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I recently noticed that there are hardly any stories about mothers in speculative fiction. Moms in stories are likely to be dead or die, and if they’re around, they usually fill a vaguely supportive and inconvenient role. This strikes me as unfair, as moms are … read more »
Hello again. I’ve read a lot about how tension and drama should always get more and more intense as the story goes on, but isn’t there a risk to do too much? To induce public apathy by having the readers think the situation is just … read more »
Hello Mythcreants! I want to write strong female characters but I also want some diversity in terms of characterization, and I don’t really know how to make a female character look strong past the easy “action woman who fights good.” How can I make strong … read more »
In a story I am helping write, the nations of the world are based off real empires from the middle ages, like Austria-Hungary, Buryatia, and Byzantium. Despite having a general knowledge of these realms, I have encountered a few problems with how to portray them … read more »
In many stories a captain, boss, or other leader will have a romance w/ a subordinate, employee, or other follower. In real life, most militaries, businesses, and other organizations prohibit this sort of behavior, w/ good reason: A captain might refuse to put a beloved … read more »
Disease and infection were deadly, particularly before modern medicine, germ theory, vaccinations, etc. However, having the main character get a coughing fit, diarrhea, and pustules does not usually make for a great adventure story. You can’t outwit or outfight cholera. You mention “A Basic Understanding … read more »
I’d like to know how to express that certain portions of dialogue are being spoken in a foreign language. So far I have handled this using italics, but my concern is that large sections of italics would be jarring to the reader. My protagonist is … read more »
Any advice on when it’s okay for a basically good hero (not anti-hero or neutral) to kill the villain? I don’t mean the villain falls off a cliff or drinks the untested potion or releases the monster they’ve been tormenting for weeks, the hero tries … read more »
Hello, I’m trying to write stories but I haven’t had much chance to interact with other writers, so I have a few questions about my writing. I always find myself writing on and off, often getting frustrated with work and either deleting it or leaving … read more »
In my story, the main antagonist is a being that feeds off of negative emotions. However, I don’t want to make it seem like everyone has to be happy at all times or that it is not okay to feel upset, angry, etc. I want … read more »