Authors' Hangout Library

[AH_Librarian]

Welcome to the Authors' Hangout Archive.

The purpose of this archive is to provide links to topics covered here, by authors of this site. Several of us felt it a shame that such a wealth of resources and knowledge were buried way back in the annuls of the AH.

This archive focuses predominantly on threads and topics relating to writing, or issues directly related to Literotica, however, there are a few notable threads here which members of the AH thought worthy of archiving. These include topics which can affect many of us, including: depression, relationships, sexuality, and the need to have some fun!

Within this archive, there will also be answers to many of the frequently asked questions that come up here, at the AH - as well as links to the many threads which answer those questions.

Please do not post comments in this thread.

If you have any suggestions for, or comments about, the AH Archive, please feel free to post in the AH Thread Library - Discussion Thread . You can also PM the AH Thread Librarian directly. For those of you new to this forum, please read the Welcome Authors! Please Read sticky, at the top of the AH, for links to useful information and tips on navigating both the Author’s Hangout and Literotica, as a whole.

At this point, a couple of credits have to be given for the ideas and inspiration behind this project. Sweetnpetite came up with the original idea, and both she and Tatelou took a lot of inspiration from the BDSM Library. Thanks to the BDSM Librarian, S’lara, for your encouragement, support, and Tatelou's blatant ripping of your format. Also, thank you to the many AH’ers who have helped in this task, by providing suggestions and links.

We hope you find this archive useful, informative and fun.


[This thread is under construction. If you have any ideas or suggestions on topics or threads to be added, please post in the Discussion thread.Please do NOT post here.]

[AH_Librarian]

Table of Contents


Acronyms and Abbreviations

Common acronyms and abbreviations you will find here, at the Author’s Hangout:

AH – Author’s Hangout
AFAIK – As Far As I Know
AV – Avatar (see below for more on this topic)
BDSM – Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism/masochism
CV – Curriculum Vitae (or, more commonly here at the AH: Chilled Vodka)
D/s – Dominance/submission
IIRC – If I Recall Correctly
IMO – In My Opinion
IMHO – In My Humble Opinion
PC – Public Comment
RCV’d – Read, left a Comment and Voted

(I will edit more in, as they come to me)

Translation Please - started by Black Tulip on 12-05-2003[/b] - "I am having serious, sleep losing trouble with a certain type of newspeak. I think I can follow most posts but it is starting to bother the hell out of me that I don't know what the following means:" - Black Tulip



Adjectives and Adverbs

Useful and necessary tools for adding description, or an often over-used component of otherwise acceptable writing?

"No, there wasn't 'a hot juicy wet pussy'. Nor a 'stiff, swollen, giant, rock-hard cock.'" - Pure


Exercise: Descriptions without adjectives. - started by Gauchecritic on 10-17-2003

Adjectives: No, there wasn't 'a hot juicy wet pussy'. - started by Pure on 10-18-2003

Adjectives reconsidered - started by Uther Pendragon on 01-29-2004

Adjectives continued - started by Perdita on 02-19-2004



AH Directory

All about us, the inhabitants of the AH.

AH Directory - One of our recently departed (as in decided to leave) Litsters came up with this idea.

AH Roll Call - started by impressive on 2/10/2005


Audio Threads

AH'ers in the Flesh - started by English Lady on 9/13/2006

Lend me your voices! - started by Fallenfromgrace on 4/21/2007



Avatars

Everyone knows this ( ), but, Avatars are the pictures which appear with our IDs, next to every post we make on the forums, here at Literotica. To be able to activate avatars, you need to have made 100 posts.

