Do all authors write the type of stories they like to read?

[philatio]

I recently had my first story 'Working Late' published here (BTW thanks to all who gave me great feedback) but I'm surprised to feel that it's not the type of story that I normally go for. I'm not saying I wouldn't read it, but I have preferred subjects that I would generally read first.

So what I'm curious about is if other authors write about what they like to read themselves? or do they just write whatever comes to them as was in my case.

Philatio

 

[Nudemodel]

That's an interesting thought. I guess I have to say that in general I write or would write the kind of stories that I might like to read. I write one story for Literotica in response to a posting in the story ideas part of the bulletin board, "Slave Whore Teacher." I am still asking myself it I would have liked to read it if I had not written it. The others grew out of starting with some personal experience. If I had not had some of the experience to start with, I probably would never have written stories like that. And I might not have wanted to read stories like that. I don't know. Two just up are these kinds of stories growing out of real experiences, "Bar 69: True Story," and "After Bar 69: True Story."
(The second seems better written than the first, but I don't know how they might read to others)
http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=20661
http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=20662

Nudemodel

 

[Guest]

Story telling

Personally.......its a combination of both.

If an idea comes to mind on something I would like to write about, then I do. As most find....once you get a thought in your head, you kind of like to play it out.

However........I have also written a few stories simply because someone asked me if I would. I find that trying to write those stories is actually more challenging to me as it may or may not be something that personally appeals to me, but as I begin writing, becomes interesting as I then try and put myself in the place of the person(s) who wanted to read it. What is it then that I can do with the story to make it interesting and appealing?

Makes for an interesting and fun challenge.

T sleep.........perchance to dream - William Shakespear

 

[Ray Dario]

For me, I started writing stories that were the type I would like to read. Over time I drifted away from that and I am now going through a time of being too tired to write.

I think I am more successful writing stories that really turn my crank, but some of my later work has been received better.

Ray

 

[Bob Peale]

I can definitely say that initially, I wrote what I wanted to read but had trouble finding. As my readership grew, and I became more aware of the composition of the group, I started writing stories that would appeal to specific segments as well as to the whole.

If you look at my work, it's fairly diverse now...everything from Gay Male to D/S. As a rule, I don't normally have that broad a reading queue, but I enjoy writing the stories because I get the impression that people find pleasure in it.

Every year I try to write a story that I wouldn't normally write. The first year it turned out to be the Help Around The House series. Last year it was the Suburban Sprawl and Rest Stop series. This year, it's Auto-Erotic. I like the challenge.

 

[masterhypnotist]

Clearly I am a nich writer. I have given thought to straying, but not yet.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Everything I write is something I'd enjoy reading (which is why I started writing erotica in the first place, so I'd have something to read), but I don't write EVERYTHING I enjoy reading.

For example, I enjoy reading some incest stories. Not for the incest, but because incest stories naturally present an obstacle to sex, and for me the overcoming of obstacles is sexy. I tend to ignore the icky family details, and concentrate on the delicious angst. Now, I like reading these, but to write one I wouldn't be able to ignore the icky family details.

 

[Mickie]

I write, not about categories or niches, but about the characters and the conflicts the characters face that block the way to their goals. It doesn't matter to me what category it fits in. What I like to read are stories that contain the elements of a real story, not just a scene that centers around sex. I like conflict, characters I can identify with, and a setting that is real and provocative. So, yes, I write stories I'd like to read.

 

[Hecate]

I write a lot of things I like to read about ... but those are not published on Lit ( or not many of those anyway since thy are usually written for someone "special"). My stories on Lit are more the "challenge" type stories, which I hardly would write for "myself" but which I try to make as good as I can for an audience with different tastes to enjoy.

And guess what? I love this kind of challenge and am surprised by the wonderfull meandering ways my mind and imaginaion comes up with!

 

[cymbidia]

I've been told, and i concur with the assessment, that (with the exception of my Erica chapter) i don't even write "stories" per se but simply vignettes. Like masterhypnotist, mine are written for a decidedly niche set of readers. Like him, i've given thought to straying from my comfort subject... but not yet. Not just yet. And yes, i read first, and most deeply, into the category about which i write.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I write all over the place. I have three writing projects in the works now that require me to learn at least three different languages and five different cultures in order to write them effectively. You won't be seeing them any time soon, if ever. I tend to get bogged down in the learning process. Gawd, think of all the grammar I'll get to wallow in. I'm in seventh heaven.

I write some of what I know about, and what I think I know about is human nature and what it means to be a human being in a way that touches the "norm" in most people. It's the rest of it that I have trouble with. Like the whole Lakota thing. I know next to nothing about it, but in order to finish the Gathering Night I have to learn all I can about the Lakota, including some language. Not an easy task since it's not readily accesible information.

So I would say that we write where we're comfortable, but not necessarilty in our own knowledge base.

 

[Frederick Carol]

I started writing Erotica because I enjoy reading it. Unfortunately most of what I found initially was basically poor. Some interesting scenarios but badly written. A few, very few, good writers.

In my arrogance I thought I could do better so decided to have a try. I found that I was writing stories that I would enjoy reading whether from my own efforts or that of others. Whether my own efforts are actually better is for others to judge, of course, but I've enjoyed the learning curve.

It was only when I discovered Literotica and realised that there was good erotic writing available that I eventually plucked up the courage to see what the world thought of my efforts and started submitting. Enough people have said nice things to make me want to continue. I still write basically what I would wish to read.

FC

 

[Cockatoo]

Actually, no.

What I write and what I find myself reading around here turn out to be totally different things. I hadn't thought about it like that before, and it surprised me to realize it, but... there it is.

I guess if something's too close to what I would produce, I'll find myself being critical of it, and thinking "aw, I could have done this," or (arrogantly) "I could have done better." It's like going out to a restaurant to eat something you could have fixed yourself at home.

Imagine that. Hmmmph. Whaddaya know.

 

[philatio]

Thank you

Thanks to all the authors who replied to this post. It was very interesting to read the views, and I was surprised to find that reading some of these views helped me better understand my own writing experience.

It was great to read about what makes some of my favourite authors 'tick' as well

Thanks guys,

Philatio

 

[L.A. Wicker]

What do i read?

I like to read anything that sounds real. not the new stories being posted, to me, they sound like something from the newspaper.
so many of late have been like that. no talking, no nothing, boring.
my stories have action, talking and i get bad scores. go figure?

 

[Mickie]

Exposition seems to be on the rise, in other words, LAW. (Exposition is when an author merely TELLS what is going on instead of showing it.) And many, many amateur writers use exposition to tell about background, etc.

It really is more interesting to read stories that have little or no exposition. Instead, they have an action scene that illustrates the background. Instead of saying 'her father was fat and boring', have him sit at the breakfast table in his shorts with a roll hanging over, reading the paper. Actual boring comments in real quotes, with the main character's reaction will illustrate the point in a much more humorous or interesting way.

Just an example there. I agree with LAW, to tell the truth. SHOW don't Tell is a sort of golden rule in writing. After all, writing is just a painting using words instead of paint.

Mickie