All Questions
807
questions
5
votes
0
answers
97
views
August 2023 Writing Challenge: Introduce yourself
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by me:
A little autobiography never hurt anyone (or maybe that's part of your tragic backstory?). Tell us about yourself and what you're ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
12
votes
2
answers
218
views
June–July 2023 Writing Challenge: Voices of Protest
As decided by moderator edict, here's the next challenge:
It's already a significant part of the way through the month and I just don't feel like it's appropriate to do a normal challenge. SE ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
2
votes
1
answer
65
views
Are reader-centric questions on-topic?
Perhaps this is a strange discussion asked on a site for writers, but...
Are questions that are asked from the reader's perspective on-topic?
Example excerpt:
I've just read Is it better to slowly ...
- 119
3
votes
0
answers
81
views
May 2023 Writing Challenge: Secret Specialized Knowledge
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Mary:
Write a scene in which the point-of-view character reveals specialized knowledge by what he describes of what he sees, WITHOUT ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
11
votes
2
answers
199
views
Your new site design is live!
As you can see, the new design just went live!
At this point, we are done with major revisions to the design (although you can still report CSS/styling bugs by starting a new post and tagging it with ...
- 155
2
votes
1
answer
85
views
April 2023 Writing Challenge: A fighter against the rebellion
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Selina:
Your protagonist, a fighter against the rebellion, goes to a rebel camp.
Go onward and write! Then post your story here as an ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
3
votes
1
answer
119
views
March 2023 Writing Challenge: Science Fantasy
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by me:
You know about science fiction. You know about fantasy. Write a work that straddles both genres.
Go onward and write! Then post your ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
11
votes
2
answers
174
views
Writing site design and logo — Draft
I’m Phoebe, the product designer working on the site theme for the Writing community.
As mentioned in our first post – below you'll find the site design I came up with based on your original ideas for ...
PhoebeStaff
- 101
4
votes
1
answer
105
views
February 2023 Writing Challenge: Killing for a cause
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Selina:
Write a scene where the protagonist is forced to hurt or kill a friend/someone they are close to, to achieve a purpose. (For example,...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
3
votes
0
answers
23
views
2022: a year in moderation
As we say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one, we have a tradition of sharing moderation stats for the preceding calendar year.
As most of you here are aware, sites on the Stack Exchange ...
- 101
5
votes
5
answers
229
views
Questions on "how do I get to make an AI write for me?"
This is a bit of a follow-up on the ban of AI-generated answers. When an asker comes up with a question along the lines of "how do I get this AI to generate text for me?", what should we do?
...
- 2,491
13
votes
1
answer
315
views
AI-generated answers are no longer allowed on Writing.SE
Recently, AI-generated answers have become a major problem across the Stack Exchange network, and Writing.SE is no exception. While it's been great to see the site become more active again over the ...
F1KrazyMod
- 10.8k
4
votes
2
answers
148
views
January 2023 Writing Challenge: Ironic Contrast
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Mary:
Write a scene where the setting is an ironic contrast to the action: a lone character on a blustery, chilly day rejoicing over news of ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
2
votes
1
answer
44
views
Can I ask about translation works?
Since the help page contains
Questions on these topics are welcome here:
[...]
The publishing and editing process itself.
I was wondering whether I can ask about this process as regards a ...
- 101
7
votes
3
answers
158
views
December 2022 Writing Challenge: Talking with the prisoner
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Selina
Write a scene where the protagonist speaks with their prisoner.
Go onward and write! Then post your story here as an answer, and get ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
4
votes
2
answers
131
views
November 2022 Writing Challenge: Death of the protagonist
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Joelle Boulet:
Write a scene where the protagonist dies or stops existing
Go onward and write! Then post your story here as an answer, and ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
4
votes
3
answers
117
views
October 2022 Writing Challenge: Revenge
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by towr:
Is a life lived well the best revenge? Is it a dish best served cold?
