Questions tagged [fiction]
Fiction is a form of prose writing that deals with at least partly artificial or imagined events and characters. This tag should be used for any questions relating to fiction, including fiction formatting, techniques and publishing.
1,794 questions
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What should I do if my foreshadowing was too obvious and readers picked up on it immediately?
I have a conundrum. In a short web novel I'm writing, some of my foreshadowing was more blatant than I expected. My readers immediately picked up on it and were able to extrapolate an extremely ...
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Can I leave a core story premise unexplained even in the end?
I'm writing a story about someone in the modern world getting a supernatural video game system. For example, he has stat attributes he can allocate stat points into to enhance himself, Skills that are ...
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What kind of character arc would apply to a decaying super hero?
In my story an upstanding young law student is diagnosed with a degenerative disease which is certain to kill him in 4-7 months.
At the same time he's gifted super powers and takes on a hero identity.
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If I write a visual novel about a video game, is it considered plagiarism?
To be more specific, I am writing a visual novel about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I wanted to focus on the story and the characters' inner workings and thoughts. It would have the same ...
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Writing an intimate assault scene via cannibalism
I'm writing a story in which the main character has in the past experienced rape. This story is fundamentally about healing and so I feel it's necessary to share with the reader what the character is ...
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Should characters ignore questions or is that not realistic?
I was looking for good writing tips online, and a specific website (whose name I forgot) said that characters should not avoid questions. Is it right, or should characters avoid questions, like all ...
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Which workflow is more effective: worldbuilding before plotting or the other way around?
I'm planning to write a fantasy story. In the early stage of my writing process, I usually jot down general ideas in an outline—similar to doing rough sketches in drawing. However, I'm not sure what ...
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Multiple sentences within a paranthetical pair of em-dashes—how to get around splitting up a sentence?
I have a section in the story I'm writing that goes something like this:
Henry would focus on the no-doubt epic fight taking place—a confrontation between nephew and uncle for the ages! Would James ...
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Are there any good books on literary style and structure?
Are there any good books on literary style and structure, teaching rhetorical/literary devices, forms of creative writing, forms of divisions in creative writing, both for fiction, and for non-fiction?...
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How to have a questioning tone in the middle of the sentence?
For example:
Bewildered, he looked only to see his, wooden? floor.
How would I do this without throwing a question mark in the middle of the sentence?
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Can I write a good story by editing as I write and without planning the story beforehand?
Though I want to begin writing fiction, I struggle to keep from editing as I write, and to plan a composition prior to writing it, always impatient to write a good draft. Can I edit as I write, and ...
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What are some good points on writing a character being in a toxic relationship in an urban fantasy setting
My MC is dating this person who originally came into her life as charismatic and charming. He was what she was looking for after a breakup due to being unable to protect her ex and others from her own ...
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How do I write a gay backstory when I've never been in love before? [duplicate]
Hey so I'm writing a book and there is a gay 'couple'. One of them dies (well they both die but the backstory is after one death) and the backstory is like supposed to be a memory of how they met and ...
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Must I follow a formula to write good fiction?
According to some books, fiction is good when it follows a formula. Thus, to create good fiction, one must show not tell, must not use too much description, etc.
I want to write fiction in my own way, ...
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Replacing prominent historical figure of the time with fictionalised version
I am writing a story which is set during renaissance Italy in the 1500s.
I want to replace a real historical duke with a fictional duke character. This Duke character is important to the beginning of ...