Call out something you wish more writers ...

[luv2custrip]

Don’t take eternity to get to the sex or to the eroticism without warning readers. Yes, there are some wonderfully written stories that do a long slow burn that are on my list. But: most of you out there? Get to it. There are only a few stories that I know of that start in the middle of a sex scene. Try it.

 

[AlinaX]

But do not - repeat: do not - start in the middle of a sex scene, write three paragraphs of OTT sex, then abruptly rewind to three days earlier.

 

[StillStunned]

But do not - repeat: do not - start in the middle of a sex scene, write three paragraphs of OTT sex, then abruptly rewind to three days earlier.

"Now that I have your attention, let me explain how I got here..." That only really works if the reader is engaged with either the characters or the scenario. It can be done in three paragraphs of sex, but they'd have to be very good paragraphs.

 

[mildlyaroused]

But do not - repeat: do not - start in the middle of a sex scene, write three paragraphs of OTT sex, then abruptly rewind to three days earlier.

I did have a half-finished story somewhere which flitted between a couple's last time having sex before a divorce, and their first time having sex when they met as students. I quite liked the idea, but I did wonder whether the parallel storylines made both sex scenes worse, instead of better. Maybe I'll go back to it sometime.

 

[Bamagan]

I'm suddenly enamored of the idea of writing a (short) autobiography and having it tattooed in super-tiny letters on my back, then preserving myself in a vat of honey after I die . That would allow future historians to read my backstory, assuming they can tolerate the weight of the ancient pun being levied against them.

Edit: Gauntlet thrown, @onehitwanda

 

[Publius68]

I am strangely negative about a character telling a story. I don't mean as the narrator, I mean one character telling another a story during the story. Not sure why, but it bugs the shit out of me. Please don't tell me a story about a story a character told.

To be clear, I sometimes do it myself, but I do it in a very limited way for a variety of specific reasons. The biggest is, I want to examine the emotions of an established character to finding out a secret the reader already knows. It is especially valuable when the reader has watched the other character acting in some way that makes the stakes of them not having heard the story higher. Then I don't tell the whole story, of course. It is more along the lines of "So I told him about what Lucinda and I and the dwarves did that afternoon." I will add a specific detail about how Shorty came to not wear a condom, because that is the critical detail, but no more.

Any story device that provides for strong emotional reactions in already established characters that the reader cares something about is a good device. Just telling a story as one long flashback, or even starting one that way with 4 pages of storytelling, and ending with a half page of reaction by an unknown character, is mind-numbing.

It is as bad as putting the story in second person. Don't get me started on second person.

 

[CalebZhass]

But do not - repeat: do not - start in the middle of a sex scene, write three paragraphs of OTT sex, then abruptly rewind to three days earlier.

Awww... so much for that idea.

 

[orangecurious]

But do not - repeat: do not - start in the middle of a sex scene, write three paragraphs of OTT sex, then abruptly rewind to three days earlier.

*scraps current story*

oh well, so much for that idea.

 

[orangecurious]

Awww... so much for that idea.

hahaha, saw this after i posted!

 

[CalebZhass]

hahaha, saw this after i posted!

I choose to chalk this up to "great minds think alike"
So hey: I'm great and so are you apparently.

 

[orangecurious]

I choose to chalk this up to "great minds think alike"
So hey: I'm great and so are you apparently.

i'll take that, thanks!

 

[alohadave]

But do not - repeat: do not - start in the middle of a sex scene, write three paragraphs of OTT sex, then abruptly rewind to three days earlier.

Challenge accepted.

 

[samhasstories]

One of my least favorite offenses, but my favorite name for an offense, is the "As you know, Bob." Characters explaining things to each other that they have no reason to explain to each other, solely for the edification of the reader. It's a lazy way to sneak in backstory or worldbuilding details, and nearly always comes off contrived and awkward.

TV shows are often guilty of this - we come back from a commercial break to "Hey, tell me again why we're doing this?" But I see it often in stories/novels as well.

 

[CalebZhass]

Like the BBG in an crime story spending a 15 minute scene to rehash the whole plot for the benefit of the 90% who failed to follow along and pick up the clues?

