I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

If I use a real location for the setting of my book – Do I have to use existing schools or can I make them up?

Asked by: Jill Vogel

Put simply: You can make up whatever details you want. You can use what is there when you want to and then make things up. If nothing else, the names of schools change.

Do you need permission to write about a place?

You do not need permission to include song titles, movie titles, TV show titles—any kind of title—in your work. You can also include the names of places, things, events, and people in your work without asking permission.

Can you use real schools in books?

Mentioning real big cities is never a problem. But if your book is set in a real life high school, you probably should change the name so as to not risk offending any students or teachers who think you are writing about them and take offense at the characterization. Ditto for small towns and their residents.

How do you write a book set in another country?

7 Research and Writing Tips for Setting a Book in Another Country

  1. Visit the country if you can. It’s a great excuse to travel. …
  2. Speak with natives. …
  3. Google it. …
  4. Speak with travel agents. …
  5. Write your story. …
  6. Use details to invite your reader to the country. …
  7. Online Course: Description and Setting.

How do you write a location for a book?

Describe locations in your story

  1. Visit the sites. If it is workable … …
  2. Interaction between character and place. Do not write: “His car was parked in front of my house. …
  3. Details. Don’t overwhelm the reader with little details. …
  4. Naming. Do not talk about a car, but an Audi. …
  5. Contrasts.

Can I use real places in my book?

Yes. You can make up places. Just make sure to indicate in the foreword that everything in your writing is purely a work of fiction, especially when you use the names of famous places. Otherwise, you might confuse readers – especially the young ones – if such a place exists.

Can I use real places in my story?

Writing a book set in a real town makes research easy, and it gives you an interesting marketing hook. People like to read about places they know. A real-life setting for your story anchors your fiction in reality, and adds another dimension to your story.

Where should I set my novel?

Physical location: A character’s immediate surroundings, like a room or a temple, can be important information to highlight. Physical environment: A story can be set in the natural world where characters are affected by weather conditions, climate, and other forces of nature.

Can you base a character on a real person?

Using real people in your fiction—whether they are correctly named or not—can be legally hazardous. If an author includes enough details that a specific fictional character is identifiable as an actual person, that person could possibly pursue legal action.

Can you write about real companies in fiction?

Writers frequently ask whether they can mention brand name products and services in their fiction. The answer is “yes,” provided that you take some common sense precautions.



What is the best way to put setting into a story?

How to Describe Setting in Writing

  1. Use sensory details. Use all five senses to describe the immediate surroundings to the reader to quickly immerse them in the environment of your story. …
  2. Show, don’t tell. …
  3. Use real-life locations. …
  4. Incorporate figurative language. …
  5. Keep it simple.

Why is the location of a story important?

Because location carries a rich trove of associations it allows people to easily complete the story in their minds and assess its relevancy to their lives. You can see location’s importance in various fields.

Can a story be without a theme?

A story MUST have a theme. It may have several, or it may be a theme so convoluted it’s hard to spot it, but it will be there. Travel, self-discovery, self-improvement (or opposite), love, greed, morality versus survival, and so on. Without a theme, you’ll have a word noodle, not a story.

Do all novels have a theme?

Every book has a theme and we often see the same theme in many books. It’s also common for a book to have many themes. A theme may show up in a pattern such as reoccurring examples of beauty in simplicity.



What is style in a story?

Style in literature is the literary element that describes the ways that the author uses words — the author’s word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement all work together to establish mood, images, and meaning in the text.

What is tone in a story?

In literary terms, tone typically refers to the mood implied by an author’s word choice and the way that the text can make a reader feel. The tone an author uses in a piece of writing can evoke any number of emotions and perspectives. Tone can also span a wide array of textual styles, from terse to prosaic.

How do authors create mood?

Mood is created by means of setting (locale and surroundings in which the narrative takes place), attitude (of the narrator and of the characters in the narrative), and descriptions. Though atmosphere and setting are connected, they may be considered separately to a degree.

How do authors create tone?

Tone is achieved through word choice (diction), sentence construction and word order (syntax), and by what the viewpoint character focuses on. Tone is created or altered by the way the viewpoint character/narrator treats the story problem and other characters, and by the way he responds to the events surrounding him.

How do you develop tone in writing?

Let’s look at a few of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the tone of your writing.



  1. Avoid a Predictable Treatment of Your Subject. …
  2. Keep Tone Consistent From Start to Finish. …
  3. Cut Ruthlessly. …
  4. Let Tension Sustain Tone. …
  5. Use Your Voice. …
  6. Convey Tone Through Details and Descriptions.

How do writers determine which tone to use?

You can convey different tones in writing with your sentence structure, word choice, phrasing, imagery and more. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, different types of tone can be evaluated in four dimensions: the level of formality, humor, enthusiasm, and respectfulness.

How do you make your writing sound more mature?

Here are 11 ways you can start sounding brilliant:

  1. Have something to say. This makes writing easier and faster. …
  2. Be specific. Consider two sentences: …
  3. Choose simple words. …
  4. Write short sentences. …
  5. Use the active voice. …
  6. Keep paragraphs short. …
  7. Eliminate fluff words. …
  8. Don’t ramble.

How do you express yourself in writing examples?

10 Steps to Express Yourself Better in Writing

  1. Plan. Even the briefest of outlines can help organize a thought process. …
  2. Write like you talk. …
  3. Mind your tone. …
  4. Use Imagery. …
  5. Write Dialogue. …
  6. Share inner thoughts and voices. …
  7. Answer questions. …
  8. Change Perspectives.

How do authors express themselves?

Spoken word, poetry, prose, and creative writing are all ways to express yourself and what you’re experiencing. Writing down and performing your thoughts can serve to transform the intangibility of your emotions and experiences into something more. They serve as a way for you to make your feelings tangible and real.



How do you be creative in writing about yourself?

To get started, check out these 9 tips on how to write an essay about yourself:

  1. Create a List of Questions. …
  2. Brainstorm and Outline. …
  3. Be Vulnerable. …
  4. Use Personal Examples. …
  5. Write in the First Person. …
  6. Don’t Be Afraid to Show Off…But Stay on Topic! …
  7. Show Personality. …
  8. Know Your Audience.

How do you introduce yourself in creative writing?

Introduce Yourself

  1. Start with a quotation.
  2. Open with a relevant stat or fun fact.
  3. Start with a fascinating story.
  4. Ask your readers an intriguing question.
  5. Set the scene.

How do you introduce yourself without knowing your name?

20 Creative Ways to Introduce Yourself

  1. “I’m shy, please come say hi.” …
  2. A name is worth a thousand conversations. …
  3. Highlight something that makes you unique. …
  4. Start with a pop culture reference. …
  5. Confess your nickname. …
  6. Let the way you dress reflect who you are. …
  7. Make a T-shirt. …
  8. Make a “business” card.

How do you introduce your name?

Introduce Your Name



  1. My name is …/ I’m …
  2. My full/ first/ last name is …
  3. You can call me …/ They call me …/ Please call me …/ Everyone calls me …
  4. My nickname is …