Getting back into writing

[Djmac1031]

Hey all, long time no see.

So I've been struggling with writers block for awhile now, but finally managed to push myself into finishing another story, just submitted for publication.

I'm still struggling a bit but managed to stop second guessing everything and just force myself to finish SOMETHING.

Now that I've finally submitted it, I'm hoping it starts coming easier again.

Maybe I was just pumping things out too fast and burned myself out?

I still don't consider myself a true "author." More like a guy that just writes amateur stories.

Still, when it was flowing through me it was fun. And I'm hoping to find that fun again.

I suppose my other problem is maybe I started to take it too seriously. Worrying about reader reactions or repetitive storytelling or just not being good enough.

I just have to let that shit go I guess.

I'll never be as good as some writers here, and I know some of my stories will fall short despite my best efforts.

But in the end I need to remind myself I write them for me.

If others enjoy them, great. But I can't worry about that.

 

[Duleigh]

Welcome back - I was brain-jammed here for 13 years! My page sat idle from 2008 to Dec 2021, then from that point on the stories start coming out in a whole different direction. Instead of 100% sex my stories have been stories about stuff that happens outside of beds, stories with dragons, spys, military adventures, and just friends and lovers living life all with some good sex as a reward for sticking with the story. Now that I'm writing what I really like to write I think the readers see that and are enjoying it

 

[Defluer]

I have to keep reminding myself to control the distractions. Which often become "inspirations" for new stories. My problem isn't that I can't write, it's that I keep starting new stories, then losing inspiration and wanting to start something else. Well I identified that the problem is reading other stories, too much outside media, and probably porn videos. So it's a constant struggle of telling myself to stop when I want to randomly surf for whatever, get back to writing. Or tell myself it's better to delete the last X paragraphs I've written and get back to where I liked the story, than to try and continue from the shitty spot I wrote myself into.

I hear you about the writing for you. That's another issue is I know my I/T stories do WAY better than the others, but I can't force myself to write anything. Which is why I can never become a professional author. I also know that if I write stories like "My sister was flat out gorgeous cheerleader with huge tits and all the guys in town wanted her. Mom was just a slightly older version of her." I would probably do way better too. Which... I've written those stories and I will write more but... I can't help but like nerdy gals, plain gals, chubby gals, and just normal gals.

All that is my long winded way of saying, it's more than just you that's struggling with this author "title" or dream. And just be on the lookout for what is going on that could be an issue. Minimize distractions or in the very least inspirations or inspiration drainers. When I DMed for my now disbanded D&D group, I noticed that all my creative juices would be used up. All I could handle was putting together my next session and mentally preparing to DM that upcoming day. When a session got canceled, then all of a sudden I could spin out a few pages of a sex story. Not that I would say stop hanging with friends for writing porn stories but you can mentally tell yourself you're still doing something creative. Which is what I had to tell myself. (I'm in a new D&D group now and somebody else DMs which is the best because I don't have to stress, I get to hang with friends, and play D&D!)

 

[Duleigh]

What really got me going was a good Anime - I watched Gate, which might be up your alley, a mystical gate opens between a land of dragons, elves, orcs, Bunny Girls and modern Japan and starts with a battle between the Roman army and the modern Japanese Self Defense Force. (Even a pair of armed F-4 Phantom IIs can't bring down a fire dragon!) I said "I can do that, even better!" and rolled out a fan fic. 80K words in 3 weeks. Toss in a little sex and here it is on Lit.

Most of my stuff starts at the end, I decide how I want the story to end maybe even write out a few pages, then figure out how to get there. I try to keep it character driven, and I don't write "porn characters," I like to write characters that I can fall in love with. Often a good country song helps the juices to start flowing.

 

[Djmac1031]

like to write characters that I can fall in love with.

Absolutely. My longest series, a series that came very easily until recently, is my Jenna Arrangement series.

And it's because I "fell in love" with Jenna that made it so easy to write her.

I think I found that "love" again .

Generally I don't write "porn" characters either (maybe a few lol) but I've always tried to keep at least a shred of realism even in my most outlandish stories.

Which I do find tougher than writing one dimensional porn characters.

It's all good, I'm finding my way again slowly.

I think my other problem is I was literally pumping out at least one story a week for awhile, I think I burned myself out.

I can still write, just need to give myself breathing room and not feel obligated to finish something within a week or so.

 

[Schlank]

Hey all, long time no see.

So I've been struggling with writers block for awhile now, but finally managed to push myself into finishing another story, just submitted for publication.

I'm still struggling a bit but managed to stop second guessing everything and just force myself to finish SOMETHING.

Now that I've finally submitted it, I'm hoping it starts coming easier again.

Maybe I was just pumping things out too fast and burned myself out?

