Questions tagged [on-topic-definition]
The on-topic-definition tag has no usage guidance.
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Topicality of question on how to give feedback
Would a question on how to give good constructive feedback to other writers fit this Exchange? Would it be too broad? That would be my main concern, but I believe that we could give a list of ...
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Are questions for webcomics but also somewhat about writing on topic?
I've just started writing a webcomic and was wondering if I can ask questions about it here. Obviously I won't ask 'how to draw X', but probably more about the layout of the strip and timing, as well ...
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How can we handle questions asking, "how long will it take to write X?"
We've had a few questions asking for an estimate of how long it'll take to write so many words, or a novel. Clearly, if an exact duplicate is asked, we'll close it as such, but I don't think questions ...
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Thesis questions: Rephrasing question or something else?
We currently have two open questions on thesis (this and this).
In the first one ('Trying to improve my thesis...), OP says that his thesis is:
Because Christianity became so closely integrated ...
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Scope of Questions about Marketing
This question asks for recommendations for free website builders. This strikes me as off-topic. However, after thinking about it, it could also pertain to marketing. According to this Meta question, ...
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"Examples of X in Fiction" questions
I've understood questions of the form "What are examples of X in existing fiction" to be off-topic for us.
Because:
By definition, they're list questions, which work really poorly on SE
They're low-...
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Is it on-topic to ask if the way I want to write a character is plausible?
I do not identify as LGBTQ+, but I am going to be writing a book with a main character who is. Their queerness will only be prominent for one arc, during which the story will focus very heavily on ...
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Do we want to answer questions about the mechanical act of writing?
This question about cursive was migrated here from the skeptics site. I understand why it doesn't fit there. What I'm not sure of is whether or not it fits here. My leaning is that this site ...
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Is this question asking for a single word on-topic?
The question One word exclamation to mean: “This is driving me crazy.” was recently asked. The gist is that the question is asking for suggestions for a single word.
I think this is off-topic for ...
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Are homework type questions On-Topic?
Lately I've seen a couple questions that sound like people are asking for answers to their homework. Are these questions on topic? Should they be?
To me, it feels like people are just showing up to ...
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Song Lyrics - On topic?
I had found a meta discussion from 2010, but I imagine policy may have changed since then?
I have a couple of questions I would like to ask regarding meter, repetition, general structure, etc. Is (...
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Domain-specific background questions: what's the limit?
My question here is sparked by a recent question on the Science-fiction and Fantasy Stack Exchange site: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/3654/bitten-by-a-vampire-werewolf-and-zombie-what-...
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Is improving the ability to read on-topic on Writers?
We have a question about improving the concentration while reading. I wanted to vote to close as being off-topic, but then resisted.
You cannot write without reading, which leads to the question: if ...
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Are Licensing Questions On Topic?
This question about the CC license and web writing is a bit murky, but the underlying issue seems to be how to license one's writing on the web. I understand having licensing questions as they relate ...
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Would this question be acceptable for Writing, or is it better suited on e.g. Worldbuilding?
I have been informed that using the Writing Meta site as a Sandbox is allowed. If not, let me know and I'll make some structural changes. Here's the question:
When writing a fictional world, is it ...
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Is this question fit for Writing SE or EL&U?
Here's is a simplification of the question, below it is why I an unsure where it should go:
Is this a metaphorical or figurative sentence: "His heart was filled with anguish, anger and sorrow&...
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Are "how can I hide information" questions on topic?
I was about to ask a question about "hiding information in plain sight" on the main site when I realised that it could be too open ended. I looked into the help centre and couldn't find ...
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Should we allow questions on where to self-publish?
Following my question on whether questions about HOW to self-publish are on-topic, I am wondering if it is appropriate to allow questions asking WHERE a writer should go to either seek help with self-...
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Asking what people like / do in software
I don't know if this is the sort of question I should ask here -- looking for input from more experienced group members. I've read the "about" document and read/answered some posts.
I'm a programmer/...
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Why was this question on good and evil in literature put on hold
I am staggered to see that How can I have a war with no "good" or "evil" side? has been put on hold as a what to write question. It is a question about the role of good and evil in ...
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Off topic as should be asked on a product's forum
I have just voted not to close this question:
Can you do a “selective” word count in Scrivener?
It had been suggested it be closed because the question should be asked on a Scrivener forum. Going ...
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Questions about wiki writing in general
Is it on-topic to ask questions about wiki writing in general? Wikis can be great resources but - in my experience - need special writing skills. Finding good titles, organizing content into pages, ...
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Are requests for resource lists OFF Topic?
Let's say I'm writing a book and I need to write about hacking, but I don't know nothing about the subject.
It could be possible to find a lot of related resources over the Internet, but it would be ...
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Are requests for rephrasing on topic?
A type of question that pops up frequently - and gets closed frequently - is requests to rephrase a few sentences. Some recent examples:
https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/5620/a-better-way-...
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Clarification of critique guidelines
Edit: This meta thread, while of historical interest, is no longer accurate: Critiques are no longer on-topic on Writers. (Anyone who wants to discuss, please comment on this more recent meta thread ...
