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Okay, so this myth I'm writing is similar to/inspired by the Epic of Gilgamesh and any sort of myths and religious texts. My main character is a prince of a Sumerian-type city and begins getting these "visions" that are telling him to go on a quest of some sort.

At first, my character thinks these visions are just his imagination and they don't mean anything. But then SOMETHING HAPPENS.

What that "something" is, I don't know.

I need the Sumerian city to be put in a sudden form of jeopardy to force the main character to go on the quest, because the whole reason he decides to go is because he believes there's some "power" punishing him for not obeying the visions.

In a perfect world, I would want this "jeopardy" to be from an established myth or story from any religion. But any ideas are welcome!

So far, I have...

That there's an army on its way to wipe out the city.

An army has just taken over and seized the throne.

A terrible drought strikes the land.

Bad luck starts happening.

Disease strikes.

The citizens are unhappy with the prince because he made a mistake?

I'm not sure if I like any of these (if you do, tell me which one(s)). But I really need some other ideas.

Also, it can't be something magical. But it can be coincidental, like something that actually might happen even though it's kind of far-fetched.

I'm 16 and just came out to my mom that I think I want to be trans (FtM).

Okay, so I know that I'm "trans enough", but there are some qualities about me that make me feel like I'm not REALLY a "real" guy, and I need to know how to deal with them:

1. I'm not competitive because I'm afraid of losing.

2. I like logic/puzzle video games rather than stuff like Halo.

3. I don't have a "dirty" mind.

I get that these might be (probably are) stereotypes, but I need some feedback on this. Surely there are guys (around 16) who have these same qualities, right?

Italics are in ALL CAPS. Don't worry about the carrots around the websites --Yahoo added extra ones for some reason. And I can't indent on this site, so don't worry about that either. I just really need someone to check the rest of it. My teacher takes off points for the slightest mistakes, and I don't really understand MLA to begin with.

"American Visionaries." TUSKEGEE AIRMEN. National Park Service. n.d, 10 April 2000. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. <http://www.nps.gov>./

Barker, Cyril Josh. "Tuskegee Airmen Discuss 'Red Tails' in Midtown." NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS. Ebsco, 19 Jan. 2012: 9+. ACADEMIC SEARCH COMPLETE. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. <0-web.ebscohost.com.scottsdaleaz.gov>.

Harris, Jaimie C. "Knicks Honor Tuskegee Airmen." NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS. Ebsco, 02 Mar. 2006: 46. ACADEMIC SEARCH COMPLETE. Web. 20 Feb. 2013, <0web.ebscohost.com.libcat.scottsdale.gov>.

Tucker, Spencer, and Priscilla Roberts Mary. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WWII: A POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND MILITARY DISCOVERY. Denver, CO: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print.

"Tuskegee Airmen Facts." TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY. Tuskegee University, 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2013. <http://www.tuskegee.edu>./

I would greatly appreciate some help. Thanks.

Which is correct?:

The group of students was praised for their hard work.

OR

The group of students were praised for their hard work.

I think "were" sounds better, but if "the group" is the subject, wouldn't that make it singular? I'm just not sure. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

I've been analyzing movies for plot. Today, for some reason, I suddenly thought of the movie Monsters Inc. I haven't seen it in quite a while, but I remember a good deal of it. What I can't remember is what made it so GOOD. I'm trying to remember how Sulley's character was introduced, how empathy was established, etc, but I can't remember!

I can't get hold of the movie right now, but these are basically my main questions:

1. How did Sulley's character make us, the audience, empathize with/care about him?

2. How did Sulley's character change? (Other than the obvious: He knows kids aren't toxic now and cares about Boo. I want to know how he changed on a psychological standpoint. What part of him changed for the better?)

3. Did Sulley have any insecurities in the beginning of the film? (This might tie in with the first question.)

Thank you

My character lives 1,000 or so years in the future, but the setting is modeled after the 1920's in America.

Here's pretty much what the car looks like: (It's the third picture down.)

http://www.crossley-motors.org.uk/history/1920.htm...

This car would be a typical 3013 model. The problem is, I don't think I can call it "vintage" if it's current. And I can't tell my readers it's a car from the 1920's because in 3013, it's believed that cars have only been around for about ten years and are fairly new technology.

I don't know how I can get the message across to my reader that the car looks like a vintage car from the 1920's without really saying it.

Please help. Thank you.

Louisa wants to fill a large balloon with the carbon dioxide that is produced by this reaction. What mass of hydrochloric acid will she have to use in order to produce a mass of 100.g of carbon dioxide gas?

I'm trying to figure out the balanced equation, but am a bit confused with the wording. Could anyone help me?

I've been working on the plot of my novel for 8 months, almost 9. Every day I've put in over 2 hours of my time to work on it, either brainstorming or writing or both. I've written over 500 pages, but it's all scrap work and deleted scenes, because every time I get like 50 pages into the story, I decide to change something and end up starting over.

This isn't usual for me. I've written 3 books, so I know I'm capable of writing this one. But now every time I sit down to start it, in the back of my mind I'm thinking that whatever I write will just be scrapped because I'm going to keep changing the plot.

It's beginning to frustrate me. My worst fear is that I'm going to keep restarting, and restarting, and restarting, until I eventually give up on it, which is a shame because I really think I have something good here.

How can I get out of this vicious circle?

I need clarification/translation. The wording confuses me:

"A beauty in my eyes; and a beauty just after the desire of my own heart, delicate and aerial."

(It's from Jane Eyre. Mr. Rochester says it to Jane.)

