How much criticism is normal?

[Sntnl]

Yes,

One thing I have learned/am still learning is, don't be in a rush to publish. I did that with my first story and missed an obvious misspelling (among other things) in my first sentence. I write and review, write and review and then when I'm done, review again. I write in Microsoft Word and there is a function there called Read Aloud, and run that. Listening to that speak the words helps me. I even read aloud my last story myself before I submitted.

Also, have you seen this thread here: https://forum.literotica.com/threads/self-editing-for-authors.1634588/

As silly as it sounds, I think I'd feel embarrassed ready my stuff aloud. Even to myself
But a program saying it, is a good idea.

I have been re-reading it a lot as I got, but it's hard to shake the idea of what I mean from the words I've actually used. A second party might help.
Thank you.

Oh, and I'll check the thread. Thanks again.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

Here's a tip: your readers don't care about background information. They want to know what's happening now, the story that you're telling, not what's gone before.

I've had two friends tell me they were writing novels.

Both of them had created grand worlds, with politics, subcultures, and in one case several secret societies.

Neither one had even fleshed out a main character or laid down the bones of a story.

I call it "Accidentally designing a game setting."

What they don't want is homework.

In one of my stories' afterword, I called it "giving people a reading assignment." The story has to at least be fun when it starts, or why would someone continue? We can't pay them or give them low grades ....

--Annie

 

[Actingup]

I've never written anything of substance before, and quite frankly it's not my strong point, but recently I got it into my head to write a story and I'm really enjoying it.
So with absolutely no experience, I was wondering if people could let me know if some concerns I have are normal or not.

I've got a tonne of plot points in mind, the ideas are coming thick and fast, but with a rough draft of over 4k words, I feel like I'm still introducing the main character. Is it usual to feel like you've been writing for hours and find that it takes about five minutes to read?
It also feels simultaneously like too many words and not enough happening.

I know everyone has their own style, and honestly I'm not even worried if no-one else likes it, I just somehow feel like I'm doing it wrong. Is that normal?

You're had lots of great advice already. Based on my limited experience (I've only been here for about a year), I think you could consider putting your magnum opus aside for a few days, and have a go at writing something short and focused (4-5K words), polishing that up, and going through submission. That gives you more scope to learn about the mechanics of story publishing here, including learning the rules, dealing with potential rejection (for whatever reason, but be really careful of dialogue punctuation and any use of grammar tools), and finding your author's voice without getting too emotionally invested in your first work. I made a few avoidable mistakes with my first story, and ended up submitting an edited version after enough readers kindly pointed them out! It's better to go through that process with something of managable scope.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

You're had lots of great advice already. Based on my limited experience (I've only been here for about a year), I think you could consider putting your magnum opus aside for a few days, and have a go at writing something short and focused (4-5K words), polishing that up, and going through submission. That gives you more scope to learn about the mechanics of story publishing here, including learning the rules, dealing with potential rejection (for whatever reason, but be really careful of dialogue punctuation and any use of grammar tools), and finding your author's voice without getting too emotionally invested in your first work. I made a few avoidable mistakes with my first story, and ended up submitting an edited version after enough readers kindly pointed them out! It's better to go through that process with something of managable scope.

Great advice. Write some shorter works, find your voice, get some constructive feedback, then work on the big stuff.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

Great advice. Write some shorter works, find your voice, get some constructive feedback, then work on the big stuff.

Or start with a 200,000 word novel. Just don't expect your first one to be great, until you do the Big Rewrite after you get good.

--Annie

 

[dirk2024]

It's hard to say, but it sounds like you're trying to fit too much into your story.

Here's a tip: your readers don't care about background information. They want to know what' ss happening now, the story that you're telling, not what's gone before.

For erotica, I generally divide stories into three categories: plot-driven, character-driven and sex-driven. Decide which your story is, and that will tell you what you need to focus on. If you're telling a sex story, you only need enough plot to set up the sex, and only enough character to engage your readers. If you're telling a plot story, you don't need to delve into the characters. And so on.

The trouble is enthusiasm. It probably gets to most of us, particularly when we first start out. All these ideas firing in our brain that are clamouring to be included. They're called plot bunnies, and they're bastards, because they distract you from the story you're trying to tell.

If I were you, I'd start with a short piece - somewhere up to about 5k words, perhaps. Focus on one element, be strict with yourself, and just tell that story. All those other ideas will still be waiting, don't worry. But this way, you'll get some practice with finishing a story. Believe it or not, that's an actual skill that you need to learn.

But more importantly: don't let anyone tell you how you ought to write. It's your story, it's your style, and your enjoyment in the writing and the result is really all that matters.

Have fun, and good luck!

But how do you find the right balance between necessary story information versus background information?

I have a (unpublished) story I've been working on for many months, Someone here did read it for me back in June and told me I needed more scene setting and character development. I had developed the main character, but there were six other people in the story. I set it aside for a while and worked on other stories. I have since returned to it and added scene setting and hopefully developed the other characters. It has 16.6K words at the moment and is pretty much "done". It would be considered a "slow burn" that eventually leads into three separate sex scenes.

