Is it just me?

[Alice_Angel]

Does anyone else use like a dozen different references when writing a story? Like for example say you're writing a story about a threesome, so you go look up some porn videos about threesomes, you find a several 'good ones', maybe a few particularly seem to fit with what you want to write, the others give you ideas for other chapters maybe, then you also have a story or two you started reading and got to a particular part where there was a scene that resembled what you wanted to write, or just a particular line or word you really liked. Or maybe you were looking at some pictures in a series, or 'reading a pornographic comic'.

Or is that just me being ADD? Lol

Worse is that I am super ADD, have so many stories/chapters/versions incomplete that if I do go back to work on something I've usually forgotten all the references I was using for that one.

 

[THBGato]

Mmmmm.... not pornographic references; for me it's more literary/musical references.

For example, even in a very short (for me) story like "I have seen love", I had references to Dido, Of Mice and Men and Chaucer plus one paragraph that sort of paraphrased WH Auden's Stop all the clocks.

What that means is that with much longer stories that I leave for a bit and then come back to, I sometimes struggle to get back into the style/voice I was using. This is especially true if that style had been inspired by a book I was reading when I started, but is now 30 books ago. The simple solution is to re-read.

Maybe you need a spreadsheet with hyperlinks to the scenes that inspired each WIP?

 

[Alice_Angel]

Mmmmm.... not pornographic references; for me it's more literary/musical references.

For example, even in a very short (for me) story like "I have seen love", I had references to Dido, Of Mice and Men and Chaucer plus one paragraph that sort of paraphrased WH Auden's Stop all the clocks.

What that means is that with much longer stories that I leave for a bit and then come back to, I sometimes struggle to get back into the style/voice I was using. This is especially true if that style had been inspired by a book I was reading when I started, but is now 30 books ago. The simple solution is to re-read.

Maybe you need a spreadsheet with hyperlinks to the scenes that inspired each WIP?

Not sure if that would work for me, for one thing I tend to download/save everything so hopefully I don't lose it/have it forever available/don't have to worry about it getting taken down/removed. But what I have started to do lately is create folders with the story title/chapter or some such as the title of the folder and put the downloaded files in the folder.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

Does anyone else use like a dozen different references when writing a story? Like for example say you're writing a story about a threesome, so you go look up some porn videos about threesomes, you find a several 'good ones', maybe a few particularly seem to fit with what you want to write, the others give you ideas for other chapters maybe, then you also have a story or two you started reading and got to a particular part where there was a scene that resembled what you wanted to write, or just a particular line or word you really liked. Or maybe you were looking at some pictures in a series, or 'reading a pornographic comic'.

Or is that just me being ADD? Lol

Worse is that I am super ADD, have so many stories/chapters/versions incomplete that if I do go back to work on something I've usually forgotten all the references I was using for that one.

I hear you. I think it's normal. It might even be my way of procrastinating. Now I'm understanding why some of these writing programs have a "focus mode."

 

[Alice_Angel]

Mmmmm.... not pornographic references; for me it's more literary/musical references.

For example, even in a very short (for me) story like "I have seen love", I had references to Dido, Of Mice and Men and Chaucer plus one paragraph that sort of paraphrased WH Auden's Stop all the clocks.

What that means is that with much longer stories that I leave for a bit and then come back to, I sometimes struggle to get back into the style/voice I was using. This is especially true if that style had been inspired by a book I was reading when I started, but is now 30 books ago. The simple solution is to re-read.

Maybe you need a spreadsheet with hyperlinks to the scenes that inspired each WIP?

Sometimes songs work as well There's a particular song that comes to mind often for one particular story I'm working on, but most often it's porn because I sometimes I just need a little something to help get the creative juices flowing (as well as maybe some other juices, lol)/provides a bit of inspiration/fill in the blanks so to speak. I might have a general idea of say what I want to happen/what position I I want a couple to be in, but how long do they stay in that position? Where are their hands? Where are their hands going next? What position do they switch to next? Having multiple references can help with that. I might spot a moment in one scene that gives me an idea, and another moment in a different scene that I can combine/string together, etc. and also throw in a line from a story or comic I was reading.

 

[Alice_Angel]

I hear you. I think it's normal. It might even be my way of procrastinating. Now I'm understanding why some of these writing programs have a "focus mode."

OMG, that too, haha. I do too much procrastinating, sometimes to the point of wasting a whole day and not writing a word. Often that time is wasted looking up 'reference material'() and just thinking about what I want to write

 

[WCSGarland]

One of these days, somebody is going to start a Procrastinators Anonymous support group. Maybe tomorrow... or the day after.

