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Activity for April Salutes Monica C.‭

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Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Question	—	Publishing Poetry (I searched combined tags for publishing & poetry, and only found a few older questions, detailed below.) So - Spring 2019 - where do poets publish now? Is it all self-publish, have the few magazines mentioned in the past gone away, are any new markets appearing? Are anthologies the best new thing? ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	Is there a "writer's room" for poetry? Is poetry always a solo endeavor? TV scriptwriting is classically done in a Writer's Room, where the show-runner outlines the main plot/character beats for a season, they and senior writers break out those elements into individual shows, then one or two writers create the draft, then collaborativel... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	Poetry when unstructured? Like most kids, I went through the All Poetry Must Rhyme phase. Then a little later in school, rhyme was less essential (especially in English, a less rhyme-compatible language than many other Romance ones) -- it was all about Meter and Structured Forms. But I know there's more than that. Some peop... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Including disabled characters without "inspiration porn" Is this character the only blind one around? Did she go to a mentor to learn how to navigate efficiently? Is there a school for the blind? How old was she when she lost her vision? (I read a great book this fall called For the Benefit of Those Who Can See about a school for the blind in Tibet I thin... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Avoiding the "not like other girls" trope? Just be aware that almost everything is trope/stereotype of some sort: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysFemale One of the best ways to mitigate that is to make sure there are MANY women -- Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a classic "strong & female" character, but she's so into ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to write character's emotional reactions in a screenplay? I would advise only adding the emotion if it's contrary to what may be expected. So > Monster appears. > BOB (scared) What's going on? Is less essential than: > BOB's Mom appears, carrying a tray of cookies. > BOB (scared) What's going on? This may especially be needed for small statements th... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: News shot in screenwriting I think you want an INSERT. From https://screenwriting.io/what-is-an-insert/ > An insert is a shot — often a close-up — that focuses on a specific detail. If necessary, these shots can be written into a screenplay, but most inserts will be called for by the director. Patton smiles as he flips ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are there tools that can aid an author in writing a branching storyline? I want to add one more tool: Archivos. (No personal link, I just saw a demo from them and plan to check them out when I start writing more.) https://archivos.digital/about-archivos/ > First, ARCHIVOS helps Storytellers document the characters, places, and events of their stories, detailing the basi... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the points to remember when the pet is the narrator and is narrating the story of its owner? As usual, I have an example from Worm! In the Interlude for Arc 4 (main chapters are from the heroine's 1st-person POV, interludes each have a different character in tight-third), Rachel's dog Brutus tells the tale: https://parahumans.wordpress.com/category/stories-arcs-1-10/arc-4-shell/4-x-interlude... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How do I keep an essay about "feeling flat" from feeling flat? I was invited to participate in an anthology of essays about a tv show. I chose an episode based on the Wikipedia summary (since it had been so long since I had watched it), but after I watched it, I felt nothing. I wrote to the editor and said that I wanted to give up that essay slot to someone who... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How much character growth crosses the line into breaking the character (not a duplicate of Character Development - How much is too much? because that one is more about "overreaction" to smaller events.) TL;DR: How much can a character change without becoming unrecognizable? How can you indicate character growth (causes/effects) efficiently? I was listening to Wor... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can I turn my anal-retentiveness into a career? One option that may work for you is Fiverr.com I have not personally used it yet, but I plan to both hire audio editors from it, and also offer my own services. There are articles about writing for it, but many of those also have tips aimed at editors, too. I found some articles in a quick google ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: In which countries do printed fantasy novels sell the most? This is NOT a great or complete answer, just the start of one, as it's been unanswered for a bit. https://www.statista.com/statistics/288746/global-book-market-by-region/ and https://www.statista.com/topics/4062/book-market-in-europe/ (I'm not a subscriber to this, so I don't get the complete set... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I keep dialogue attached to character names in a Pages play script? I could do this in Word very easily -- Short Version: Create a Style called "Character Name" Indicate that the style "Dialogue" is what follows next. (that's on the first area of the create-a-style dialogue). Then in the PARAGRAPHS section of that Character Name Style, the second/advanced tab, choose... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Using expletives in an essay When I taught ENGL100, I advised students to minimize quotes (still maximize citations for their summaries and paraphrases unless it was to indicate "poetry or precision". The quote you indicated definitely would count under "poetry" -- any attempt to rephrase it changes its meaning too significantl... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I make a non-linear timeline less confusing? I think the best answer is to see what other authors have done, like many have suggested. I was listening to Worm, and in arc 11, Infestation, all 8 interludes (we realize) all take place simultaneously. In 11.a, the dogs are howling, and some superheroes battle Rachel (who owns the dogs.) In 11.b-... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What should be the ideal length of sentences in a blog post for ease of reading? In general, writing for the web is expected to be shorter, with briefer sentences, paragraphs, and sections. I have found PlainLanguage.gov's guidelines extremely helpful. (I linked to the "be concise" section.) I also really like NNGroup's articles about User Experience design (they used to be "us... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: When should a starting writer get his own webpage? At the very least, I would try to reserve the URL for your real name (or pen name), and any others that may be relevant - such as the book's name, if that's coming soon. Get a dot-com if it is available. Also reserve your name on gMail if you can. It will be easy to link a free blogger blog to that ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should one use the legal "shall" in requirements documents and specification documents? Although the ISO may favor keeping "shall," I agree with PlainLanguage for this one:https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/conversational/shall-and-must/ > Use “must” not “shall” to impose requirements. “Shall” is ambiguous, and rarely occurs in everyday conversation. The legal community is moving to ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: The Good, the Bad, and the Semicolon I think most people just FEAR the semicolon! Below is an excerpt from https://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon > How to use a semicolon The most feared punctuation on earth. skipping over WHY and HOW > WHEN - When should I use a semicolon? "I gnaw on old car tires; it strengthens my jaw so I'll be... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to include external references when writing internal documentation? I like Monica's answer -- my answer here is about how to be sure these links are still viable in the future. If others are also making the documents, I encourage "casual citation", so there's not the stress of Proper Bibliographic Formatting, but as long as the URL is there, then readers can get to ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does it really serve a main character to give them one driving want? Maybe one way to think about it is like thinking about your resume & cover letter: you are a vastly more complex person than what can fit on a few pieces of paper, but you re-arrange the order of things (education or work first? which duties/achievements to stress in the bullet points?). Your past i... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is the website allpoetry.com benefecial for poets and writers? This site doesn't seem to be explicitly listed as a vanity/scam on the Writer's Beware list here: https://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/anthologies/ , but I was thinking of Poetry.com, which died a few years ago. > So most vanity anthology schemes don’t quite qualify as scam... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to traditionally publish a fantasy-fiction novel serial in our modern era of publishing without the use of zines? I looked up Isekai on Wikipedia, and one paragraph grabbed me: > Several later examples from English literature include the novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), as well as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), Peter Pan (1902) and The Chroni... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to open a serious speech? When I taught Presentations in Tech Writing, one of my biggest tools was "ROPES" - review/rapport, overview/objective, present, exercise, summary. In more social settings, you're using the comedy opening to establish rapport with the audience. Here, you want to instead connect with them by explainin... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Which are the fastest-paying literary magazines? This link at All Freelance Writers - Markets lists not only markets, but (when possible) their turnaround time on pay.https://allfreelancewriting.com/writers-markets/ With the "Fiction" limiter applied, only one appear to list turn-around time for pay (60 days after publication)https://allfreelancew... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Terminology in sociology & statistics This is really @Amadeus's answer (so I'll delete this if s/he posts under his/her own account), but I didn't want it to be lost in a comment: > I'd call it a "proxy", often computed or logically inferred. 2nd Definition at Link below, reads "A figure that can be used to represent the value of someth... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Scansion tool for checking my meter This might help with the identifying-meter educational part of it: https://prosody.lib.virginia.edu/ > It’s an interactive on-line tutorial that can train you to scan traditionally metered English poetry. Here you can get practice and instant feedback in one important way of analyzing, and developin... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	Content Sites - any still around and useful? I missed my chance to write for About.Com when it was TheMiningCom and now it's DotDash and seems to be under different rules. Suite101 has become Suite.io (blocked from my work, so that's all I know.) I know at one point I had bookmarked Squiddoo, HubPages, BellaOnline and others to write for. Are ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to submit when asked for "sample chapters"? This is from an agent's page at https://www.mariavicente.com/blog/manuscript-formatting-submitting-sample-pages > Consider the strength of your first chapter. Too often writers will submit pages from the middle of a manuscript because it is a “more interesting” scene or “shows off the writing” bette... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I make a "contract" with my reader? The "contract" is the expectations you set. In an academic paper, it's normally the introduction leading up to the thesis. In a work of fiction, it's the first few pages (novel) or paragraphs (short story). Just like an academic introduction, you may not be able to do it until you've done EVERYTHING... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to document and cite website downtime properly? Did you take screenshots of it being down? Does the site have an errors log? Is there a site you checked those days to make sure it wasn't just you? (https://www.isitdownrightnow.com/ and https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ are a few). If the site is consistently archived on Archive.org's Wayback M... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: My story is written in English, but is set in my home country. What language should I use for the dialogue? Who is your audience? What languages do they know? If it's an international contest, are there language guidelines? If it says English Only, then be at least 99% English! Are you planning on a few loanwords from Tagalog that are really hard to easily phrase in English? That sounds fine, especially i... