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11-20-2009, 03:38 AM
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#1
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Now read on. Dot Dot Dot
NoJo is offline
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Longitude Zero
Posts: 14,382
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Brewing stories
For tea, four minutes is considered the ideal brewing time. Less than that, and it comes out weak and insipid. Too long, and it's bitter and stewed.
How long should a story brew in your mind before you start to write?
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11-20-2009, 05:04 AM
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#2
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Virgin
empty_coffee_cup is offline
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4
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I think every story has a different percolation period, could be hours, could be months. They accumulate ideas and weight to a point at which they tip over from being some fragment to being some kind of story. If you pull them out before that then they run the risk of just being "a bunch of stuff happening". I think I have a tendency to rush off half-cocked as far as that's concerned.
For argument's sake though, I'll say once the first seeds have been planted - two days of brewing before I can start typing.
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11-20-2009, 11:50 AM
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#3
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Really Experienced
evanslily is offline
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 243
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Quote:
Originally Posted by empty_coffee_cup
I think every story has a different percolation period, could be hours, could be months. They accumulate ideas and weight to a point at which they tip over from being some fragment to being some kind of story. If you pull them out before that then they run the risk of just being "a bunch of stuff happening". I think I have a tendency to rush off half-cocked as far as that's concerned.
For argument's sake though, I'll say once the first seeds have been planted - two days of brewing before I can start typing.
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On the whole, I agree with empty_coffee_cup. But I'd add that it can depend on the length of the story too, particularly if you're writing novel length works. I've been known to write the first chapter and have no idea at all what might happen by Chapter 5.  To me, that's all part of the fun. |
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11-20-2009, 12:01 PM
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#4
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In Mourning
voluptuary_manque is offline
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: preferably between thighs
Posts: 22,374
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Agreed. A big part of the editing process is correlating what the characters become by the end with what you thought they were in the beginning.
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My stories
Mr. Vanilla Straight Guy--Safe_Bet
Don’t know if I ever told you, but you were the first person I “met” on Lit. You invited me into Molly’s thread and made me feel at home. I really appreciated that. You also prolly know more about the “doings” of our family than just about anybody else on Lit. That’s cuz you care and are appreciated for being you.--posthumous message from Safe_Bet. And I still care and I still love her. Rest in the Light, Suzy.
You poor, deluded bear--glynndah
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11-20-2009, 12:06 PM
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#5
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Literotica Guru
Bianca_Sommerland is offline
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,047
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I like the analogy, but I think I take it from a different angle. To make tea you need a tea bag, a cup, hot water. For a story you need an idea, characters, plot, scenes. Playing around an idea in your head is all well and good but you could be letting a lot of good material slip through your fingers if you don't put pen to paper ASAP. Doesn't mean every idea will be gold, you'll probably trash most of it.
Every writer works differently but what I find works for me is keeping a notebook nearby and jotting down any random idea I have that works for the story, then I play around with characters that will fit and finally I start writing a good outline. With an outline I find I have something to let stew. Eventually it gets to the point where the idea is begging to be started, I can see the first scene, the first line and I have to write it down.
Love that feeling. Better than anything in the world.
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Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live. Mark Twain
 Erotic Fantasy Adventure. Parts 1-6 Completed. Part 7 coming soon.  My Other Stories
Excerpt from Stolen Magic-Part 6
A hand closed around her breast, more hands gripped to her legs. Covered in mud, in Slater’s blood, her father’s words came to her again. A dagger sheathed in the belt of one of the men came into view, and as she had all those years ago she reacted without thought and grabbed it. Swinging out blindly the blade hit flesh and she pressed down hard. Hot blood spilled over her hand. The grasping hands released her.
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11-20-2009, 12:31 PM
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#6
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.
MistressLynn is offline
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lost
Posts: 30,002
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Letting a story brew in my mind isn't going to happen since I don't have the story there in the first place. I begin writing with nothing more than a sentence or thought in my head. The rest happens as I go.
The NaNo I did this year is a great example. A Christmas/winter anthology, I decided to use a diner in the first piece. That was all I had. But each sentence/paragraph led to more, until I had 30k words. Two other stories followed in the same pattern. The one I put into the holiday contest here started from an image in my head after I opened a blank document.
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Most Helpful Editor 2008
My page
"You have a passion, a joy. You have a sadness, a vulnerability.
Both darkness and light. But that doesn't make you gray.
You have a joy of life and celebrate it. Sex too. Guys like sex.
You think of yourself as sexual and sexy.
But not as a flaunt, just a part of that life you enjoy."
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11-20-2009, 12:36 PM
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#7
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Literotica Guru
sr71plt is online now
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mid-Atlantic, USA
Posts: 11,073
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Mine are still brewing as I write.
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Published at eXcessica under the name "habu"
From the 5-Stars 24 August Rainbow Review on Vortex: Another phenomenal selection from this exceptional author.
For illustrated GM stories, see stories under my habu author name at http://www.barbarianspy.com
Also, coauthoring as Shabbu at eXcessica with Sabb:
From the 4 1/2-Star August Rainbow Review on I Met a Man: . . . a thoroughly wonderful reading experience for me. I look forward to reading more from the writing collaboration of habu and Sabb, who I believe make an important contribution to gay literature.
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11-20-2009, 01:35 PM
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#8
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overworked and underdrunk
The_Fool is online now
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,288
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Damn, I was hoping this was a beer thread...
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