 

[StillStunned]

One of these days, somebody is going to start a Procrastinators Anonymous support group. Maybe tomorrow... or the day after.

That's one 12-step programme that nobody's ever completed!

 

[lovecraft68]

One of these days, somebody is going to start a Procrastinators Anonymous support group. Maybe tomorrow... or the day after.

They started it a long time ago

https://forum.literotica.com/forums/authors-hangout.3/

 

[lovecraft68]

Does anyone else use like a dozen different references when writing a story? Like for example say you're writing a story about a threesome, so you go look up some porn videos about threesomes, you find a several 'good ones', maybe a few particularly seem to fit with what you want to write, the others give you ideas for other chapters maybe, then you also have a story or two you started reading and got to a particular part where there was a scene that resembled what you wanted to write, or just a particular line or word you really liked. Or maybe you were looking at some pictures in a series, or 'reading a pornographic comic'.

Or is that just me being ADD? Lol

Worse is that I am super ADD, have so many stories/chapters/versions incomplete that if I do go back to work on something I've usually forgotten all the references I was using for that one.

My wife and I enjoy role playing, and we're also fans of all manner of porn.

But one crosses over with the other and when we pick a scene to watch and it kicks off, she says "So, who are they?"
Me: Who cares?
Her "Come on, smut writer, who are they, how'd they get here?"
I won't answer right away, but at some point, something, could be the act itself, something in the background, one of the few lines of dialogue, kick something off and I'll say "Okay, so they met at..." and she'll add something and we're sitting there telling our own porn story while watching the video.

We're a bit weird but its led to a slew of stories being written.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Does anyone else use like a dozen different references when writing a story?

Absolutely! I can spend a morning writing, only write a paragraph and learn a great deal. Time well wasted.

 

[Jorunn]

Every story has many parts. A location, the history there, descriptions and scenery, a plot (sometimes), sex scenes (usually), and more. So a good story needs author’s personal knowledge or fantasy, otherwise references are needed.

I had (have?) a Halloween story idea set in Vardø, Norway. Scene of 1600s witch trials that make Salem seem tame. I studied the history, and I was about to go there to visit the memorial and see the geography, until I realized I have no plot other than two modern day Ghost Hunters visiting there for an investigation.

I know very little about Ghost hunting, have no plot saying if these are co-workers or siblings, how they get into bed together, or what they do one they get there. Thus the history reference cart went before the horse on this one.

 

[iwatchus]

I have to admit to spending time yesterday learning about traditional french approaches to weaning babies. It is relevant to one paragraph of my novel, so obviously necessary time,

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Research geographic location details? Check.
Research medical procedure details? Check
Research specific industry trends? Check
Research real-life characters? Check
Research sex toys and accessories? Check
Research legal terms and procedures? Check
...the list goes on. And, that's just for one of my current projects.

Researching things for a story, at least for me, is critical and never a distraction. I frequently find that gathering details I want to include in the story inspires me with new ideas for the plot, or new characters that I hadn't considered previously.

 

[Blake_Palafox]

Not usually for sex stuff, but I write sci-fi/fantasy and the names are ALWAYS a reference to something, usually literary or mythological.

 

[ronde]

I don't research porn because it's not reality. It's an exaggeration of exaggerated sex acts performed by actors, not real people engaging in sex. There are a few true amateur sites that do give me an idea for a sex scene, but that's as far as I go into researching sex.

I do research about everything else enough I can write believable stories. I keep notes for simpler stories. For more complex stories I use a spreadsheet with relevant dates and events.

 

[Alice_Angel]

My wife and I enjoy role playing, and we're also fans of all manner of porn.

But one crosses over with the other and when we pick a scene to watch and it kicks off, she says "So, who are they?"
Me: Who cares?
Her "Come on, smut writer, who are they, how'd they get here?"
I won't answer right away, but at some point, something, could be the act itself, something in the background, one of the few lines of dialogue, kick something off and I'll say "Okay, so they met at..." and she'll add something and we're sitting there telling our own porn story while watching the video.

We're a bit weird but its led to a slew of stories being written.

Sometimes I see a particular scene and it makes me think of a pair (or more) of my characters and a scene with them, whether it's in a particular setting, maybe some line that's spoken, who knows and then I just want to write a chapter based on that scene

 

[jsmiam]

Ok, veering off topic, but hey, I’m a good at ADDing too. Judging by your (OP) posts here in this very thread, you present a unique (good I think) take on “stream of consciousness” writing.