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Humor in a fantasy setting I'm not suggesting migrating the question, and of course this is several years old. But I've noticed in the RPGs.StackExchange they often discuss balancing humor and action, and that may be another way for anyone finding this question from the future to address it. Some Q&As there that may be releva... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can metaphors be used for other purposes than for stylistic effect and to form an allegory? Metaphors help me think. I may not know how to do XYZ, but if everything is related to (for example) baking, then I understand it a lot more. (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do we write a story about genocide committed by a fascist government without falling into the "Nazi Germany" cliché? I wrote a pretty long answer here, which I think applies: Should we avoid writing fiction about historical events without extensive research? In short - Look at other theories of history, and their theories on fascism/genocide -- maybe those elements aren't linked in certain cultures. Is the fascist... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should we avoid writing fiction about historical events without extensive research? If you don't want to research the history directly, you may want to look into the historiography -- how the history of something is studied/understood. Often that is why we supermoderns laugh at older works, because they made assumptions we think are silly, but by working from the common narratives ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: I want to name a character something but j feel like people would say I'm copying Veronica Roth, my favorite author. What should I do? I think of Tobias from Arrested Development. I think enough people have a variety of Tobias examples that it may not immediately link to the other guy. If that is a worry, think about what part of the name you like -- is it the rhythm, links to what the name historically means, the strong 2nd syllab... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Every character has a name - does this lead to too many named characters? I say don't censor your "discovery" -- include the names of everyone -- they may come back in later, or you may want to explore their story in a specific vignette. (I'm thinking of Neil Gaiman's Sandman story "24 Hours" -- takes place in a diner, and most characters in it we never see again.... but l... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Coloured comments in a word processor [Word/Libre/OpenOffice] - is it possible? A useful option may also be GoogleDocs, as it's free. I can't give specific examples (Gmail/Gdocs blocked at my current day-job), but I remember some students used it for peer-critique very well. It defaults to each person having a different color for their edits/comments. Since it sounds like you'r... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to avoid using "he/she/it" repetitively in action An important thing is to not overcorrect in the other direction with "said bookisms" > lists of verbs that can be used instead of "said", like "exclaimed", "emoted", "sighed", "rumbled", "hissed", "pontificated", "enquired", etc. Often "said" and pronouns/character names become almost invisible, li... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	Self-publishing Nonfiction Help Guides on Amazon? This is inspired by this question, but taking it in a non-fiction direction: Is there a benefit to publishing non-fiction ebooks on Amazon as opposed to just putting them on your blog? Let's assume that you don't want to put them on a content mill (eHow, Suite 101), and are building a portfolio. Th... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can we have 2 parallel allegories inside a story? Amadeus's answer is great if your goal is story-driven-story. IF however, you're working with something more experimental, I think the nested allegories can work, just like a musical leitmotif for one character can also have a musical phrase that echoes the adventure theme. Margaret Atwood does grea... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Am I Breaking Too Many Rules? If the POVs seem balanced (rotating one per chapter or in some other predictable pattern), then it's not breaking any rule. For length -- the projected draft is 225k -- maybe the actual draft won't be that long. You'll never know until you try! Once you have that draft, if it is too long, then you ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to indicate that the source language is gender-neutral? In the 1990s, I was really hoping that the Z or X pronouns (zie & zir, xie & xir) would win for the non-gender-focused option - they follow the he/she pronunciation style, which indicates sapience (which "it" does not). This linkhttps://genderneutralpronoun.wordpress.com/tag/zie-and-hir/ shows sever... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I prevent a structure-breaking character from being seen as a fourth-wall-breaking joke? I don't know games, but comic books play with 4th wall breaking a lot -- it's part of what makes Deadpool & She-Hulk so powerful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She-Hulk#Breaking\the\fourth\wall Since in the Marvel universe, the readers-reading-the-comics-in-our-hands is one of many specific univer... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should structuring an academic text with the help of questions be avoided? It also depends who the audience is -- if by "academic text" you mean textbook or supplement to educational materials, then questions may be great! Often in PlainLanguage, they advice question-headings in first person (as the reader has a question in mind), and then answer using 2nd person to mean t... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the meta considerations when writing a play? One of my favorite "constraints" is that the audience is more willing to accept things. If it's a film/video/tv, they expect some realism. If it's a play, instead of needing to go On Location, a single tall stepladder can be the Cliffs of Danger. One actor can be many characters. Some things may be r... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	Can we "borrow" our answers to populate our own websites? Second Edit -- to try to expand the scope BEYOND W.SE and to cover any CreativeCommons work, not just here. Deleted part about the badges. -- Edit -- to clarify it's not quite a BLOG, more a portfolio of teaching resources I've developed. My website (on a Wordpress core, but mostly a portfolio... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can I copy images from published books and use them in my paper? Many media from 1920s-1977 copyright law change had DIFFERENT rules for copyright. Post 1977, works were automatically granted copyright upon creation. Before then, works HAD to be registered and renewed, and sometimes due to weird loopholes, works may "slip" into public domain (PD). This is why man... (more)	—	over 5 years ago