give us your opinion

[MysteryWriter]

It is past time to stand up and be counted people. You have all read (if not it is there for you to read) the three hundred word stories. There are some school teachers here and some damn fine writers.

So tell me:

(1) does a short story have to be 1000 words to be a story.

(2) does it have to be a jack off piece to be erotic.

(3) did none of the "little pieces" have a plot.

Stand up and be counted people vote yeah or nay...

Now all my friends out there I dont want you to stand with me just cause you love me rofl.

 

[The_old_man]

I read only two pages and feel that most, not all, are just "chapters" out of a much larger story. I am not good enough to even attempt so brief a presentation. Most of my writing is the type where the charictors do thier own writing and I attempt to edit into a cohearent story. Some of mt paragraphs are more than 300 words!

 

[karmadog]

maybe

The flash stories tended to have as much stories as most Lit stories have. Unfortunately, that means that they did not have a real story or they didn't have a satisfying story. I'm not trying to be superior by saying that, my story on lit is not good either. BTW MW you do have a story in your full length stuff, but not so much in the short stuff.

As always, this is just a useless opinion. I don't mean to say that the short stuff wasn't fun, just that I didn't see enough to make a full story.

 

[MaxSebastian]

(1) does a short story have to be 1000 words to be a story?

No, but it's more difficult to get sufficient characterisation into a story of less than 1,000 words. And of course, in a piece of this length you can't have too complex a plot, either. A story this short is a different kind of medium to a longer story in the same way that a poem is a different medium to a short story, a novella, a novel and a series of novels.

(2) does it have to be a jack off piece to be erotic.


Of course not, but you have to realise that the vast majority of the readers want it to satisfy their need for that kind of activity. So don't complain if your piece isn't explicit and so doesn't rack up the votes or feedback. The bottom line is that this isn't the arthouse of the erotica world. Literotica caters for broadly populist tastes, and if you want coverage, you'll have to act more like Hollywood and a little less like the East Czechoslovakian School of Obscure But Critically Acclaimed Cinema.

(3) did none of the "little pieces" have a plot.


Yes, but some people prefer plotting to steadily progress over a few thousand words. Some plot ideas are wasted on under-1,000 word stories.

 

[its Leslie]

I have not participated in the 300 word notion primarily because when I begin to write I keep writing till it is done. Then I edit and hope it looks nice.

I routinely have my spell checker engaged (its more attentive than me some days).

But the 300 word challenge is not interesting to me personally. That would be like asking a painter to paint on a puny canvas, or a sculptor to work with a small fragment.

It is indeed an interesting challenge though. But I don't perceive any actual worth.

As for a jack off piece, well there is no way of knowing what will get one person to remove their clothing and play with themselves any more than the next person.

But I generally want more than 300 words for the same reason my wife is not interested in me thrusting as fast as possible so that it's over in 3 minutes specifically.

 

[MysteryWriter]

what is funny

is that fifty people read this thread and four had an opinion. That leads me to believe that 46 people don’t give a crap what we call it.

And I don’t either. However, quite a few people read the 300 stories. Just as many read crack in the star chamber. So either I have a hell of a reputation, or more likely as long as it is interesting they will read it.

 

[Belilica]

I'm not sure about the other 2 questions, but I personally don't really masturbate when I read stories (unless they are really good and my partner isn't here ), but I do find them arousing. I dont think that if you don;t masturbate then its not erotic. Most of the stuff I read and like is more sensual and leaves me craving my lover's touch more than anything.

-Bel

 

[Ray Dario]

Re: what is funny

is that fifty people read this thread and four had an opinion. That leads me to believe that 46 people don’t give a crap what we call it.

And I don’t either. However, quite a few people read the 300 stories. Just as many read crack in the star chamber. So either I have a hell of a reputation, or more likely as long as it is interesting they will read it.

Actually MW;

I opened the thread, but had never read any of the 300 Words or less stories. That counted as a read, but no opinion.

Now I went and read some of the stories. Not all, I didn't have enough time for that and the ones I did read, well ...

My momma always tol' me that if'n ah dinna have somethin' nice to say to keep my damn mouf shut!

So I still don't have an opinion.

Ray

 

[WildLynx]

To answer your points:
1.
I believe a story can be any length; however part of my problem has been defining a story! Here is an explanation I find helpful, though I don't agree with all of it:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
from "Creating Short Fiction", by Damon Knight; Writers Digest Books, 1981.

p.55. " A successful story is or seems to be all of a piece - all in harmony,... ,nothing inappropriate or irrelevant."
"In a story we expect a quality of completion, or roundedness, which sets it apart from a sketch..."

and

p.57 "Finally, this is a story: The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door... -- Anonymous"
and
"The story, although it is only two sentences long, is complete by implication and is charged with meaning in a way that none of the others are."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I must say I find a two sentence story, no matter how well crafted, to be unfulfilling. Implied completion is not really complete from a readers stand point, no matter how compelling. Readers want more.

Three hundred words might do; if you agree with the above quotes, some of them succeed I think.

2.
No I don't think erotica must result in a stroke-off session, but heck, its fun when it does!

3.
Plot... darn it, why does everything have to have a plot? I don't care if there is a discernable plot every time, so long as the rest of the piece is hot!
Please refer to 2. above.

OK, OK. I am inconsistent. If you want to debate plot, theme, meaning or whatever on another thread, I've got a bunch of quotes to start it off.

 

[MysteryWriter]

"Not I,"

said the fat man.

 

[MysteryWriter]

oh ray

that counts as an opinion... but I didn't as for a review... rofl

 

[Gawd]

Stories should have words in them. And that is written in stone.

 

[its Leslie]

What defines a good story really cant be stated in any one way.

