*Gremlin Noises*

“It’s oaky,” he whispered.

Shut was written as shit.

I hate that fic, to this day. Nuked my career faster than the bombs in Fallout.

their reasoning being that "we couldn't ban it even if we wanted to, every writer already uses it anyway"

"Every writer"?

Different Types of Writing and Stories

By Word Count: *

Drabble: 100 word story Micro Fiction: 50 to 500 words Flash Fiction: 2000 words or fewer Short Story: 1000 to 10,000 words Novelette: 7,500 to 20,000 words Novella: 20,000 to 50,000 words Novel: 50,000 to 120,000 words Epic Novel: 120,000 words or more * (estimates vary)

By Type:

Poetry: literature using figurative language and crafted verse Fan-Fiction: fiction written by fans of existing canon material *** Diary/Journal: personal account of life experiences Travelogue: personal account of one's travel experiences Fiction: prose literature describing imaginary events and people Non-Fiction: prose literature about factual events/subjects/people Creative Non-Fiction: creative writing used in non-fiction narrative Play: a script for a story to be performed on stage Screenplay: TV/movie script including acting and scene directions Technical Writing: professionally written technical information Critical Writing: personal reviews of a product like film/food/book Expository Writing: provides facts and research about a given topic

By Fiction Genre: Fantasy Sci-Fi Adventure Thriller Romance Historical Fiction Contemporary Children's Fiction Dystopian Mystery Horror Paranormal

*** fan-fiction can be any word count/genre

By Non-Fiction Genre: Memoir Humor Travel Self-Help History How-To Motivational Humor Personal Development Cookbook Art Family & Relationships

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Detective fiction, also known as mystery fiction, follows a set of established rules and conventions that help shape the genre. Here are some common rules of detective fiction:

The killer must be someone introduced in the early stages of the story.

Clues and evidence are presented throughout the story, allowing readers to engage in the investigation alongside the detective. These clues, when pieced together, should lead to the solution of the crime.

Not more than one secret room or passage is allowed.

No hitherto undiscovered poisons or any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end may be used.

Detective fiction often adheres to the principle of "fair play." This means that all the necessary clues and information to solve the mystery are presented to the reader, allowing them to potentially solve the case alongside the detective.

No stereotypes must figure in the story.

No accident must ever help the detective, nor must he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right.

The detective must not light on any clues which are not instantly produced for the inspection of the reader.

Detectives cannot solve the case in just one melody.

Twin brothers, and doubles generally, must not appear unless we have been duly prepared for them.

These rules of detective fiction provide a framework for constructing engaging mysteries that challenge readers' intellect and offer a sense of resolution and justice. However, it's important to note that authors may deviate from these rules to create unique and innovative stories within the genre.

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Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “said” in your writing? Try using these words/phrases instead:

stated

commented

declared

spoke

responded

voiced

noted

uttered

iterated

explained

remarked

acknowledged

mentioned

announced

shouted

expressed

articulated

exclaimed

proclaimed

whispered

babbled

observed

deadpanned

joked

hinted

informed

coaxed

offered

cried

affirmed

vocalized

laughed

ordered

suggested

admitted

verbalized

indicated

confirmed

apologized

muttered

proposed

chatted

lied

rambled

talked

pointed out

blurted out

chimed in

brought up

wondered aloud

It was strange to touch each other without one of them dying, but maybe touch was also something for the living.

Like magnets they moved together, pressing into each other's warmth.

There always needed to be a reason, an excuse for their bodies to touch.

Being touch-starved and needy was really starting to mess with their reputation as a tough guy.

It was like their skin was calling out for the other's gentle touch.

They didn't like to be touched by just anyone. But that didn't mean they didn't also crave it sometimes.

A coldness took over their body that only the warmth of another person could erase.

They wanted to be touched, to be missed, to be loved. Was that too much to ask for?

Leaning onto each other, just being close, was enough.