Should I use acronyms in dialogues before telling the readers what it stands for in fiction?Is it correct to use acronyms in a bio or should I omit it?Can you use third person limited in a story that begins before the MC is born?Are words like 'cunt' too provocative for use in the current fiction market?To make my art or to work for the readers? (For a profits-intended work)Can I use freewriting for fiction writing?Should the narrator use pseudonyms in writing?How much “showing, not telling” is the best for character development?How often should I remind my readers of the setting?Is telling one of three convergent plot-line before moving to the next an acceptable alternative to interleaving them?What should appear in the List of Acronyms?

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Should I use acronyms in dialogues before telling the readers what it stands for in fiction?


Is it correct to use acronyms in a bio or should I omit it?Can you use third person limited in a story that begins before the MC is born?Are words like 'cunt' too provocative for use in the current fiction market?To make my art or to work for the readers? (For a profits-intended work)Can I use freewriting for fiction writing?Should the narrator use pseudonyms in writing?How much “showing, not telling” is the best for character development?How often should I remind my readers of the setting?Is telling one of three convergent plot-line before moving to the next an acceptable alternative to interleaving them?What should appear in the List of Acronyms?













17















There are occasions where you basically just start a chapter with a short descriptive passage and go straight to dialogues, so in those situations I am not sure how to deal with acronyms in dialogues.




As Mike settled down for work, he noticed a strange note on the corner
of his desk. Curious, he grabbed the note and looked at it to see if
there was anything inscribed on it, but without warning Kate opened
the door, which startled him and compelled him to put the note inside
his jacket.



"Mike, we have an emergency!" she said.



"What is it?" he asked.



"The NDPI requested a meeting."




NDPI stands for National Directorate of Police Intelligence, but it wasn't mentioned yet, do I have to sort of add a chapter or dialogue prior to that where the full name is used? What if I don't want to do that? What are my options? I would like to choose the most popular one.










share|improve this question



















  • 5





    In Harry Potter, we first find out about You-Know-Who. Then, we find out that You-Know-Who is really Lord Vordemort. Then, we find out that Lord Vordemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle are really the same person. As the books continue, we know more and more about Lord Vordemort, and more and more about Harry Potter. So no, you don't have to explicitly state the acronym.

    – Double U
    2 days ago






  • 2





    I am wondering if it's the same for acronyms though.

    – repomonster
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @DoubleU I don't think that's comparable. In Harry Potter, we're following a protagonist who's as clueless about the wizarding world as the reader, so we get to find out with Harry, whereas in OP's example presumably the protagonist doesn't need anyone to explain the acronym to him.

    – Llewellyn
    2 days ago












  • Would the characters both know what the acronym is, and if not, would they use it? FBI sometimes is referred to as 'the Feds' because that is the defining characteristic distinguishing them from local enforcment agencies.

    – bukwyrm
    yesterday











  • @DoubleU You should not write answers in the comment section, for numerous reasons (can't downvote, edit, accept, etc).

    – pipe
    yesterday















17















There are occasions where you basically just start a chapter with a short descriptive passage and go straight to dialogues, so in those situations I am not sure how to deal with acronyms in dialogues.




As Mike settled down for work, he noticed a strange note on the corner
of his desk. Curious, he grabbed the note and looked at it to see if
there was anything inscribed on it, but without warning Kate opened
the door, which startled him and compelled him to put the note inside
his jacket.



"Mike, we have an emergency!" she said.



"What is it?" he asked.



"The NDPI requested a meeting."




NDPI stands for National Directorate of Police Intelligence, but it wasn't mentioned yet, do I have to sort of add a chapter or dialogue prior to that where the full name is used? What if I don't want to do that? What are my options? I would like to choose the most popular one.










share|improve this question



















  • 5





    In Harry Potter, we first find out about You-Know-Who. Then, we find out that You-Know-Who is really Lord Vordemort. Then, we find out that Lord Vordemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle are really the same person. As the books continue, we know more and more about Lord Vordemort, and more and more about Harry Potter. So no, you don't have to explicitly state the acronym.

    – Double U
    2 days ago






  • 2





    I am wondering if it's the same for acronyms though.

    – repomonster
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @DoubleU I don't think that's comparable. In Harry Potter, we're following a protagonist who's as clueless about the wizarding world as the reader, so we get to find out with Harry, whereas in OP's example presumably the protagonist doesn't need anyone to explain the acronym to him.

    – Llewellyn
    2 days ago












  • Would the characters both know what the acronym is, and if not, would they use it? FBI sometimes is referred to as 'the Feds' because that is the defining characteristic distinguishing them from local enforcment agencies.

    – bukwyrm
    yesterday











  • @DoubleU You should not write answers in the comment section, for numerous reasons (can't downvote, edit, accept, etc).

    – pipe
    yesterday













17












17








17


1






There are occasions where you basically just start a chapter with a short descriptive passage and go straight to dialogues, so in those situations I am not sure how to deal with acronyms in dialogues.




As Mike settled down for work, he noticed a strange note on the corner
of his desk. Curious, he grabbed the note and looked at it to see if
there was anything inscribed on it, but without warning Kate opened
the door, which startled him and compelled him to put the note inside
his jacket.



"Mike, we have an emergency!" she said.



"What is it?" he asked.



"The NDPI requested a meeting."




NDPI stands for National Directorate of Police Intelligence, but it wasn't mentioned yet, do I have to sort of add a chapter or dialogue prior to that where the full name is used? What if I don't want to do that? What are my options? I would like to choose the most popular one.










share|improve this question
















There are occasions where you basically just start a chapter with a short descriptive passage and go straight to dialogues, so in those situations I am not sure how to deal with acronyms in dialogues.




As Mike settled down for work, he noticed a strange note on the corner
of his desk. Curious, he grabbed the note and looked at it to see if
there was anything inscribed on it, but without warning Kate opened
the door, which startled him and compelled him to put the note inside
his jacket.



"Mike, we have an emergency!" she said.



"What is it?" he asked.



"The NDPI requested a meeting."




NDPI stands for National Directorate of Police Intelligence, but it wasn't mentioned yet, do I have to sort of add a chapter or dialogue prior to that where the full name is used? What if I don't want to do that? What are my options? I would like to choose the most popular one.







creative-writing acronyms






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 days ago









Rasdashan

7,8661152




7,8661152










asked Mar 16 at 23:48









repomonsterrepomonster

1




1







  • 5





    In Harry Potter, we first find out about You-Know-Who. Then, we find out that You-Know-Who is really Lord Vordemort. Then, we find out that Lord Vordemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle are really the same person. As the books continue, we know more and more about Lord Vordemort, and more and more about Harry Potter. So no, you don't have to explicitly state the acronym.

