A Musing Thread

[sincerely_helene]

Rhino's thread about character descriptions has been floating around in my thoughts most of today, and my curious nature couldn't seem to fight the urge to ask a few questions along similar lines.

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

 

[Guest]

 

[CharleyH]

1. Character descriptions and attitude differ depending on the scenario. In writing first person, I often have at least aspects of myself in mind. As for others in the story, they generally contain aspects of those I know or have known intimately. Consistantly, those characters are one's I would be attracted too, since I would find it difficult to write about sex with someone I didn't, at least superficially, find appealing. This typically consists of dark hair.

It also depends on the genre. If I am writing sci-fi, for example, and not that I really have, I generally have an image in mind, but nothing too exceptionally vivid other than a few stand-out characteristics.

3. If having myself in mind for looks, then I will opt for someone who has the same hair colour, eye colour and body type. I think the only variations I make are tatoo's and piercings. In first person, I don't spend a lot of time describing the 'I' but rather spend more time describing other characters features.


4. I always write from the perspective of who would be attractive to me. If I am not attracted to my characters, I don't see how a reader could be?

5. Your questions make perfect sense

 

[sincerely_helene]

Thank you both for your replies. I don't think I worded the 3rd question right, but am still quite enjoying reading the responses nonetheless.

Most Appreciated.

 

[patrick1]

I've just been wondering about all this myself. I am very poor at visualisation, characters always have to paint themselves and their surroundings for me. So on a shared lit (or other online, shared) story, the Other is nearly always built up from clues that the other writer provides, and that's a lot of the fun for me. Are they inventing, or describing themselves?

That deals with (1) and (2). As for (3) I think I am always myself, occasionally tempted to pretend I'm younger but the guy always ends up having grey hair and remembering 1968 somehow. I am never tempted to increase the size of my attributes, though I am rather less scruffy in my imagination, and often given an arbitrary difference from myself.

Interestingly, (re 4) body-size is one area where I have a tendency to be, erm, kind, if not dishonest. Women's avatars, for instance, are nearly always thin.

(5) Well, I believe I knew what you were talking about, but one never knows online, a passing joke can turn into the insult of all time

p

 

[Guest]

When I write, the scene sorta plays like a movie in my mind. I just write what I see.

The characters in my stories are all different. They are just who I picture in the scene. None so far have really been descriptions of anyone I know, but most are named after women I have known.

I am usaually the male character in the story but I avoid any real real descriptions, allowing the reader to place whoever they want in the story.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I finally got so jealous of my leading men that I started writing myself into my stories. What the hell, I figured, they’re my fantasies. Why should some other guy have all the fun? The main thing I change about myself is that I’m often fabulously wealthy (have to be to pull some of the things I do in stories), and of course I always know the right thing to say. The circumstances might be wish-fulfillment, but I think the character’s perceptions and emotions are my own, for the most part.

Funny thing is, I’m more likely to not write myself in when I’m working in first person. It’s more like playing ‘let’s pretend’. Of course, the protagonist’s sexual proclivities are going to be my own, because I have to tap those emotions when I write. I’ve written stories where the guy gets off on things that don’t really do much for me—voyeurism, for example—but I always draw on my own understanding of the act. I don’t think I could make up emotion. Not convincingly.

My women are different in that I usually don’t think of them in terms of appearance as much as I do in terms of personality and character. If you pressed me, I could probably tell you what color her eyes were but I’d just be making that up, and that’s really not the first thing I think about. I think about what she’s like, and I could more easily tell you her sexual history and what she usually has for dinner than I could her bra size. I’m always very aware of what’s on her mind and the way she reacts to a given situation. Her physical appearance just doesn’t matter that much to me, and I think that if you draw a good picture of her personality, the reader is more than able to supply whatever physical image they might need.

---dr.M.

 

[McKenna]

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

It varies depending on my mood -and what I'm in the mood for; There are a few who pop up in my fantasies regularly, but none who dominate completely.

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

I've never fantasized about a famous celebrity. The people I have fantasized about have either been fictional creations or people I have known. I have, on occasion, fantasized about those I've briefly encountered.

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

I fantasize that I am slimmer about the hips and thighs, but wtih the same chest size! (It is a fantasy, right?!)

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

I go with what I want; I don't write to an audience (unless you count a co-writer as an "audience.") I have to write to an audience for my job; I prefer my fiction to be a more selfish pursuit.

5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

I think I got it!

 

[doormouse]

Apart from my Malcolm story ( for obvious reasons LOL ), my characters were always myself and LDW.

Descriptions stay the same, and so do ages, characteristics, etc.

I just found it easier that way.

My latest I'm working on is based on someone entirely different so it's a challenge for me not to describe LDW (habit)

Fantasy people are harder. At least when you use a muse you have something to work with.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

.