 

[lovecraft68]

The problem is backstory without story. Set the scene, do something, just start the story, and limit the backstory to what is necessary. Readers will often want to keep reading later to discover the backstory.

I'm currently re-reading Donaldson's Gap series. The narrative is tense and demanding, the physics irritatingly wrong (but that's a me thing), and the backstory gets weaved in through 'Ancillary Documentation' chapters that act as intermissions. These cool the pace, arguably aren't absolutely necessary, and are oddly unconvincing.

A lot of SFF has a world building issue, in that it's important for the author to have a reasonably clear understanding of the geography, history, politics and rules of magic/technology, but it's not necessarily a good idea to try to explain all of this to the readers.

Different genre, but what did you think of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant?

I had mixed feelings on the first trilogy the second was epically good, but the third, which I never finished was a sad cash grab that ruined everything about the previous series.

 

[AlinaX]

Different genre, but what did you think of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant?

I had mixed feelings on the first trilogy the second was epically good, but the third, which I never finished was a sad cash grab that ruined everything about the previous series.

I found the third trilogy as lovely hardbacks in a second hand bookshop, and was so excited to dive in...

... but had misgivings almost immediately. This is one on those temporal paradox stories, isn't it? Oh God, please don't.

So I've been stuck halfway through the first book for years now, wondering if I will ever dare return to it.

I do love Mordant's Need, though. That's one I occasionally re-read.

 

[lovecraft68]

I found the third trilogy as lovely hardbacks in a second hand bookshop, and was so excited to dive in...

... but had misgivings almost immediately. This is one on those temporal paradox stories, isn't it? Oh God, please don't.

So I've been stuck halfway through the first book for years now, wondering if I will ever dare return to it.

I do love Mordant's Need, though. That's one I occasionally re-read.

I think I got through the second book, and gave up. It reminded of me Eddings Belgariad, which I really enjoyed, then he wrote the Mallorean which shit on everything from the first one. Literally "Yeah that prophecy I write about for five books? Well, um...that wasn't the final one!...

This happened with Lumley's Necroscope as well. Two great series, then a bunch of same old same old.

 

[AlinaX]

I started with the Mallorean, so it wasn't such an issue for me.

Necroscope was so wonderfully dark and imaginative, though.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

The nerd in me can't help (miss)using the topic...
Is anyone a fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky, the SciFi writer? I managed to read one of his latest books but had to drop part two because it was just... bland. Some people praise him, but I can't really see why.

 

[AG31]

One of my least favorite offenses, but my favorite name for an offense, is the "As you know, Bob." Characters explaining things to each other that they have no reason to explain to each other, solely for the edification of the reader. It's a lazy way to sneak in backstory or worldbuilding details, and nearly always comes off contrived and awkward.

TV shows are often guilty of this - we come back from a commercial break to "Hey, tell me again why we're doing this?" But I see it often in stories/novels as well.

You stole my thunder. I was going to say "Info dumps posing as dialogue." Any kind of tin ear is a real problem for me, but this particular kind usually makes me stop reading.

 

[StillStunned]

I wish more writers wrote gritty sword & sorcery. With sex. And believable characters.

 

[AlinaX]

Amy grinned as she peered down out of her high window at the crowd below. "I got my Level 10 certificate this morning," she announced, "and there are so many new spells I want to try. Pick someone."

I peered past her shoulder, wondering what mischief my enchanting sister was now capable of. "The blonde lady talking to the priest."

"I should have guessed. Here goes." She pointed down at the unfortunate woman who was no doubt sharing some stern remonstration with the holy man, and intoned: "Peniwirla toyo carra dankif-fe!" Even from our lofty vantage point I could hear the responding shriek of surprise and see the priest's expression of horror at the abrupt nudity before him. Amy cackled. "I wish I could see her face now..."

 

[StillStunned]

@AlinaX From...?
(Though it reads more like higher fantasy than S&S. I'd be willing to give it a go, even so.)

 

[AlinaX]

From here. Just for you.

 

[StillStunned]

From here. Just for you.

I'm flattered!

Although the "Level 10 certificate" thing is what moves it from S&S into more high fantasy, I think. "I trapped a minor demon from the Fourth Circle this morning" would have put it firmly in the S&S category.