”What is it about avatars? I don't care what the thread is, how serious the subject, be it politics, love, writing, or any other topic you care to name, I can guarantee that you won't get 20 posts without some two or more contributors going off in to a discussion of someone's AV. Will someone please explain why?” - Snooper

Avatars and Nicknames - started by Wildsweetone on 07-09-2003

Avatars (Why so much talk about them?) - started by Snooper on 02-19-2004

How did you choose your AV? - started by fifty5 on 04-02-2004

Avatars and the impressions we give - started by The Earl on 09-22-2004

Avatars (A discussion about body parts in AVs) - started by Octavian on 01-23-2005

AVs that make you go... - started by Elizabetht on 3/10/2006


BDSM Related Topics

Author's Guidelines - started by dr_mabeuse on 4/03/2005

Shame and Humiliation - started by dr_mabeuse on 10/14/2008

Humiliation and Degradation - started by Domwoolf on 8/28/2008

Can a top be topped? - started by sophia jane on 04/03/2006

[AH_Librarian]

Calls for Chain Stories

Current and on-going Chain Stories, here at the Authors' Hangout:

Modern Day Fairy Tale Chain - started by Selena_Kitt on 1/25/2008


Challenge Threads - Writing challenges or exercises.

"On a rotating basis, a challenge will be set up by an author here. It will be 1000 words or more and must be done by the end of that week. A few days after that another author will add a new challenge. You can either paste your story here or submit it with Literotica by the end of that week." - Dingus Guy

Challenge Club Thread - started by Dingus Guy on 12/17/2003

Challenge Thread: The Cardinal Sins of Carnal Writing - started by BlackShanglan on 3/18/2006

Voting Thread: The Cardinal Sins of Carnal Writing - started by BlackShanglan on 4/01/2006

And the Bitch is gone... an exercise in writing - started by ABSTRUSE on 1/11/2005

Transportation Challenge - Group A - started by Minuse on 1/30/2007

Transportation Challenge - Group B - started by Minsue on 1/30/2007

Transportation Challenge - Group C - started by Minsue on 1/30/2007

Writing Challenge: Time to Play - started by slyc_willie on 5/23/2007

Ogg's 50 word story challenge - started by JAMESBJOHNSON on 3/21/2008

Flashfic thread: Rotating Themes - started by fcdc on 4/30/2007

really really long sentence challenge - started by Stella_Omega on 7/07/2007

AH erotic poetry challenge Official thread - started by feminity on 7/25/2007

Writing Challenge: Conversation - started by slyc_willie on 5/25/2007

Writing Challenge: Clue - started by slyc_willie on 5/16/2007

Quick one-liner challenge - started by liar on 9/22/2006

Porn Challenge #3 - started by CharleyH on 3/23/2005

Porn Challenge Submissions - started by CharleyH on 3/26/2006

Porn Challenge Guess Cards - started by CharleyH on 3/27/2005

If They Wrote Limericks - started by shereads on 10/02/2007

How Distinctive is Your Writing? - started by minsue on 1/25/2007

Haiku SEPPUKU! - started by MlledeLaPlumeBleu on 11/13/2003

Tonight's Haiku - started by glynndah on 3/14/2007

An asylum for haiku and haikuists - started by MathGirl on 8/02/2003

What if they wrote porn? (writing thread) - started by Lucifer_Carroll on 07/27/2004

Rainy Day story challenge - started by matriach on 08/16/2004

Secret Santa Story Challenge - started by matriach on 12/20/2004


Characterization

Bringing characters to life and making them well-rounded and believable. How do you do it?

So Good Their Bad - started by Jamison on 4/10/2008

Character/Ensemble Cast Development Strategies - started by BlackShanglan on 2/14/2008

Rebellious characters? - started by Liar on 1/26/2008

Driving Need - Structure and Characterization - started by BlackShanglan on 9/14/2006

For Men Writing Strong Women Characters - started by 3113 on 6/29/2006

Character Occupations - started by dr_mabeuse on 3/04/2006

Character Building Through Details - started by Collen Thomas on 10/21/2005

Examples of a Female Archetype; can you help? - started by Pure on 11/07/2008

(Writerly) Character Quirks? - started by slyc_willie on 04/21/2008




Coming!

We love doing it, we thrive on writing about it and we could talk about it for hours…
"... so, i invite you all to write a description of an orgasm, no matter how large or small... lets see what we can *cum* up with... " – vella_ms

Am I coming or cumming? - started by pinklipstick on 08-04-2002

"I'm coming!" - started by Whispersecret on 10-29-2002

Truth In Fiction - started by dr_mabeuse on 03-20-2003

Trying to write from both perspectives in erotica - ladies? - started by LovingTongue on 08-26-2004

Let's talk about sex, baby.... - started by vella_ms on 05-18-2004



Coming Together

Coming Together is a collaboration of authors who decided to "come together" and do anthologies for a worthy cause. It got its start right here on the Authors' Hangout and now has editions published by places such as Phaze and Charles River Press.

