Mustard, one way to approach it might be to examine other terms we use for inclusion or separation. For example one specific type of hair color is called by its name (brunette), while all others except one are called by what they are not (non-blonde). I think if humans were a new addition there would be a word for all others, but if the races had evolved together the sense of “them” wouldn’t need a specific term. It would be a layer of unspoken understanding. Getting that across would bring out your world’s culture in a way that a technical term might not.

Cheers, I thought that would be it, and I did change it back afterwards, but I just don't get what Word was after with it...It's ( ) usually done me alright...Well...mostly... ...

Ta though..

Word may also be objecting to the semicolon, where you only need a comma. The part after that wouldn't stand alone as a sentence.

If you'd had "its strange accent altered the words", then a semicolon would have been appropriate.

D'you know, I was all for saying "Yes, but the sentence I posted was incomplete to start with, but I thought it would still be fine..."...

And then I actually did what you said, just to check...

*Sighs*... ...

Ta... ...

*Robert goes back to primary school in order to be teached his grammer once more again...*...

Mustard, could you give Ghastley one of yer fishy sticks?...I'll have to owe you for it though... ...

*mALX whips out ketchup bottle*

CRUNCH!

"Oh wait, you said give the fishy stick to Ghastley? Er...sorry, I thought I heard my name...er...gulp."

@McB:
I really hate Word, too. The red squiggles means it is objecting to a spelling/misspelling.
The green squiggles refer to grammar errors. Frustrating!

That's why I never use it to write fiction . . .

I have a question regarding format. My story, A Question of Fate, began with a prologue written in 1st person that stated, "I have always kept a journal." As I have been writing, I have decided to place interludes between some of the chapters to give pieces of backstory. These interludes will be written in 3rd person. I have placed a date at the beginning so that the reader will know that the events occurred well before the timeline of the main narrative. It then occurred to me that since the main story is basically a journal, that I shoiuld include dates in it as well.

So here is the question. Should I always begin each chapter with the date, even if the date is the same as the previous chapter? The first five chapters all occur on the same day. In some chapters, the date will change during the chapter, in which case I have noted it after a "* * *" break line. So, should I only note the date when the date actually changes?

What I would recommend doing is note the date each time, but if the date is the same then add 'Continued' after it. For example, if you've got Chapter N being marked as '15th Hearthfire', and Chapter N+1 being on the same date just later in the day, it would be '15 Hearthfire, Continued'. Either that, or provide a time of the day 'Morning, 15th Hearthfire' for Chapter N, and then 'Evening, 15th Hearthfire' for chapter N+1.

If you're writing first person, then the question is how you character would do it. Each time he opens his journal to write something extra into it, would he date the entry? If so, then the same date might appear more than once. If he'd just continue the entry for the day, with some small annotation like "More..." or "Later ..." then do it that way.

Some of that would arise from when he does it. If you've decided that he sits down in the evening, to write up the events of the day, then it would all be written at once, and the chapters here are your own division of the narrative. If he writes it down as soon as the events are over, before he forgets, then the style would be different. The method you choose will help show the characters' ... character.

I put the date at the beginning of each chapter, and if it spans multiple days I put the dates it runs to and from, like so:

That is a really great idea.

I think I'll go with a hybrid of Mustard's and SubRosa's suggestions. Thanks a lot for your feedback everyone.

On to a different question, regarding adult content, which I know is not allowed in this forum. In an upcoming post to my story, there is a scene which might push that envelope. It is not overtly graphic, and no vulgar language is used. I feel that while it is descriptive of events, it is done in a way that is not offensive. I do truly believe that there won't be an issue with it, but how do I find out if it is okay to post?

Take a look at a few love scenes from other posts. Grits' story has quite a few between her characters Jerric and Abiene. There's another in mine.

You can give a general overview of what's going on without being completely descriptive.


Be clearly vague, is what I'm getting at.

The best thing to do is to write the scene as you want it- and then PM it to a moderator for a review. That way, you are covered.

I did write it already. I sent the one paragraph in question to another author on this forum, although she is not a moderator, to get an opinion. If she finds it "iffy", I will certainly do as you suggest. Thanks Trey.

Here is an old post I made about this:

I think as long as you do not get into minute detail about licking genitals or swallowing fluids you will be fine. I have kept my erotic scenes down to describing kissing and caressing, but not gone any further. You can end the scene and let the reader imagine what happens next. I have also written them from the next day, with the character looking back fondly upon events of the previous night. Again, without going into exacting detail, but enough so that the reader knows the mattress was danced upon.

For example:


This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 18 2013, 01:54 AM

*Swallows and loosens collar*...

Go on... ...




I agree with Treydog...

If you can't see it being in a PG-13, or 12A film then it shouldn't be in it...

There has been, of course, been a debate as to what that actually allows, but we won't go into that here... ...

PM one of the mods is absolutely the way to go...

Calm down!!! XD
My rule is, if I can't show it to my mother, then it isn't acceptable.

Doesn't that depend on the mother?... ...

I wouldn't show stuff like that to mine, but the wife used to write a lot of...Racy vampire stuff...And made hers read it all... ...

Well, my mom used to sell uhhhh...the things single and unlucky married women use for when they have no...men...and she's still pretty prudish.