ruthless and efficient murder. The character is firmly ingrained as dark in the readers min... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Describing a person. What needs to be mentioned? Describe the important bits In my opinion Harry Potter is actually an excellent example of how to describe characters. Harry is described in detail because his exact appearance has important bearing on the story. Ron's appearance is slightly less detailed but shows how he is clearly related to the o... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Crossing the line between justified force and brutality The tone of your writing will make the difference Written out in a cold hard list like that is certainly sounds brutal. MC2 has MC1 at their mercy and yet continues to threaten and abuse them. If you want to portray the brutality of the scene then you don't have a problem. If you didn't intend for i... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Will it be accepted, if there is no ''Main Character" stereotype? It is harder to keep the reader engaged without one As you say a main character is someone for the reader to connect with. Ideally they will empathise with them and come to care about the character. Wanting to know what happens to them is enough to keep the pages turning. If you choose to go withou... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Pre-modern battle - command it, or fight in it? Generals are where they are needed most Disclaimer: Historical fiction isn't my area of expertise, most of this is drawn from fantasy works instead. I think some of it is useful though. The best way to get this balance is too remember that often generals or leaders are exceptionally talented fighte... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: When must a character grow beyond their archetype? Always This is somewhat of a frame challenge, but hear me out. You said: > I need to know them better in order to know how they will act in the story Why is this any less true for minor characters than it is for main characters? Archetypes are useful for outlining the defining features of a chara... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Non-trope happy ending? Almost every ending to a romance is cliche An ending needs to provide closure for your characters. Whatever their motivation or journey through the novel is, at the end they need an ending. When writing romance the most common ending to finding the love they were looking for, but that isn't the only... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it a bad idea to use footnotes to describe new technologies in a science-fiction novel? You can do this as stylistic choice Footnotes to help explain a complex technology, add additional information or provide a humorous aside. Terry Pratchett used footnotes liberally to great effect. The key is in developing a narrative voice for the footnotes such that they aid the narrative rather t... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What points should a "Character Interview" method for character building hit? ...? Why? To me one of the most important points of the this style is the follow-up question: "Why?". Sure it's great to know that one specific detail about a character but if you can't answer the why then they are just disconnected facts and not a cohesive character. Similar to DPT I don't use thi... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should we avoid writing fiction about historical events without extensive research? In general, avoid writing about things you don't know You are right to have misgivings about writing on a topic you haven't researched. There are a lot of risks involved in doing this. You risk offending people by accident, you risk misrepresenting real people in your work and you risk being called ... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should we write a passage where a character sings? It depends on the purpose of the song Songs in fiction can serve multiple purposes. They can provide lore and background details, they can be used as a metaphor, they can portray emotion or conflict, they can foreshadow, reflect or mirror events of the story, they can be used for character developme... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do we spread a story across several different media without alienating our readers? Make each medium a complete story in it's own right This can be done, though it is rarely done well. The most important part is to make each part of the story a complete story on it's own. Readers don't want to build up to a climatic moment only to be told "now go play this game to find out what hap... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	Should beta-readers have genre experience? In this comments of How many elements can you focus on during worldbuilding? a conversation arose about the usefulness of non-genre savvy beta-readers. Another question Are "non-readers" useful beta readers? discusses the topic more broadly in terms of how useful non-readers are as beta-readers. Sh... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I get readers to accept more than 1 "buy" in worldbuilding? You're missing the explanation 'Occult Powered Technology' is not a unique concept. Many books, films and games have explored this concept. The Shadowrun series of both video and roleplaying games is one example, though it is also a little 'sci-fi'. Why it feels sci-fi and how to fix it Fuel free ... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How much humour is effective in technical documentation? It depends on the audience Personally I feel that technical writing is far too dry. However as an engineer I've done plenty of it. I always try to add humour and levity to make it more enjoyable. This has had varying results. Here is an example where I went overboard on the levity and it was well r... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	How to write exciting updates? For my Pathfinder campaign I write an update each session which I share with my players. The goal for these updates is: - Provide a brief recap of the previous session - Get people excited for the next session - Be entertaining - Provide some additional lore Here is an example from earlier in the c... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should the average length of a chapter depend on the length of the novel? Shorter chapters for shorter books, but you don't have to. I mostly read novels on longer side, epic fantasy and similar. In these chapter length varies widely from author to author. The most common would be to have chapter lengths between 3000 and 4000 words. Some though use far longer chapters, wi... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Sizing of a chapter and how many should I use? Chapter length is a stylist choice There is no correct answer to this. The length of the chapters in any given book is entirely dependant on writing style. How you use them can effect the tone of your writing as well as the readability. However what is 'best' is entirely up to you. Chapter length c... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fictional races and fictional racism Fantasy racism is normal In my experience of fantasy works as well as in my own writing racism does exist between the various races. Tolkien's Elves and Dwarves are the most obvious example. Dwarfs and Orcs in D&D lore traditionally don't get along. Have reasons for racism Usually the reason for t... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	Can I write a book of my D&D game? I am a long time Dungeon Master of Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder. My games run in a custom world of my own making. However, I utilise a lot of the traditional lore and races of D&D. I'm quite proud of one of my current storylines and have been thinking about turning it into a book. Of course t... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	Write for an audience or find an audience for your writing? I've never written for anything other than personal enjoyment or for a predefined context before. I have ideas and partial drafts for several books and want to finish at least one this year. My concern is about how I need to change my writing when I intend for it to be read by a larger audience, part... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is using an 'empty' metaphor considered bad style? This isn't bad style "A crown of fire" is a an evocative statement full of imagery and connotations. Instantly, I can imagine the burning ring of flame, progressing outward and reaching up to the sky. The sentence may not make literal sense but certainly is a good description. In contrast "a circle... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to write a Stack Exchange comment? Be concise, factual, polite, clear and sincere all at once I don't believe there is a single correct way to write a comment on this site. The help centre advice on comments tells us how and when to comment but not what to comment. Welcoming a new user I think informing new users of our standards i... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Methods for writing a code review It depends on the context Code reviews can be done for various reasons and the way to write one it heavily dependent on the purpose. Some of the reasons you might write a code review: - As part of a Software Quality Process - As a formal deliverable to management or customers - As quality assur... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it possible that my short novel will be boring to my readers because it only has two characters and the location doesn't change? These things have no bearing on whether the story is boring A boring story is boring if it fails to capture the imagination of the reader. A complex plot with dozens of characters and a detailed expansive world won't prevent a story from being boring. Neither will a lack of these things make a story... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Question	—	How do I stop using 'the' to start sentences so much? Something that always bothers me in my writing is how often I start sentences with the word "the". A terrible nonsensical example: > The dog ran through the rain-swept streets, chasing a ball he thought he'd lost. The ball was just ahead of him, always out of reach. The ball was a dull red colour, ... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are some good ways of switching from third-person limited point of view to third-person omniscient point of view? You need to change more than just the narrator As I understand it based on your question and comments; you want a character to narrate in third person for 1/2-2/3 of the story, then switch to an older version of the same character to narrate the conclusion. This is feasible but needs to be done care... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fictional cultures and languages existing in the same area? They don't recognise each other as human It isn't uncommon for humans to disregard the humanity of races that don't look similar to them. With no shared languages and distinct physicality it is entirely possible that both races regard the other as more akin to apes or cattle. This is less of a "war... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to Introduce Something Potentially Laughable? Describe don't name To summarise your problem, you have a very serious, very deadly in world threat that bears an unfortunate resemblance to something out of world that the reader's will identify with humorous connotations. You have identified that the protagonists of your story will find the invad... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago