How many of you write for yourselves, not the reader?

[AG31]

It's clear that a vast majority of AH writers do, to some extent, write for the reader. Lots of interesting threads are focussed on how to best get and keep their attention.

But some of us don't think about the reader. We write to please ourselves. And we publish to possibly bump into people who share our sensibilities, for the inexplicable reason that humans like to find like-minded people.

Of course, this, like everything, is on a continuum. I'm grateful when someone points out that a passage of mine is confusing, or could be made less klunky by doing such and such. But I hope you get my point.

@onehitwanda's essay, Paint With a Soft Brush, got me thinking about this. As I read it, I kept thinking about the fact that I don't follow her advice. It's clearly good advice, but my own approach is different. Here are some examples. Are any of you writers like me? Does this describe being a "pantser?" I never completely understood that term. Do pantsers spend time choosing their words? I do. In that I agree totally with Wanda's essay.

1. Choose words that establish the scene I'm only interested in establishing the scene to the extent that i'm describing what the MC is paying attention to. If the MC is the sort that is fascinated by interior decor, we'll find out about the wallpaper and the furniture. Or we might find out nothing.

2. Choose words based on your desired end goal No disagreement here. My desired goal is to portray the MC's physical experience as vividly as possible. And, in most of my stories, the single concomitant emotional/psychological experience of surrender. Choosing the words is the main thing I'm doing in writing down the story.

3. Choose words that demonstrate how your character feels in this moment "Feels" is a difficult concept. I'm fixed on physical experience and concomitant surrender. I don't distract by internal monologue. Lots of critics wish I would tell them what the MC is thinking. The MC can't be distracted by thinking. Again, a continuum. I do tell the reader about his contempt for his tormenter, for example.

4. Choose the words that turn the rough sketch into a finished painting Couldn't agree more. That's what I'm all about, and why a number of my stories have five to nine editions. Every year or so I re-read and fine tune.

What about the rest of you? Do any of you write like I do?

 

[SimonDoom]

I do both. I write for myself and I write for the reader. I don't clearly differentiate them. The way I see it, who "I" am has been informed in large part by a lifetime of reading and having a good idea of what I like. I write for the reader, but with myself as my ideal reader.

I'm reminded of the line in Paul McCartney's song "Silly Love Songs": Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs. What's wrong with that, I'd like to know, 'cause here I go again.

Paul liked silly love songs. So he wrote them, knowing he would enjoy them and others would too.

I formed my enjoyment for silly incest stories years and years before I ever wrote one. I read gobs and gobs of those stories, and I enjoyed them, but as a critical reader I'd think, "If I were to write this, I might do this just a bit differently." Eventually, I did start writing, and that's how I did it.

Shakespeare was, in my opinion, the greatest writer in the history of the English language. I don't think he ever wrestled with this question. He was a brilliant artist who wrote words because he knew they were good, but he also wrote for audiences because he wanted to make them laugh and cry -- and he wanted to get paid. The greatness of his art ultimately did not turn on resolving whether he wrote for himself or for his readers.

 

[FrancesScott]

I write about subjects that interest me. I write in a manner that seems best to me to tell the story. I never think about an audience in advance. I never think, ‘This is in Lesbian Sex and they love slow burns.’ But - just like any other writer - I want the reader to enjoy and appreciate my work. So I try to write what I feel are engaging and stimulating short stories (I’ve not written anything long here).

I try to respect the reader by making my prose clear and easy to understand (I’m not including my Great Gastby pastiche here, which was intentionally abstruse). I try to stick to traditional grammar most of the time. I try to iron out any spelling mistakes or ugly constructs (not always successfully).

But I’m not thinking, ‘What would turn on a Fetish reader?’ while I’m writing. I’m thinking, ‘What would turn me on?’ My hope is that at least a percentage of readers will find what I have written moving, interesting, and / or arousing. But I don’t go out of my way to ensure that outcome.

 

[XerXesXu]

I write in lieu of reading, so I write for readers who's tastes, and style are like mine.

When I do dip into fiction, I compulsively re-write as I go, so I, for preference, read non-fiction.

 

[MrPixel]

I write for myself. Period.