    – Double U
    2 days ago






  • 2





    I am wondering if it's the same for acronyms though.

    – repomonster
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @DoubleU I don't think that's comparable. In Harry Potter, we're following a protagonist who's as clueless about the wizarding world as the reader, so we get to find out with Harry, whereas in OP's example presumably the protagonist doesn't need anyone to explain the acronym to him.

    – Llewellyn
    2 days ago












  • Would the characters both know what the acronym is, and if not, would they use it? FBI sometimes is referred to as 'the Feds' because that is the defining characteristic distinguishing them from local enforcment agencies.

    – bukwyrm
    yesterday











  • @DoubleU You should not write answers in the comment section, for numerous reasons (can't downvote, edit, accept, etc).

    – pipe
    yesterday












  • 5





    In Harry Potter, we first find out about You-Know-Who. Then, we find out that You-Know-Who is really Lord Vordemort. Then, we find out that Lord Vordemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle are really the same person. As the books continue, we know more and more about Lord Vordemort, and more and more about Harry Potter. So no, you don't have to explicitly state the acronym.

    – Double U
    2 days ago






  • 2





    I am wondering if it's the same for acronyms though.

    – repomonster
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @DoubleU I don't think that's comparable. In Harry Potter, we're following a protagonist who's as clueless about the wizarding world as the reader, so we get to find out with Harry, whereas in OP's example presumably the protagonist doesn't need anyone to explain the acronym to him.

    – Llewellyn
    2 days ago












  • Would the characters both know what the acronym is, and if not, would they use it? FBI sometimes is referred to as 'the Feds' because that is the defining characteristic distinguishing them from local enforcment agencies.

    – bukwyrm
    yesterday











  • @DoubleU You should not write answers in the comment section, for numerous reasons (can't downvote, edit, accept, etc).

    – pipe
    yesterday







5




5





In Harry Potter, we first find out about You-Know-Who. Then, we find out that You-Know-Who is really Lord Vordemort. Then, we find out that Lord Vordemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle are really the same person. As the books continue, we know more and more about Lord Vordemort, and more and more about Harry Potter. So no, you don't have to explicitly state the acronym.

– Double U
2 days ago





In Harry Potter, we first find out about You-Know-Who. Then, we find out that You-Know-Who is really Lord Vordemort. Then, we find out that Lord Vordemort and Tom Marvolo Riddle are really the same person. As the books continue, we know more and more about Lord Vordemort, and more and more about Harry Potter. So no, you don't have to explicitly state the acronym.

– Double U
2 days ago




2




2





I am wondering if it's the same for acronyms though.

– repomonster
2 days ago





I am wondering if it's the same for acronyms though.

– repomonster
2 days ago




3




3





@DoubleU I don't think that's comparable. In Harry Potter, we're following a protagonist who's as clueless about the wizarding world as the reader, so we get to find out with Harry, whereas in OP's example presumably the protagonist doesn't need anyone to explain the acronym to him.

– Llewellyn
2 days ago






@DoubleU I don't think that's comparable. In Harry Potter, we're following a protagonist who's as clueless about the wizarding world as the reader, so we get to find out with Harry, whereas in OP's example presumably the protagonist doesn't need anyone to explain the acronym to him.

– Llewellyn
2 days ago














Would the characters both know what the acronym is, and if not, would they use it? FBI sometimes is referred to as 'the Feds' because that is the defining characteristic distinguishing them from local enforcment agencies.

– bukwyrm
yesterday





Would the characters both know what the acronym is, and if not, would they use it? FBI sometimes is referred to as 'the Feds' because that is the defining characteristic distinguishing them from local enforcment agencies.

– bukwyrm
yesterday













@DoubleU You should not write answers in the comment section, for numerous reasons (can't downvote, edit, accept, etc).

– pipe
yesterday





@DoubleU You should not write answers in the comment section, for numerous reasons (can't downvote, edit, accept, etc).

– pipe
yesterday










7 Answers
7






active

oldest

votes


















37














If you don't provide a hint, then readers will know only that somebody requested a meeting and that's considered an emergency. If you want to convey something about the nature of the organization (or emergency) you need to provide more of a hint, but that doesn't necessarily mean expanding the acronym. One way to do this is to have someone react to the reference.



For example:




"The NDPI requested a meeting."



"What? How did our police report become a national matter?"




Or:




Mike groaned. Dealing with the police was frustrating at any level, but when the national body got involved, long tedious meetings and forms filed in triplicate were just the beginning.







share|improve this answer






























    18














    I typically would not expand a single acronym, and would not use too many. I would give hints, but perhaps I wouldn't do even that.



    Consider the TV series "NCIS", you can go half a season without knowing what NCIS stands for. Something to do with the Navy, and Investigating. They have badges. The people they investigate groan and say "NCIS", or seem happy to see them, or ask "What's the Navy's interest here?". But the authors do not go out of their way to inform the audience what the acronym stands for. (Technically when you pronounce each letter, it is called "initialism". Acronyms are when the initials are pronounced as words; like "laser" or "NASA".)



    Nor does it make any difference! You may be very proud of your acronym, but in the real world, nobody cares. We have the FBI, NSA, NSF, CIA. We have PHDs, MDs, RNs, some people do not know what those initials stand for either. Same for IBM, GM, the NYSE, the EU, LED. We have all kinds of "xxPD", like NYPD, LAPD, we get it without it ever being spelled out.



    These initials just become the name, a label for an organization or a title, and IRL we stop thinking so much about what they stand for and just treat them like a name. So it can feel unnatural for characters to be reciting to themselves, or each other, the meanings of acronyms. Their reactions and thoughts can give oblique hints; If we hear the FBI wants to talk to us, our thought might be What do they want? I don't know anything about any crimes. Maybe about somebody I knew in school?



    Remember, show, don't tell. Have your law-abiding characters treat the NDPI like cops (they sound like the FBI), with caution and deference and a little bit of fear. Have your openly law-breaking characters treat the NDPI with suspicion, resistance, and a dollop of anger, hatred and resentment. Have your secretly law-breaking character feel the latter and fake the former.



    Have the NDPI act like cops, ask questions like cops, say stuff like cops. A good place to expand acronyms is in formal introductions.




    As they entered the meeting room, a man in a crisp business suit sat at the conference table, reading a folder. He looked up, closing the folder and laying it on the table, standing up to greet them.



    "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the empty seats near him. "I am agent Malloy. Before we begin, In this particular circumstance I am required to inform you that I am an agent of the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, and lying to an NDPI agent about any matter related to a case is a national crime that may carry a prison sentence of up to five years."



