I'm ruined! You've all ruined me!!!

[dirk2024]

I joined Lit over a year ago, at first an avid reader who followed many authors of stories I liked. I figured I liked one of their stories, the others would be enjoyable as well. Turns out, not so much.

Add to that, since I'm writing my own stories now (with dubious results) and I find that my standards are changing. I still have the few kinks I came in with and have added a few new ones. I have enjoyed many of the stories I've read, but find the tide is starting to turn. Over the last three or four weeks I've been "unfollowing" some of the authors I have been reading since the beginning. While I still enjoy the occasional stroker, the percentage of them I read now is dropping. And if the premise is in no way plausible, I can't finish the story.

Case in point, I just tried to read a story where two people found out they were being cheated on, their spouses fucking each other. it created an instant bond. Okay, I can see that happening. These people are emotionally wrecked and need someone to lean on. But at less than a half a page into the story, the "cheatee's" are already flirting with one another and formulating plans for their own revenge and sex. And it wasn't just the revenge, there was a connection being forged. it was a whirlwind. Not only was it not a slow burn, it wasn't even a burn. I didn't comment, I didn't vote. I just stopped reading. I did unfollow that author has I haven't been able to complete one of their stories for a while now.

I've read some comments from some of ya'll that have experienced the same situation, or were always in that boat. Since I'm writing more now, I'm reading less anyway, so I suppose I shouldn't moan about that. It's just a little tougher to find something to read nowadays.

That's it. Experience shared. Carry on.

 

[TheLobster]

It’s been the opposite for me. The more complex are the pieces I’m trying to craft, the less I can stand highfaluting prose in the stories I read. That’s when I very much appreciate a straightforward palate cleanser.

Some stories produced by AH denizens are an exception, of course, like the recent work by @StillStunned .

 

[StillStunned]

When I was a reader, books and stories were amazing things. I'd absorb every word, every image, every idea. I admired the work of the writers, and was in awe of them.

Then I became an editor, and I started looking at writing in a new light. I know how words and sentences and paragraphs fit together. I know how sounds and imagery work. And I see the writer's work, and I can tell where they tried and failed, or where they succeeded, or where they didn't even make an effort at all.

And then I started writing, and now I have very little patience for poor plotting, weak characterisation, and all those other shortcomings that I never noticed before but are now glaringly obvious.

If I was compelled to write my own stories before because I couldn't find what I wanted to read, that's only been reinforced by writing those stories.

 

[THBGato]

I hear you. Luckily, the lesbian category has some very, very good writers publishing there, so I haven't been turned off reading here yet, though I have gotten more discerning.

 

[dirk2024]

I hear you. Luckily, the lesbian category has some very, very good writers publishing there, so I haven't been turned off reading here yet, though I have gotten more discerning.

Yes, I do find good stories there. Especially when I'm certain they are written by women.

I say that, knowing that I have a couple of WIP's where I am trying to do write female on female scenes, and worry that I am doing them a disservice.

 

[Bazzle]

I know I have a problem, I visualise scenes, I can see the room around the character and how they move through it.

When I read a story where the author is more interested in the cupsize and cock length of the two protagonists I am sitting there contemplating if there might have been a pot plant in the corner of the room, or did the MMC yet again leave his laptop at work when he was meant to bring it home.

If 36c and 8" is mentioned in the second paragraph, I give up.

Has the dishwasher been loaded correctly? Is the has the washing been done?

I need to feel the room...

B

 

[EmilyMiller]

I joined Lit over a year ago, at first an avid reader who followed many authors of stories I liked. I figured I liked one of their stories, the others would be enjoyable as well. Turns out, not so much.

Add to that, since I'm writing my own stories now (with dubious results) and I find that my standards are changing. I still have the few kinks I came in with and have added a few new ones. I have enjoyed many of the stories I've read, but find the tide is starting to turn. Over the last three or four weeks I've been "unfollowing" some of the authors I have been reading since the beginning. While I still enjoy the occasional stroker, the percentage of them I read now is dropping. And if the premise is in no way plausible, I can't finish the story.

