What questions should we compile into a Writing.SE eBook?

Question

We've got a new promotion initiative: we're going to take some of the site's best Q&A, and make a showcase eBook out of them!

The result will be a handy-dandy little e-guidebook with lots of the great insights and advice we've built up here. We'll offer it freely on Amazon (and other venues?), and we hope it'll stir up interest, show writers what our site's about, and bring in some new traffic.

What questions and answers do you think should be included in our eBook?

One question per post; post as much as you like (but avoid duplicates...).

Answer 1

Both the category choice and the division of questions therein is still quite rough.

Craft

• Choosing character names is a constant difficulty
• How can I write an attention-grabbing first line?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of writing in first person?
• Is it so bad to end up with a "done before" plot?
• How do you avoid purple prose?
• "All of a sudden..." ?
• Is there a special software for writers?
• How do you develop a strong female character?
• How do I construct a plot out of my many setting/character details?
• Vision/dream as an effective opening?
• Help! I've got Writer's Block
• How do you avoid the problem of a collaborative work having separate voices?
• Do most novels not get published?
• How do I re-interest myself in a plot I am working on?
• Frailties, mistakes, and imperfections
• How does one deal with world builder's syndrome?
• Is it frustrating not to know the narrator's gender?
• How do you determine if a plot device is too coincidental?

Style

• Which words should not be capitalized in Title Case?
• Should you use two spaces after a period, or just a single one?
• Are complex sentences uncommon or unwanted in English?

Editing

• Editors: Edit on first read, or read and edit on second round?
• When editing for a person, how much can be changed?
• How can I catch more errors when I proofread?
• Are online critique groups a good substitute for editors?
• Different kinds of editors
• Why does an author need an editor?

Getting Published

• I have written my first novel and I think it's ready. What next?
• How to overcome the fact that I can't write?
• How does one go about publishing erotica, and how far is too far?
• How do I recover my confidence after a harsh writing group?
• Self publishing: Do I still need to follow the arbitrary word count limits?
• What to do with my odd-length work?
• Submitting a novel for publication: do editors still expect Courier font?
• Should I start work on a sequel before I have sold my book?

Business Considerations

• Why do hardcover books retail for more than three times the cost of softcover books?
• Would a paid-for review from Kirkus give me real insight into quality of my manuscript?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of digital rights management for self-published authors?
• Are fantasy books expected to be trilogies?
• What printing methods and quality can I expect of POD companies?
• How explicit should a YA novel be?

Community Wiki

• The "Rules" of Writing
• What are good reads about writing?
• Self Editing tips/tricks