    Agent Malloy grinned. "That is never a pleasant way to start a conversation, but it has to be on the tape. I can't lie to the NDPI either."



    So we are being recorded, Mike thought. And he can't lie to the NDPI, but he can lie to us. He worried about Kate, she was just reckless enough to get herself into serious trouble here, and he didn't even know what the NDPI wanted.




    Something like that; from your POV character.






    share|improve this answer

























    • While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

      – gidds
      yesterday






    • 1





      @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

      – Amadeus
      yesterday











    • I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

      – Sora Tamashii
      9 hours ago












    • @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

      – Amadeus
      9 hours ago


















    10














    If the character would naturally use the acronym in dialog, you should write it that way. however, you should try to find a way to explain it, or at least give a hint, as soon as you can without harming the flow of the story. The suggestions in the answer by Monica Cellio seem like good ones. If appropriate, one might also quote a document which expands the acronym, and may official documents do. If the reader understands the general concept conveyed by the acronym, it is ok if the exact expansion or referent of the term is not explained.



    In technical writing, as opposed to fiction, acronyms should usually be expanded on first use unless all readers of the document can be expected to know the term well. (Writing for web developers one might not expand "HTML". Writing for economists, one might not expand "GDP".)



    Clarity is always good.






    share|improve this answer






























      3














      I feel it's important to convey the POV that the story is trying to convey. If the narrator is a limited third person POV, the information conveyed should match that perspective. If the story is told from an omniscient perspective, the acronym should be expanded within a paragraph or so of first being used.



      I've read stories that did this pretty successfully with a few POV characters. For example, the acronym was first introduced to a character who was totally unfamiliar with it. In the next chapter, our POV switched to somebody knew that the acronym was at least that of a federal body. A few chapters later, we had a new POV character, who didn't think the acronym at all, because they knew what it was. As such, their opening paragraph spelled out that the big deal the book was having was the [full name of the organization] idiots had their Ts dotted and Is crossed again.



      TL;DR: Stick with the POV you've chosen for the story. Go with what is consistent with that POV.






      share|improve this answer






























        3














        Ben Aaronovitch in his Rivers of London series often introduces an acronym without explaining it. Generally, the protagonist will introduce the acronym in his role as the narrator. Then he'll use that acronym with another character who won't understand it. Only then does he explain to that character, and therefore also to the audience, what the acronym means.



        The stories are mostly set in London which has a history of unique and confusing speech patterns (think Cockney Rhyming Slang). Using language that others don't understand is a type of power and indicates which groups the characters do and don't belong to. Group A understands this set of language, group B understands that set of language, etc.



        As the reader, when this happens you feel temporarily out of the loop, which I believe allows you to empathise with more than just the protagonist. He does also go on a lot of relevant short tangents, e.g. recounting part a of prior conversation to the audience during a current conversation. It's a very colloquial, informal, contemporary style which works for this series of books, but would be entirely unsuitable for other stories.



        Don't leave the reader hanging too long. A short time between introducing a word/acronym/concept and explaining it is acceptable and engages the audience if not overdone. If done well, you certainly don't need to explain it straightaway.






        share|improve this answer








        New contributor




        CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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          2














          It doesn't need to be prior but it should be in the same scene or context. In fact, this goes the other way around as well. You should not explain an acronym without using it in the same scene or context.



          The reason is simply that unless the explanation and use are in the same scene or context, human memory cannot be trusted to connect the two.



          Same scene is probably self explanatory. If the explanation and use are close enough for short term memory to handle and there is nothing in the scene to confuse the reader from making the connection, it will work.



          Same context is probably what you want. Basically you make NDPI memorable, give people things to remember it by. Usually this would be by giving characters some sort of an emotional reaction readers can remember. Or by connecting NDPI to the plot. Anyway you want but the point is that readers think that being approached by NDPI is important, it matters, it makes a difference, it is memorable.



          Downside is that you will need to deliver on that promise. If you make it look like NDPI has personal impact on characters, you'll need to show it. If you imply it matters to the plot, you'll need to develop that as part of the plot or sub-plot.



          And whenever you do that that will be in the same context and you can deliver explanation of what the acronym means and readers will connect it properly.






          share|improve this answer






























            2














            What reading experience do you want to provide to your readers?



            Are you writing from a viewpoint character familiar with a world that is foreign to your readers, and your readers have to slowly figure out that world in the course of the novel? Then do not explain NDPI and let your readers understand it from the following events.



            Or are you explaining the world to your readers as you introduce it so they always have the relevant knowledge? Then explain the NDPI either in the narration:




            "The NDPI requested a meeting." The National Directorate of Police Intelligence are in charge of [whatever].




            Or in the thoughts or words of one of the characters:




            I had to tell the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, I thought. "I'll call the NDPI," I told Mike.







            share|improve this answer




















            • 3





              While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

              – Llewellyn
              2 days ago











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            7 Answers
            7






            active

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            7 Answers
            7






            active

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            active

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            active

            oldest

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            37














            If you don't provide a hint, then readers will know only that somebody requested a meeting and that's considered an emergency. If you want to convey something about the nature of the organization (or emergency) you need to provide more of a hint, but that doesn't necessarily mean expanding the acronym. One way to do this is to have someone react to the reference.



            For example:




            "The NDPI requested a meeting."



            "What? How did our police report become a national matter?"




            Or:




            Mike groaned. Dealing with the police was frustrating at any level, but when the national body got involved, long tedious meetings and forms filed in triplicate were just the beginning.







            share|improve this answer



























              37














              If you don't provide a hint, then readers will know only that somebody requested a meeting and that's considered an emergency. If you want to convey something about the nature of the organization (or emergency) you need to provide more of a hint, but that doesn't necessarily mean expanding the acronym. One way to do this is to have someone react to the reference.



              For example:




              "The NDPI requested a meeting."



              "What? How did our police report become a national matter?"




              Or:




              Mike groaned. Dealing with the police was frustrating at any level, but when the national body got involved, long tedious meetings and forms filed in triplicate were just the beginning.







              share|improve this answer

























                37












                37








                37







                If you don't provide a hint, then readers will know only that somebody requested a meeting and that's considered an emergency. If you want to convey something about the nature of the organization (or emergency) you need to provide more of a hint, but that doesn't necessarily mean expanding the acronym. One way to do this is to have someone react to the reference.



                For example:




                "The NDPI requested a meeting."



                "What? How did our police report become a national matter?"