I am thankful and grateful that others enjoy my musings, but nonetheless these tall tales are streams of consciousness clamoring to escape into the ether.

 

[caleb35]

Oooh, good question, and one that I think on from time to time. First off, a couple things -- 1) some people do focus their writing exclusively for a particular audience, and write what they think that audience wants to read. Happens on this site and it happens in publishing. There's nothing wrong with that; it's a way to make a living. 2) Even if you don't intentionally write for an audience, the feedback that you get on this site -- whether directly through comments or indirectly through number of reads/ratings/favorites in various categories that you submit to, shapes what you do and how. I find myself gravitating towards those categories where I average more readership. There's always a dialectic between the author and the reader.

But to directly answer your question -- I write mainly for myself, the readers second, as the other commenters in this thread have said. I think you have to if you consider yourself any kind of writer, otherwise what the hell are you doing this for; there are other (likely better) ways to spend your time. Writing is expression -- I have thoughts, I have feelings, and here's what they are. It's what drives you, what inspires you, what's inside you that's gotta come out. I Have a Keyboard and I Must Type.

Now, back to the dialectic between author and reader, while I think every writer should write for themself first, the author can't ignore the reader either. Writing might be expression first but it's a form of communication second and the communication has to succeed. You can write all you want and like but if your writing is shit then who cares. Part of expressing yourself is that OTHER PEOPLE experience that expression and are able to process it for themselves. You, the writer, have an obligation to communicate to the reader -- you have an obligation to connect to the reader and for the reader to grasp what you are expressing. The reader might disagree, might hate it, might think that you suck, but you have communicated.

Lastly, thank you for sharing the essay by onehitwanda.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

The story is always just for my own pleasure. The skills that I employ to tell the story always have the potential readers in mind.

I have the scenes, settings, characters, and themes in my head. I could keep them there and be perfectly happy. If I choose to share them, I feel an obligation to do so in a way where the readers appreciate the story, by me taking the time, and employing the techniques and skills that get them as close to the story in my head as possible.

In essence, once a story is published, it belongs to the readers, and there's not much that you can do to influence that. You can take credit (or blame) for its creation, but nothing more. If you don't accept that, don't publish.

 

[StillStunned]

It's clear that a vast majority of AH writers do, to some extent, write for the reader. Lots of interesting threads are focussed on how to best get and keep their attention.

I feel that this is aimed at least in part at me.

The thing is, I write for myself. I write stories that I'd want to read - in fact I reread my own stories all the time. I don't ask myself whether anyone will actually read my 2P POV cyberpunk stream of consciousness (although once it's published I might be frustrated that no-one does, because I like my stories and I'd like more people to read them).

But my primary focus is on the words, sentences and paragraphs. On the imagery and feelings that they evoke. On telling my story in a way that resonates.

So when I talk about making the reader want to finish the story, I'm talking about the craft of writing. A poorly crafted story turns readers off, and that means I haven't written to the best of my ability. So it's purely for my own gratification, because that's my favourite part of writing: putting the words together in the best way possible to achieve the effect I want.

 

[ronde]

I don't contrive a plot and characters with the reader in mind. I write about things that interest me or about my personal experiences. I do keep the readers in mind though and I pay attention to the comments on my stories. I find the comments give me insight into better writing and into subjects to write about. I'm lucky in that a couple of my passions apparently are shared by some of my readers, so in writing to please myself, I suppose I'm writing to please them as well.

 

[Britva415]

If I think about a reader at all, it's one who has a hell of a lot in common with me. I basically write what I would like to read.

Other "types" of readers? No.

 

[EmmatheRunner]

Ooh this is an interesting one.

I mean, at the base level, I definitely write for myself, because I love writing and I love reading and I write what I would like to read. I create characters that I love and who I'd like to be friends with.

Also, of course, if I were focussed on readership my characters would have larger (or, at least, firmer) breasts, wouldn't get sweaty or grumpy or sweary and wouldn't fall over their own knickers in the middle of a sex scene.

I do sometimes worry about my humour, because my stories do focus waaaay more on humour than most, and of course not everyone finds the same stuff funny. I know that I have an acutely British sense of humour, and that some of it could either go over the heads of others or worse, unintentionally offend.

