Charlie Said:

What sites online, would be the best to learn how to write fiction, for free?

We Answered:

http://www.fictionfactor.com/characters.…
http://www.pgtc.com/~slmiller/writingter…
http://www.writing-world.com/sf/index.sh…

"Fiction Writing Tips" "Character Development Tips" Search Engines can do wonders...

Charles Said:

To all fictional authors- how to write fiction?

We Answered:

well, you obviously have ideas to write about.
try organizing them first, maybe that will help

like, for plot. If you have an idea in mind, map it out. how is it going to build up? what are the main conflicts? how do they get resolved?

characters. Do a brief character sketch about them maybe before you write. Write down their personalities, their flaws, their motivations, their looks, their backgrounds, anything else particular that relates to them that you know of yet. How they act, why they act in such way.

Setting. When and where is the story taking place? Also, is there backstory or particular things you need to describe (like is it a fantasy type when you need to elaborate on species of character?)

If you aren't content with your own writing style, try changing it up a bit. Also, read other peoples work, maybe you find you prefer the sarcastic type, or action genre, or are a more descriptive of detail.

what exactly are you not happy with?

also, you can post your writing on sites like fictionpress (there are other sites too) and have people read and review it. Or have a friend edit it.

Todd Said:

When are the best times to write a piece of fiction / fanfiction?

We Answered:

Well it all depends on how much you enjoy writing and how enthused you are about the fandom... For example, some fandoms i can write about all the time and never get sick of, but others, i have to take breaks from. I think a good way to go is to write at least 2 or 3 times a week, even if it's just a little something. If you are writing a long multichapter, work on it consistently but don't overdo it, or you'll get sick of it and never finish. A chapter every week or every two weeks is good. And make sure to take the time to write an occasional oneshot or drabble, just to relax and get a few shorter ideas down, and to take a break from a longer, more complex story.

As for when to write (if i understand the question correctly) i would say it all depends on when you feel most inspired. I like to write alone at night. 11pm to 3am is when i feel most inspired, because i can block out the distracting thoughts from the day. Also, if i'm feeling depressed or just immersed in deep feelings i guess, it becomes easier to write. Never force yourself to write if you just aren't feeling it: you won't be happy with how your story comes out. To be happy with my writing, I have to be focused, alone in a quiet place, and not in a super happy mood, especially when writing darker, angstier stories. It's different for everyone, and varies on the genre you're writing for.

Hope that helps! :)

Tiffany Said:

When I write fiction I always focus too much on world-building?

We Answered:

You never want to stop the story to descrive something, be it a place, an object, or even a character.

If you can't fit a description into the flow of the narrative, simply leave it out. Instead of doing this:

John climbed atop the wall. The wall was old and broken near the top, along both sides grew long chains of ivy, it was mostly made of red brick. He walked along the top, carefully avoiding the cracked bricks, and hopped across to the building next to the wall. The building was more like a castle, grandiose in scope, yet simple in its design. There were many turrets at the top and very few windows, despite the condition of the wall the castle appeared relatively new and unbroken.

You would do this:

John climbed atop the old red brick wall, using the ivy that had grown on both sides to aid his climb, as he reached the top he had to move carefully, avoiding the spots where the brick began to crumble. Sitting beside the old wall was a castle, very likely as old yet it showed no signs of age, John lept from the wall onto the castle, catching onto a parapet next to an imense turret and pulling himself up.

You can get a good idea of what the wall and castle look like, but while you were reading their descriptions the character was doing something as well and therefore the plot was advancing.

Katie Said:

i want to write fiction, i have ideas. How can i find out before i write a book, if anyone will publish it?

We Answered:

I totally understand where you are coming from. There are lots of writers out there that are not getting the kind of recognition they deserve because number one, they do not know where to turn to to get their stories across and number two, not everybody has the same level of thinking that they have - which of course results to them turning the book down.

Writers like you have every potential to get started on a publishing career. If you are looking for self-publishing companies to publish your book, I know of a few companies that practically holds court to everything a book needs from getting you your copyright, size preferences, book cover design customization, layout consultation, copyediting and even marketing – at affordable costs.

Publishing companies now have all the resources to publish books with the same productivity and efficacy as that of regular black and white books you see in physical bookstores. Considering the fact that most books are in full color, you should choose a publishing company whose book’s are of the highest quality, bar none.

The difference with self-publishing is that you happen to send in your materials to the publisher and they will do all the work for you depending on which program you are on. Publishing packages are very affordable and investing on getting your book published is a good start. It is best if you send in the entire manuscript and should not worry about protection because publishers have an agreement to not use your material without your consent.

I hope these helped. :)

Cory Said:

How do authors learn about taboo subjects to write their fiction stories?

We Answered:

The story is that Tom Wolfe got a visit from the feds because of the detail in his books, and he showed him how all the information was available publicly.

But the real answer is that you don't know what is real and what isn't, so whatever the writers say, you don't know if it is true. Many of our beliefs about how the government operate are pure fiction, but we all believe them. For example, tracing the phone before the caller hangs up makes for good TV, but it is pure fiction. The call records are available the instant a call is placed.

It's like writing a vampire book. As long as you follow certain conventions, people will accept the characters as vampires. They may have debates as to whether "real" vampires sparkle, but the fundamental truth is that all vampires are completely fictional. There is no such thing as a vampire.

The same could probably be said of most things relating to government secrets. We have shared ideas of what they are, and we can debate which representation is more "real", but they're all probably pretty far from the truth.

Grace Said:

How do you write inner thought in fiction?

We Answered:

It doesn't need single quotes or italics, though you could use them, it tends to clutter up the page. It can be understood without.

Why did he do that, he wondered.