Is it the petard you hoist yourself by?*
Write a scene about ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
4
votes
2
answers
104
views
September 2022 Writing Challenge: Conversation with themself
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Joelle Boulet:
Write a scene where a character has a conversation with themself (either via time travel nonsense, an internal back and forth,...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
0
votes
2
answers
64
views
We should be able to reward people who edit our questions with reputation points
We should be able to reward people who edit our questions with reputation points.
There's too much negativity sometimes, and rewarding people who edit our questions or give good feedback should create ...
- 14.9k
4
votes
3
answers
143
views
August 2022 Writing Challenge: Weatherwise
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Mary:
Write a scene in which weather is a significant factor. Whether for effects on the events, or as a thematic comment. Or both.
Go ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
2
votes
2
answers
138
views
Should answers be able to be downvoted without a reason?
I've been a member of this stack exchange for many years. I've tried to provide good answers to questions. (I rate in the top 3% overall.)
In the past, but more frequently lately, I've found my ...
- 7,876
-1
votes
1
answer
49
views
What's the issue with this question that's about how to make the best use of a writing tool?
Are there some ways to use wiktionary to find related terms more easily?
I already wrote a decent answer for my own question, but some people decided to downvote it, as though they don't want other ...
- 14.9k
0
votes
1
answer
35
views
Should asking for tool suggestions be considered on-topic?
I've seen a number of these but here's just one example. The gist is, someone asks "what are some tools that do X?" X is usually a task related to writing.
In the don't ask section it says ...
- 1,844
3
votes
3
answers
143
views
July 2022 Writing Challenge: Sharing Secrets, Coming Out, Spilling the Tea
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, as written by me:
Sharing Secrets, Coming Out, Spilling the Tea
Write a story in which a secret is revealed. Maybe you have a coming out story from ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
3
votes
0
answers
39
views
Question timeline is showing a question got on the HNQ more than once. (A very hot question?)
I saw this (Can a symbol carry different meanings throughout a film or a book?) question show up in my hot network questions feeds. I immediately went to the timeline and saw this:
From the ...
4
votes
3
answers
177
views
June 2022 Writing Challenge: Transformations
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Nyctophobia457:
Write a scene where the character transforms into another creature. For example, they transform an animal or a hideous ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
8
votes
1
answer
198
views
Custom Writing design and logo - Information gathering
Congratulations, Writing SE community! We’re going to be creating a custom site design for you that we hope will represent your subject and we want you all to really love it. You’ve been waiting over ...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
31
views
Am I allowed to promote a Discord server?
Am I allowed to promote a Discord server for a writing project that I want to include the community in?
1
vote
1
answer
29
views
Is this an exchange for novelists, poets, lyricists, and writers of all kinds?
I am new to Stack Exchange, and do not wish to step on any toes or offend anyone. I searched for a group specific to poetry and song-writing, as this is my forté. I am an aspiring novelist as well, so ...
- 21
5
votes
3
answers
177
views
May 2022 Writing Challenge: Sensory experiences
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, proposed by Mary:
Write a scene where the point of view character comments on sensory experiences from at least three different senses.
Go onward and ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
9
votes
4
answers
299
views
April 2022 Writing Challenge: Write a mute character
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge, as proposed by Ceramicmrno0b:
Write a mute character
Many of your favorite fiction characters can speak. What if they couldn't?
Write a scene, any scene ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
6
votes
2
answers
181
views
March 2022 Writing Challenge: Writing it again, with a different len
As decided by vote, here's the next challenge:
Writing it again, with a different len
Write the same story twice (or more), but with different word counts that make each version distinct. Post both (...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
4
votes
2
answers
102
views
To allow or not allow (a topic)? That is the question
As I was once again clicking on the close vote for a question about 'what to write' it came to me that we the community ultimately decide what is on-topic.
For instance, the choice that critique ...
- 10.6k
4
votes
5
answers
235
views
February 2022 Writing Challenge: Tell a story with a terminal log
As decided by popular vote, the challenge this month is:
Tell a story with a terminal log.
Somebody is poking through a computer through the terminal. Try to tell what they're after and who they are ...
