Attitudes in stories?

[noxiousblonde]

Maybe its a blonde thing but I didn't realise I had an attitude which had somehow snuck into what I've been writing.

According to one reader and feedbacker, I do. Not only that, I amuse my twisted humour by watching people fall, am not useful at all and am nothing more than a bottom feeder.

Damn I wish I knew which one of my stories he read that gave him this rather nasty and low opinion of me. As far as I am aware, nothing I have written, thus far anyway, has people falling or anything remotely "attitude" orientated in the slightest.

So I'm just wondering, is it our attitudes showing up in the stories we write or is it the reader's attitudes influencing what they see and read into what we write?

After all, it is mostly just fantasy, fiction and fun.

 

[ledier]

Obviously he/she hasn't liked one of your stories and made up anonymous insults and slurs against you, nothing much really, just someone who probably can't write very well and has nothing better to do.

I personally have had something similar but it wasn't an attitude, it was an age issue in one of my stories. I was called an asshole and a prude among other names, I don't mind. It helps me see my errors and what people specifically don't like about erotic stories/writing.

If your story has dialogue or a proper story line, then people will either agree or disagree if they enjoy it or not. Usually feedback is not specific or constructive, especially if it's negative. But on the other hand, if you write a really good flawless story (fairly difficult!), then you will definitely get some positive and constructive feedback. Pretty much the old saying, what you give is what you get.

An individual's disposition towards your writing is influenced by their enjoyment of your work and their mood at the time. It's fairly random and you can't take it to heart.

 

[Guest]

Maybe its a blonde thing but I didn't realise I had an attitude which had somehow snuck into what I've been writing.

According to one reader and feedbacker, I do. Not only that, I amuse my twisted humour by watching people fall, am not useful at all and am nothing more than a bottom feeder.

Damn I wish I knew which one of my stories he read that gave him this rather nasty and low opinion of me. As far as I am aware, nothing I have written, thus far anyway, has people falling or anything remotely "attitude" orientated in the slightest.

So I'm just wondering, is it our attitudes showing up in the stories we write or is it the reader's attitudes influencing what they see and read into what we write?

After all, it is mostly just fantasy, fiction and fun.

I believe a writer's opinions, either conciously or unconciously, often find their way into their printed word.

But I haven't read your stories - can you put a link in your post or in your signature?

 

[Sean Renaud]

I don't think that it is really possible for a writer not to have your chars partially based off of you. I mean its usually you take one aspect of your persona and exagerated. But if the charachter isn't based on you it makes it infinitely more complicated to figure out what they are thinking in a given situation.

IE they come out being flat and kinda boring.

 

[Guest]

Here's a link. http://english.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=549681&page=submissions


Your stories are in 3 categories: BDSM, Group Sex, and Erotic Horror.

At first glance I know two of your categories would turn off a certain percentage of readers, no matter what your story was like.

 

[3113]

Peril of being a writer

After all, it is mostly just fantasy, fiction and fun.

People take fiction quite seriously--too seriously, but face it, fiction has a powerful influence. And let's be honest, if it didn't, most of us probably wouldn't be reading it, let alone writing it. If you don't believe me, just go to the website of any favorite television show and see how viciously and powerfully people will argue over fictional characters.

Fiction makes people weep, laugh, get angry or scared for characters. Makes their hearts beat faster, and when it's sex, can make them flush, blush, orgasm even. People see themselves in these characters. They get invovled with them. They fall in love with them--yes, even something they know is fantasy. Watch the movie "Trekkies" and you'll see just how far people can take a fiction, how much it can influence and change their lives.

Yes, it's just a short story. But if you get any such response, you've done a good job. So good, that you created an powerful emotion in a person. You brought your characters so to life that you upset this person when you hurt those characters.

The best stories are those which hide the author's beliefs and feelings--but no story can do that completely. With all stories, especially fantasies, we are presenting a part of our mind, and so a part of ourselves. But you must remember, how the reader interpets that story may tell you more about how THEIR mind works than how YOUR mind works.

I have read stories where writers didn't see their own disturbing psychology and the impression it was making on their readers--until repeated passages and events were pointed out to them. HOWEVER, I don't think one quick e-mail proves anything. If you'd gotten more than one, or, if the person had proved their point with quotes and examples, then I'd go over the stories and see what they had in common. I'd think about what I was trying to get across and I'd decide, consciously, if what I'd written was really what I wanted, if I needed to re-write things to do what I felt was better for the story--rather than what had unwittingly come out of my head.

One reader and a quick e-mail, however, doesn't prove anything because it's easy, too easy, for a story to push a button. You write a story where a cat scratches someone and suddenly the person remembers how a bully got scratched by their cat and the enraged bully hurt their cat--and they're writing to you about how you hate animals and must be a psychopath.

Not your problem in that case, theirs. You pushed their button and they took their anger and hurt at that trauma out on you. Peril of being a writer.