I suppose I just want those few who it clicks with to really enjoy it.

 

[000zing]

And then of course there's the ultimate "writing for oneself" syndrome... the one where "one" doesn't actually publish but keeps the product strictly for the amusement of the producer.

 

[AG31]

the feedback that you get on this site -- whether directly through comments or indirectly through number of reads/ratings/favorites in various categories that you submit to, shapes what you do and how.

If I had enough comments to sample I might be able to decide if this were true for me.

You, the writer, have an obligation to communicate to the reader -- you have an obligation to connect to the reader and for the reader to grasp what you are expressing.

No, no obligation. My niche is so small that most people just don't get it. That's not a problem I want to own.

 

[AG31]

I feel that this is aimed at least in part at me.

Well, now, you're an interesting case. I've got a pretty firm sense about you that you're one of those authors that really enjoy your own stories. On the other hand, you obviously take delight in the craft, or you wouldn't keep challenging us!

 

[TiberiusPrime]

Always for myself. I love my quirky humor!

 

[StillStunned]

Well, now, you're an interesting case. I've got a pretty firm sense about you that you're one of those authors that really enjoy your own stories. On the other hand, you obviously take delight in the craft, or you wouldn't keep challenging us!

Yes, and yes.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I guess I'd say that "write for yourself" takes precedence, but within that I will write for the reader as far as I can without compromising the bits that matter to me.

For instance, when I wrote Red Scarf I wanted to tell a story about a relationship between autistic people, I wanted to write about sex work in a way that avoided the "Pretty Woman" tropes, and I wanted to write about somebody having to let go of what they thought was going to be a romantic relationship.

I was aware going in that a lot of readers love the Pretty Woman stuff and were going to be disappointed by how the story turned out. (And indeed some of them were, and let me know about it. Quite emphatically.) But those things were important to me and I wasn't willing to trade them away for the sake of appeasing readers.

However, when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of how I told that story, I aimed to make it accessible and attractive to readers. For instance, I structured the story to give readers a good idea of what the major themes were going to be from early on, and I put a lot of work into massaging the flow etc. to make it reader-friendly, within the constraints set by the "for myself" bits.

When I started out here I was probably a bit more reader-focussed, but I've been trying to cut down on masking IRL and that has implications for how I write here - a bit more "this is who I am, take it or leave it".

 

[EmilyMiller]

It’s easy, why would I publish stuff in SciFi & Fantasy or Novels & Novellas if I was writing for anyone else but me? That sounds like a definition of insanity .

 

[Voboy]

I write for a reader who's just like me: I write the stories I'd like to read. That's why I started writing here and it's what I still do. So I guess I'd say I'm not looking to make my stories "attractive to readers" per se; I'm looking to attract people who read the kinds of stories I like here. I trust that there are enough people out there with tastes similar to my own that anything I write will appeal to them, and so far I've been pleased with my reception.

So I guess I write for myself, but maybe not in the way the OP means. I don't "write for myself" in the sense that I'm looking to get something out of me, and damn the public. If I did that, I wouldn't bother posting (or, if I did, I wouldn't care about how my stories were received).

I'm careful with my word choice because when I read stories, I like them to sound well in my head. So that's how I write, too. I wouldn't say I follow any kind of template or seek anyone's advice or anything; I write what I feel like writing, and I'm confident it'll do well because, by the time I post it? I like it.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I write for fun, for my own entertainment. Not because of some kink, or that I find a particular situation sexy.
My stories have often been posted knowing they are going to receive a lot of negative reactions. I post them anyway because writing it gave me some level of entertainment. Perhaps it's the situation that intrigues me, or the conversations that might be hard to deal with. Perhaps it's the drama the situation creates?
The readers... No, I don't post stories to get their applause, or to build a following, or to get high scores. There is no expectations of grandeur or fame and fortune.

Writing for me is fun, a therapeutic release from the stress of the day. A quiet outlet for the creative segment of my brain.
You know, "It's a dark stormy night." So to sit in front of the fire, soft music drifting around the house. My fingers tapping feverishly. It is a wonderfully enriching feeling.
You have created something from nothing. A thought, becomes a 50,000 word story... It might be crap, but it's yours... You designed and built it yourself...