Case in point, I just tried to read a story where two people found out they were being cheated on, their spouses fucking each other. it created an instant bond. Okay, I can see that happening. These people are emotionally wrecked and need someone to lean on. But at less than a half a page into the story, the "cheatee's" are already flirting with one another and formulating plans for their own revenge and sex. And it wasn't just the revenge, there was a connection being forged. it was a whirlwind. Not only was it not a slow burn, it wasn't even a burn. I didn't comment, I didn't vote. I just stopped reading. I did unfollow that author has I haven't been able to complete one of their stories for a while now.

I've read some comments from some of ya'll that have experienced the same situation, or were always in that boat. Since I'm writing more now, I'm reading less anyway, so I suppose I shouldn't moan about that. It's just a little tougher to find something to read nowadays.

That's it. Experience shared. Carry on.

I find that I appreciate good literature more than before I was writing. I’ve quoted Richard Feynman about an analogous subject before. Let me go find the text:

Here we go…

I have a friend who’s an artist and has sometimes taken a view which I don’t agree with very well. He’ll hold up a flower and say “look how beautiful it is,” and I’ll agree. Then he says “I as an artist can see how beautiful this is but you as a scientist take this all apart and it becomes a dull thing,” and I think that he’s kind of nutty. First of all, the beauty that he sees is available to other people and to me too, I believe. Although I may not be quite as refined aesthetically as he is … I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same time, I see much more about the flower than he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it’s not just beauty at this dimension, at one centimeter; there’s also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure, also the processes. The fact that the colors in the flower evolved in order to attract insects to pollinate it is interesting; it means that insects can see the color. It adds a question: does this aesthetic sense also exist in the lower forms? Why is it aesthetic? All kinds of interesting questions which the science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don’t understand how it subtracts.

I feel like that. Maybe my antennae pick up bad writing quicker, but I appreciate good writing more.

 

[Britva415]

I still have the same picky tastes and short off-ramp from dumb writing that I always had, before I started writing.

And "dumb" is not the antonym for "highfalutin." A lot of shit is both.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I joined Lit over a year ago, at first an avid reader who followed many authors of stories I liked. I figured I liked one of their stories, the others would be enjoyable as well. Turns out, not so much.

Add to that, since I'm writing my own stories now (with dubious results) and I find that my standards are changing. I still have the few kinks I came in with and have added a few new ones. I have enjoyed many of the stories I've read, but find the tide is starting to turn. Over the last three or four weeks I've been "unfollowing" some of the authors I have been reading since the beginning. While I still enjoy the occasional stroker, the percentage of them I read now is dropping. And if the premise is in no way plausible, I can't finish the story.

Case in point, I just tried to read a story where two people found out they were being cheated on, their spouses fucking each other. it created an instant bond. Okay, I can see that happening. These people are emotionally wrecked and need someone to lean on. But at less than a half a page into the story, the "cheatee's" are already flirting with one another and formulating plans for their own revenge and sex. And it wasn't just the revenge, there was a connection being forged. it was a whirlwind. Not only was it not a slow burn, it wasn't even a burn. I didn't comment, I didn't vote. I just stopped reading. I did unfollow that author has I haven't been able to complete one of their stories for a while now.

I've read some comments from some of ya'll that have experienced the same situation, or were always in that boat. Since I'm writing more now, I'm reading less anyway, so I suppose I shouldn't moan about that. It's just a little tougher to find something to read nowadays.

That's it. Experience shared. Carry on.

Reading and writing... The cornerstones of written communication...
I was a reader a long time before toying with writing creatively...

An avid reader, a music lover, a movie lover, and art lover. Every artist who's creations I adore, has at one point or another created something I disliked... I have yet to find somebody that is perfect... An ideal, an impossible goal.
Humans are flawed creatures. My favourite musicians, have created things that I simply didn't get...
Evolving as an artist means trying novel things, breaching virgin ground... Discovering, growing.
That doesn't mean I stop listening to them, or stop going to their concerts. I do so understanding that their journey maybe different to mine.
As a reader, it means that I am destined to read something from a favourite author I don't like... They inevitably open a door I may not necessarily enjoy walking through... That doesn't mean I shan't again read something of theirs.