                Or:




                Mike groaned. Dealing with the police was frustrating at any level, but when the national body got involved, long tedious meetings and forms filed in triplicate were just the beginning.







                share|improve this answer













                If you don't provide a hint, then readers will know only that somebody requested a meeting and that's considered an emergency. If you want to convey something about the nature of the organization (or emergency) you need to provide more of a hint, but that doesn't necessarily mean expanding the acronym. One way to do this is to have someone react to the reference.



                For example:




                "The NDPI requested a meeting."



                "What? How did our police report become a national matter?"




                Or:




                Mike groaned. Dealing with the police was frustrating at any level, but when the national body got involved, long tedious meetings and forms filed in triplicate were just the beginning.








                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 2 days ago









                Monica CellioMonica Cellio

                16.5k23687




                16.5k23687





















                    18














                    I typically would not expand a single acronym, and would not use too many. I would give hints, but perhaps I wouldn't do even that.



                    Consider the TV series "NCIS", you can go half a season without knowing what NCIS stands for. Something to do with the Navy, and Investigating. They have badges. The people they investigate groan and say "NCIS", or seem happy to see them, or ask "What's the Navy's interest here?". But the authors do not go out of their way to inform the audience what the acronym stands for. (Technically when you pronounce each letter, it is called "initialism". Acronyms are when the initials are pronounced as words; like "laser" or "NASA".)



                    Nor does it make any difference! You may be very proud of your acronym, but in the real world, nobody cares. We have the FBI, NSA, NSF, CIA. We have PHDs, MDs, RNs, some people do not know what those initials stand for either. Same for IBM, GM, the NYSE, the EU, LED. We have all kinds of "xxPD", like NYPD, LAPD, we get it without it ever being spelled out.



                    These initials just become the name, a label for an organization or a title, and IRL we stop thinking so much about what they stand for and just treat them like a name. So it can feel unnatural for characters to be reciting to themselves, or each other, the meanings of acronyms. Their reactions and thoughts can give oblique hints; If we hear the FBI wants to talk to us, our thought might be What do they want? I don't know anything about any crimes. Maybe about somebody I knew in school?



                    Remember, show, don't tell. Have your law-abiding characters treat the NDPI like cops (they sound like the FBI), with caution and deference and a little bit of fear. Have your openly law-breaking characters treat the NDPI with suspicion, resistance, and a dollop of anger, hatred and resentment. Have your secretly law-breaking character feel the latter and fake the former.



                    Have the NDPI act like cops, ask questions like cops, say stuff like cops. A good place to expand acronyms is in formal introductions.




                    As they entered the meeting room, a man in a crisp business suit sat at the conference table, reading a folder. He looked up, closing the folder and laying it on the table, standing up to greet them.



                    "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the empty seats near him. "I am agent Malloy. Before we begin, In this particular circumstance I am required to inform you that I am an agent of the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, and lying to an NDPI agent about any matter related to a case is a national crime that may carry a prison sentence of up to five years."



                    Agent Malloy grinned. "That is never a pleasant way to start a conversation, but it has to be on the tape. I can't lie to the NDPI either."



                    So we are being recorded, Mike thought. And he can't lie to the NDPI, but he can lie to us. He worried about Kate, she was just reckless enough to get herself into serious trouble here, and he didn't even know what the NDPI wanted.




                    Something like that; from your POV character.






                    share|improve this answer

























                    • While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

                      – gidds
                      yesterday






                    • 1





                      @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

                      – Amadeus
                      yesterday











                    • I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

                      – Sora Tamashii
                      9 hours ago












                    • @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

                      – Amadeus
                      9 hours ago















                    18














                    I typically would not expand a single acronym, and would not use too many. I would give hints, but perhaps I wouldn't do even that.



                    Consider the TV series "NCIS", you can go half a season without knowing what NCIS stands for. Something to do with the Navy, and Investigating. They have badges. The people they investigate groan and say "NCIS", or seem happy to see them, or ask "What's the Navy's interest here?". But the authors do not go out of their way to inform the audience what the acronym stands for. (Technically when you pronounce each letter, it is called "initialism". Acronyms are when the initials are pronounced as words; like "laser" or "NASA".)



                    Nor does it make any difference! You may be very proud of your acronym, but in the real world, nobody cares. We have the FBI, NSA, NSF, CIA. We have PHDs, MDs, RNs, some people do not know what those initials stand for either. Same for IBM, GM, the NYSE, the EU, LED. We have all kinds of "xxPD", like NYPD, LAPD, we get it without it ever being spelled out.



                    These initials just become the name, a label for an organization or a title, and IRL we stop thinking so much about what they stand for and just treat them like a name. So it can feel unnatural for characters to be reciting to themselves, or each other, the meanings of acronyms. Their reactions and thoughts can give oblique hints; If we hear the FBI wants to talk to us, our thought might be What do they want? I don't know anything about any crimes. Maybe about somebody I knew in school?



                    Remember, show, don't tell. Have your law-abiding characters treat the NDPI like cops (they sound like the FBI), with caution and deference and a little bit of fear. Have your openly law-breaking characters treat the NDPI with suspicion, resistance, and a dollop of anger, hatred and resentment. Have your secretly law-breaking character feel the latter and fake the former.



                    Have the NDPI act like cops, ask questions like cops, say stuff like cops. A good place to expand acronyms is in formal introductions.




                    As they entered the meeting room, a man in a crisp business suit sat at the conference table, reading a folder. He looked up, closing the folder and laying it on the table, standing up to greet them.



                    "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the empty seats near him. "I am agent Malloy. Before we begin, In this particular circumstance I am required to inform you that I am an agent of the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, and lying to an NDPI agent about any matter related to a case is a national crime that may carry a prison sentence of up to five years."



                    Agent Malloy grinned. "That is never a pleasant way to start a conversation, but it has to be on the tape. I can't lie to the NDPI either."



                    So we are being recorded, Mike thought. And he can't lie to the NDPI, but he can lie to us. He worried about Kate, she was just reckless enough to get herself into serious trouble here, and he didn't even know what the NDPI wanted.




                    Something like that; from your POV character.






                    share|improve this answer

























                    • While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

                      – gidds
                      yesterday






                    • 1





                      @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

                      – Amadeus
                      yesterday











                    • I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

                      – Sora Tamashii
                      9 hours ago












                    • @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

                      – Amadeus
                      9 hours ago













                    18












                    18








                    18







                    I typically would not expand a single acronym, and would not use too many. I would give hints, but perhaps I wouldn't do even that.



                    Consider the TV series "NCIS", you can go half a season without knowing what NCIS stands for. Something to do with the Navy, and Investigating. They have badges. The people they investigate groan and say "NCIS", or seem happy to see them, or ask "What's the Navy's interest here?". But the authors do not go out of their way to inform the audience what the acronym stands for. (Technically when you pronounce each letter, it is called "initialism". Acronyms are when the initials are pronounced as words; like "laser" or "NASA".)