Coming Together: An Erotic Cocktail - started by Coming Together aka impressive on 11/27/2005



Contests

Halloween Contest Support Thread- 2009 - started by Oggbashan on 09/09/2009


Controversial Writing Topics

Underage incest fantasies - started by Incestfantasy on 4/03/2000

Abject Sex: The New & Disgusting Frontier? - started by dr_mabeuse on 08/22/2007

Dimension of consent and non-consent - started by SimonBrooke on 1/19/2007

Help! Need womens' perspective on non-consent - started by Chimney Sweep on 10/27/2003

A better non-consent ending? - started by sophia jane on 3/27/2005

Are some stories immoral? Should we observe some boundaries? - started by Roxanne Appleby on 12/11/2005

Incest Reconsidered - started by dr_mabeuse on 9/08/2008

[AH_Librarian]

Depression

There have been many threads and discussions on this board about depression and ways of attempting to cope with it. It has been argued many times that perhaps the creative mind is more inclined to suffering from depression, but that discussion will no doubt run and run. Here's some of threads in which many here have opened up and shared their experiences.

depression and other mental disorders - started by sweetnpetite on 12-18-2003

An important, undiscussed point about depression - started by Shereads on 12-23-2003

Help me! (or at least give me your sympathy) - started by elizabethwest on 02-20-2005

Upon Reflection (A serious thread. No, Really) - started by sincerely_helene on 02-22-2005



Dialogue

How do your characters talk to each other? Does your dialogue flow? How should dialogue be punctuated? Too many tags? Too few, which leads to confusion?


Dirty Language in dirty stories - started by BigTexan on 10-16-2002

dialogue in erotic writing - started by beachb0y on 01-29-2003

Dialogue, what's your take on it? - started by KillerMuffin on 02-07-2003

Other Language Dialogue - started by bridgetkeeney on 07-12-2003

Non-verbal dialogue? - started by Weird Harold on 12-05-2003

Punctuating Speech - started by Dirtylover on 03-09-2004

Help! punctuating dialogue - started by starrkers on 1/30/2008

A thought or two on dialogue - started by Weird Harold on 3/14/2005


Dictionaries (slang or weird words, etc)

MG's Dubious Dictionary - started by MathGirl on 12/11/2003

DG's Dubious Dictionary - started by MathGirl on 11/19/2003

Local words - a glossary - started by oggbashan on 11/04/2007

[AH_Librarian]

Editing/Editors

The editing process often takes longer than the initial writing of the story, and is crucial to achieving that polished finished product. Editing isn't discussed that much at the AH itself, but it does come up from time to time. Here's some links to threads discussing editing, both here at the Author's Hangout and over at the Editing Forum. Also tips on how to find a good editor.

Finding the Right Editor For You - started by Trombonus on 11/19/2006

Editing and Revisions - started by sophia jane on 4/03/2005

Editing Technique - started by Rattlesnake1775 on 11/18/2005

Do It Yourself Editing - started by neonlyte on 3/11/2005





Editor's Choice Directory

Want to know which stories on Literotica have earned a coveted E?

One of our members came up with a great way to keep this updated without having to continually check categories for new additions. The link will be a search link for each category with the "Editor's Choice" parameter. It should always give you an up to date list. Enjoy!

Anal

BDSM

Celebrities

Chain Stories

Erotic Couplings

Erotic Horror

Exhibitionist & Voyeur

Fetish

First Time

Gay Male

Group Sex

How To

Humor & Satire

Illustrated

Incest/Taboo

Interracial Love

Lesbian Sex

Letters & Transcripts

Loving Wives

Mature

Mind Control

Non-English

Non-Erotic

NonConsent/Reluctance

NonHuman

Novels and Novellas

Reviews & Essays

Romance

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Text With Audio

Toys & Masturbation

Transsexuals & Crossdressers

[AH_Librarian]

FAQs

This is a list of questions that are frequently asked on the AH:

How long does it take for a story to post? - At the present time, it can take between 1-2 weeks for your story to appear once it's been submitted. If you click on the preview link of your submission, then you are sending your story back to the end of the queue, and you have to start your wait all over again.