A lot of author's here include slow burns in their stories. The responses in this thread have me questioning that now.

 

[Actingup]

But how do you find the right balance between necessary story information versus background information?

I have a (unpublished) story I've been working on for many months, Someone here did read it for me back in June and told me I needed more scene setting and character development. I had developed the main character, but there were six other people in the story. I set it aside for a while and worked on other stories. I have since returned to it and added scene setting and hopefully developed the other characters. It has 16.6K words at the moment and is pretty much "done". It would be considered a "slow burn" that eventually leads into three separate sex scenes.

A lot of author's here include slow burns in their stories. The responses in this thread have me questioning that now.

I think my answer would be different for your situation than for the context of this thread 16+K words sounds about right to me for a seven-character story with a bit of character development and a dash of slow burn followed by a simmer of sex. I just wouldn't suggest it for a first effort.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

But how do you find the right balance between necessary story information versus background information?

I have a (unpublished) story I've been working on for many months, Someone here did read it for me back in June and told me I needed more scene setting and character development. I had developed the main character, but there were six other people in the story. I set it aside for a while and worked on other stories. I have since returned to it and added scene setting and hopefully developed the other characters. It has 16.6K words at the moment and is pretty much "done". It would be considered a "slow burn" that eventually leads into three separate sex scenes.

A lot of author's here include slow burns in their stories. The responses in this thread have me questioning that now.

There is no right answer. I'm 17,000 words into a story that only has 3 characters and no one has gotten past hand holding. I've got some much shorter stories with much more action. If they aren't a main character, you don't need to know much of anything about them unless it drives the plot, makes their actions "make sense" etc. We don't need to know Brian is from Omaha unless it's relevant to the story.
Don't over think it.

 

[StillStunned]

But how do you find the right balance between necessary story information versus background information?

Err on the side of "trust the reader to figure it out". It enhances their engagement if they have to think, and they'll enjoy the experience more if they believe they've solved a puzzle.

That said, sometimes it's important to include information up front. Yesterday I started writing a story about a sleepwalking houseguest. The narrator is female, but that wasn't mentioned (implied, actually, by her name) until a few hundred words in. So I rewrote the opening paragraphs, adding the information that both characters are women, and that the guest is a redhead.

This is usually the kind of thing to bear in mind when you're editing, whether you edit as you go or leave it all until the end.

 

[HordHolm]

But how do you find the right balance between necessary story information versus background information?

I have a (unpublished) story I've been working on for many months, Someone here did read it for me back in June and told me I needed more scene setting and character development. I had developed the main character, but there were six other people in the story. I set it aside for a while and worked on other stories. I have since returned to it and added scene setting and hopefully developed the other characters. It has 16.6K words at the moment and is pretty much "done". It would be considered a "slow burn" that eventually leads into three separate sex scenes.

A lot of author's here include slow burns in their stories. The responses in this thread have me questioning that now.

Some good advice above. I would add: remember Chekhov's Gun. Anton Chekhov laid down as a principle that if an item is mentioned it needs to feed into the story at some later point. His example, hence the name, is that if a gun is mentioned or seen in Act 1, it should subsequently be fired further on in the play. This is something very obviously seen in e.g. Bond films, when Q gives James his gadgets. We know those gadgets will be used later, and the game then becomes to see how they will be used.

This could be extrapolated here as, for example... X has a playroom with various bits of furniture, and Y has come to play. All the bits of furniture could be mentioned, and described in detail, but if most of them aren't used it's just wasted words. Only describe the items that will figure in the game.

This advice can be expanded into character development and plot points - only mention things that will figure in the story. It is possible to play with this a little, to add something as a false hint to the reader, but red herrings should generally be used with a light hand (unless one is writing a whodunnit) as it is easy to piss readers off by leading them down blind alleys.

So, if one is looking at a character backstory, if X has had a bad break-up previously the reader would expect that to then figure into their subsequent behaviour. If they are bouncing around, happy as Larry, without a care in the world for the whole story, then the previous bad break-up has no relevance - unless the author makes it clear that they have a sunny disposition despite the bad break-up and that then feeds into something about their character - resilience, or perhaps even psychopathy.

 

[Rob_Royale]

First, welcome to the hobby.
As long as you avoid the dreaded backsory bomb in the first chapter, you'll be fine. Start the story with a scene, with dialog. Add the backstory into the scene.

"Did you remember everything? Diane asked with a knowing look.

Steve frowned but after a moment sighed and nodded. "Yeah, think so." he said, knowing he was indeed notorious for forgetting things, even going so far as to have to buy a new tent the last time they went camping. Knowing a perfectly servicable one sat forgotten in the garage.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

My mind immediately turned that into:

"Did you remember everything? Diane asked with a knowing look.

Steve frowned. "Who are you again?"

Diane bopped him with a throw pillow.