The Best Science Fiction Books of All Time

When it comes to what is the best science fiction books to read there is a wide selection to choose from.  In fact a quick search online and you will soon discover that everyone has differing opinions to just which sci fi books would be considered to be the best.  

In this article we look at some that seem to be quite popular on most of the best science fiction book lists today.

1.     H G Wells - The Time Machine

The Best Science Fiction Books of All Time

 This book, which was first published in 1895, has stood the test of time and is the oldest of all sci fi books, which appear here.  It was H G Wells who first coined the term "time machine" and made us think it could be possible in the future to travel backwards and forwards through time.

2.    Arthur C Clarke - 2001 A Space Odyssey

Not only is the author of this book one of the most well known of all science fiction writers he is one of the greatest as well.  However, this book unlike many others was developed at the same time as the making of the Stanley Kubrick movie.  The book only got published after the movie's release and yet is now one of the best recognised of all the science fiction books available today.

3.     Douglas Adams - The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy

This of all the best science fiction books in this article is one of the more comical among them.  Along with its hapless main character Arthur Dent there are a host of other characters that really bring this book to life.  Their journeys across the galaxies following the destruction of earth are amazing and all in the hope to find what the Question is to the Ultimate Answer.

The Best Science Fiction Books of All Time
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The Driving Test in Ireland... Fact or Fiction? An Instructors View

The Driving Test here in Ireland has assumed epic stature and is now a more popular subject then the latest Harry Potter Movie or Spy Blockbuster.

As with any exam, Written, Oral or Practical the reasons for failure can be attributed to just about any natural or unnatural phenomenon that you can think of.

Anything but the truth!

The Driving Test in Ireland... Fact or Fiction? An Instructors View

Myths and horror stories surrounding the Driving Test are the stuff of Legend and grow exponentially with each passing day as new legions (Nay Armies!) of Driving Test candidates exchange their experiences with anyone who will listen.

There is a very willing Audience since one in Ten of the Population in Ireland are Learner Drivers on a provisional license!

Yes... Nearly one in five of those individuals you see behind the driving wheel are Learner Drivers. That is twenty per cent of the total vehicle traffic in Ireland, discounting commercial vehicles.

Why with these numbers there should be a new T.V Channel devoted to the issue wouldn't you agree? Certainly the level of media coverage has been on the increase for the last while perhaps due to the approach of the General Election next year.

Learning the ropes from someone who has been there, done that, whether successfully or not, is a very worthwhile use of your time and could even be entertaining at a pinch. However, and here's the crunch...listening to tales of woe or the usual litany of excuses dished out by most failed candidates will not help you to any great extent. In fact they won't help you at all!

Why? Because there is no short cut to Driving Test Success, although it would appear that the average Learner Driver in Ireland believes that there is.

Let us have a look at some Fiction...

There must be a magical potion that should surely be available over the counter without prescription?

It would contain the following benefits (apart from being easy to swallow!)

(a) An inalienable right to sit behind the wheel.

(b) A complete "get rid of your Driving Instructor and forget Driving Lessons" side effect.

(c) Instructions on how to start and move your car down the road after purchase (essential).

(d) On the dosage instructions there should also be an extensive phrase book with useful and character enhancing quotes to impress all your friends. This would be something on the lines of:-

(e) "All a complete load of baloney "

(f) "A government money making racket."

(g) "A Driving School money making racket"

(h) "Get lessons from your Sister, Brother, next door neighbour and you'll be fine"

(i) "The Driving Tester's are all useless and wouldn't recognise a good driver even if they collided with one"

There is no short cut to Passing the Driving Test in Ireland.

Now for a Selection of the Facts.

(1) While it is a sample of some of the skills needed to survive and stay alive the Driving Test is only the beginning of a Driving Career and the start of the Learning experience.

(2) The Driving Test continues to evolve and with each new addition to the test curriculum it is becoming more difficult to pass.

(3) If it is becoming more difficult to Pass the Driving Test then it follows that more study and preparation, not less, needs to be faced.

(4) Taking the Driving Test before you have learnt not just the basics but more advanced techniques will lead to disappointment...often more times than once.

(5) The number of Candidates just not turning up for the Driving Test has quite an impact on the lengthening of the waiting list for an appointment.

(6) No Shows run at sometimes as much as ten per cent at Driving Test Centres.

(7) The New Test Centres on Ireland's East coast and the couple inland that are hosting the one year, privately contracted Driving Tests will only keep the waiting list from growing longer. This move to a one year privatisation of additional Driving Tests will not achieve the comparable reduction in waiting time for a Test of just a few weeks, as in the U.K.

(8) The growth in numbers of Learner Drivers appearing on the Driving Scene in Ireland, due to demographics and immigration, will make the Test Date reduction times a significant obstacle for the next few years.

(9) The many new pieces of legislation in the wings will have a beneficial effect in time but not overnight. Driving School Accreditation Registration and Monitoring will bring a new dimension to the whole area of Learning to Drive in Ireland as European standards are embraced.

(10) Currently there is no culture of Driving Tuition in Ireland and a vast majority of Learner Drivers take no professional lessons which of course has lead to a skills level that is way below par.

(11) The below par, and below European Standard of a vast majority of Drivers in Ireland has naturally led to one of the worst positions in the accident league table.

(12) Every adult driver and parent in Ireland can play a part in improving the attitude of Beginner Drivers from the moment they put a passenger in their car, whether a child or an adult. There is a need for Parental awareness which is lacking. Parents can influence the behaviour of any child from a very early age

It is obvious, even to the casual observer from any other European country or further distant land that the solution to the poor standard of Driving in Ireland lies in Driver Education that is formally structured, monitored and enforced.

There is a very good chance that any young driver, with the proper tuition and encouragement will turn out to be a competent and safe Driver and having achieved a reasonable level of understanding will sail through the Driving Test in Ireland.

The Driving Test in Ireland... Fact or Fiction? An Instructors View
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Robin Piggott is a Driving Instructor in Ireland who brings four decades of experience to his Astral Driving School based in Limerick. His newly refurbed web site can be found at http://www.astraldrivingschool.ie Here you can find a treasure trove of everything for the Learner Driver and also pages for the visitor who is contemplating Touring Ireland by Car. Pick up a free seven part mini course"Passing the Driving Test First Time" and stack the cards in your favour.

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Create Emotion, Not Sentimentality, in Fiction

Good writing requires the use of emotion, both in the writing and from or in the writer. What? Emotion in the writing itself and the author? Yes, good writing does require emotion from the words and from the writer. Actually, good writing requires creative and effective use, not overuse, of emotion.

Preparing fiction, whether in a short story or novel, without emotion results in telling rather showing. Telling a story may provide the readers with necessary information, but showing allows the reader to "see" the events, actions, and plot unfold. Showing emotion without resorting to sentimentality is a major component in writing vivid, powerful stories that readers can visualize.

In high school and college, most classes concentrate on thought, on the mind.. Teachers and professors encourage, even require, students to use big words, figures of speech, literary devices, and long, dense sentences to create emotion in writing.

Create Emotion, Not Sentimentality, in Fiction

Yes, figures of speech and literary devices have a place in poetry. Yes, if used sparingly and creatively in fiction, figures of speech can convey complicated emotions. However, when overused or misused, figurative language, according to Stephen King, in On Writing, "the results are funny and sometimes embarrassing."

Yet emotions are necessary in fiction writing. According to Dianna Dorisi-Winget in "Let's Get Physical! Writing Emotion in Fiction," since emotions are such an integral part of the human condition, "... fiction writers must employ description that accurately expresses a character's feelings." However, she continues, simplistic and overused descriptions leave the reader unmoved. Using clichés (these simplistic and overused words or phrases) results in sentimentality.

When we talk or read about highly-emotional subjects like romance and death, we are tempted to use clichés. After all they are found everywhere and represent the shortcuts we use in song and word. Kristen Williams, in "No Place for Hallmark," stresses this need to avoid these shortcuts in items we write.

Williams defines sentimentality as the exaggerated and affected use of emotion in writing. Affected is further explained as being most often connected to clichés and melodrama, which "affect" emotion, showing only the surface with no substance or justification, no foundation. These types of writing emotion no new perspective on the experience but are shortcuts.

Writers, especially beginners, use sentimentality because doing so is easy. Admitting or describing complicated situations is hard. Using sentimentality means presenting things in black and white, not delving into the complications that actually exist. "Good writers," Williams says, "will dive right into this complexity instead of staying on the surface."

James Scott Bell echoes this thought in his article "Leave Them With Hope": "Delve into your character's heart. As the author, you must feel the big emotions as much as your fictional creation does."

Authors can avoid sentimentality without losing emotion needed to reach readers. The writer simply has to deal with the emotion in an original and complex manner by trying to avoid abstract words and ideas. This is accomplished by staying with concrete descriptions. As Bell stated, the author must experience the emotion and describe it with the five senses, write it as he "feels" it. Abstract words and ideas can be interpreted by others in different ways, relying on the readers' definition. Details are required to make the emotion live.

How can writers avoid "sentimentality"? One exercise is to list common reactions to an emotion. Then the author examines those physical reactions that emotions produce, and simple and overused descriptions are physical reactions to emotion. However the idea is to find other ways to explain those reactions so that the reader isn't left unmoved. "The trick," Dorisi-Winget says, "is tapping into your 'emotion memory.' Get beyond the pounding heart and clenched fist."

If describing fear, the "sick stomach" might become the tilting like the time seasickness caused lunch to want to escape. The details tell the tale; if used creatively and well, the details "show" the tale.

Writers don't have to abandon abstract thoughts and words completely, but the majority of description should be concrete. Williams says she uses no more than twenty percent abstract and at least eighty percent detail when using emotion in her writing.

Avoiding sentimentality allows the writer's perspective to be used, not someone else's. Writers then create the emotion required in "good" pieces of fiction.

Sources:

1. Bharti Kirchner, "It's showtime!" The Writer August 2005.

2. Dianna Dorisi-Winget, "Let's Get Physical! Writing Emotions in Fiction," ByLine February 2006.

3. Ellen Macaulay, "Acting Lessons," The Writer April 2005.

4. James Scott Bell, "Leave Them With Hope," Writer's Digest December 2005.

5. Kristen Williams, "No Place for Hallmark," http://www.wow-schools.net/hallmark.htm.

6. Robert Olen Butler, "The Dynamics of Desire," The Writer October 2005.

7. William G. Tapply, "Don't be a SHOWOFF," The Writer November 2005.

Create Emotion, Not Sentimentality, in Fiction
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Vivian Gilbert Zabel taught English, composition, and creative writing for twenty-five years, honing her skills as she studied and taught. An author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for Writers, her portfolio is http://www.Writing.Com/authors/vzabel Her books, Hidden Lies and Other Stories and Walking the Earth: Life’s Perspectives in Poetry, are available at Amazon.com.

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Fibroadenoma Fact and Fiction

You wake up one morning and freak out--there's a lump in your breast. You've read all of the stories and seen all of the news reports. The big C word comes to mind. You know that most women who get breast cancer are older than 40 and you are in your 30s. But your mind races to your friends' faces, friends who have had mastectomies while they were younger than 40...and who had no family history of the disease.

Your insides feel squishy but your heart rate is soaring. You try to calm yourself as, with your hands shaking, you dial your OB-GYN. "I found a lump," you say. "I need to see you today." And your doctor, who understands what you are going through, asks you to come in right away.

After seeing the doctor, you are sent for a sonogram or maybe a mammogram, or maybe even both. The lump is solid, but it moves when manipulated by the doctor's fingers. She is certain it is not a cyst, since it is too solid and the attempt at needle aspiration didn't work.

Fibroadenoma Fact and Fiction

The core-needle biopsy comes next. You waver between negative thoughts and positive ones, on an emotional roller coaster. Your friends and family assure you everything will be fine. You wish you could be so certain.

But the call the next day is better than expected--no cancer. What you have is a fibroadenoma, a firm, non-cancerous tumor of the gland. You'll have to go back to the doctor's or breast center for repeated ultrasounds, about every six months, to check its status and so the doctors can keep track of its growth rate. The doctors seem to be taking a "wait and see approach", which you aren't sure is re-assuring; but you try to convince yourself, if they aren't worried, you shouldn't be either.

Over the next few weeks, you search the Net to learn all you can. WebMD says it is smooth, round and painless. You disagree, especially around your period when the tumor downright hurts.

You do more research and talk to more friends. One friend confessed to having surgery twice to remove hers. She said they grew almost golf ball size and were very painful. And according to Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book by Susan M. Love, M.D. (Perseus Books), fibroadenomas "can vary in size from a tiny five millimeters to a lemon-sized five centimeters." You're glad yours is on the smaller ender of that scale.

One thing the doctor did tell you was to get off the Pill. It seems the estrogen in birth control pills could make the tumor's size increase. And you don't want to take any chances with that. You continue to do research and you feel a little more reassured when you read the line "Fibroadenomas are harmless in themselves, and they don't have to be removed..." in Dr. Love's book. That is your plan of attack: only have surgery if it gets too painful or becomes absolutely necessary.

In the meantime, you look for preventative measures, since though Dr. Love writes, "In most cases a woman has only one fibroadenoma; it's removed, and she never gets any more. But some women do get several over their lives--and a few women get many of them." You don't want to be one of those women.
Even if preventative measures haven't been scientifically proven, you figure if it doesn't hurt you, maybe it will help. You switch to a non-hormone method of birth control. Your doctor suggested cutting out caffeine so you drink decaffeinated green tea, since it is supposed to be filled with antioxidants.

According to the book Breast Health: The Natural Way, by Deborah Mitchell and Deborah Gordon, M.D. (John Wiley and Sons), "Green tea contains high levels of polyphenols, substances that neutralize free radicals associated with cancer, and is a rich source of antioxidants. Green tea protects against breast cancer by preventing initiation of cancer growth."

You also try to cut out sugars and add more leafy vegetables and soy products. Soy products have been touted for the last decade as containing phytoestrogens (much weaker than the female sex hormone of estrogen.) Scientists at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit demonstrated how genistein, a phytoestrogen found in soy products, inhibits growth of certain breast cancer cells.

You know you don't have breast cancer, and that fibroadenomas don't in any way predispose you to cancer, but you are taking precautions. As Dr. Love writes, fibroadenomas are a nuisance, and they can scare you into thinking you might have cancer--but that's the only bad things about them."

You know that. So, in addition to the changes you are making in your diet, the biggest change of all is in your attitude. No longer do you take things for granted. Your initial scare and panic has made you realize how much you take your health for granted.

You vow to be better to yourself, to not allow yourself to get so stressed out all of the time. You promise yourself you'll take better care of your body, maybe get a facial or massage occasionally. To soak in the tub and relax with a good book. To play with your kids and to appreciate your spouse more. But most of all, to count your blessings. You will get through this, and in the grand scheme of things, it may not be that big of a deal.

Fibroadenoma Fact and Fiction
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Jill L. Ferguson is an editor, writer, public speaker and university professor who, like thousands of other women, lived with a fibroadenoma for three years, before its surgical removal in September 2004. Ms. Ferguson's novel, Sometimes Art Can't Save You, was published by In Your Face Ink LLC (http://www.inyourfaceink.com) in October 2005.

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Dans Movies - Popular Science Fiction Films

Dans movies offers very popular science fiction films. One is Dans une galaxie près de chez-vous. It was released in 2004. It is produced in Quebec - Canada. It became highly popular among all age groups. The film is a parody of big budget science fiction film like Star Trek.

The English meaning of the film title is 'galaxy near you'. Earth has been rendered unsuitable for human living. A starship from Canada leaves earth for galaxy to find a living place for the people of the earth. A humoristic parody makes the film very enjoyable. The success of the film has prompted for the second galaxy film to be released in 2008.

Second film is Le Voyage dans la lune. The English meaning of the film is 'A trip to the moon'. It is a black and white science fiction cinema released in 1902. Based on two popular novels of that time: 'From the Earth to the Moon' by Jules Verne and 'The First Men in the Moon' by H. G. Wells. It was written and directed by Georges Méliès.

Dans Movies - Popular Science Fiction Films

A trip to the moon was technologically much ahead of its time. Animation and special effects made this film highly popular in its time. It was 14 minutes long. It is enjoyed even today as a classic science fiction movie. Two music videos have been made in recent years with similar filming like this movie. You can now judge the popularity of the original film.

Two of the David Bowie movies are also fantasy and science fiction films. First is 'The man who fell to earth'. David Bowie plays the role of an alien from an outer planet. He has come to earth to find water. He gets lost in the power resulting from many of his inventions. This film has won him critical acclaims.

He plays the role of 'Jareth, the king of goblins' in fantasy and science fiction film 'Labyrinth'. He is a mysterious but very powerful creature in the film. The film has been coined as a cult classic movie. David Bowie has enjoyed great film success along with tremendous success as a singer.

Kenny Rogers movies have also gained great success. He is an all time hit country music and pop singer. His films like 'Long Shot' and 'Six Pack' have been highly successful. He has starred in many films made exclusively for television.

Copyright @ 2008 Ajay Shah

Dans Movies - Popular Science Fiction Films
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Ajay D. Shah is a Successful Online Infopreneuer. They have shared Passion about Music and Movies on their web site. It offers great information about popular music genres, music artists, and music downloads. Also provides useful info about movies, movie reviews, movie downloads and much more.

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Home Heating Oil Tanks: FACT vs FICTION - What You Really Need to Know!

This article is a follow-up to our February 2002 edition for Ontario residents, which discussed the dangers of leaking fuel oil tanks, how to avoid problems and how to handle spills and leaks.

Unprotected and neglected storage tanks can potentially ruin a life-long investment. More than one million Canadian homes are heated with oil and over the past few years, there have been a startling number of tank failures - and the trend will grow as traditional steel storage tanks continue to corrode.

Due to condensation, water and sludge accumulating at the bottom, the majority of steel fuel oil tanks rust from the inside out. This damage is not immediately apparent and often presents itself as a catastrophic tank failure. Leaks can also be due to improper maintenance, damp locations and physical damage. Fuel oil leaks have raised insurance claims by 50% over the past few years, with clean-ups often costing more than the property was worth.

Home Heating Oil Tanks: FACT vs FICTION - What You Really Need to Know!

New Regulations

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) in Ontario has instituted new regulations for heating oil storage tanks to counter oil spills. The rules would require that only licensed installers install and regularly inspection tanks. Tanks would have to be tagged and registered and oil deliveries be made only to tanks that have the registration tag. Therefore, the responsibility for tank maintenance has been divided among the owner, the installer and the oil company.

Insurance Rebates

Insurance companies and governments have recognized that without immediate attention to the problem, leak incidences from residential fuel oil tanks will increase and costs for clean-up will skyrocket. Several insurance companies are now offering refunds to their clients to encourage them to replace their furnace and storage tank systems. Manufacturers are also offering rebates to customers for furnace and tank replacements.

Better Fuel Oil Tanks

Manufacturers of storage tanks have improved their products and warranties. Several new tank products have been marketed during the last few years. Steel tanks have gone to a heavier gauge to mitigate the effect of corrosion and perhaps increase their lifespan. New technologies for non-metallic tanks have emerged so that internal corrosion ceases to be an issue. Glass fiber tanks, in single wall and double wall versions, and the polyethylene tank, secondarily contained in a galvanized steel container, are two examples of new designs which are both proven, tested and ULC listed for the storage of fuel oil.

FICTION: An oil spill won’t cost any more than the deductible amount of a homeowner’s insurance.

FACT: Some insurance policies specifically exclude pollution coverage for leaks or spills from residential heating oil tanks. Homeowners should contact their insurance broker, and review their policy to confirm whether they have pollution coverage, and whether there are any limitations to their coverage.

FICTION: If an oil tank has handles, it’s less than 20 years old.

FACT: The presence or absence of handles is not an accurate indication of age. Only the serial number on the tank ID plate, or a valid date stamp would provide a reliable indication of age.

FICTION: The government says now, that oil tanks have to be changed every 12 years.

FACT: An existing above ground fuel-oil tank is considered approved provided the tank was installed in accordance with the code at the time of installation. As long as the tank is not leaking, there is no age at which the government demands the tank must be replaced.

FICTION: All underground tanks have to be removed immediately.

FACT: New regulations require that all underground tanks to be registered with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) by May 1, 2002 or fuel oil will not be delivered to the tank. Underground tanks that are 25 years and older, or of an unknown age, and not specially protected from corrosion are required to be removed by October 1, 2006.

FICTION: If a tank has been inspected, there won’t be any trouble getting insurance.

FACT: Insurance companies often reject new applications for coverage of homes with tanks over “X” years of age. Twenty years of age seems to be the most common denominator. Many insurance companies will not provide coverage for underground tanks under any circumstances

FICTION: Oil heating is smelly and expensive.

FACT: Oil furnaces, hot water tanks and storage tanks need not exhibit any odors when properly installed and maintained. Oil heating is a cost-effective alternative to natural gas.

A FEW MORE FACTS FOR ONTARIO RESIDENTS:

Homeowners are required to annually maintain their fuel oil appliances (boilers, furnaces, water heaters, etc.) by having a TSSA certified Oil Burner Technician service and clean the appliance.

Homeowners are required to have their fuel oil appliance installations safety inspected by their fuel oil supplier.

Fuel oil suppliers that find unsafe equipment are required to stop the delivery of fuel oil until the equipment is fixed.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization responsible for the delivery of a range of safety services. This includes the administration of Ontario's Technical Standards & Safety Act, 2000 within various industry sectors and the delivery of safety programs to the public.

WHO TO CONTACT:

* For more information on residential fuel oil tanks and Ontario laws governing them, contact:

Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)

Fuels Safety Division

3300 Bloor St. W.

4th Floor, West Tower

Toronto, ON M8X 2X4

(416) 325-1615

http://www.tssa.org

* To report spills or to obtain more information on spill cleanup procedures, contact:

Ministry of the Environment

Spills Action Centre (SAC)

1-800-268-6060 (24-hours)

or (416) 325-3500

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca

* In other provinces, check the government listings in the local telephone directory to locate the appropriate department.

* Licensed professional cleanup services, fuel suppliers and heating contractors can also provide assistance in most locations.

ON THE WEB:

* Visit http://www.esemag.com to learn more about environmental science and engineering. View photos of modern oil containment systems.

* Visit http://www.tssa.org to learn more about Ontario government regulations applicable to oil storage tanks.

* Visit [http://www.sbag.web.com] to learn more about a different kind of secondary containment retrofit.

* For information on other environmental topics visit the Ministry of the Environment web site at: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca

NOTE: Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure accuracy, however rules and regulations will vary in different locales and may change from time to time, often without notice. This information is for reference only and use of, or reliance upon this information is at the discretion of the reader. Consult with your applicable local authority regarding fuels and fuels safety.

Home Heating Oil Tanks: FACT vs FICTION - What You Really Need to Know!
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Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

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Using Character Sheets in Fiction Writing

Writing fiction is a bit like baking a cake. You need the right ingredients in the right amounts, or it will turn out awful. For fiction, you need the right combination of plot, action, description and character development to bring your story to life for your reader.

Character development can be one of the most important things about writing fiction. You want to create a realistic group of characters to move your plot along and to do that you need to know them. But how much do you really have to know about them before you start writing?

Well, that depends on the kind of story you are writing. The length of your tale will dictate the amount of character information you will need to make them come to life. For simplicity's sake, I've broken my character sheet down into what I use for each type of writing. Your character sheets may vary.

Using Character Sheets in Fiction Writing

Flash Fiction

Writing flash fiction is one of the hardest types of writing. You have to create a story with just the minimum of words and it has to make sense. For most flash fiction, you only need the most basic character information.

Name:

Age:

Height:

Weight:

Hair color and style:

Eye color:

Complexion and skin tone:

Character's body build:

These should be enough to create a flash fiction character.