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

1. My characters just sort of come to me, like ghosts, (its the only way I can explain it), I hear them first and then they flesh themselves out to me.

2. Only one story was loosly based on a real person, the others were all from my head.

3. I don't see myself as any of my characters, really, I'm not that facsinating. I give them aspects of the personality traits I lack.

4. I call em as I see em.

5. Perfect sense sweetie, which scares me.

Great thread.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Bump

 

[sincerely_helene]

I enjoyed all the responses immensely. I suppose partly what prompted this thread was that I was curious if anyone encountered a similar habit of mine, that being becoming too emotionally attached to the male (or female) lead.

In older stories of mine, there was a character (Mr. Gamble) who consistantly starred in my fantasies. I found myself becoming so obsessed with his persona and appearance that I never even bothered changing his name, simply because Mr. Gamble had litterly become my 'dream man'. I have since grown bored with him, but now am encountering a similar problem with my newest character.

I am still tossing around names in my head, but have determined that he is much older, very British, with a stong jawline and greying hair (snappy dresser too, I might add.) Quite the opposite from Mr. Gamble, who is a husky fellow with dark hair, a goatee and no accent. The encounters always involve different females, but I don't get jealous because they are always still me.

I think I tend to fall in love with with my male leads, and I suppose thats a little creepy. It has been made me picky beyond belief in my personal life, because no one seems to meet up to the standards of my characters.

 

[Guest]

When I began writing stories to submit here (the Elevator Girl series) I went with a stereotypical protagonist: fit, perky, hot and Anglo, particularly fitting for the Japanese sex-worker setting. However, I ended up making her educated, cultured and intelligent, otherwise I would have been utterly bored. After a few stories I felt she had become viable enough to merit a relationship outside her work, yet her professional speciality and real life sex can be seen to be related. I give these particulars because other than her interest in opera and ballet this character could never be mistaken for me, or vice-versa.

For the Snippettsville pieces I began to use aspects of myself for the female character; I recall now she was rather ‘made to order’ to interact with a character Gauche created in his first Snipp (there are 9 Snipps between us that go together in sequence). Sian was not me, but a ‘type’ that could fit if anyone knew me well enough to put the pieces in place. It’s rather like the fact that I am not Perdita, and yet I am to some extent.

Outside of my two humour/satire stories I also have certain male leads, both younger than the female. I’ve been inspired more than once to base the male on a certain fantasy, which is based on a real bloke (don’t’ ask).

I like putting the woman “in charge of the fuck”, though not always. I don’t go into great descriptive, just enough so the reader knows the story is not about Barbie and Troy, i.e., my couples can easily be imagined having interesting and literate conversations (even after sex).

Thanks for asking your questions,

Perdita

 

[Colleen Thomas]

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

1. Both my Protag & her love interest change from story idea to story idea. Very often it is the defining characteristics of a character that make writing a story around them fun.

2. Generally, my characters are creations from my head with no strong resemblence to anyone I know in the real world. that isn't always the case, but more ofthen than not it is.

3. When I place myself in a story, I tend to be as realistic to myself as I can.

4. My characters come to life in my head, I can't help but write them honestly to my vision, that's the way they are to me.



-Colly

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

Out of Sequence on Purpose

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

I have yet to publish an erotic/porn story, but so far, I have never been a character in one of my stories. What I have been doing, is much like a continuation of playing with a doll’s house.

I am outside the “doll house” controlling and observing them. Hopefully I permit them enough autonomy to maintain realistic personalities, but in the end, I pull their strings.

I had not thought to put myself into the frame. With erotic/porn stories, perhaps I should, but so far, I have not.

My main character seldom looks the same, never (knowingly) like me, nor are they patterned particularly after anyone I know. Usually their physical appearance is unremarkable, and goes mostly unremarked.


1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistently the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

Much of the fun for me is creating a new “doll” that will fit in a new “game” in an altered “doll house” so they always vary. I hope they are not based upon any stereotypical pattern. If so, I must avoid that in the future. The characters vary drastically, depending upon the plot, setting, and atmosphere of the “game” they are going to play.

Occasionally, the character as designed, will be observed to not fit, or fit poorly. This is where editing, find and replace, rewrite, and scrapping play a big part.

I did write one lengthy story about this absolutely gorgeous woman — men forgot to finish sentences, upon first seeing her, but she had been an incurable liar (exaggerated imagination) so no one believed a word she said

My characters usually have at least one important character flaw. To date, I have never written one with a special physical defect, or handicap.


2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

Usually I can visualize at least enough to separate them in my head, so I can “see” who is speaking, and try to make them stay in character.


4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

Before I started trying to write for Literotica, I never considered reader preference. Of course, I never tried to write for any audience so skewed toward a particular genre, before .


5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

They make perfect sense, and have already suggested to me that I might try varying my approach. Perhaps I should try writing myself into a story? If I can avoid writing it in the first person, perhaps I will.