I still don't consider myself a true "author." More like a guy that just writes amateur stories.

Still, when it was flowing through me it was fun. And I'm hoping to find that fun again.

I suppose my other problem is maybe I started to take it too seriously. Worrying about reader reactions or repetitive storytelling or just not being good enough.

I just have to let that shit go I guess.

I'll never be as good as some writers here, and I know some of my stories will fall short despite my best efforts.

But in the end I need to remind myself I write them for me.

If others enjoy them, great. But I can't worry about that.

For the past two years I've been struggling as well.

I used to be able to write a page or two a day. Lately I've been averaging about four or five sentences a day. It's been slow progress. I get most of my best ideas when I'm in the car driving to work and I can't write them down.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Welcome back - I was brain-jammed here for 13 years! My page sat idle from 2008 to Dec 2021, then from that point on the stories start coming out in a whole different direction. Instead of 100% sex my stories have been stories about stuff that happens outside of beds, stories with dragons, spys, military adventures, and just friends and lovers living life all with some good sex as a reward for sticking with the story. Now that I'm writing what I really like to write I think the readers see that and are enjoying it

You're recent stories, since the beginning of this year, are doing well, so I'd say you are on the right path.

Are any of your stories railroad-based in some way? I had one for a Geek Pride contest that was set at a trolley museum, the real one in Branford, CT.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I have to keep reminding myself to control the distractions. Which often become "inspirations" for new stories. My problem isn't that I can't write, it's that I keep starting new stories, then losing inspiration and wanting to start something else. Well I identified that the problem is reading other stories, too much outside media, and probably porn videos. So it's a constant struggle of telling myself to stop when I want to randomly surf for whatever, get back to writing. Or tell myself it's better to delete the last X paragraphs I've written and get back to where I liked the story, than to try and continue from the shitty spot I wrote myself into.

I hear you about the writing for you. That's another issue is I know my I/T stories do WAY better than the others, but I can't force myself to write anything. Which is why I can never become a professional author. I also know that if I write stories like "My sister was flat out gorgeous cheerleader with huge tits and all the guys in town wanted her. Mom was just a slightly older version of her." I would probably do way better too. Which... I've written those stories and I will write more but... I can't help but like nerdy gals, plain gals, chubby gals, and just normal gals.

All that is my long winded way of saying, it's more than just you that's struggling with this author "title" or dream. And just be on the lookout for what is going on that could be an issue. Minimize distractions or in the very least inspirations or inspiration drainers. When I DMed for my now disbanded D&D group, I noticed that all my creative juices would be used up. All I could handle was putting together my next session and mentally preparing to DM that upcoming day. When a session got canceled, then all of a sudden I could spin out a few pages of a sex story. Not that I would say stop hanging with friends for writing porn stories but you can mentally tell yourself you're still doing something creative. Which is what I had to tell myself. (I'm in a new D&D group now and somebody else DMs which is the best because I don't have to stress, I get to hang with friends, and play D&D!)

You seem to be doing well (based on your profile) even while trying to avoid the gorgeous cheerleader trope. Besides, if you've seen real cheerleaders, they don't all have huge tits.

 

[Duleigh]

You're recent stories, since the beginning of this year, are doing well, so I'd say you are on the right path.

Are any of your stories railroad-based in some way? I had one for a Geek Pride contest that was set at a trolley museum, the real one in Branford, CT.

That will have to be next year's geek pride, this year I did a "quick" little fan fiction based on an anime and was attacked by an entire squadron of heavily armed plot bunnies. I'm going to try a railfan based stroker and a HAM radio based romance next year. The HAM radio based story is going to be tough considering how clean you have to keep the conversation on the air.

 

[MillieDynamite]

You seem to be doing well (based on your profile) even while trying to avoid the gorgeous cheerleader trope. Besides, if you've seen real cheerleaders, they don't all have huge tits.

Say what? Don't all Cheerleaders have dem big fucking tits? How da fuck they be cheerleading without dem big motherfucking tits?

 

[gunhilltrain]

That will have to be next year's geek pride, this year I did a "quick" little fan fiction based on an anime and was attacked by an entire squadron of heavily armed plot bunnies. I'm going to try a railfan based stroker and a HAM radio based romance next year. The HAM radio based story is going to be tough considering how clean you have to keep the conversation on the air.

Now I'm wondering; what does the HAM in HAM radio mean? I never noticed before that it was in all-caps, so I assume it's an abbreviation for something.

I have a story in Non-erotic about the 1958 Newark Bay train accident which is from the point of view of a passenger who initially survives the wreck but dies in the hospital later. He's loosely based on a person I read about in a news article from one of the New York newspapers.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Say what? Don't all Cheerleaders have dem big fucking tits? How da fuck they be cheerleading without dem big motherfucking tits?

