Not a writer but trying to write

[Tiesto1]

Hi all,

So as the title states I don't consider myself a writer. I've been writing from more memory and letting it land on paper. Well so far the results have been mixed. I have some works already posted and some of that work is currently awaiting editing from Lit. This has not been easy at all for me. I struggle with a learning disability and prior to this have no real writing experience. On the flip side I do benefit from a very detailed and excellent memory of things past. I am not giving up but I do feel like I would be better off with a ghost writer. Share my experiences and have a more seasoned pro put it all together.

My back story is I started writing due to some relationship trauma. My therapist suggested that I should write about the good times and bad from my past. In essence a combo/form of journaling and writing a memoir. Anyhow, it’s evolved into me writing about some of my sexual experiences in my younger years.

I had a pretty wild and unique sex life in my 20's & 30's. To this day I credit most of the situations I landed in to being open-minded & not judging people. I find putting all those experiences on paper has been very challenging. I'm not bothered if people don't believe my experiences, as we all have had things happen to them that can seem farfetched. I do feel that I'm not sure if openly sharing my experiences in this manner will lead to a positive or negative outcomes.

Thoughts, tips, feedback and suggestions welcomed.

Thanks for listening/reading how I'm feeling about this journey.

 

[MsNatalie99]

My first thought would be if you wanted your story told, you should tell it. A ghost writer may have the skills to tell your story in a compelling way that's both structurally and grammatically correct, but they won't share your attachment to it.

I've been enduring a lot of the same struggles trying to write myself, and I've never prided myself as much of a storyteller. I've been watching lots of tutorials on YouTube posted by published authors. I've been reading other people's work, looking for aspects I enjoyed and aspects I didn't care for. I jump on the Forum as often as I can reading the thoughts, opinions, and approaches of the authors that post here on questions I may have. This has been especially beneficial, because it allowed me to get the information I need without even having to ask the question. Finally, I'd ask what's more important to you, telling your story, or having your story told because there is a difference.

 

[SimonDoom]

Include a link to your submissions page in your signature line, so people easily can find your stories.

 

[shakna]

Writing is art. There'll be plenty of people who tell you that it should be done certain ways, with certain techniques, but in the end, that's all bullshit. What matters is what it evokes. What you're expressing.

At the moment, you're feeling like you don't have the fundamentals to express what you want. You might get there with a ghost writer. But you're probably better off with someone you can... Bounce things off. Some editors are like that. They don't just look to smooth things out or fix mistakes, but to help you grow. Unfortunately, that kind tends to be rare.

Mentors and friends work well for it. Someone to talk things over, for you to inspire, and be inspired by. You'll grow, whilst experiencing pain or joy. Fun, or loss. But you grow every time you form a sentence. What you write today isn't what you write tomorrow. Explore what you want to feel, and only look back to see how far you've come. Don't stress about yesterday's quality. Tomorrow is always going to be more, because each of us becomes more, each day.

 

[SimonDoom]

My take on being a writer:

If you write, you're a writer. There's no government license, no club, no guild here. Just write, and you're as much of a writer as anyone else. Your perspective on erotica is as valid as anyone else's.

Focus on what you do, not on what you "are." Just write.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

You've managed to make a clear, understandable post. So there's no reason you couldn't write a clear, understandable account of what you want to write about.

Then read through it, adding more details where that might make it more interesting, remove details that aren't sexy, and see what you think of the result.

Then worry about playing with words if you find that fun, but if you've got a story to tell, I don't see any reason you can't just tell it just fine.

 

[Lovecraft_Lore]

Just include minotaurs, women with big attitudes, and some random sex.

The best way to write is map what story you want to tell then start writing it.

 

[TxRad]

The best way to learn to write, and yes, it can be a learned thing, is to write. It is a matter of stringing words together that make sense and tell a story. Memories are good. I have a whole series of stories based on memories. Add a little imagination in there and it gets even better.

Like was said above, add a link in your signature line for us lazy people to find your stories. The best way to find help in the long run.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

There are several tools available that you might want to consider, depending on your particular situation...

As others have said, your post indicates that you can put words together in a meaningful way. However, it doesn't tell us what challenges you encountered in doing so. If the words exist in your mind, but you struggle with getting them to exit through your fingers, you might want to explore a 'speech-to-text' application that you could simply talk to and let it do the writing for you. That could minimize the burden of getting the words written, but most will still require serious proofing for typos, grammar usage, punctuation, etc.

If you struggle with proof reading or editing your work, you could use an opposite application that converts your written words to speech and reads them back to you. You'd be surprised how many mistakes you can hear but not catch with your eyes. Then there are applications such as Grammarly that can assist you with finding common mistakes.

 

[Lifestyle66]

Hi all,

So as the title states I don't consider myself a writer. I've been writing from more memory and letting it land on paper. ...