 

[JamesSD]

I wouldn't worry about it.

I enjoyed Lust Plus One Equals Three. I'm not quite sure about the ending. But still, don't listen to one person. I recently got feedback where it was clear the person didn't actually read the story very closely and understand the character's relationships. There will always be a few "bad readers" out there.

 

[Kev H]

Bad Zoot!

Oh bad, sneaky Zoot! I think you are just being clever, trying to get us to read your writings. *chuckles* Well, it worked for me - I read all 3 like a sucker and can find absolutely nothing that would make the surely-fictional reader post those hateful things.

Like many authors I have read here, your writing is thoughtful, engaging and smooth. Also like many other authors, your style is very dark and twisted - you make me look like a schoolboy with sunshine coming out of my ass, and I thought I was perverted.

If there is an actual poster who said those things, know with confidence that he/she is a moron (freedom of speech, baby; they can say what they want and I can form my opinions accordingly). Keep up the good quality.

Kev

PS - Sweetsub... your pic cracked me up! I love the comic naughtiness.

 

[TxRad]

Kev

PS - Sweetsub... your pic cracked me up! I love the comic naughtiness.

Uhhhh, that's not a comic.... that's really her........

 

[Guest]

Uhhhh, that's not a comic.... that's really her........

You charmer, you.

 

[noxiousblonde]

Oooommmmggggg

Hello my name is noxiousblonde and I really am a blonde.

After days of wondering wtf my "attitude" in my stories was, I think the moron was in fact referring to my personal quote thingie about the slinky. God knows why he got his panties in a bunch over a silly humorous line that is meant in jest, not seriousness.

Although I do think he would bring a smile to my face...

 

[mickyp123]

Hello my name is noxiousblonde and I really am a blonde.

After days of wondering wtf my "attitude" in my stories was, I think the moron was in fact referring to my personal quote thingie about the slinky. God knows why he got his panties in a bunch over a silly humorous line that is meant in jest, not seriousness.

Although I do think he would bring a smile to my face...

Different strokes for different folkes, personally i thought it was funny, others nay not see it that way, and we have to embrace their thoughts as we do our own........sad fuckers......hehehe lol

As for attitude in stories, we all give a bit of ourselves don't we, useing them as a vehicle, unless we are writing for someone else, (some do) lol

 

[J.Q. Hack]

Attitudes in Stories?

Several comments pointed out that as authors something of ourselves and our psyches always end up in the story we've written. For better or for worse we always leave our marks on the story we've written. What that is, is only for us to know.

Some readers believe they can figure out what makes us tick by reading one story -- usually only a cursory glance. That's when they fire off a quick e-mail or comment accusing us of harboring all sorts of horrible problems and being emotionally stunted in one way or another. Just as the author leaves his marks on a story the reader brings his own views, feelings and thoughts on all sorts of subjects to the reading. Perhaps the negative comments and feedback reflect more on the reader than any traits the author brought to the story. When I'm reading stories here on Lit I'm incredibly wary of ascribing thoughts and feelings to the author and I try to take the story at face value. I see the character's actions as just that actions a character imagined by an author are doing. I don't see the character as a pure proxy for the author to vent their feelings through.

To summarize the author leaves their fingerprints all over their stories, but I believe the negative comments say just as much, if not more, about the writer of the comment than they do about the story or author being commented on.

 

[emptyness]

we are what we write
and we write what we are.

aside from the twisted popeye quote there, it doesn't matter. what any of us write, is what gets there. there is always a difference of translation from reader to reader, just as there is a difference of translation between writer and reader. conveying the same message again and again to every single reader, why would you want to do that? readers do not go into a story being a blank slate, everything they are comes along with them and there's no way their view on anything is not slightly altered through this.
firstoff, i'd say who cares what they say. what you write, that is your voice, that is what you are getting out to say. the way it is interpreted can be shaped, but there is not a need for one to stand by the side of each thing they write and babysit readers through it. let them take from it what they may, and if they don't like it, that's on them. of course, that is going beyond the assumption that it is written well or is a story that should be read (i'll be honest and say i haven't read anything you've written, but i've also not had my path crossed by a noxiousblonde before tonight).
and, really, why worry about what one bloke has to say? especially when it comes down to playground name-calling? if the fellow wants to make an insult, have him break down what you write and say where things went wrong. no story should be judged by content alone, and those who do are closer to bigots than they may ever think.

and, as an aside.... you've got me beat in the sexiness...definitely....

 

[bmw1080]

Hi N

I enjoyed the stories, yours, that I have read so far.

We are all influenced by history. Our personal view will be coloured and will influence our perspective. Other issues such as culture also play a big part.

Over the internet it is difficult to "feel" what a person is saying. The passion of prose is always better when read alound by the author. The place the influnce they intended into the piece.

I took what you wrote literally; it is for me erotic, sexual and tantalising. What more could I want?

B