I think Sissy Spacek was a cheerleader and I don't think she's quite "typical" of the trope, although maybe I'm confusing her with one of her first big roles in Carrie. I never noticed anything unusual about the size of her bosom. It's quite ironic that she was named homecoming queen at her senior prom in Quitman, TX.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I think Sissy Spacek was a cheerleader and I don't think she's quite "typical" of the trope, although maybe I'm confusing her with one of her first big roles in Carrie. I never noticed anything unusual about the size of her bosom. It's quite ironic that she was named homecoming queen at her senior prom in Quitman, TX.

I love Sissy Spacek. I don't recall her ever playing a cheerleader. Which doesn't mean she hasn't. LOL. I wouldn't even know about her if my dad wasn't a movie freak. I was making a joke, gunhilltrain. I don't have bigguns at all, and neither does my wife. Jo was a stripper for several years. A hard-bodied, karate kicking, mean-assed one!

 

[gunhilltrain]

I love Sissy Spacek. I don't recall her ever playing a cheerleader. Which doesn't mean she hasn't. LOL. I wouldn't even know about her if my dad wasn't a movie freak. I was making a joke, gunhilltrain. I don't have bigguns at all, and neither does my wife. Jo was a stripper for several years. A hard-bodied, karate kicking, mean-assed one!

Of course, I knew it was a joke a the expense of a lot of Lit's material.

Sissy Spacek didn't play a cheerleader, she actually was one in high school. Sometimes I think she must have inverted her school experiences in order to play Carrie.

I do like it when she flips John Travolta's Camaro or Firebird or whatever it is with just an evil-eye look.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Of course, I knew it was a joke a the expense of a lot of Lit's material.

Sissy Spacek didn't play a cheerleader, she actually was one in high school. Sometimes I think she must have inverted her school experiences in order to play Carrie.

I do like it when she flips John Travolta's Camaro or Firebird or whatever it is with just an evil-eye look.

Yeah, Carrie White socks rocks hard in hell. My dad loves that movie. He saw it with some woman in Denver, and when the hand came out of the rubble and grabbed the girl's hand, this woman clawed his wrist with her long fingernails!

 

[MillieDynamite]

So one of my two new stories has 1.6K reads in 16 hours, a 4.08 score on 24 votes, two nasty comments about it, and one nice one. It received three new hearts in fifteen minutes of each other, and the vote changed by none! So my question is, how do you love a story enough to put it in your library but not take the second necessary to vote on it?

 

[Duleigh]

Now I'm wondering; what does the HAM in HAM radio mean? I never noticed before that it was in all-caps, so I assume it's an abbreviation for something.

I have a story in Non-erotic about the 1958 Newark Bay train accident which is from the point of view of a passenger who initially survives the wreck but dies in the hospital later. He's loosely based on a person I read about in a news article from one of the New York newspapers.

Ham is an old term from back when everything was Morse code, it was originally an insult from professional telegraphers who worked for railroads and companies like Western Union, they could "sling code" perfectly at up to 50 words per minute, they called amateur radio operators "Ham Fisted" Later when the police got radios in their cars they used the term to insult amateurs who bled over on to their frequencies.

Right now, with police radio communications being all digital, when the police departments encryption system goes down, so does their radio and it's up to us "HAMs" to provide radio communications for them .

Survives the wreck but dies in the hospital? I've done nothing but write about people being busted up, that's darker than I want to go. I've only killed one character and man, that shattered me. I was in mourning for someone who never existed for months, and it's probably going to affect me again when I publish the story in about 90 days.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Ham is an old term from back when everything was Morse code, it was originally an insult from professional telegraphers who worked for railroads and companies like Western Union, they could "sling code" perfectly at up to 50 words per minute, they called amateur radio operators "Ham Fisted" Later when the police got radios in their cars they used the term to insult amateurs who bled over on to their frequencies.

Right now, with police radio communications being all digital, when the police departments encryption system goes down, so does their radio and it's up to us "HAMs" to provide radio communications for them .

Survives the wreck but dies in the hospital? I've done nothing but write about people being busted up, that's darker than I want to go. I've only killed one character and man, that shattered me. I was in mourning for someone who never existed for months, and it's probably going to affect me again when I publish the story in about 90 days.

About the train wreck to start: I think he's the only character I ever killed off. He's based on Frederick Heath Douglas in this article, except he's at least twenty-five years younger and of course his name is different.

Asbury Park Press 1958

It starts with two of his colleagues talking about him at a Wall Street brokerage a few days earlier, and then shifts to him in his last hour on the train until it goes off the open lift bridge. He's mostly thinking trivial thoughts about what new car he wants and doesn't even understand exactly what's going wrong. Then the ending is on the next day, with the same two guys talking about him again. They won't admit it, but neither of them knew him very well and both are a bit uneasy that his passing doesn't really bother them that much. That's human nature I suppose, and they know it.