The road to fulfilment is growth. That is something we have allow other creators...

Dabbling in writing, and seeing how much effort and time goes into it has made me a more discerning reader. So long as the story is written well, I'm prepared to let the author lead me along their journey...

Just my thoughts

Cagivagurl

 

[dirk2024]

Humans are flawed creatures. My favourite musicians, have created things that I simply didn't get...
Evolving as an artist means trying novel things, breaching virgin ground... Discovering, growing.

The Beatles came close though...

 

[Cagivagurl]

The Beatles came close though...

LOL....
Plenty have come close....
Even so, I can't think of anybody who's body of creativity that I love every single creation...
Allison Russell is probably as close as I can think... (For me). Everybody is different, thankfully.

 

[big_cane_sugar]

I joined Lit over a year ago, at first an avid reader who followed many authors of stories I liked. I figured I liked one of their stories, the others would be enjoyable as well. Turns out, not so much.

Add to that, since I'm writing my own stories now (with dubious results) and I find that my standards are changing. I still have the few kinks I came in with and have added a few new ones. I have enjoyed many of the stories I've read, but find the tide is starting to turn. Over the last three or four weeks I've been "unfollowing" some of the authors I have been reading since the beginning. While I still enjoy the occasional stroker, the percentage of them I read now is dropping. And if the premise is in no way plausible, I can't finish the story.

Case in point, I just tried to read a story where two people found out they were being cheated on, their spouses fucking each other. it created an instant bond. Okay, I can see that happening. These people are emotionally wrecked and need someone to lean on. But at less than a half a page into the story, the "cheatee's" are already flirting with one another and formulating plans for their own revenge and sex. And it wasn't just the revenge, there was a connection being forged. it was a whirlwind. Not only was it not a slow burn, it wasn't even a burn. I didn't comment, I didn't vote. I just stopped reading. I did unfollow that author has I haven't been able to complete one of their stories for a while now.

I've read some comments from some of ya'll that have experienced the same situation, or were always in that boat. Since I'm writing more now, I'm reading less anyway, so I suppose I shouldn't moan about that. It's just a little tougher to find something to read nowadays.

That's it. Experience shared. Carry on.

Maybe I watched too much Jerry Springer back in the day but that story sounds very plausible to me lol

 

[dirk2024]

Maybe I watched too much Jerry Springer back in the day but that story sounds very plausible to me lol

It's just that it happened so quickly. I wasn't even halfway through page 1 of a four page story. I had barely learned their names.

 

[big_cane_sugar]

It's just that it happened so quickly. I wasn't even halfway through page 1 of a four page story. I had barely learned their names.

IRL it would not be shocking to me if the two "cheatees" fell in love almost immediately. Consoling each other, holding each other, feeling lonely, needing to feel appreciated, telling each other things like how could he cheat on a woman as pretty as you.... They make a bit more effort for each other than they were wont to do for their spouses. They realize they can both get good deals in divorce court....

Edit: However, it's on the author to do it right.

 

[shelleycat1]

I agree with the getting more observant about the structure, hence more critical. If the structure is wrong at the start of a story it is jarring as I read now.

Having said thst, the best authors can make a good story where two unlikely characters fuck in half a page. See https://www.literotica.com/s/the-harpy-1 by Todd172. 4.74 in LW with 260000 views.

Also, when @EmilyMiller quoted Feynman, did anyone notice how well written the quote was; which makes the point about good writing standing out even as the argument is made.

 

[DHerbert]

And if the premise is in no way plausible, I can't finish the story.

That's one of the main things for me. If the plausibility level takes too big a leap, then I'll quit and find something else.

 

[Belegon]

When I was a reader, books and stories were amazing things. I'd absorb every word, every image, every idea. I admired the work of the writers, and was in awe of them.