My story has been rejected - why? - There are numerous reasons for a story to be rejected on Lit. Usually there will be a message that will hint at the reason. It could be grammar, punctuation, improper use of dialogue, paragraphs are too big, mention of underage sex, etc. When in doubt, you can post here or in the Editors' Forum and someone will probably volunteer to help you solve the mystery.

Can I refer to sex before 18 in a flashback? - Only if there are no details provided whatsoever. You can say "So and so lost her virginity or had sex"... and that's about all you can do.

Is there a clique in the Author's Hangout? - Depends on who you ask. Some say no, some say yes. You just have to decide that one for yourself.

Why are trolls? - Because some people have nothing better to do than to ruin your day.

A story or author I read earlier has now vanished. Why? - Periodically, authors will pull their stories from Lit. This can be due to personal reasons or because of publication elsewhere.

How do I find a particular story? - Search for it using Literotica's search feature. Sometimes, you might have success asking here or on the Story Feedback forum.

Why does Og wear a cake on his head? - because he's got a bald spot underneath and Henry VIII didn't have one.

How do I edit a posted story? - Simply submit the new version as you submitted the old one, only adding the word "EDITED" to the title (ex. "My Sexy Firefighter Ch. 03 - EDITED") so that Lit knows to replace the old text with the new text. They will then replace the original text with the new text. Your story will retain its previous voting score and views.




Favorites

Favorite Words - started by Misty_Morning on 2/24/2007

Your number one all-time favorite movie is... - started by jomar on 7/02/2007

What is your favorite TV show? - started by SeaCat on 6/12/2007

What are your favorite topics to write about? - started by flavortang on 6/12/2007

Your 5 favorite cartoons. - started by Darklove666 on 3/09/2007

Your favorite character descriptions - started by Stella_Omega on 7/23/2005

Favorites Lists - started by starrkers on 1/23/2008

Words - started by logophile on 8/01/2005

Favourite (minor) fictional character - started by oggbashan on 10/15/2005

Favourite Lit threads......memory lane. - started by matriach on 12/15/2007



Feedback

We all love getting it and it seems we love to talk about getting it, too.

Does feedback change your writing? - started by Mathgirl on 03-09-2004

Moronic Feedback - started by Octavian on 03-06-2004

Anonymous - started by Neonlyte on 02-05-2005

How do you cope? - started by Jill999 on 02-16-2005

The nicest feedback you've got recently - started by Vermilion on 8/16/2006

What makes you leave feedback? - started by CeriseNoire on 3/04/2007

Read, vote, and feedback the person above you thread - started by BlackShanglan on 2/10/2005

How should I vote or comment? - started by oggbashan on 10/21/2005


Food!

The AH Recipe Book - started by lance gt on 09/21/2009

[AH_Librarian]

Games

Want to have some fun? These threads are for you!

Word Chains Game - started by kiten69 on 11/24/2006

The last person to post here wins... - started by Dranoel on 9/23/2004

The Musical Alphabet Game - started by michchick98 on 6/16/2008

The Book Alphabet Game - started by Chantilyvamp on 6/17/2008

Shove, Shag, Marry - started by cheerful_deviant on 6/12/2008

Wrong Answer - started by TheEarl on 1/13/2006

The Band Game - started by rikaaim on 6/04/2005

Have You Ever? - started by AppleBiter on 6/08/2005

Lyric Game - started by logophile on 10/05/2005

Word of the Day - started by matriach on 01/11/2005




Gathering places

Want somewhere where you can put your feet up, chill, have a drink and perhaps a chat and a bit of a flirt? Well, look no further!