Short Stories

Short stories have a higher word count, so the characters in those should be more developed. You have more leeway with your character's descriptions and can even give background information, which will make them more real for your readers. Use the above information and add the following:

Character back story:

Identifying marks:

Facial features:

Hand features:

Scent:

Mannerisms or gestures:

Novellas and Novels

Novellas and novels require the most detailed characters because they are as much character driven stories as plot driven. Character sheets with more detailed physical description, personality traits, and an extensive background will go a long way to making your story one that pulls a reader in and keeps them reader from beginning to end. Use all of the above plus the following:

Strongest personality traits:

Weakest personality traits:

Needs of the character:

Ambitions:

Father's name:

Age:

Physical appearance:

Mother's name:

Age:

Physical appearance:

Sibling's names and descriptions:

Favorite sayings:

Interests and hobbies:

Favorite foods:

Favorite colors:

Pets:

Education:

Religion:

Financial situation:

Future plans:

Possessions this character values most:

What drives your character:

How does your character handle conflict:

What is standing in your character's way:

What is their favorite room and why:

What vehicle do they drive:

Favorite sport(s):

What are your character's prejudices:

How does your character feel about love:

About crime:

What is their neighborhood like:

What is your character's philosophy on life:

What is your character's family life like:

You also should have a rough background and timeline for this character, from childhood through the start of the story. Break it down into 5 year spans, unless your character is fairly old, then go with 10 year spans. Finally, have a profile summary, taking everything you have for the character and write up a one or two paragraph summary. It is a good way to focus your character's information, and could be used in your story.

Book Series

When writing a series of books about the same characters, it is imperative to keep some kind of record of their traits. Do not rely on your memory when it comes to writing each book. As an avid reader of series books, it is amazing the number of times a character's eyes have been dark blue in one book and dark brown in another then gone back to blue. While most casual readers won't catch that kind of mistake, your dedicated readers will. It costs you nothing to keep a notebook with your character sheets and reference it when writing the next book in your series. It will go a long way to keep the continuity of your books intact.

A note on describing clothing. Unless clothing change is crucial to your story's plot limit your fashion descriptions. You do not need to tell every single piece of clothing your character is wearing. A basic idea of their attire is enough for most readers.

Your characters are as important to your story as your plot. Developing them will help bring your tale to life, but taking the time to plan them out prior to writing is a great way to make them real to you and your reader.

Using Character Sheets in Fiction Writing
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Dawn Arkin is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://darkin.Writing.Com/ so stop by and read for a while.

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Bermuda Triangle Facts - or Fiction?

One of the few Bermuda Triangle Facts that can be confirmed is the Bermuda Triangle location. In fact, the location of the Bermuda Triangle is somewhat arbitrary as well. There are no official boundaries. However, the triangle is generally assumed to run from Bermuda to Puerto Rico to Miami and back to Bermuda.

A fact that is unexplained about the Bermuda Triangle is that electro-magnetic compasses that normally point to the magnetic north pole, point to the true north pole when used inside the area of the Bermuda Triangle. This phenomena happens in only one place other than the Bermuda Triangle - the Devil's Sea off the east coast of Asia.

The term Bermuda Triangle was in fact first used in an Argosy Magazine article written by Vincent H. Gaddis in 1964. Since that time, a number of "nicknames" have immerged for the Bermuda Triangle - Limbo of the Lost, Hoodoo Sea, and even Devil's Triangle - some coined in literature.

Bermuda Triangle Facts - or Fiction?

One fact is undeniable about the Bermuda Triangle. There have been a number of strange and sometimes unexplained disappearances in the Triangle. The tale of Flight 19 - a group of five Navy torpedo bombers and one search plane disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle area (perhaps!) - is the most notorious of these.

However, there have been strange occurrences observed in the area of the Bermuda Triangle as well. Even as far back as the 1492 crossing of the Atlantic by Christopher Columbus, these have been recorded. Columbus documented in his logs of strange occurrences with his compass in the area that we now consider the Bermuda Triangle.

Another fact about the Bermuda Triangle that is undeniable is that the area has claimed over 1,000 lives in the past 100 years. Some of these are a result of "human error" in navigating the area. However there are always suspicious or unexplained disappearances happening in the Bermuda Triangle.

There is a vast array of lore surrounding the existence of the Bermuda Triangle. Some of this stems from the idea that with-in the Bermuda Triangle lies the lost city of Atlantis in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Off the coast of Bimini, there is a set of underwater steps believed to be part of that civilization. Little exploration can be done because the Bermuda Triangle includes some of the deepest trenches in the Atlantic Ocean - much too deep to explore.

Today, thousands of passages are made through the Bermuda Triangle every year. Virtually every Caribbean cruise originating from the east coast of North America passes through part of the Bermuda Triangle. Modern planes fly to the Caribbean hotspots and from southern United States to Europe through the Bermuda Triangle. Perhaps the next time you travel through the Bermuda Triangle by air or sea you will think of the lost civilization of Atlantis and her mighty power?

Bermuda Triangle Facts - or Fiction?
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Brian A Schmidt is the author and web publisher of a1-discount-cruises.com your #1 source for cruise information, discounts and great deals! Visit http://www.a1-discount-cruises.com to book your fabulous cruise vacation! For more interesting articles visit our Article Map pages. If you have questions regarding choosing a cruise line contact us at info@a1-discount-cruises.com using the subject line "Questions".