I had a pretty wild and unique sex life in my 20's & 30's. To this day I credit most of the situations I landed in to being open-minded & not judging people. I find putting all those experiences on paper has been very challenging. I'm not bothered if people don't believe my experiences, as we all have had things happen to them that can seem farfetched. I do feel that I'm not sure if openly sharing my experiences in this manner will lead to a positive or negative outcomes.

There will always be negative feedback, because you are posting stories here to a general public site. The readers aren't paying to select stories they might like, and therefore free to trash every story. It's a hobby to many readers here to trash stories, since they feel empowered. So, there's lesson #1: Don't take negative comments personally. Write, and tell your story.

Writing is art. There'll be plenty of people who tell you that it should be done certain ways, with certain techniques, but in the end, that's all bullshit. What matters is what it evokes. What you're expressing.

And Shakna has it here, in that we're all different. I'm a geek, writing in first person of a geek's POV. So, you can either read and appreciate how a geek sees the world (austere as it may be), or fast forward to find an author who tells stories the way you like. But I am NOT WRONG in the way I see the world and the way I express it in writing!

So, IMO, we can always try to improve by seeking constructive feedback and adapt as we see fit. But eventually, you'll feel the need to stop editing and just post it for public consumption.

Enjoy the experience.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Hi all,

So as the title states I don't consider myself a writer. I've been writing from more memory and letting it land on paper. Well so far the results have been mixed. I have some works already posted and some of that work is currently awaiting editing from Lit. This has not been easy at all for me. I struggle with a learning disability and prior to this have no real writing experience. On the flip side I do benefit from a very detailed and excellent memory of things past. I am not giving up but I do feel like I would be better off with a ghost writer. Share my experiences and have a more seasoned pro put it all together.

My back story is I started writing due to some relationship trauma. My therapist suggested that I should write about the good times and bad from my past. In essence a combo/form of journaling and writing a memoir. Anyhow, it’s evolved into me writing about some of my sexual experiences in my younger years.

I had a pretty wild and unique sex life in my 20's & 30's. To this day I credit most of the situations I landed in to being open-minded & not judging people. I find putting all those experiences on paper has been very challenging. I'm not bothered if people don't believe my experiences, as we all have had things happen to them that can seem farfetched. I do feel that I'm not sure if openly sharing my experiences in this manner will lead to a positive or negative outcomes.

Thoughts, tips, feedback and suggestions welcomed.

Thanks for listening/reading how I'm feeling about this journey.

Okay, so I am reminded of two takes on this from great characters in great films.

“Try, not. DO, or do not. There is no try”.

And also…

“We learn by doing”.

I felt compelled to write my first story and approached a writer with an offer to Co-write with them, which they rejected. This felt like a real blow at the time as I’d never written any detailed and in-depth sex stuff and so felt out of my depth and completely in the dark, however, the more I wrote the more confident I felt about doing the work and by the end of the process I’d really let my imagination run wild and was grateful for them letting me run solo on the project.

The only hard and fast rule is try to make the sex hot, the plots as outlandish as you want and the characters compelling.

Some people prefer sex stories were you are instantly dropped into the action, others were it’s a slow build with character development and world-building at the forefront, but there is no right way, it’s just personal preference.

If you enjoy writing keep going and good luck, that’s all that matters here.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

You've managed to make a clear, understandable post. So there's no reason you couldn't write a clear, understandable account of what you want to write about.

Then read through it, adding more details where that might make it more interesting, remove details that aren't sexy, and see what you think of the result.

Then worry about playing with words if you find that fun, but if you've got a story to tell, I don't see any reason you can't just tell it just fine.

This.

 

[Seadog777]

Hi all,

So as the title states I don't consider myself a writer. I've been writing from more memory and letting it land on paper. Well so far the results have been mixed. I have some works already posted and some of that work is currently awaiting editing from Lit. This has not been easy at all for me. I struggle with a learning disability and prior to this have no real writing experience. On the flip side I do benefit from a very detailed and excellent memory of things past. I am not giving up but I do feel like I would be better off with a ghost writer. Share my experiences and have a more seasoned pro put it all together.

My back story is I started writing due to some relationship trauma. My therapist suggested that I should write about the good times and bad from my past. In essence a combo/form of journaling and writing a memoir. Anyhow, it’s evolved into me writing about some of my sexual experiences in my younger years.

I had a pretty wild and unique sex life in my 20's & 30's. To this day I credit most of the situations I landed in to being open-minded & not judging people. I find putting all those experiences on paper has been very challenging. I'm not bothered if people don't believe my experiences, as we all have had things happen to them that can seem farfetched. I do feel that I'm not sure if openly sharing my experiences in this manner will lead to a positive or negative outcomes.

Thoughts, tips, feedback and suggestions welcomed.

Thanks for listening/reading how I'm feeling about this journey.

What works for me is completely letting my mind go. I close my eyes and just type.
No thinking just let it go.
Then when I feel like stopping, I stop and read what ended up on my screen.

A ghostwriter will not be able to convey your feelings about you're own experiences.
I hope the writing therapy continues to help you.