                    Nor does it make any difference! You may be very proud of your acronym, but in the real world, nobody cares. We have the FBI, NSA, NSF, CIA. We have PHDs, MDs, RNs, some people do not know what those initials stand for either. Same for IBM, GM, the NYSE, the EU, LED. We have all kinds of "xxPD", like NYPD, LAPD, we get it without it ever being spelled out.



                    These initials just become the name, a label for an organization or a title, and IRL we stop thinking so much about what they stand for and just treat them like a name. So it can feel unnatural for characters to be reciting to themselves, or each other, the meanings of acronyms. Their reactions and thoughts can give oblique hints; If we hear the FBI wants to talk to us, our thought might be What do they want? I don't know anything about any crimes. Maybe about somebody I knew in school?



                    Remember, show, don't tell. Have your law-abiding characters treat the NDPI like cops (they sound like the FBI), with caution and deference and a little bit of fear. Have your openly law-breaking characters treat the NDPI with suspicion, resistance, and a dollop of anger, hatred and resentment. Have your secretly law-breaking character feel the latter and fake the former.



                    Have the NDPI act like cops, ask questions like cops, say stuff like cops. A good place to expand acronyms is in formal introductions.




                    As they entered the meeting room, a man in a crisp business suit sat at the conference table, reading a folder. He looked up, closing the folder and laying it on the table, standing up to greet them.



                    "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the empty seats near him. "I am agent Malloy. Before we begin, In this particular circumstance I am required to inform you that I am an agent of the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, and lying to an NDPI agent about any matter related to a case is a national crime that may carry a prison sentence of up to five years."



                    Agent Malloy grinned. "That is never a pleasant way to start a conversation, but it has to be on the tape. I can't lie to the NDPI either."



                    So we are being recorded, Mike thought. And he can't lie to the NDPI, but he can lie to us. He worried about Kate, she was just reckless enough to get herself into serious trouble here, and he didn't even know what the NDPI wanted.




                    Something like that; from your POV character.






                    share|improve this answer















                    I typically would not expand a single acronym, and would not use too many. I would give hints, but perhaps I wouldn't do even that.



                    Consider the TV series "NCIS", you can go half a season without knowing what NCIS stands for. Something to do with the Navy, and Investigating. They have badges. The people they investigate groan and say "NCIS", or seem happy to see them, or ask "What's the Navy's interest here?". But the authors do not go out of their way to inform the audience what the acronym stands for. (Technically when you pronounce each letter, it is called "initialism". Acronyms are when the initials are pronounced as words; like "laser" or "NASA".)



                    Nor does it make any difference! You may be very proud of your acronym, but in the real world, nobody cares. We have the FBI, NSA, NSF, CIA. We have PHDs, MDs, RNs, some people do not know what those initials stand for either. Same for IBM, GM, the NYSE, the EU, LED. We have all kinds of "xxPD", like NYPD, LAPD, we get it without it ever being spelled out.



                    These initials just become the name, a label for an organization or a title, and IRL we stop thinking so much about what they stand for and just treat them like a name. So it can feel unnatural for characters to be reciting to themselves, or each other, the meanings of acronyms. Their reactions and thoughts can give oblique hints; If we hear the FBI wants to talk to us, our thought might be What do they want? I don't know anything about any crimes. Maybe about somebody I knew in school?



                    Remember, show, don't tell. Have your law-abiding characters treat the NDPI like cops (they sound like the FBI), with caution and deference and a little bit of fear. Have your openly law-breaking characters treat the NDPI with suspicion, resistance, and a dollop of anger, hatred and resentment. Have your secretly law-breaking character feel the latter and fake the former.



                    Have the NDPI act like cops, ask questions like cops, say stuff like cops. A good place to expand acronyms is in formal introductions.




                    As they entered the meeting room, a man in a crisp business suit sat at the conference table, reading a folder. He looked up, closing the folder and laying it on the table, standing up to greet them.



                    "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the empty seats near him. "I am agent Malloy. Before we begin, In this particular circumstance I am required to inform you that I am an agent of the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, and lying to an NDPI agent about any matter related to a case is a national crime that may carry a prison sentence of up to five years."



                    Agent Malloy grinned. "That is never a pleasant way to start a conversation, but it has to be on the tape. I can't lie to the NDPI either."



                    So we are being recorded, Mike thought. And he can't lie to the NDPI, but he can lie to us. He worried about Kate, she was just reckless enough to get herself into serious trouble here, and he didn't even know what the NDPI wanted.




                    Something like that; from your POV character.







                    share|improve this answer














                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited 2 days ago

























                    answered 2 days ago









                    AmadeusAmadeus

                    55.2k470180




                    55.2k470180












                    • While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

                      – gidds
                      yesterday






                    • 1





                      @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

                      – Amadeus
                      yesterday











                    • I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

                      – Sora Tamashii
                      9 hours ago












                    • @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

                      – Amadeus
                      9 hours ago

















                    • While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

                      – gidds
                      yesterday






                    • 1





                      @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

                      – Amadeus
                      yesterday











                    • I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

                      – Sora Tamashii
                      9 hours ago












                    • @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

                      – Amadeus
                      9 hours ago
















                    While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

                    – gidds
                    yesterday





                    While there's certainly some truth in that view, giving an expansion can be helpful to readers. A reader might not recall every detail of a conversation a few chapters back; might have missed some subtle reference. An expansion provides an additional way to remember what the organisation is about. (Especially when more than one such acronym/initialism is used.)

                    – gidds
                    yesterday




                    1




                    1





                    @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

                    – Amadeus
                    yesterday





                    @gidds In the craft of writing, at the beginning of any story the author has a difficult job, of conveying a truckload of information about their characters, setting, the technology available, the time period, the norms and morals of the society. Agents/publishers request the opening pages of a novel for precisely this reason, to see how the writer deals with the most technically difficult part of a novel; and if they can make this entertaining, or get bogged down in dry prologues, in info-dumps and dialogue walls. The expansion can be done later. The reader has enough to absorb already.

                    – Amadeus
                    yesterday













                    I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

                    – Sora Tamashii
                    9 hours ago






                    I'd argue NCIS is a bad example since it is a real organization like the FBI. People would know what it is or be able to look up the acronym meaning if they somehow didn't know. (Such as not being from the USA or being a child/teen/young-adult, it'd be reasonable that they don't know what it means.)

