Just two additions to this excellent series of advice replies:
Names: Do not have names which are too close for comfort (e.g Allison, Angela, and Andrea). Remember that you know all these people very well; they have been in your mind for months, or even years. The reader is meeting them for the first (and sometimes only) time. I make it a rule, whenever I can, to keep names as separate as they can be, preferably only one name with each initial letter (only one Axxx, one Bxxx, etc.) Also I would never use a name which can be confused with a status or position, for example, in a mediaeval romance I would never have a Mr. Lord, nor would I ever have a cleric whose title is Reverend and whose surname is Bishop, in the military I would not have a Lieutenant Driver. I have collected lists from Internet “baby names” sites and before I start a book I make a list of names for characters in the book, many of which have no assigned character at that stage. After I finish a book I usually have a lot of names left over, but that doesn’t matter – there will always be more needed in the next book.
Crowds: Perhaps allied to the last comment, do not have too many main characters in your story. Readers find it difficult on first reading to distinguish who is what if there are more than about five main characters in a story. If a reader starts to feel confused as the story progresses it is likely that (s)he will just hit the [BACK] button, and possibly remember your name and not start your next story.
If, or rather WHEN you need a lawyer for your online divorce, I'm good at arguing. And experienced at divorces (three in rl and counting).
I don't have a problem with drink. I drink, I get drunk, I fall over. What's the problem?
I don't, because I don't understand how other people score stories.
To my mind all stories, before I read them start at 3 and move up or down according to interest, excitement, etc to gain points and bad writing, bad grammar, bad spelling, bad style, and unbelievability to lose points. Thus my average for stories would be 3 with some 2s, some 4s and the occasional 5 or 1.
That would clearly be unacceptable in an environment where 3 is a tragedy for the author and 1 is only given out of jealousy.
And that is why I have disabled scoring on my stories.
This struck everyone as most shocking, and it was Kamal Qumsiyeh himself who pointed out the problem.
Absolute Delights
In the year I was born World War II really did start. Just because the USA was two years late joining in (as they were in the First World War) doesn't mean you should dismiss the efforts of other countries to prevent Hitler becoming Führer of the whole world.
I can see Bill online now: "Watch my fingers: I did not type sex with that woman".
I noticed today that if you change one letter in "flattered" it becomes "flattened" which is quite the contrary.
So - a story which depends on a one letter typo of that ilk in an email, txt msg, note, or even "dear John" changing the perceived intent of the writer and hence the whole outcome?
Yes - every time someone buys one of my books that is a few more pennies to spend on my beloved.
To answer your question...Does the full moon have an effect on me?
Yes - it helps me to avoid tripping over things when I'm outside at night.
Perhaps I am missing something, as I thought everyone only had one mother, and the subsequent carers were all called step-mothers?
That is a superb picture.
Somewhere over 20 part written and another 30+ in the ideas file.
Over the years these files increase faster than the list of published stories. If anyone wants any ideas, just ask.
I can get turned on by re-reading my older stories. When I'm writing I need all the blood in my head, and am thinking about characters, plotting, grammar, etc., too much to get aroused.
It depends on the topic. If a parent asks, "Don't you think my child is so cute and clever?" there is only one possible answer, whether it is true or not.
It is normal for people to be attracted to other people of the opposite sex. The ages do not matter, but mathematics does matter. When you were 21 you would be attracted to your own age group because of the in-built need to produce children. When you are your declared age of forty-two there are attractive people both younger and older than you. When you are my age (72) almost all the attractive people are younger.