Usually, a “stream of consciousness” person comes here and in their case (not yours) complains that their bad grammar, spelling, punctuation, thought process, iambic pentameter, sentence structure, storyline, plot, denouement, and ultimately, just their whole story is being discriminated against by all these writing rules.

But your post alone says, you are one who could pull off a true stream of consciousness story.

Maybe just write according to your stream of consciousness, then when editing, count off periods to the tune “ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive” and put a paragraph break wherever the second “alive” occurs.

I’d read it. Although on further review, I tried my stayin’ alive method on your first post. Didn’t work with periods. I guess do it after each comma instead. ;-)

 

[EmilyMiller]

Like for example say you're writing a story about a threesome, so you go look up some porn videos about threesomes

The only time I did something like this as research was when I was crowdsourced into composing a tentacle porn story (one I’m very proud of). I used to watch porn quite at lot when single, and still do, though less frequently. But I had no idea sites like hentaied <dot> com existed. I did include some of their (anatomically kinda ) tropes in my story.

But most of my research is for quotidian stuff (like how long it takes to drive from UMiami campus to a state park on a Friday evening in October), not sex scenes. Aside from the above (and a spring-loaded dildo for oral training that appeared in my X feed and led to a story) I don’t really look to porn for inspiration.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Does anyone else use like a dozen different references when writing a story? Like for example say you're writing a story about a threesome, so you go look up some porn videos about threesomes, you find a several 'good ones', maybe a few particularly seem to fit with what you want to write, the others give you ideas for other chapters maybe, then you also have a story or two you started reading and got to a particular part where there was a scene that resembled what you wanted to write, or just a particular line or word you really liked. Or maybe you were looking at some pictures in a series, or 'reading a pornographic comic'.

Or is that just me being ADD? Lol

Worse is that I am super ADD, have so many stories/chapters/versions incomplete that if I do go back to work on something I've usually forgotten all the references I was using for that one.

Nope. It's just you. You're a lone wolf, a solitary star. You're charting your own path, flying solo, a single candle in the dark. a lone wolf howling at a moon only you can see. The song you dance to is yours alone, you are rowing your own boat, wandering alone in the vast desert of your own creativity...

 

[redgarters]

I do a fair bit of "porn research", but that's mostly for... uhm... other purposes than writing. My writing research is mostly about practical things that the story needs to feel realistic.

But when It comes to referencing things, I will insert literary and musical references here and there. I use music for inspiration for many of my stories, for example I listened to nothing but Fallen by Evanescence on repeat for a month while writing Wake Me Up Inside. I also like to use musical references or lyrics to set the mood for a story and/or pivotal or important scenes, like Etta James' At Last for A Dream That I Can Call My Own.
And if you're in the mood for a game, you can try counting the (some obvious, others not so obvious) Disney references in my stories.

 

[dirk2024]

Does anyone else use like a dozen different references when writing a story? Like for example say you're writing a story about a threesome, so you go look up some porn videos about threesomes, you find a several 'good ones', maybe a few particularly seem to fit with what you want to write, the others give you ideas for other chapters maybe, then you also have a story or two you started reading and got to a particular part where there was a scene that resembled what you wanted to write, or just a particular line or word you really liked. Or maybe you were looking at some pictures in a series, or 'reading a pornographic comic'.

Or is that just me being ADD? Lol

Worse is that I am super ADD, have so many stories/chapters/versions incomplete that if I do go back to work on something I've usually forgotten all the references I was using for that one.

I have a story that I started in MAY. I am/was going through what I thought was a final review, then went to bed. There, I thought of a little something. Something that would (I think) help cement the MC's motivation in life. It's about two or three sentences of a part of a sex scene. Then I thought of another for another sex scene in the same story. These two "small" additions are actually creating significant rewrite of the two scenes.

And to your point on porn references, yes, I sometimes come across a sex gif that inspires some action I'd like to see in one of my stories.

 

[vanmyers86]

For me, historical stories are the worst, because I do want at least some accuracy. No idea why I thought setting a story series after WWI in England - a time I never experienced in a place I never lived - was a good idea. I also don't speak French at all well, so of course, there are a couple of characters from France. It's like I hate myself or something! Merde!
On the plus side, I have learned a LOT about a fascinating place and time, and my French has improved (although actual French people would die laughing if I tried to speak with them).
I think it's just the writer's life: spending hours looking up details for a paragraph that eventually gets cut.