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TequilaJesus posted:What's everyone's thoughts on spicing up dialogue tags? One person in my writing group says I use "he said" too much. When I try to throw in "he replied/he asked/he interrupted/he shouted" etc., another will tell me I need to stick with "he said." Your friend who said you use 'he said' too much should shut up.
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Mar 6, 2017 04:51
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I usually have a story mostly written in my head before I open the word doc. Of course then sometimes it changes when I start writing but whatevs.
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Mar 6, 2017 19:44
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A human heart posted:If you're feeling really cool you could just skip that stuff entirely and throw em dashes in front of everything wait what edit: no you can't that's dumb
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Mar 7, 2017 14:22
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That looks horrible
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Mar 7, 2017 17:29
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A human heart posted:Is there like a stone tablet somewhere that says 'usual practice' that all the new writers need to adhere to or something nahdowhatyouwantbutsomerulesaregoodandmakeiteasiertoreadyourwriting
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Mar 9, 2017 16:01
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Here's some fiction: sebmojo is a good writer
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Mar 16, 2017 20:11
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First person present tense worked p. well in Hunger Games.
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Mar 21, 2017 09:16
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Maybe they think they imagined the thing or they think there's a perfectly rational explanation or some company is pulling a viral prank or they're just more curious than scared
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Jun 1, 2017 12:02
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TequilaJesus posted:
Apostrophes or other names that are FANTASY AS HECK.
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Aug 29, 2017 14:00
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Fantasy races that have no real reason to be fantasy races other than the author really likes elves, except the elves act exactly like humans and the fact that they're elves doesn't matter. Conversely, fantasy races that are so alien as to be unrelatable.
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Aug 29, 2017 14:32
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Rip your names out of the Bible or the Odyssey or some other v. old book
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Sep 15, 2017 03:06
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Make sure that your foxes use the missionary position
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Sep 15, 2017 15:31
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How about particularly?
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Sep 16, 2017 12:10
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Taciturn Tactician posted:What's the rules on replacing thunderdome avs anyway? Are they juat straight up forever or you're a coward? Replacing them costs money and we're all too cheap to do it so we leave them forever.
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Sep 22, 2017 06:21
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I have nothing super constructive to add to some of the good advice that is being given out here, except to say that while at times the harshness of criticism here can sting, it will be way more useful in making you a better writer than what you are likely to get elsewhere, because this is one of the few places I have seen where people don't feel it would be impolite to tell you what's wrong with what you've written.
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Sep 26, 2017 09:00
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HIJK posted:Tbh that's why I don't join thunderdome, I don't want to screamed at and insulted over a badly written short story. Try writing a good one then jk all stories are bad
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Jan 29, 2018 09:13
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Omi no Kami posted:Oh hey, that's a great suggestion; thanks! If you want some practice with short stories, you could always swing by Thunderdome.
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Jun 23, 2018 06:54
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Omi no Kami posted:I could use a bit of advice about structuring my first act. The story I'm working on is a episodic spy thriller- there's a problem, the team goes on a big, dumb mission to figure out what's going on and stop it, they rest, then a new problem appears. In my first draft I actually start with the viewpoint character getting recruited, and they spend about 20,000 words at spy hogwarts making friends and learning how to pick locks and murder dudes. I like the section, because it really helps you empathize with the protagonist by following them on their journey from normal goober to james bond, but it's a really weird island of content. From the instant they graduate they're in a by-the-numbers spy procedural, and my kneejerk reaction is to say that if that's where the bulk of the book lives, I should toss the deep end and just start the book with them doing what they'll do for the entire story. Does the opening serve an important purpose in terms of character development, plot development, or being fun to read? If yes then IMO keep it. If not, then don't.
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Dec 13, 2018 14:43
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That free book sounds dumb.
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Dec 15, 2018 17:00
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Fruity20 posted:hypothetically, if you were tasked to go on a expedition to an island full of strange creatures and dangerous flora, what experts shall you bring with you? (i'm having issues deciding what comprises my main expedition team for a short story of mine) Botanist, biologist, doctor, soldier, also what's the setting?
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Jan 8, 2019 19:35
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I read David Copperfield and I liked it
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Feb 14, 2019 13:25
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Fruity20 posted:I just realized the premise of an adult woman bringing teenagers along (albeit they're monsters or have superpowers) to go monster hunter feels like a premise that could fall apart. for one thing, the kids go to school during the day and there's moments where the lady has to call them in for emergencies. note: they're the same people i've mentioned in a previous question of mine about the grimore or tome. Depends on the intended tone of the story, but I find the idea mildly amusing and like it.