Cagivagurl

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I don't see the two as exclusive. I mean, I write the stories I want to tell, and I do it to my standards. Having said that, I don't write them to shove them in a drawer never to be read. I have an ego and I enjoy(maybe even crave) the validation I get from the people that read my stories. If i don't write stuff they like, I don't get the validation. I guess my point is, I write for myself first, and then try to give my readers something they'll enjoy.

 

[ElectricBlue]

But some of us don't think about the reader. We write to please ourselves. And we publish to possibly bump into people who share our sensibilities, for the inexplicable reason that humans like to find like-minded people.

My stories are unashamedly my fantasies. I write them for me and sometimes for others, some get published here on Lit, others will always remain private. So in that sense, do I consider Lit readers? No.

But if Lit readers like what I write and the way I write it, that's always a bonus, and I don't mind the affirmation at all.

 

[EmmAgain]

I do very much want to write for my readers - if I’m ever fortunate to have any - as I truly believe most would be thrilled to be immersed in the parts of my life I want to share. I’ve traveled, I’ve had incredible sexual experiences, I’ve lived through an incredibly strange family dynamic. (Hi Mom!)

But at this stage I just don’t have the literary talent. I don’t know how to breathe written life into all my terabytes of images and videos and memories. And with a baby on the way, I don’t see that changing this year or next.

 

[dirk2024]

I write for both. My stories are my fantasies, so in that respect I am writing for myself. But I do enjoy entertaining people, so I want to see that happen as well.

 

[KittyOfSteele]

I don't know how to answer this question. I don't really have a reader in mind. The only reason I write is to stay alive, because if I don't write, I get anxious, I get panic attacks, I go insane... I can't not write for days. Last year I spent a week not writing, and I felt like a heroin addict desperate for a shot. The only reason I didn't write was because I got fueled by paranoia, hid beneath my bed, waiting for someone to take me in because I had to perform a duty I didn't offer myself to; an actual witch tryal. Prison if you do. Prison if you don't. Beatings, electric torture, maybe removal of nails, and I even speculate white room could be included. I confirmed the first two.

They were close though. Some people on my family were in the same position as I. One person I know was taken into custody for almost an entire year, and they let him go because his children went viral online, requesting for his release. They did, but in exchange, they found one of the folks that got into hiding from the opposing side... almost a year after the events.

I don't know. I lost my focus since three or four years ago. Perfectionism got me. I don't write for myself. Out of all the things I've written, only one story I really like, only one that I always go back to not to edit, but to read it, because it gives me hope. It still remains there, a first draft, unedited, unpublished, waiting for it to be turned into an actual erotica instead of staying the way it is, because the ground is ripe for it. Is not that I'm afraid to ruin it, it's just that I have so many stories, and I'm jumping all over the place, feeling like I have a gun pointing behind my head, because I want to keep posting, but then I write, and I feel discouraged to keep going.

I lost contact to my favorite person in the world last weekend. Seven years vanished in just one click; her choice. It was her birthday recently, and I wrote a story for her. It's like the third or fourth fanfic I made with those characters, and I want to make a full story with them to post on C&FC, but that's a new idea. I'm working on a challenge: writing about the same thing for a year. Today was day 223, and I'm still going with schoolgirl erotica. Got many seeds, but I didn't plant any of them. Then there's the 10-minute novelist challenge. I want to finish it by August, but I'm procrastinating it like hell. Then there's rebooting and bringing back the amount of content I meant to post over the past years, but I haven't gotten into it. Then, after losing contact, I finally unlocked the will to write a roman à clef about the whole mess my life has been since the beginning of the year. Then plans for a novella. Then, pick back up the book I started.

Too many ideas. I write them to heal, but I never wrote a thing to entertain myself with, and I want to. It's just perfectionism always getting on the way. I'm dreaming too much, doing too little, don't have a north. The only sense of north I have, I lost it...

Seeking help, if anyone has it. I'm still writing, but I am completely scattered, and I spread myself thin. I'd blame it on the ADHD, but I know this is more of a me problem, not an ADHD problem. ADHD is a catalyst to this problem, not the core ingredient.