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Rhode Island RI Common Law Marriage - Fact Or Fiction

Fiction- If I live together with my boyfriend for over seven years then we are automatically common law married.

This is a huge urban myth that is completely and totally false! In fact, a couple could live together for 35 years in Rhode Island and still not be common law married! However, another couple could live together for 7 days and be married.

How can this be true??

Rhode Island RI Common Law Marriage - Fact Or Fiction

This article only applies to Rhode Island. Also, a vast majority of states do not recognize common law marriages. Please contact Rhode Island divorce and family law lawyer, David Slepkow, to help evaluate whether you can successfully establish a common law marriage in Rhode Island.

In order to establish a common law marriage in Rhode Island, a couple must have "seriously intended to enter into the husband-wife relationship." Demelo v. Zompa, 844 A.2d 174 "The parties conduct also must be of such a character as to lead to a belief in the community that they were married." Demelo v. Zompa 844 A.2d 174 "The prerequisite serious intent and belief is demonstrable by inference from cohabitation, declarations, reputation among kindred and friends, and other circumstancial evidence." Demelo v. Zompa, 844 A.2d 174

A crucial element to common law marriage is whether a couple holds themselves out to the community as husband and wife.

I believe that Courts look to several factors in determining if there is a common law marriage. The Court looks at a totality of the circumstances rather than focusing on any one particular factor exclusively. In other words, if one of the following factors doesn't apply there could still be a common law marriage!

Establishing a common law marriage in Rhode island is analogous to building a brick wall. A single brick alone will not build the wall! Pulling out any particular brick will not cause the wall to fall. Similarly, No one factor usually creates a common law marriage. (perhaps, and I emphasize perhaps, the only exception to this is filing married for your federal income taxes) The absence of a single factor usually does not defeat a common law marriage! (The exception to this may be lack of cohabitation but that is not set in stone. I emphasize may be an exception depending on the facts)

The court may look at whether the alleged wife took the husband's last name. The woman's use of husband's last name indicates that the parties were holding themselves out to the community as married and exhibiting a serious intent to enter into a marriage. If a woman takes a man's last name and uses the name in public then that will go a long way in establishing a common law marriage. A woman not taking her significant other's last name will not be fatal to establishing the marriage. Judges are keenly aware that in this day and age, it is common for a woman to use her maiden name after a valid marriage.

The Court will look to see if the parties introduce each other as "my husband" or "my wife" in social settings or when appropriate. The Courts are well aware that married couples usually do not introduce their spouse by his / her first name.

Medical treatment forms, financing applications and other forms may be important to see whether the parties listed the other person as their spouse or even admitted that there was a marriage.

The length of time that the parties lived together may be very relevant . An economic partnership between the parties is also very significant. Joint bank accounts, joint ownership of property, joint accounts, beneficiary designations on retirement plans, insurance applications could all be bricks in a wall of establishing a common law marriage. Please note that these types of factors (such as having a joint bank account together) alone will NOT establish a common law marriage! In this day and age it is not unusual for boyfriends and girlfriends to live together with joint bank accounts or even, perhaps, owning property together without intending to enter into a marriage. However, the above mentioned factors take on importance in conjunction with other significant factors set forth in this article.

There are a myriad of other factors that could be very important in determining whether or not there is a common law marriage. This includes whether a diamond ring or other ring was given and what hand the ring was worn on.

This article in no way establishes all the factors that could be important.

If the parties cannot agree that there was a marriage then witnesses will need to testify in Court to establish a belief and reputation in the community that the parties were married. In other words does your social circle (friends, family, acquaintances ) believe that you and your significant other are married?

One of the most crucial elements of common law marriage is the tax status that the parties claim on their federal and state income tax forms. If the parties filed married filing jointly or married filing separately then some judges would say that the common law marriage is established. A federal tax document is a very significant document and most people know the importance of being truthful when filling it out. I would tend to agree that if the parties filed their taxes as married then they are probably in fact married! If the parties filed as married filing jointly and then one of them denies the common law marriage then they are in a perjury trap. Either they lied to the IRS or they are lying to the Court. Filling single will not be helpful to establish a common law marriage however it is not fatal.

How could a party be common law married after 7 days? Hypothetically, boyfriend and girlfriend invite all their friends to a party which is not officially a wedding. No marriage certificate is sought or obtained by the couple. However, at the party the couple announces to all their friends and family in attendance that they are married, they move in together the next day. The girlfriend puts him on her health insurance. They are probably married by common law after just a week!

If you believe that you are common law married and want to terminate the relationship then you need to file for divorce in Rhode Island family Court seeking to establish the appropriate elements.

Rhode Island RI Common Law Marriage - Fact Or Fiction
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David Slepkow is a Rhode Island divorce and family law lawyer / attorney concentrating in divorce, family law, child support, custody and visitation. David has been practicing for over 9 years and is licensed in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Federal Court. David also handles Rhode Island personal injury, slip and fall and automobile accidents as well as litigation and landlord tenant matters. David always offers free initial consultations and accepts all major credit cards. Please goto Official website of Rhode Island (RI) lawyers, Slepkow Slepkow & Associates, Inc for more legal information or to contact David Slepkow. You can also call attorney David Slepkow at 401-437-1100.