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Mar 27, 2019 07:29
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Fruity20 posted:Is it okay to take an established mythical being and add your own spin on it? like how my vampires are apparently living rather than dead? Yeah do what you want
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Apr 5, 2019 14:54
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I like to write about silly things happening, p. much. I probs have a bunch of more specific things, but mostly it's just silly happenings. I also like to mix the mundane and the fantastic in fun ways.
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Jul 29, 2019 09:20
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feedmyleg posted:Going by the Wikipedia entry, not at all. I am, however, going to add that to my reading list. Excellent. Robert Rankin is my boy and I think everyone should read him.
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Dec 6, 2019 23:11
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General Battuta posted:Also I think the phrase 'blackness enveloped him' is under a fifty year moratorium. It's not your fault, it's just been depleted of all meaning by constant overuse. Instead try using DARKNESS IMPRISONING HIM
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May 10, 2020 01:15
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Feels like the rule, then, should more be 'No LitRPGs'.
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Jan 5, 2022 07:54
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Nae posted:There are millions of talented writers out there, and millions more got time to write when COVID forced them to stay home. Your writing doesn't have to match your identity, but publishers have no incentive to take it when they can take one of the thousands of other stellar submissions from people whose identities and manuscripts match up. But in this case, one third of the manuscript does match up. Should all three protagonists be the same?
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Jan 5, 2022 22:41
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I don't necessarily have a problem with protagonists dying in general, but I think there are times when it feels like an author feels like they have a contractual obligation to kill someone off every now and then. I'm specifically thinking of Robin Jarvis, who wrote (IMO) pretty entertaining Young Adult fiction about talking animals going on fantasy adventures, and also seemed to have an aversion to a completely happy ending, with the most notable example I can think of being a villain coming back in ghost form after they'd died in order to poison one of the main characters, in like the last page or something, after they'd all celebrated their victory over the forces of evil. Anyway, that just felt like a massive bummer for the sake of it.
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Jan 23, 2022 06:15
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Why not post about things you do read?
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Feb 21, 2022 23:38
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Another possibility if you're keen on writing and getting feedback on your writing is Thunderdome. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3989882 The current week is going to wrap up soon, but there will be another prompt once that's done.
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Mar 7, 2022 10:50
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Milkfred E. Moore posted:I, too, am unable to understand that the learning activities I had in elementary school are not necessarily accurate when considering the act of writing as an adult. They are also bad advice for children.
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May 9, 2022 15:57
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SurreptitiousMuffin posted:Caveat: all the poo poo you make up to sound cool should feel consistent if it's meant to be from the same language/culture. Like if you write like, I dunno, pulling it outta my rear end, Draxathar, you've already kinda developed a soundsystem, a feel. -athar is now a viable ending for names, kinda knightly, almost like "Arthur" but also Drax is a morpheme that people in this culture don't find weird, a punchy plosive rolling into a fricative, strike and roll and hiss, it sounds snakey. You can apply those principles to other names. Snake + knight. There is no deeper logic to "snake" beyond it sounds kinda snakey, bolt it onto a knight of the round table. Kazulad. Rasault. Zilien. Make poo poo up, just make it up consistently. Conlangs are for suckers, and trust me: I spent a lot of time as a sucker. Not sure English follows that guidance. Particularly when it comes to giving people names. We steal our names from all over the place. I think in general this advice applies for insular societies that haven't intermingled with and copied off their neighbours, but otherwise there's probs gonna be a bit of a mix of stuff imo?
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Jun 24, 2022 06:34
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Data Graham posted:
I would suggest that you can. Sure, it's annoying to find you keep being derivative, but unless you're lifting dialogue wholesale from the source material, you're still creating. A bunch of extremely good stories have built on the creations of people who have come before. But also, consider joining this: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3989882 If nothing else, perhaps the constantly changing prompts will cause you to create something that you feel happier about.
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Jun 28, 2022 14:36
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Marsupial Ape posted:Good advice, but I would prefer drugs. Like all the other problems in my life, I am acutely aware how to fix this with actual effort. I just don’t want to. Or don’t know how to want it enough to make it happen. You don’t have to comment on that, I am just griping. Sure sounds like you'd like Thunderdome. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3989882 Weekly short story competition, ie an excuse to 'workshop' ideas with at least one judge who will read your writing every week.
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Nov 15, 2022 06:53
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Marsupial Ape posted:This is me playing ball and ‘buying in’. I’ll ignore all the petty and rather childish mental health shaming previously leveled at me. 'Get therapy' is solid life advice for pretty much anyone, not mental health shaming.
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Nov 17, 2022 13:36
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