If I leave the “doll house” method behind, I might be able to write stories that are more character driven, instead of plot driven.


Thanks, sincerely_helene for getting me to analyze my methods.

 

[nushu2]

This has been a fascinating thread because I had never thought in this way. For that reason, I can't answer your questions one by one other than saying no.

I've never even considered writing my fantasies because they aren't stories. I start with an idea for a story and fit characters into them. Sometimes, the characters reflect some attributes of people I've known but I don't have a solid picture of them in my mind. For myself, a character is just a way of thinking and I try to immerse myself in that so that they aren't a blur. The characters I select serve the story rather than vice versa. Lately, Ive had unfortunate choices in characters that are conservative about sex.

Perhaps, I should try placing myself and people I know in my stories. For the number of reads I get, it couldn't hurt to try something different. The only problem is that I don't have a clear picture of myself.

 

[Wicked-N-Erotic]

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?


They vary depending on fantasy and mood as far as the co-star goes but the main character is most always the same.


2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?


They tend to be based on someone I know, usually me as the main female character. She gets to live out the fantasies for me, do the things I won't do or would like to do but will never get the chance to do. She gets to be the "nasty girl" that hides inside me.


3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)


I alter my apperance, I'm much thinner, more desireable, and taller in my stories, but then I don't give a lot of body description. I leave that to the imagination of the reader even though in my minds eye I appear that way as I write. I may mention a creamy complextion or rounded buttox but other than that I'm pretty vague on body description.



4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?


Again I don't offer to much of a description to the reader but I do have my own visual as I write. It helps it flow better in my mind to actually picture the characters as people.



5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

Perfect sense




Wicked

 

[tolyk]

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

My co-star's in my personal fantasies change depending on my mood, but when I am attempting to write, I try to keep the same character in mind through the entire story. Same if I am doing a fictional lead character too.

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

As far as I know, I've never fantasized about a celebrity, except if you consider porn stars famous celebrities Characters in my stories are always fictional, except on the one I'm currently working on, which is based off my marriage.

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

Well, when I'm writing something based on myself, I don't need to "beef" myself up, in any department I like my body, and so far, I've not had any complaints about any part of it either.

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

I try to describe my characters as I see them in my minds eye, if the readers don't enjoy that character.. Well, they can go read something else can't they?

 

[sincerely_helene]

I must say I was quite suprised to learn that so many approach their stories from such a dettached perspective. It almost seems like a foriegn concept to me, to be able to write for others, about others. Obviously it works, though, because many of those who responded to my thread are favorite authors of mine.

Maybe it just comes with practice, or maybe I'm just too intense and over-analytical for erotica. I do know that I tend to be very selfish and greedy when I put pen to paper. If someone, for example, was to ask me to compose a story involving anal pentration, it would be a very difficult task, because it is just not the sort of fantasy that I could or would want to place myself in.

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

Originally posted by sincerely_helene
Rhino's thread about character descriptions has been floating around in my thoughts most of today, and my curious nature couldn't seem to fight the urge to ask a few questions along similar lines.

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?

5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?

1. Varies greatly. I have three huge turn ons... shapely redheads, shapely brunettes, and shapely blondes.
2. Usually based on someone I've known.
3. To be honest, I'm shorter in all of my fantasies--there's nothing mechanically smooth about being 6'6".
4. Honestly? Depends. I only have ever written two kinds of stories--those based on me and my girl; those based entirely on one group of fictional people. So, in the former, I'm accurate, in the latter I play to the crowd.
5. Yep.

 

[Ravin the Poet]

1. When you create the visual in your head of the character to co-star in your story, is it consistantly the same person, or does it vary depending on fantasy and/or mood?
It's always the same person, because I make my characters so detailed. I get everything down about them and it's easy to see the same person over and over again. of course nothing stops me from viewing them as a red head instead of block, or so on.

2. Is it someone you know well, briefly encountered, or even a famous celebrity? Do they even have a face in your mind, or is their head just a big fuzzy censor blur?
Sometimes I take people I know and model a character around that person, so in the end you don't even remember who it was about. Sometimes it's 100% original and sometimes it's a friend or someone I know.

3. Assuming that all of us place ourselves as one of the main characters when we dream up fantasies, do you look the same, or do you alter your appearance? (ex. Are you skinnier, bigger chested, or even have a massive donkey schlong?)
I'm normally the same, because I don't like switching myself up in a story. I change the story its self to make it work with my character.

4. Do you write your other character descriptions honestly, (from the visual in your mind), or do you just go with what you think your readers would most prefer?
I go with what I want, because if I don't like the character, whats the point of it I take suggestions on my characters and try and change them to fit other peoples need, but so far, there hasn't been a need.

5. Do any of these questions even make sense to you, or are you still wondering what I'm talking about?
They make sense.


Ravin