 

[HarryHill]

This might sound corny but write for yourself. The sex is like pasties on a stripper working two jobs and juggling three boy friends; the story comes first.

 

[Tiesto1]

Thank you everyone for the support and suggestions. Y'all have given me a lot to consider.

As for I tried using software, I tried the MS Word Dictate feature to help write and it didn't go well. I generally write all my stuff on MS Word but have found that copy and paste can sometimes not link up 100% correctly with the Lit Story Text area and uploading a doc doesn't read correctly so it gets kicked back.

I have found trial and error has worked for me in many aspects. I have no formal writing classes or lessons under my belt yet. I do need to do some better editing on current and future writings. I do wish the process for editing works already submitted was simpler. In life we are never too old to be improving and growing in things.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I generally write all my stuff on MS Word but have found that copy and paste can sometimes not link up 100% correctly with the Lit Story Text area and uploading a doc doesn't read correctly so it gets kicked back.

That's a technical thing and therefore easily solved.

The writing is the creative thing, and therefore the thing to get done. Don't fret about the software tools and/or glitches. They're the easy bit.

Start writing. That's the important bit of all this.

 

[sjreardon]

Thank you everyone for the support and suggestions. Y'all have given me a lot to consider.

As for I tried using software, I tried the MS Word Dictate feature to help write and it didn't go well. I generally write all my stuff on MS Word but have found that copy and paste can sometimes not link up 100% correctly with the Lit Story Text area and uploading a doc doesn't read correctly so it gets kicked back.

Direct copy and pasting from Word is probably carrying over some auto-formatting commands that the Lit platform doesn't handle. When I'm done with a story I copy the whole thing into TextEdit (a Mac product, but there's a PC analogue) and convert it to plain text, which will strip out any of that stuff. Then I sit the plain text doc on the right of my screen and open the original doc on the left of my screen for a reference and go through and code all of my bold/italic words back in one by one. Then copy/paste the plain text doc into Lit. Boring and tedious, but it does work.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Just include minotaurs, women with big attitudes, and some random sex.

The best way to write is map what story you want to tell then start writing it.

Or …don’t include Minotaurs.

Not everyone has such fetishes.

Sone people like plain vanilla things such as missionary sex, sex in wedlock, sex in the dark and of course …pegging.



The thing (sorry I lost it laughing there) is each person is different and to be honest, it doesn’t even have to be based upon facts. I’m not a werewolf (wow, revelation) but some werewolf stories are really erotic, as are some virus stories. It’s not necessarily what you know, it’s also what you don’t know but can imagine.

If you can write a few paras here, you can write a story, if you’ve submitted one story you can do more, the more stories you write the better you get, and so on.

Even if you don’t think they’re good after all the editing and re-writes if a few people like your work and follow you, then it means you did something right.

Break a leg (then write about in Erotic Horror).

 

[MsNatalie99]

Or …don’t include Minotaurs.

Not everyone has such fetishes.

Sone people like plain vanilla things such as missionary sex, sex in wedlock, sex in the dark and of course …pegging.

Why peg, when a Minotaur has the real thing and then some.

No bull's head or Minotaur emoji. A cow... not close enough.

 

[Lovecraft_Lore]

Almost any book I can think of would be better with minotaurs, women with big attitudes, and some random sex. The Iliad, the Bible, Romeo and Juliet, Harry Potter. Anything of these books would improved with the addition of minotaurs. I am still not happy they removed the female disciples or Jesus's twin Thomas out of the bible. Or all that stuff that happened after the Iliad that was in many ways more than Achilles being a drama queen.


The point being, editting matters and minotaurs rule.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Almost any book I can think of would be better with minotaurs, women with big attitudes, and some random sex. The Iliad, the Bible, Romeo and Juliet, Harry Potter. Anything of these books would improved with the addition of minotaurs. I am still not happy they removed the female disciples or Jesus's twin Thomas out of the bible. Or all that stuff that happened after the Iliad that was in many ways more than Achilles being a drama queen.


The point being, editting matters and minotaurs rule.

Respectfully agree to disagree about the minotaurs, but editing is important.

Also don’t overwrite as well, which is a tendency I have with my non-erotic writing but seem not to have for my erotic-fiction.

And final advice is have fun with it. One thing that’s true if you get turned on by your writing or don’t is that you should still enjoy writing either way.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Deleted - posted in completely wrong thread.

 

[MsNatalie99]

I asked a similarish question recent and got some good answers that might be relevant to this thread.

Advice on Writing an Episodic Series

Thank you! I'll check it out.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Thank you! I'll check it out.

Sorry, this recommendation was for the Less Intimidating Ways to Name a Series. Managed to post it in completely the wrong thread. Doh!

 

[MsNatalie99]

Sorry, this recommendation was for the Less Intimidating Ways to Name a Series. Managed to post it in completely the wrong thread. Doh!

It's cool, lol I've done it a million times.