Posts by Henry Taylor
Are randomly generated names copyrighted? ...maybe. A random algorithm can generate a sequence of alphabetic characters which spell out a copyrighted name. The fact that the name was randomly ge...
One defend-able use of the "It was all a dream" trope involved sleepwalking. I forget the medium where I encountered it, but I remember a story in which the point of view character wakes in an out...
Consider making the entire story into a flashback, told by the more refined and open minded narrator whom the "hero" will someday become. In the opening pages of the story, have this refined narra...
Both of the previous answers are right, but throw in someone to handle social media, advertising and reader-relations, and a part-time copyright attorney to protect you from idea theft. Then, unle...
Welcome to Possibility Paralysis Anonymous! My name is Henry and I suffer from having too many ideas... You are correct in identifying that this is more than a writing issue but perhaps a little ...
The least obtrusive way to deliver background information is to leave it out. ...for now. You are painting an action scene with your words. Your goal is to keep the reader spellbound, excited ...
You appear to be a nonfiction or science fiction writer, attempting to create a work of fantasy. In either of the former disciplines, critics will come out of the woodwork to spotlight every inacc...
It is probably impossible to fact-check magic because, at least for most of us, magic is not real. You could study existing fictional or mythological systems of magic, but the "facts" you find abo...
Have you considered having the act of time-travel be your decision-locking event? Under normal conditions, while all of us are riding along with the current of time, it doesn't matter whether rece...
Since you are writing in the fantasy genre, is there any reason that the poetry needs to be in a human readable tongue? I can imagine that humans, living among other older species, might know j...
The best way to illuminate a boundary is to cross it. Barring that, the second best way is almost cross it. Have your characters accomplish some major task together, despite long odds. Then, a...
I think it is a world building question, but I'll answer it here because I'll be sleeping by the time the site police move it over to the worldbuilding SE. How you communicate with your Higher Bei...
You say that this supporting character has little "screen time" but that they are a major motivator in the mind of your primary character. You also say that this character is the cause of a lot of...
Revealing that your characters are AI comes with a great deal of risk. Up to the point of the reveal, (if you have handled the early chapters properly) your readers will relate to your characters,...
Adverbs are not popular in modern writing, but one area where they are essential is in character development. If you are trying to present a character as effusive and excessively generous in their...
Giving specific editing advice is difficult without first reading the work in question, but here are some additional thoughts for you to consider... When the middle of a story stalls, it is often...
If you only need a few of these half-dressed femme fatales, you could make the exposed parts an illusion. The women might be warrior wizards who use a small part of their magic to bring an element...
As with any major writing project, I would suggest beginning with some reading. Some good examples of this kind of trilogy-spanning epics include... Anne Mccaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series...
As Amadeus has stated, impulse control is the greatest attribute of maturity. Additional benefits include... Being comfortable in your own skin, never acting defensive and falsely humble. Being ...
Why not combine the two methods... "You have to get to the counter behind the yellow stripe. They served Jake and me there." He smiled, and for a moment Laura almost lost track of his real messag...
You can write the story any way you like, but you run the risk of breaking your reader's attention to your tale, by suddenly making changes to your method of telling. Instead about thinking about ...
Check with your publisher and specifically with the editor who worked with you during final polish to see what they think. That editor is probably intimate with the subject matter of your story an...
I'm tempted to tell you that writing some short stories is the "right" way to proceed, but the reality is there is not "right" or "wrong" on this issue. You need to find what works for you. The m...
Mark has covered your question admirably and I agree with everything he has said. I would offer only a few minor additions. If you want to write a successful book, you need to look at marketing b...
An additional option is to shift the moral compass of the story during the telling. If your story begins from a world view that celebrates Al's friendly generosity and warm kindness, but then slow...