ABSTRUSIONS: A Bohemian hangout - started by ABSTRUSE on 07-02-2004

Naked Party Thread - started by SweetWitch on 12/29/2007

Christian writers and readers meet here! - started by English Lady on 01-28-2005

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night! - started by impressive on 3/17/2007

Jewish writers, meet here, sit a little, fress - started by Sub Joe on 1/31/2005

Sunday Morning - started by impressive on 5/27/2007



Getting Published

Who Wants to Publish with me on Fictionwise? - started by Selena_Kitt on 3/27/2008

Aspiring to Publish - Authors Thread - started by Neonlyte on 1/06/2008

Literotica Authors and Their Books (For Literotica Authors ONLY) - started by MorganHawke on 7/01/2003

For those on the Publishing for Pay Trail - started by FallingtoFly on 08/03/2006



GLBT Topics

Girls who like girls... - started by logophile on 04/03/2008

Boys wanna be girls, girls wanna be boys... - started by Stella_Omega on 12/21/2007

Gay/lesbian adoptions - started by sophia jane on 03/15/2006

Coming Out - started by sophia jane on 03/16/2006

Polyamory - started by sophia jane on 03/18/2006

Question for the queers (and bis) - started by sophia jane on 03/19/2007




Grammar

Need help from the Grammar Police - started by Wilcard Ky on 3/27/2005

You always knew that grammar would be useful - started by oggbashan on 12/12/2006

Good grammar is so very sexy. - started by Stella_Omega on 4/20/2007

So confused- Grammar question - started by LadynStFreknBed on 7/12/2007







Guess The Voice - AH Author Challenges

The idea for these challenges was initially spawned from a thread on the AH discussing Voice and whether or not we felt our voice in our writing was distinctive and easily recognisable to others. Impressive suggested it would be a fun, and perhaps informative, venture for authors here at the AH to write a short piece on a set theme, and then for a designated person to receive each of the pieces by PM, and post them blind on the AH, for others to try to work out who had written which piece.

Here's links to all the threads pertaining to the voice challenges:

Name That Voice (March 2005)

Name that Voice guessing thread

GUESS CARD THREAD

[AH_Librarian]

How To

A list of some of the very useful How To articles published here at Lit. Members of the AH recommended these in particular.

How To Make Characters Talk by Whispersecret

How To Pull Up Your Story Score by MaxSebastian

The 10 Commandments by TheEarl (for amateur fiction writers.)

Writing Quality Sex Scenes by TheEarl

How To Write Lesbian Sex Scenes by Colleen Thomas

How to Punctuate Like a Pro by KillerMuffin

Bold or Italic? by Alex De Kok (also covers the basic elements of submitting a story to Lit.)

Testing Story Formatting by Weird Harold (covers finding and fixing the problems word processing programs can cause with "Special Characters".)

How to Write Good Sex Scenes by JUDO

How To Write A Character Biography by JUDO

Entering a Themed Contest - by oggbashan

[AH_Librarian]

Internal Thoughts

What Do You Want - started by sxcascinn on 7/13/2007

Digital Large Format Moleskine - started by Salvor-Hardon on 7/19/2007

What's Your Mood Today? - started by vella_ms on 5/23/2004

My Dirty Little Secret - started by TheEarly on 6/20/2006

Pondering Thread - started by ABSTRUSE on 3/08/2007

Touch Me Deep - started by Nirvanadragones on 6/01/2006

Dear X - started by cloudy by 2/24/2007

[AH_Librarian]

Just For Fun - includes humorous threads with jokes, limericks, naughy lyrics, quizzes, etc.

To Make you Laugh - started by MrsDeathlynx on 1/25/2007

Humor Thread - started by DG Hear on 6/04/2008

How to Kill a Date in Four Words - started by logophile on 2/25/2006

Silly Jokes - started by logophile on 2/24/2006

Limerick Personalia - started by oggbashan on 3/01/2005

Naughty versions of Christmas songs - started by sophia jane on 09/02/2006

Have you ever tried.......?? - started by matriach on 01/04/2006

Which tree are you? - started by matriach on 07/12/2004

The Chinese Zodiac - which animal are you? - started by matriach on 02/27/2005

Blatently pinched from GLBT....How gay are you? - started by matriach on 06/21/2006

Which sports car are you?? - started by matriach on 02/09/2007

[AH_Librarian]

