I Think I Need Some Encouragement.

[Melon]

Hello,

I've been a long time lurker here. I've written a few shorts that I have been told are very good, and someone else who posts on here has encouraged me to submit my stories.

My problem is, as I read through the things here in the author's hangout, talk of characters and plots discourages me.

My stories are nothing more than quick fantasies. My characters never have names and I never think of titles.

Another thing that discourages me is that I'm a virgin and even though my stories involve sex, I always find the actual sex scene very hard to write about to get it realistic.

I don't know where to turn now. I'd like to submit my stories to the site, but don't feel they're good enough.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[horny_giraffe]

I can understand that you need some encouragement.

One of the nice things about Literotica is that the standards are pretty low. I've heard about stories being rejected, here, but I think that basically if you follow the rules for subject matter (which are pretty loose to begin with) your story won't be rejected. Don't make you characters obviously minors (i.e. under 18) but they'll give you plenty of leeway if there's a chance they could be older. I'm not entirely sure what else makes a story get rejected--I'm sure you can find a thread about it.

It's true that it's a big, big pond. Frankly, even the best writers at Literotica aren't "all that" if you compare them to the best published writers. A working assumption that I'd go with is that there is always, always, always, someone more skilled, more gifted, and just better at whatever it is you want to do--generally speaking. There's only one best--and there are millions of writers in the United States, alone.

Take life as it comes. The key is to enjoy the process. Figure out what's the most absorbing and interesting thing for you to do (or write) and do that. Usually, if you spend a lot of time doing things (and most people do what they enjoy) then you will become more skilled at it (which explains my skill at masturbation .

The world is full of amateurs. The question shouldn't be "Am I good enough?" but rather "Do I enjoy this?"

As for the other issue--people say "write what you know." That's true, basically. However, you are not stupid. You can extrapolate a lot of things. Can you imagine sardine-flavored ice cream? Can you imagine a life-size origami elephant? I can, and I've never seen those things before.

There's plenty of information on the net. I'm sure you can find out what you need to know about male or female anatomy. I never understood how women pee until I studied a detailed picture of a woman's vulva and saw where the urethra was located inside. And I've had sex a lot. So sex doesn't exactly guarantee knowledge, either.

If you do your research, you can write about what you don't know. Besides, perhaps your un-jaded (or perhaps naive) point of view may prove to be entertaining to others, if not to yourself.

 

[Weird Harold]

I don't know where to turn now. I'd like to submit my stories to the site, but don't feel they're good enough.

The simple fact that you're worried about whether your stories are "good enough" for Literotica is a good sign and probably means that they ARE good enough.

Most of the discussions about characterization, plot, and other technical details apply mostly to stories that are long enough for the technical details beyond proper spelling and grammar to make a difference. If you're writing short vignettes then plot and characterization are very difficult to incorporate and consequently aren't AS important.

 

[jerryl50]

Encouragement is the easy part; Courage is a little Harder

The age-old question is what's the difference between writers and people who want to write? The simple answer is that writers write. Your message says you've written several stories. Well, that's a start. As to the quality of the stories; well, that's a little more subjective.

You'll know how others see your work from the feedback you can allow from readers who see your stories. But writing is a craft, like woodworking, painting, or even playing the harmonica. Your own talent is what distinguishes craft from art. Any competent carpenter can build a serviceable bookcase, but a Frank Lloyd Wright would make it a masterpiece.

So write away, submit a few, and see what happens. You can't learn to swim until you eventually jump in the pool.

Best of Luck.

 

[gaigirl]

go for it

I agree with those above who said that this is as good a place to start submitting as any, and probably more forgiving and accepting than many.

Just go to the submissions link and throw something in. Worst case scenario it is rejected-- in which case at least you will have a reason why, and a place to start for reworking. The only way to lose is by not posting. Trust me-- there are some great stories in the index and there are a lot more not at all great stories. Yours couldn't possibly be the worst... Have you read any of the posted stories? That would give you an idea of what does get accepted. Start with the top ten list, read the "good" ones that have been voted on by readers. Then go to the last page of the ratings, and read some of those that have not received the highest scores. You'll see what I mean.

Virgin or not, if you find it difficult to write sex scenes, you might go to one of the Sexual Role Play threads that are marked (open) and jump "write" in.

Nothing lost by practising. Your character, and to some degree, plot twists as they relate to your character are helped along by the influence of the others.

"Write what you know" is a good place to start, but not having experienced something probably hasn't prevented you from thinking about it, so expand that to write what you think you might know, or write what you'd like to know.

just write--

Gg

 

[Melon]

Wow, thanks ya'll.

I've been working on two of my better stories. Hopefully I'll submit them soom.

Thanks again for listening to me, and encouraging me.

 

[its Leslie]

Once upon a time virginity might have actually meant something.

With today's media though, a "virgin" label doesn't count for much.

If I woman hasn't had a man drive his cock up her cunt (sorry but why talk fancy about it), then she might be a "virgin".
But what if she has had only anal sex, or what about the gals that have only had a nervous blowjob experience?
Does groping in the park count?

Me I was married at 25 as a virgin. I have been married 16 years and never so much as kissed another woman. In many ways I still feel vaguely virginal. But my stories don't seem to lack for imagination.

I think a person can write tangible credible fiction even without any actual experience. Still, until you have fiddled with the opposite sex's equipment, it is hard to discover some of funny little details.

 

[pinklipstick]

And when having doubts, remember that a writer doesn't have to be a psychotic murderer to write about one. Neither does one have to be a sexual demi-god to write erotica.

 

[NoJo]

Neither does one have to be a sexual demi-god to write erotica.

...but it doesn't do any harm if you are one, either.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Don't worry so much about it. Just make sure you've got some spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and two spaced between your paragraphs.

You'll find that there are exactly two kinds of authors who post stories at Literotica. These are differentiated by their reasons for posting stories. One kind, the vast majority you'll read here, post their stories to share their sexuality. Posting stories is about sharing fantasies and getting aroused. The other kind--and they tend to gather 'round here and in the feedback forum to discuss technical things--post stories to share their writing. They're concerned with plots, characters, grammar, and improving their writing.

This isn't to say that a writer can't do both at the same time. However, you'll find that there is one dominant reason and that usually guides how technical they get about things.

Neither side is better than the other. There's no judgment implied nor given. They're just different motivations for doing the same thing. If you don't have a lot of interest or concern with plots and stuff, don't worry about it. You've already got the basic tools in your fantasy and all you have to do is write them out and share them. Like literally thousands of other people. You're in good company, you know.

You will be just fine here.

 

[pinklipstick]

...but it doesn't do any harm if you are one, either.

true true

 

[deliciously_naughty]

Post your stories!!!

There's nothing wrong with a fantasy. Lack of names doesn't mean you don't have characters.

Enjoy and relax...we're here to have fun, not rip each other's work to shreds.