Please visit East Providence, Rhode Island Divorce and Family law Lawyer

Also see: Rhode Island (RI) Child Support law

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Creative Writing - Fiction, Writing Fiction That Sells

When writing fiction, the author must rely upon his/her instincts and experiences to create a story. This article will provide an overview of 7 of the major elements of writing fiction in good form, i.e., the form editors expect.

Plotting

Plotting and characterization carry the other elements of the book. The plotting must be believable, plausible, and interesting. It is a sequence of events connected in a cause-and-effect manner. Generally the plot consists of a series of increasingly more intense conflicts, a climax (the most intense part of the book), and a final resolution. The plot must advance as the book unfolds. Usually the closer to the end of the book the climax is placed the better.

Creative Writing - Fiction, Writing Fiction That Sells

Long works like novels can have many subplots and secondary climaxes and resolutions. Avoid using subplots in order to have cliché characters. Avoid too many coincidences.

Flashbacks have been overused. A book is stronger when it runs chronologically.

Characterization

The reader should be able to identify with and care about the characters in the sense that the characters seem real to the reader. The characters must do something, and what they do must seem reasonable for them to have done it.

Characters should be introduced early in the book. The more often a character is mentioned or appears, the more significance the reader will attach to the character. Also, the main character should be introduced before setting, so that the setting can be introduced from the point of view of the character.
The nature of characters can be brought out through minimal description and the actions, thoughts, and dialogue of the characters. The author should allow the reader to make judgments about the characters; the author should avoid making the judgments for the reader. The feelings of the character should be demonstrated rather than told by the narrator.

Yet, there are some very good books in which much of the narrative voice is about a character's feelings and thoughts or in which the narration goes into great detail and analysis of a character's feelings and thoughts at some point. So one rule about writing fiction is that there are no rules, or maybe: If it works, it works.

Scene

Scene includes the place and time in which the book takes place. The scene should be described in specifics to make the book seem real, to set the atmosphere and mood of the book, to place limitations on the characters, or to help establish the basic conflict of the book. Weather can be an important part of a scene.

The scene can be used for contrast, having something taking place in an unexpected place. Also, the more unfamiliar the reader is with the setting, the more interesting the scene.

Dialogue

Dialogue makes fiction seem real. However, dialogue that copies reality may actually slow down a book. Avoid unnecessary or repetitive dialogue.

Dialect in dialogue can be difficult to read. A small amount of it can be used to establish the nature of a character, but overuse will intrude on the book. The level of use of language by the characters- pronunciation, diction, grammar, etc.- is often used to characterize people in a book. Most often the main characters use the best English.

Profanity and vulgarisms can be used where they seem appropriate. Overuse amounts to author intrusion and can interrupt the reader's belief in the book.

Too much exposition through dialogue can slow down a book. Characters should not repeat in dialogue events which have already happened in the book.

Also, one character should not tell another character what the second character should already know just so the author can convey information to the reader.

The form of dialogue should be varied to keep the reader interested. However, don't try to find too many different ways to say "said."

Interior dialogue is what a character is thinking. Dramatic dialogue is a character thinking out loud, without response from other characters. Indirect dialogue is the narrator telling what a character said.

Dialogue should be used to develop character or to advance the book. It should not be used just to hear characters talk.

Point of View

First person point of view has the main character telling the story or a secondary character telling the main character's story. Everything that happens in the book must be seen or experienced by the character doing the narration. The reader's judgment of other characters in the book will be heavily influenced by the narrator. This can be very limiting. Also, a book written in first person usually means that the main character won't die in the plot. However, first person point of view gives a sense of intimacy to the book.

Third person point of view can be objective or omniscient. An objective narrator describes actions but not the inner thoughts or feelings of the characters. An omniscient narrator can describe all the actions of all of the characters but also all of their inner thoughts and feelings as well.

Genre

Genre is the main category into which a book fits. Most stories meet the criteria for multiple genres, but you should have some focus, identifying a market before you begin writing fiction.

Narrative Voice

Narrative voice is the way the author uses language. The longer the work the less important language becomes. Above all, the author's work must tell a story. The author should not be more concerned with the words used than with the tale the author is trying to tell. Don't be a fanatic about words. The language is less important than characterization and plotting. However, a combination of a good story and good narrative voice will be a delight to read. Mistakes in English amount to author intrusion and detract greatly from the book. The most effective writing uses the active voice, and nouns and verbs so specific that they require no modifiers. The choice of words can help set the tone of the book.

Beginning authors often miss one critical fact about writing fiction. It is up to the author to please the reader, not the other way around.

Creative Writing - Fiction, Writing Fiction That Sells
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For the best online resource for new authors, visit: http://www.creativewritingfiction.com

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