Kink

Swinging, group sex, threesomes, orgies, and more! - started by sophia jane on 9/14/2008

Foot Fetish - started by dr_mabeuse on 07/18/2008

Strap on sex - taking it like a man - started by sophia jane on 04/24/2008

Let's talk about sex...toys - started by sophia jane on 05/27/2005

Unlikely/impossible Places for Sex - started by sophia jane on 04/13/2008


Kissing

Other traits for a kiss? - started by sirsemega on 06/20/2008

Writerly...sort of...Kissing a Woman...for the very first time - started by amicus on 11/25/2007



Litogethers

Chicago Litogether 2009 - started by sweetsubsarahh on 10/06/2008

Chicago Litogether 2010 - started by sweetsubsarahh on 10/03/2009


Love

love - started by sophia jane on 03/25/2005

Love is... - started by femininity on 03/03/2006

[AH_Librarian]

Masturbation

Masturbation - Ourselves; Our Children - started by curiositykitten on 04/19/2008



Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes - series of threads by McKenna started on 7/20/2005

Don't Make Excuses

Don't Consider Yourself Too Smart

Don't Show Off When You Write

Don't Expect Miracles

Don't Warm Up Your Engines

Don't Describe Sunsets

Don't Use Real People in Your Story

Don't Write About Wimps

Don't Duck Trouble

Don't Have Things Happen for No Reason

Don't Forget Stimulus and Response

Don't Forget Whose Story It Is

Don't Fail to Make the Viewpoint Clear

[AH_Librarian]

Narrative

Language in a romantic story - started by DarkrSide on 11/01/2008

Narrative Therapy - started by dr_mabeuse on 02/23/2008


NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month

NaNoWriMo 2008 - started by drksideofthemoon on 7/16/2008

How Much Prep for NaNo? - started by logophile on 4/16/2005

NaNoWriMo 2009 - started by MistressLynn on 10/11/2009



Newbie Support Forum



Novel Writing

[AH_Librarian]

Originality

[AH_Librarian]

Plagiarism



Plot

Plot Bunnies: Free to a good home - started by slyc_willie on 9/15/2009



Possessives and Contractions



Public Comments

[AH_Librarian]

Ratings




Readers


Religion/Spirituality

What do you believe? - started by sophia jane on 06/12/2005


Reviews

New Story Reviews (volunteers welcome!) - started by FallingtoFly on 5/08/2006

[AH_Librarian]

Sex Questions

How Wet is too Wet? - started by logophile on 2/08/2006

Sexual Compatibility - started by sophia jane on 08/30/2005


Story Length



Submissions



Submitting

[AH_Librarian]

Ten Commandments of Fiction Writing



THE Question


Toys

Sex Toy Question - started by logophile on 1/04/2007

Clit Stimulating cream - started by sophia jane on 04/13/2008

[AH_Librarian]

Underage Sex - NO!

Literotica's very sensible policy discussed and explained.

[AH_Librarian]

Writer’s Block

I want to write, but I'm not inspired - started by sophia jane on 04/20/2005


Writer’s Resources

Writer's Advice - started by dr_mabeuse on 06-02-2005
"A thread for you to share some tidbits of what you've learned about the art and craft of writing, porn or otherwise." - Dr Mabeuse

Real History - started by oggbashan on 1/29/2006

Quick! Help me pick a category! - started by sophia jane on 03/21/2005

Collaborating - started by sophia jane on 05/03/2006

Where do you get your information? - started by sophia jane on 02/27/2007


Writing - Misc. Threads

Define what a 'real writer' is to you - started by ABSTRUSE on 2/15/2008

Weak Endings - started by AllardChardon on 2/28/2008

What has writing erotica done for you? - started by wishfulthinking on 7/23/2005

What percentage of Hs is 'Good' - or 'Bad'? - started by oggbashan on 9/10/2005

The demise of the letter as a plot device - started by oggbashan on 9/14/2008

Are we born writers or do we learn to be writers? - started by sophia jane on 02/27/2005

Cum vs Come - started by sophia jane on 03/07/2005

Realism in stories? - started by sophia jane on 04/25/2005

Average in Bed- a research question - started by sophia jane on 02/21/2006