                    – Sora Tamashii
                    9 hours ago














                    @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

                    – Amadeus
                    9 hours ago





                    @SoraTamashii I was born and raised in the USA, I served in the military, I attended twelve years of college and earned five degrees, and I am of retirement age; I never heard of NCIS until the show came on. The first episode I watched was on TV at my sister's house (she is a teacher) one Holiday (Thanksgiving), late in the first season. I asked her what NCIS stood for, she said "Navy detectives of some kind." We have thousands of acronyms for military & govt operations. On average, without the show, I wouldn't expect any American that did not serve in the Navy to know what NCIS means.

                    – Amadeus
                    9 hours ago











                    10














                    If the character would naturally use the acronym in dialog, you should write it that way. however, you should try to find a way to explain it, or at least give a hint, as soon as you can without harming the flow of the story. The suggestions in the answer by Monica Cellio seem like good ones. If appropriate, one might also quote a document which expands the acronym, and may official documents do. If the reader understands the general concept conveyed by the acronym, it is ok if the exact expansion or referent of the term is not explained.



                    In technical writing, as opposed to fiction, acronyms should usually be expanded on first use unless all readers of the document can be expected to know the term well. (Writing for web developers one might not expand "HTML". Writing for economists, one might not expand "GDP".)



                    Clarity is always good.






                    share|improve this answer



























                      10














                      If the character would naturally use the acronym in dialog, you should write it that way. however, you should try to find a way to explain it, or at least give a hint, as soon as you can without harming the flow of the story. The suggestions in the answer by Monica Cellio seem like good ones. If appropriate, one might also quote a document which expands the acronym, and may official documents do. If the reader understands the general concept conveyed by the acronym, it is ok if the exact expansion or referent of the term is not explained.



                      In technical writing, as opposed to fiction, acronyms should usually be expanded on first use unless all readers of the document can be expected to know the term well. (Writing for web developers one might not expand "HTML". Writing for economists, one might not expand "GDP".)



                      Clarity is always good.






                      share|improve this answer

























                        10












                        10








                        10







                        If the character would naturally use the acronym in dialog, you should write it that way. however, you should try to find a way to explain it, or at least give a hint, as soon as you can without harming the flow of the story. The suggestions in the answer by Monica Cellio seem like good ones. If appropriate, one might also quote a document which expands the acronym, and may official documents do. If the reader understands the general concept conveyed by the acronym, it is ok if the exact expansion or referent of the term is not explained.



                        In technical writing, as opposed to fiction, acronyms should usually be expanded on first use unless all readers of the document can be expected to know the term well. (Writing for web developers one might not expand "HTML". Writing for economists, one might not expand "GDP".)



                        Clarity is always good.






                        share|improve this answer













                        If the character would naturally use the acronym in dialog, you should write it that way. however, you should try to find a way to explain it, or at least give a hint, as soon as you can without harming the flow of the story. The suggestions in the answer by Monica Cellio seem like good ones. If appropriate, one might also quote a document which expands the acronym, and may official documents do. If the reader understands the general concept conveyed by the acronym, it is ok if the exact expansion or referent of the term is not explained.



                        In technical writing, as opposed to fiction, acronyms should usually be expanded on first use unless all readers of the document can be expected to know the term well. (Writing for web developers one might not expand "HTML". Writing for economists, one might not expand "GDP".)



                        Clarity is always good.







                        share|improve this answer












                        share|improve this answer



                        share|improve this answer










                        answered 2 days ago









                        David SiegelDavid Siegel

                        1,525119




                        1,525119





















                            3














                            I feel it's important to convey the POV that the story is trying to convey. If the narrator is a limited third person POV, the information conveyed should match that perspective. If the story is told from an omniscient perspective, the acronym should be expanded within a paragraph or so of first being used.



                            I've read stories that did this pretty successfully with a few POV characters. For example, the acronym was first introduced to a character who was totally unfamiliar with it. In the next chapter, our POV switched to somebody knew that the acronym was at least that of a federal body. A few chapters later, we had a new POV character, who didn't think the acronym at all, because they knew what it was. As such, their opening paragraph spelled out that the big deal the book was having was the [full name of the organization] idiots had their Ts dotted and Is crossed again.



                            TL;DR: Stick with the POV you've chosen for the story. Go with what is consistent with that POV.






                            share|improve this answer



























                              3














                              I feel it's important to convey the POV that the story is trying to convey. If the narrator is a limited third person POV, the information conveyed should match that perspective. If the story is told from an omniscient perspective, the acronym should be expanded within a paragraph or so of first being used.



                              I've read stories that did this pretty successfully with a few POV characters. For example, the acronym was first introduced to a character who was totally unfamiliar with it. In the next chapter, our POV switched to somebody knew that the acronym was at least that of a federal body. A few chapters later, we had a new POV character, who didn't think the acronym at all, because they knew what it was. As such, their opening paragraph spelled out that the big deal the book was having was the [full name of the organization] idiots had their Ts dotted and Is crossed again.



                              TL;DR: Stick with the POV you've chosen for the story. Go with what is consistent with that POV.






                              share|improve this answer

























                                3












                                3








                                3







                                I feel it's important to convey the POV that the story is trying to convey. If the narrator is a limited third person POV, the information conveyed should match that perspective. If the story is told from an omniscient perspective, the acronym should be expanded within a paragraph or so of first being used.



                                I've read stories that did this pretty successfully with a few POV characters. For example, the acronym was first introduced to a character who was totally unfamiliar with it. In the next chapter, our POV switched to somebody knew that the acronym was at least that of a federal body. A few chapters later, we had a new POV character, who didn't think the acronym at all, because they knew what it was. As such, their opening paragraph spelled out that the big deal the book was having was the [full name of the organization] idiots had their Ts dotted and Is crossed again.



                                TL;DR: Stick with the POV you've chosen for the story. Go with what is consistent with that POV.






                                share|improve this answer













                                I feel it's important to convey the POV that the story is trying to convey. If the narrator is a limited third person POV, the information conveyed should match that perspective. If the story is told from an omniscient perspective, the acronym should be expanded within a paragraph or so of first being used.



                                I've read stories that did this pretty successfully with a few POV characters. For example, the acronym was first introduced to a character who was totally unfamiliar with it. In the next chapter, our POV switched to somebody knew that the acronym was at least that of a federal body. A few chapters later, we had a new POV character, who didn't think the acronym at all, because they knew what it was. As such, their opening paragraph spelled out that the big deal the book was having was the [full name of the organization] idiots had their Ts dotted and Is crossed again.



                                TL;DR: Stick with the POV you've chosen for the story. Go with what is consistent with that POV.