LaurelMod
- 4,003
12
votes
3
answers
687
views
The next writing challenge could be yours
Welcome to the future writing challenge proposal thread.
This is where you will decide what the next writing challenges will be. The next challenge will take place in March 2022.
How does the ...
- 10.6k
5
votes
0
answers
34
views
2021: a year in moderation
As we say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one, we have a tradition of sharing moderation stats for the preceding calendar year.
As most of you here are aware, sites on the Stack Exchange ...
- 101
4
votes
1
answer
139
views
Writing prompts challenge... with a twist
Throughout the life of this SE there have been multiple instances of writing challenges, writing exercises and writing prompts. I wanted to suggest re-igniting that, with a few changes:
We have a bi-...
- 10.6k
6
votes
1
answer
152
views
Let's hear from the Writing Community - 2021
It's been over a year since our last community check in and a bit has happened since then. Mainly, we had our first proper (non pro-tem) election taking us one step closer to a fully graduated site. ...
linksassinMod
- 4,133
12
votes
2
answers
100
views
2021 Community Moderator Election Results
The first full election on Writing has come to a close, the votes have been tallied, and your first non-pro-tem moderators are:
Please welcome Laurel, who will be joining linksassin and F1Krazy (the ...
- 101
7
votes
0
answers
44
views
Updating the "existing literary works" close reason to point to Literature SE?
One of the current custom close reasons of Writing SE is:
The community has decided that questions about existing literary works, except in a writing-specific context, are off-topic. For more ...
- 809
5
votes
1
answer
110
views
2021 Community Moderator Election
The 2021 Community Moderator Election is now underway!
Community moderator elections have three phases:
Nomination phase
Primary phase
Election phase
Most elections take between two and three weeks, ...
10
votes
0
answers
119
views
Announcing a “Graduation” election for 2021
Summary: Writing Stack Exchange will begin the nomination stage for an election on November 1st, as your “graduation” election. When we ran an election here last year, we intentionally chose to make ...
- 101
6
votes
1
answer
92
views
2021 Moderator Election Q&A – Question Collection
The purpose of this thread was to collect questions for the questionnaire. The questionnaire is now live, and you may find it here.
Writing Stack Exchange is scheduled for an election next week, 2021-...
- 101
-1
votes
2
answers
81
views
Can I post my essays here for others to comment?
I am trying to improve my English writing and take the initiative to write daily. However I do not have a teacher to mark my work. So can I post my essays here for others to comment?
- 101
6
votes
1
answer
41
views
Why are there two tags about the "show" and "tell" advice?
I came across a question tagged both show-dont-tell and showing-telling. There is a tag wiki for the second but not the first. It says:
This tag should be used for questions about the [technique] of &...
- 3,711
4
votes
2
answers
250
views
Community Ads for 2021
September update: Community Ads are now live network-wide. All ads with a score of 6 or higher, or with a score of 4 or higher and no downvotes will be displayed (except for any that have a note from ...
- 101
7
votes
5
answers
159
views
Should Writing reduce the close vote requirement from 5 to 3?
Stack Exchange is testing a three-vote close threshold on 13 sites across the network. Writing.SE was not included on that list. However the mod team feel that it might be a good thing here, so we're ...
linksassinMod
- 4,133
-5
votes
2
answers
278
views
Censored comments?
Up until a few minutes ago, a relevant, important, and sufficiently constructive exchange was going on in the comments under this answer:
https://writing.stackexchange.com/a/55746/49392
Now, however, ...
- 184
4
votes
3
answers
185
views
Writing challenge: Contrasting Opposites - 16 April 2021 - 21 May 2021
Welcome to the recontinuation of the Meta Writing Challenges! Anyone can participate, whether you first picked up a pen yesterday or you've published 20 books.
In line with the previous one (from ...
- 1,759
0
votes
1
answer
39
views
Is it time to recontinue the writing challenges?
Remember the Meta Writing Challenges? Well, I wasn't on Stack Exchange back then, but they looked like a fun way to build community.
Lately, I have felt that I myself am going through somewhat of a ...
- 1,759