The phrase "and a beauty just after the desire of my own heart" confuses me. Does Mr. Rochester mean that Jane is "going" after his heart's desire, or does he mean that his heart's desire comes before her beauty, ie: her physical beauty is less important than the desire of his heart?

I just found the wording awkward. I'm probably looking at it too closely, but I really need some help. Please.

(No one needs to tell me this question is in the wrong section. It's fine. Just go with it.)

How much is too much? Will going too much into detail kill the empathy of the protagonist? I'd love some tips/help with this.

This is my protagonist's back story. Please critique it:

My protagonist, Sal, had an ordeal when he was 18, but it still effects him in the present. Basically, he was fighting in a war but fell in love with a girl who was from the opposing side. Wanting to commit to her, he buys a ship and tells her they can sail away together and escape the war. But meanwhile, Sal's father, who is a high ranking official in the war effort (and expects Sal to "follow in his footsteps"), finds out about the girl. So the night Sal was supposed to leave, his dad handcuffs him to a desk (or something) and informs Sal that he has ordered an attack on the harbor (where the ship is and where the girl would be waiting for Sal). Sal was never told of the attack because the dad thought he couldn't be trusted. So the dad then leaves him handcuffed to this desk, unable to go and warn the girl/ save her.

Is it good? Is it bad? I'd love to learn something today, so be honest and tell me how I could improve this.

I got a bit bored. Here are some questions:

1. What's your protagonist's name?

2. What/who is the main force that is working against your protagonist?

3. Does your protagonist have a foil character? If so, how do they differ?

4. What's your protagonist's favorite color?

5. Who is your favorite character that you have written about and why?

6. What genre do you generally write?

7. What is the biggest hurdle your protagonist must overcome?

8. What is your protagonist's motivation(s)?

9. How old is this your protagonist?

10. Is there a love interest? What's his/she most redeeming character trait? Most annoying trait?

11. When does your story take place?

12. Do you have a comic-relief character? What's their funnies moment?

13. How many characters do you have in your current/most recent work?

14. What does your main character dislike (if anything) about him/herself?

15. Do you write about female or male protagonists mostly?

16. Will your protagonist reach his/her ultimate goal? What is it?

17. Do your characters have any weird ticks?

18. What's your protagonist's "turning point"?

BQ: What's your favorite book?

BQ2: Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? If so, how many words have you written? :D

Firstly, I'm a sophomore, and the guy I like it a freshman. (He looks like a junior, though. Even older.) Anyway, I've known him for years but have only recently started liking him. Now we carpool to school every morning and I want to ask him out.

Problem: If it doesn't work out, we'll still be carpooling every morning. My parents are also really good friends with his parents, so he and I see each other at like on EVERY holiday party. I'm scared of that if I ask him out and there's no spark, every time we see each other would be super awkward. Another factor: He lives in my neighborhood. More opportunity for awkwardness.

I legitimately don't know whether to ask him out or not. Both options have the potential to be equally disappointing.

BQ: I'm in the Pre-Diploma IB program. (All honors classes, but harder.) I have zero free time. If I get a boyfriend, how often should I see him? Is seeing him just at school enough? What if I don't have enough time to hang out with him outside of school?

Sorry if this question is long. Thank you so much to those who answered!

I've written the exposition for the story I'm currently working on. (The first 25%.) But I feel like the scenes come off as disconnected, out of order... something just isn't right.

I'm ready to write the rest of it, though, because the remainder of the plot is a more strict series of events. The exposition, however, gives me a little more freedom to introduce characters and certain concepts the reader needs to know.... and that's what's killing me. It just isn't "flowing" like I want it to.

Help?

I'm currently in month 2 and have just finished plotting 50% of my story. (I never thought it'd take this long.)

What about you guys? What was your longest plotting process?

I've already searched it on Google, but I can't seem to find anything solid on this subject. Thanks to anyone who can give me an answer on this.

Both are pretty similar, but I can't decide which one to write. There are more characters and side plots that aren't mentioned.

1. There are two nations. One that's dominated the land, (we'll call it nation x) and another that is underground, (nation y.) Nation y has multiple headquarters separated underground, so they send messengers between them to communicate. Thing is, the messengers have to travel above ground and hopefully not get killed by nation x police.

The protagonist (male) would be one of these nation y messengers and end up running into a girl that lives in nation x. So he ends up meeting her in secret during his message deliveries, they fall in love, etc.

2. This second idea has nation y and x, but this time the protagonist is the leader of nation y (the nation that's underground.) Meanwhile nation x has been attacking, and the protagonist's only hope for his nation's survival is an alliance, which is just wishful and foolish thinking. The protagonist later finds out that the princess of nation x needs to marry. The princess's parents organized a competition for her hand in marriage, so the protagonist devises a plan to send in one of his men to try and marry the princess. Seeing as no one seems fit for the job, the protagonist enters the competition himself. Throughout the competition, he ends up having feelings for the princess, and the rest is unimportant. (Obviously, he would keep his real identity from the princess. Otherwise he would be killed on the spot.)

I'm open to combining the two... somehow.

I know how the gay (male/male) gene happens, but what about lesbians?

I've been trying to lose weight, and I weighed myself four days ago (the day right before I started a new diet) and I was 133 pounds. This is the third day I've been dieting, and I'm now 130.

The thing is, the first time I weighed myself I was on a different scale. So is 3 pounds in 3 days too good to be true? I don't have access to the original scale right now, and I really want to know.

Thanks!

In the beginning, the main character is a bit of a nerd/no body, yet he wants to be a hero. He's logical about most things, and is only impulsive when he's in dire situations. He falls into "rational" category of character traits, along with a touch of "guardian."

Which name do you think fits the description best? Or could it go either way?

-Sal

-Sam