                                share|improve this answer












                                share|improve this answer



                                share|improve this answer










                                answered 2 days ago









                                Ed GrimmEd Grimm

                                51418




                                51418





















                                    3














                                    Ben Aaronovitch in his Rivers of London series often introduces an acronym without explaining it. Generally, the protagonist will introduce the acronym in his role as the narrator. Then he'll use that acronym with another character who won't understand it. Only then does he explain to that character, and therefore also to the audience, what the acronym means.



                                    The stories are mostly set in London which has a history of unique and confusing speech patterns (think Cockney Rhyming Slang). Using language that others don't understand is a type of power and indicates which groups the characters do and don't belong to. Group A understands this set of language, group B understands that set of language, etc.



                                    As the reader, when this happens you feel temporarily out of the loop, which I believe allows you to empathise with more than just the protagonist. He does also go on a lot of relevant short tangents, e.g. recounting part a of prior conversation to the audience during a current conversation. It's a very colloquial, informal, contemporary style which works for this series of books, but would be entirely unsuitable for other stories.



                                    Don't leave the reader hanging too long. A short time between introducing a word/acronym/concept and explaining it is acceptable and engages the audience if not overdone. If done well, you certainly don't need to explain it straightaway.






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                                      3














                                      Ben Aaronovitch in his Rivers of London series often introduces an acronym without explaining it. Generally, the protagonist will introduce the acronym in his role as the narrator. Then he'll use that acronym with another character who won't understand it. Only then does he explain to that character, and therefore also to the audience, what the acronym means.



                                      The stories are mostly set in London which has a history of unique and confusing speech patterns (think Cockney Rhyming Slang). Using language that others don't understand is a type of power and indicates which groups the characters do and don't belong to. Group A understands this set of language, group B understands that set of language, etc.



                                      As the reader, when this happens you feel temporarily out of the loop, which I believe allows you to empathise with more than just the protagonist. He does also go on a lot of relevant short tangents, e.g. recounting part a of prior conversation to the audience during a current conversation. It's a very colloquial, informal, contemporary style which works for this series of books, but would be entirely unsuitable for other stories.



                                      Don't leave the reader hanging too long. A short time between introducing a word/acronym/concept and explaining it is acceptable and engages the audience if not overdone. If done well, you certainly don't need to explain it straightaway.






                                      share|improve this answer








                                      New contributor




                                      CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                      Check out our Code of Conduct.






















                                        3












                                        3








                                        3







                                        Ben Aaronovitch in his Rivers of London series often introduces an acronym without explaining it. Generally, the protagonist will introduce the acronym in his role as the narrator. Then he'll use that acronym with another character who won't understand it. Only then does he explain to that character, and therefore also to the audience, what the acronym means.



                                        The stories are mostly set in London which has a history of unique and confusing speech patterns (think Cockney Rhyming Slang). Using language that others don't understand is a type of power and indicates which groups the characters do and don't belong to. Group A understands this set of language, group B understands that set of language, etc.



                                        As the reader, when this happens you feel temporarily out of the loop, which I believe allows you to empathise with more than just the protagonist. He does also go on a lot of relevant short tangents, e.g. recounting part a of prior conversation to the audience during a current conversation. It's a very colloquial, informal, contemporary style which works for this series of books, but would be entirely unsuitable for other stories.



                                        Don't leave the reader hanging too long. A short time between introducing a word/acronym/concept and explaining it is acceptable and engages the audience if not overdone. If done well, you certainly don't need to explain it straightaway.






                                        share|improve this answer








                                        New contributor




                                        CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                        Check out our Code of Conduct.










                                        Ben Aaronovitch in his Rivers of London series often introduces an acronym without explaining it. Generally, the protagonist will introduce the acronym in his role as the narrator. Then he'll use that acronym with another character who won't understand it. Only then does he explain to that character, and therefore also to the audience, what the acronym means.



                                        The stories are mostly set in London which has a history of unique and confusing speech patterns (think Cockney Rhyming Slang). Using language that others don't understand is a type of power and indicates which groups the characters do and don't belong to. Group A understands this set of language, group B understands that set of language, etc.



                                        As the reader, when this happens you feel temporarily out of the loop, which I believe allows you to empathise with more than just the protagonist. He does also go on a lot of relevant short tangents, e.g. recounting part a of prior conversation to the audience during a current conversation. It's a very colloquial, informal, contemporary style which works for this series of books, but would be entirely unsuitable for other stories.



                                        Don't leave the reader hanging too long. A short time between introducing a word/acronym/concept and explaining it is acceptable and engages the audience if not overdone. If done well, you certainly don't need to explain it straightaway.







                                        share|improve this answer








                                        New contributor




                                        CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                        Check out our Code of Conduct.









                                        share|improve this answer



                                        share|improve this answer






                                        New contributor




                                        CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                        Check out our Code of Conduct.









                                        answered yesterday









                                        CJ DennisCJ Dennis

                                        1354




                                        1354




                                        New contributor




                                        CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                        Check out our Code of Conduct.





                                        New contributor





                                        CJ Dennis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                        Check out our Code of Conduct.






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                                        Check out our Code of Conduct.





















                                            2














                                            It doesn't need to be prior but it should be in the same scene or context. In fact, this goes the other way around as well. You should not explain an acronym without using it in the same scene or context.



                                            The reason is simply that unless the explanation and use are in the same scene or context, human memory cannot be trusted to connect the two.



                                            Same scene is probably self explanatory. If the explanation and use are close enough for short term memory to handle and there is nothing in the scene to confuse the reader from making the connection, it will work.



                                            Same context is probably what you want. Basically you make NDPI memorable, give people things to remember it by. Usually this would be by giving characters some sort of an emotional reaction readers can remember. Or by connecting NDPI to the plot. Anyway you want but the point is that readers think that being approached by NDPI is important, it matters, it makes a difference, it is memorable.



                                            Downside is that you will need to deliver on that promise. If you make it look like NDPI has personal impact on characters, you'll need to show it. If you imply it matters to the plot, you'll need to develop that as part of the plot or sub-plot.



                                            And whenever you do that that will be in the same context and you can deliver explanation of what the acronym means and readers will connect it properly.






                                            share|improve this answer



























                                              2














                                              It doesn't need to be prior but it should be in the same scene or context. In fact, this goes the other way around as well. You should not explain an acronym without using it in the same scene or context.



                                              The reason is simply that unless the explanation and use are in the same scene or context, human memory cannot be trusted to connect the two.



                                              Same scene is probably self explanatory. If the explanation and use are close enough for short term memory to handle and there is nothing in the scene to confuse the reader from making the connection, it will work.



                                              Same context is probably what you want. Basically you make NDPI memorable, give people things to remember it by. Usually this would be by giving characters some sort of an emotional reaction readers can remember. Or by connecting NDPI to the plot. Anyway you want but the point is that readers think that being approached by NDPI is important, it matters, it makes a difference, it is memorable.