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Let's break constraints of Constrained Writing
Motivated by ongoing contest, I was looking for less used writing areas on the site and make those areas more exposed, active and open to larger audiences. My first question after the contest's ...
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New reviewer, looking for clarification about what appears to be a request to critique
RE: Job description for my employment reference
I've just been given access to the review queues and I'm seeking some clarification. The above question appears to meet the expectation in the Help ...
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Is asking how to describe something on topic?
Is asking how something or asking how to describe X on topic?
There are many questions like:
How a mature child would behave
How to show a crying scene
I feel like those type of questions are ...
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Can I ask for help/feedback for my personal life story on Writing SE?
I am a 100% novice writer. I came here from Stack Overflow as a programmer after stumbling across it.
My partner and I are getting married in August and long story short (no pun intended) she is a ...
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Isn't this question exactly what EL&U is for?
This question is fascinating, but I think it's clearly EL&U and not Writers. Am I correct that this is off-topic here?
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Would this question be on topic?
This is a question I have that pertains to writing, and I was wondering if it would be on topic if so I would migrate it, or ask it on the main site.
Question
What types of methods can be used in ...
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Is asking to proof read text for a specific issue on topic?
I understand I can't just ask a proofreading question.
I want to ask a question if I am using dialog tags well. I see a lot of discussion about it, but I can't understand is my writing makes the ...
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Do we need to clarify in the help center that questions about existing literary works are off topic, or adjust the close reason text?
A recent incident caused me to, among other things, look at the help center article What topics can I ask about here? in relation to the "existing literary works" close reason:
The community has ...
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Is here the right place to talk about writing/storytelling tropes?
I've seen a lot of questions about tropes or general storytelling trends, like if not having a happy ending or making the villain change sides is acceptable.
I'm not writing currently, but I have a ...
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Asking what to include - On topic?
I want to ask what to include in a first page text, would that be considered on topic or off topic? I noticed that asking what to write is off-topic, however I want to ask what to include, for example ...
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Should we close this? "What are good reads about writing?"
The question what are good reads about writing? would, if asked today, almost certainly be closed.
To prevent your question from being flagged and possibly removed, avoid asking subjective questions ...
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Are service questions on topic?
Been noticing today especially a lot of people are asking us for services that they can go to, to find specific needs. To my knowledge of the help and tour pages, asking for services are considered ...
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Is asking "Is [X] reputable?" on-topic?
I'm conflicted on the question Is yWriter for Mac reputable? Is this a safe download? .
On the one hand, checking that something is a "safe download" seems more software-y than we're meant to handle....
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Is my question on an unusual editing technique on-topic?
I posted this question in meta, to allow the community to verify whether or not it's on topic before release. I am unsure if this is the recommended procedure.
I was told by another writer that ...
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What should we do with this older blog critique question?
I just came across this question:
Quality of my blog writing
Is this just an old question that would have gotten closed for being too general of a critique, or is this specific enough?
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Can I ask this kind of questions here?
I just read through FAQ section and I am still not sure if I can ask this kind of questions here or not. What if I am writing a short story and I want to post here one paragraph from it for people to ...
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Is gender/race representation in fiction on-topic?
The question When developing a stage play, whose gender matters more? The characters' or the actors'? is asking, as I understand it, a question about gender representation in playwriting (...
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Matters of taste vs matters of opinion
It seems to me that here (and elsewhere on Stack Exchange) some posts are criticised being matters of opinion that actually can be answered factually, and also that this seems to be very hit and miss,...
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Can a literary self-analysis question be made on-topic and not too broad/too localized?
On my website I recently posted some comments on some verse I wrote. Much of this content concerns how certain aspects enhance the communication of the meaning, but in hindsight I am wondering if ...
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Is this question about style on-topic?
Please have a look at this:
How to use “I think, therefore I am” in a more fluent manner?
Writers has clearly declared grammar questions off-topic here, preferring to migrate them to English ...
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Topicality of questions about printing
The following question recently appeared:
What binding and paper should be used on a self-printed novel?
The question is almost entirely concerned with how to bind and print a self-published book. ...
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Are questions about finding specific books on topic?
I am highly unfamiliar with this portion of Writers, so forgive me if this is off-topic.
While browsing Writers SE, I came across someone who mentioned that Science Fiction & Fantasy SE gets ...
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Speechwriting: on topic or no?
This question on writing a groom's speech does not quite seem on-topic. We allow questions on writing such things as polite reminder e-mails and other fairly daily tasks, so it can't be the fact that ...
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Should we allow questions pertaining to marketing a self-published book?
With the increase in popularity of self-publishing e-books, I can see how a writer's next natural step would be to seek advice on selling their books. Since this seems like a natural result of having ...
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Are questions about organizing video scripts and post-production on-topic?
From What topics can I ask about here? and Are questions about screenplay on-topic?, it seems that the answer is yes. We have questions about screenwriting. However, organizing video scripts and post-...