I wasn't broken up because he's only directly discussed for less than one Lit page.

 

[HopelessDreams]

So one of my two new stories has 1.6K reads in 16 hours, a 4.08 score on 24 votes, two nasty comments about it, and one nice one. It received three new hearts in fifteen minutes of each other, and the vote changed by none! So my question is, how do you love a story enough to put it in your library but not take the second necessary to vote on it?

I'm guessing that some people are opposed to the idea of the scoring system (perhaps because amateur erotica tends to be very heartfelt and not necessarily meant to please the audience). Thus, these readers might not partake in voting, which means that if they want to be consistent, they won't give high votes to the stories they love either. But they won't necessarily see anything wrong with favoriting a story because that just means that it aligns well with their tastes, plus it also helps them go back to it easily if they don't want to clutter their browser's bookmarks with too many erotic stories.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I suppose it could be argued A Quick Encounter with a Prostitute isn't Erotic. The first commenter didn't like the story and told me so in no uncertain terms. The second did as well. This going to be a series using the same character in each story. In the next story I'm putting about her, Under her breath, Sandy said, “Fuck Julia Roberts, fuck Richard Gere, fuck them both in the ass!” after a man who had hired her to fool his mother into believing he was in a relationship found out she was a whore, and threatened her about seeing him. I'm writing about what prostitution is, not what the myth says it is.

My other new story isn't even fairing as well as Encounter. No comments, but slow on reads and votes, 588 reads, 8 votes, and a 3.75 rating with 2 hearts. Mr. Lucky is indoctrinated into a BDSM relationship by force by a young woman. It is also intended to be a series. Maybe that won't happen. I don't know.

 

[XerXesXu]

Wrong thread.

 

[Defluer]

You seem to be doing well (based on your profile) even while trying to avoid the gorgeous cheerleader trope. Besides, if you've seen real cheerleaders, they don't all have huge tits.

Yeah, I'm getting things published. Slowly but surely. I can't seem to write anything that isn't a multi-part series, which slows things down so much. As I let it sit, write some and then put it away for another day. But I'm currently on Story 1202, that's one thousand, two hundred, and two stories. Not that I've fully written that many stories but that I've started and gotten at least a few paragraphs into that many different stories before I lost motivation. Currently there are 15 sitting in my Edit folder, which either is waiting for the right time of year to be published or needs me to push out a few more parts and get to a good ending. About 50 in another folder that got one sex scene and are hopeless that I'll never finish the story arc and I tell myself that I should somehow do some tweaks to and publish them basically like they are, but that will most likely never happen.

Going well but... I wish I could just Stay on Target!

 

[Bubo_bubo]

Say what? Don't all Cheerleaders have dem big fucking tits? How da fuck they be cheerleading without dem big motherfucking tits?

Late to the party and I know you're joking, but

It's a (very minor) plot point in the story I'm writing that at a certain point tits can be too big to actually do the cheerleading routines comfortably.
There's probably an optimum size for cheerleader tits. I doubt it's a G-cup

 

[gunhilltrain]

Ham is an old term from back when everything was Morse code, it was originally an insult from professional telegraphers who worked for railroads and companies like Western Union, they could "sling code" perfectly at up to 50 words per minute, they called amateur radio operators "Ham Fisted" Later when the police got radios in their cars they used the term to insult amateurs who bled over on to their frequencies.

Right now, with police radio communications being all digital, when the police departments encryption system goes down, so does their radio and it's up to us "HAMs" to provide radio communications for them .

Survives the wreck but dies in the hospital? I've done nothing but write about people being busted up, that's darker than I want to go. I've only killed one character and man, that shattered me. I was in mourning for someone who never existed for months, and it's probably going to affect me again when I publish the story in about 90 days.

Okay, "ham fisted," I never would have guessed that. I wonder how many people even know Morse code now. My "uncle" (my mother's cousin) learned it in the Merchant Marine during WWII. That must have been about a century (?) after it was invented.

That problem with police department encryption: that goes with my hypothesis that many technical advances have a hidden downside that doesn't always show up immediately. Are you one of those people who helps them out?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Late to the party and I know you're joking, but

It's a (very minor) plot point in the story I'm writing that at a certain point tits can be too big to actually do the cheerleading routines comfortably.
There's probably an optimum size for cheerleader tits. I doubt it's a G-cup

That's okay, you don't have to apologize. Almost everything published, and not just online, will probably offend somebody somewhere. In Texas, some school districts are even trying to ban the Bible from school libraries. It gets a bit hot in there with all the verses about, among other things, "spilling one's seed."