Well if you are writing to pay the bills I guess knowing what is "predominantly" good in the eyes of the target audience helps.

If the story "affects" you when you read it has done "something".
Now the "something" logically should be positive in nature.

I have been reading the series by Terry Goodkind that began with Wizards First Rule. This author gets a hats off from me.
Why you say? Well when I can read a book and get sooooo angry at the lead villain that I have to put the book down and cool off before I can continue, that's impressive writing.

What is good erotica? Good erotica is something that makes you incredibly horny. It can be a 300 word story, or something lengthier. But if the story has you pulling off clothes so you can relieve yourself, the author has hit pay dirt.

The trick is what makes you horny might have no effect on another. But if 8 out of 10 people are masturbating after reading your material you have cause to celebrate. If 8 out of 10 of your stories are this good then you have cause to brag. And finally if this is something that happens on a regular basis month to month, you might be able to make a living at it (or at least gain some level of profit from it).

 

[Whispersecret]

I opened the thread but haven't read the posts. In some other thread I explained my opinion regarding stories in a lengthy fashion and won't put you through that again.

As far as the reads...you have to also consider that anyone who contributed "stories" will have opened that thread any number of times just to see what else was posted. You might have 54 reads all attributed to a small number of people.

 

[MysteryWriter]

glad to see you back

I guess we count this as another have no opinion. Thanks for answering though.... By the way either I missed your opinion of a story or my memory is gone. I really would be interested, If you dont want to repeat it please tell me where to look so that I can look it up..

 

[wildsweetone]

MW, i'd like to know people's PERSONAL OPINIONS. not something they're quoting from books, nor something they were taught... but the real personal opinion of what each of us thinks a story should be. well, those of us who can let go the boundaries and use our imagination should be able to come forth... maybe...

btw NO OFFENCE MEANT to those who're quoting. I LOVE BOOKS AND RULES

 

[Belilica]

A story is a story. It doesn't matter how many words are in it. I'd have to agree with Leslie on this point.

-Bel

 

[MysteryWriter]

i have seen

I have seen the 'My personal opinion' used by several of the great writers around here. Just thought I should point out that it is redundant. All opinions are personal. sorry wild it just happened to be you this time. It usually is many others rofl

 

[karmadog]

I just reread my previous post and it sounded kind of harsh. I didn't mean that there are no stories here, or that people who write here suck. What I meant was that most of the stories here have a lot more sex than plot. Again, MW is an exception there (BTW you are keeping the author's hangout board alive. You are easily the largest contributor. Kudos.)

I agree that a story can be any length, but all of the 300 word or less stories were to short. There was too much left unsaid. There was not enough to understand a character's motivation, really there wasn't enough to even recognize a character.

Lynx posted something from a book on fiction that claimed that this was a story: "The last man on earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door."

To me, that is a joke (not particularly funny) or a koan, but not a story.

I believe a story requires at least one recognizable character. Someone that you can know something about. I didn't get enough of that from the flash fiction. I felt they were glimpses, not stories.

That said, some of them were fun. They were just sort of unsatisfying. Like having one chicken wing for dinner.

 

[MysteryWriter]

point

She made the point, and I happen to agree, some stories tap into the readers mind for the details. Most people are amazed, after one of my real pieces, when I point out that I have not described the main character. Almost always they have a picture of him in their mind. Usually they have no idea where it came from but it is there.

The characters in such a short a piece have to be written by the reader. I know it is disconcerting. I found it that way when I tried to write them down to 300 words. I could get the beginning into one sentance. I could get the ending into one sentance but fitting in the middle with some sense of story was a bitch. When I got the story down, there was no room for what the characters were thinking. It had to be all action to make the 300 limit that was imposed.

That pretty much explains where it comes from.

As for the postings. It proves I am an arrogant ass with too much time on my hands.

 

[Lisa CJ]

As this is a forum for 'free thought', perhaps a bit more of such should be consciously practiced in viewing the interesting 300 word experiment instigated by MysteryWriter.
Writing is an art form, and as such simply cannot be held in the confines of 'conventional standards'. How often do we fall into the practice of judging works of writing by the majority of what we are given as 'literature'.
I have read the 300 word story thread and its contents. One cannot judge MysteryWriter's and the other contributors' submissions as 'failures' to qualify as self-contained stories. I found most of the contributions qualifying all of the parameters set forth for the experiment. Again, because they do not cater to the 'conventional' idea/ideals we are conditioned to use in judging works of writing does not mean they are not valid or worthy of considering legitimate works.
As for the question of 'jack-off vs. erotic', it is a very subjective area. One person's orgasm may be another person's snore, if you'll pardon the bad metaphor. "Jack-off" stories are a dime a dozen (look at this website for the perfect examples); true erotica is something far more sophisticated, yet again very subjective.
A work of literature can be pedestrian or it can be art. In this experiment, I think content was secondary to craft - but several contributions successfully contained both equally. Ultimately, the goal was writing a self-contained story in 300 words or less. I think it has been proven it can successfully be done - and done well. One just may have to reassess their idea of what a work of literature is and can be.

 

[MysteryWriter]

wow

thank you Lisa can we go camping together this weekend.

 

[Lisa CJ]

Well Sir, thank you for the invitation. However, if you are of the vein of self-proclaimed 'storytellers' who write from personal experience, I can only assume from reading your work here that you would not be 'up' for such a rondezvous with me lol. However, I am always open to weekend retreat 'workshops' with other writers. Maybe we could teach each other a thing or two lol.

 

[MysteryWriter]

guess you are right

you talk way too fancy for me..

 

[Lisa CJ]

Well...

No Sir, there is nothing particularly fancy about me. I'm just a simple Virgin trying to get laid...