Literature

Literature

Of or pertaining to the art of writing in any form or style, most especially published works.

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Literature > Fiction

retrofit

Literature; Fiction

An editing term. To rewrite a previous chapter or scene for the purpose of making a later scene work better, by setting up something that is needed later, introducing a premise, ...

reward the careful reader

Literature; Fiction

The counterpart of punishing the careless reader. Rewarding means, in this case, providing extra bonus details, small bits of readerly pleasure. Tuckerizing is a simple example; ...

rhinoceros

Literature; Fiction

Abbreviated from “there’s a rhinoceros in the room,” this is an attribute (a story element or of the author’s writing) which is shriekingly obvious to everyone except the people ...

rubber science

Literature; Fiction

An explanation which, although probably false according to what we know of the universe, sounds technical and convincing. Rubber science is acceptable in all forms of sf except ...

said-bookisms

Literature; Fiction

Large words that mean ‘said,’ designed to connote additional information not conveyed in dialog or description. If used to excess, they result in overwriting: “I’m climaxing!” he ...

scene

Literature; Fiction

The basic dramatic sub-unit — an interaction involving one or more focus characters. Scenes are usually ended by the announcement that time has passed (‘a week later’), by a ...

snark rule

Literature; Fiction

“I tell you once, I tell you twice, what I tell you three times is true.” Lewis Carroll, ''The Hunting of the Snark.'' When three or more critics concur on an element in a story, ...