                                              Downside is that you will need to deliver on that promise. If you make it look like NDPI has personal impact on characters, you'll need to show it. If you imply it matters to the plot, you'll need to develop that as part of the plot or sub-plot.



                                              And whenever you do that that will be in the same context and you can deliver explanation of what the acronym means and readers will connect it properly.






                                              share|improve this answer

























                                                2












                                                2








                                                2







                                                It doesn't need to be prior but it should be in the same scene or context. In fact, this goes the other way around as well. You should not explain an acronym without using it in the same scene or context.



                                                The reason is simply that unless the explanation and use are in the same scene or context, human memory cannot be trusted to connect the two.



                                                Same scene is probably self explanatory. If the explanation and use are close enough for short term memory to handle and there is nothing in the scene to confuse the reader from making the connection, it will work.



                                                Same context is probably what you want. Basically you make NDPI memorable, give people things to remember it by. Usually this would be by giving characters some sort of an emotional reaction readers can remember. Or by connecting NDPI to the plot. Anyway you want but the point is that readers think that being approached by NDPI is important, it matters, it makes a difference, it is memorable.



                                                Downside is that you will need to deliver on that promise. If you make it look like NDPI has personal impact on characters, you'll need to show it. If you imply it matters to the plot, you'll need to develop that as part of the plot or sub-plot.



                                                And whenever you do that that will be in the same context and you can deliver explanation of what the acronym means and readers will connect it properly.






                                                share|improve this answer













                                                It doesn't need to be prior but it should be in the same scene or context. In fact, this goes the other way around as well. You should not explain an acronym without using it in the same scene or context.



                                                The reason is simply that unless the explanation and use are in the same scene or context, human memory cannot be trusted to connect the two.



                                                Same scene is probably self explanatory. If the explanation and use are close enough for short term memory to handle and there is nothing in the scene to confuse the reader from making the connection, it will work.



                                                Same context is probably what you want. Basically you make NDPI memorable, give people things to remember it by. Usually this would be by giving characters some sort of an emotional reaction readers can remember. Or by connecting NDPI to the plot. Anyway you want but the point is that readers think that being approached by NDPI is important, it matters, it makes a difference, it is memorable.



                                                Downside is that you will need to deliver on that promise. If you make it look like NDPI has personal impact on characters, you'll need to show it. If you imply it matters to the plot, you'll need to develop that as part of the plot or sub-plot.



                                                And whenever you do that that will be in the same context and you can deliver explanation of what the acronym means and readers will connect it properly.







                                                share|improve this answer












                                                share|improve this answer



                                                share|improve this answer










                                                answered 2 days ago









                                                Ville NiemiVille Niemi

                                                1,34746




                                                1,34746





















                                                    2














                                                    What reading experience do you want to provide to your readers?



                                                    Are you writing from a viewpoint character familiar with a world that is foreign to your readers, and your readers have to slowly figure out that world in the course of the novel? Then do not explain NDPI and let your readers understand it from the following events.



                                                    Or are you explaining the world to your readers as you introduce it so they always have the relevant knowledge? Then explain the NDPI either in the narration:




                                                    "The NDPI requested a meeting." The National Directorate of Police Intelligence are in charge of [whatever].




                                                    Or in the thoughts or words of one of the characters:




                                                    I had to tell the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, I thought. "I'll call the NDPI," I told Mike.







                                                    share|improve this answer




















                                                    • 3





                                                      While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

                                                      – Llewellyn
                                                      2 days ago
















                                                    2














                                                    What reading experience do you want to provide to your readers?



                                                    Are you writing from a viewpoint character familiar with a world that is foreign to your readers, and your readers have to slowly figure out that world in the course of the novel? Then do not explain NDPI and let your readers understand it from the following events.



                                                    Or are you explaining the world to your readers as you introduce it so they always have the relevant knowledge? Then explain the NDPI either in the narration:




                                                    "The NDPI requested a meeting." The National Directorate of Police Intelligence are in charge of [whatever].




                                                    Or in the thoughts or words of one of the characters:




                                                    I had to tell the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, I thought. "I'll call the NDPI," I told Mike.







                                                    share|improve this answer




















                                                    • 3





                                                      While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

                                                      – Llewellyn
                                                      2 days ago














                                                    2












                                                    2








                                                    2







                                                    What reading experience do you want to provide to your readers?



                                                    Are you writing from a viewpoint character familiar with a world that is foreign to your readers, and your readers have to slowly figure out that world in the course of the novel? Then do not explain NDPI and let your readers understand it from the following events.



                                                    Or are you explaining the world to your readers as you introduce it so they always have the relevant knowledge? Then explain the NDPI either in the narration:




                                                    "The NDPI requested a meeting." The National Directorate of Police Intelligence are in charge of [whatever].




                                                    Or in the thoughts or words of one of the characters:




                                                    I had to tell the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, I thought. "I'll call the NDPI," I told Mike.







                                                    share|improve this answer















                                                    What reading experience do you want to provide to your readers?



                                                    Are you writing from a viewpoint character familiar with a world that is foreign to your readers, and your readers have to slowly figure out that world in the course of the novel? Then do not explain NDPI and let your readers understand it from the following events.



                                                    Or are you explaining the world to your readers as you introduce it so they always have the relevant knowledge? Then explain the NDPI either in the narration:




                                                    "The NDPI requested a meeting." The National Directorate of Police Intelligence are in charge of [whatever].




                                                    Or in the thoughts or words of one of the characters:




                                                    I had to tell the National Directorate of Police Intelligence, I thought. "I'll call the NDPI," I told Mike.








                                                    share|improve this answer














                                                    share|improve this answer



                                                    share|improve this answer








                                                    edited 2 days ago









                                                    Galastel

                                                    36.9k6109196




                                                    36.9k6109196










                                                    answered 2 days ago







                                                    user37325














                                                    • 3





                                                      While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

                                                      – Llewellyn
                                                      2 days ago













                                                    • 3





                                                      While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

                                                      – Llewellyn
                                                      2 days ago








                                                    3




                                                    3





                                                    While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

                                                    – Llewellyn
                                                    2 days ago






                                                    While I agree with the general premise (it depends on the viewpoint character), I can't help feeling that these suggestions seem a bit clumsy. It feels unnatural to have the protagonist refer to the institution by their full name, especially if they interact with them a lot. (It might feel more natural if they've heard of the acronym, but have to take a moment to remember what it means. "The NDPI? Oh right, the National Directorate of Police Intelligence.")

                                                    – Llewellyn
                                                    2 days ago


















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