Then I became an editor, and I started looking at writing in a new light. I know how words and sentences and paragraphs fit together. I know how sounds and imagery work. And I see the writer's work, and I can tell where they tried and failed, or where they succeeded, or where they didn't even make an effort at all.

And then I started writing, and now I have very little patience for poor plotting, weak characterisation, and all those other shortcomings that I never noticed before but are now glaringly obvious.

If I was compelled to write my own stories before because I couldn't find what I wanted to read, that's only been reinforced by writing those stories.

I so get this. although my pathe was in a different order...it was only after I had been published a few time that I got asked if I was willing to edit. It was definitley editing that turned me into a person that can see how the sausage is being made. and it doesn't happen only with writen work. It affects me in the theater as well. Once upon a time, I enjoyed the surprise twist in the occassional movie. Now, I almost always see them coming.

I'm working on trying to find a way to turn off this "sixth sense". It has stunted my enjoyment of too many things.

 

[NaughteeDragon]

Case in point, I just tried to read a story where two people found out they were being cheated on, their spouses fucking each other. it created an instant bond. Okay, I can see that happening. These people are emotionally wrecked and need someone to lean on. But at less than a half a page into the story, the "cheatee's" are already flirting with one another and formulating plans for their own revenge and sex. And it wasn't just the revenge, there was a connection being forged. it was a whirlwind. Not only was it not a slow burn, it wasn't even a burn. I didn't comment, I didn't vote. I just stopped reading. I did unfollow that author has I haven't been able to complete one of their stories for a while now.

I have a similar problem. I can't even read half of the tags that I used to really like. Cuckquean is my favorite tag. I used to read all of them. Now I'm about 1 in 3 are worth ready past page 2.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

When you become involved in any art form you start to view that art differently. I had a wonderful music professor in college who would play a song from a particular era and then we'd discuss it. It became really obvious that he was hearing things most of us weren't. Most people hear the beat, he hears the time signature, as a simple example.

It does make harder to enjoy things that are poorly done, because the flaws become more obvious. But it should give you a new found appreciation for the really good stuff. To appreciate the skill it took to create something great.

One of the attorney's I work with likes to say the two biggest groups of people in the world are the ones who almost went to law school, and the ones who are going to write a book someday.
Everyone thinks they can do it until they try.

 

[Comshaw]

When you become involved in any art form you start to view that art differently. I had a wonderful music professor in college who would play a song from a particular era and then we'd discuss it. It became really obvious that he was hearing things most of us weren't. Most people hear the beat, he hears the time signature, as a simple example.

It does make harder to enjoy things that are poorly done, because the flaws become more obvious. But it should give you a new found appreciation for the really good stuff. To appreciate the skill it took to create something great.

One of the attorney's I work with likes to say the two biggest groups of people in the world are the ones who almost went to law school, and the ones who are going to write a book someday.
Everyone thinks they can do it until they try.

I had this driven home to me a few weeks ago. I was perusing my Sci-Fi library looking for something to read and found a book I had read back in the early 80s. I didn't remember much about the plot and since it's a small book, only a couple of hundred pages, I figured it would do to fill the sitting around time that was required of me.

Unfortunately I couldn't make it more than 20 pages into the book. I won't go into a full-blown description but it reminded me of things written by a 6th grader. The really puzzling thing to me was, if it was so bad, why did I even keep the book. That puzzle was solved a few days later when I mentioned it to my wife and she reminded me that my son had bought the book for me when he was 10 because he knew I liked Sci-Fi.
I don't remember thinking it was so bad way back then, but years and decades will cause some memories to fade.

I do believe the reason I see it the way I do now is because of all the writing I've done. I'm not sayin' mine's at a diamond level, but I do know how to construct things in writing and that now colors what I see in others' writing.

In case you're wondering, the book was: "Down to a Sunless Sea" by Lin Carter

On a side note Grammarly can be a PITA! It wanted to change the passage about sitting around time above. I didn't phrase it like it wanted me to because it doesn't sound like me. What I said does. The damn thing wants me to give up my style.

Comshaw

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I had this driven home to me a few weeks ago. I was perusing my Sci-Fi library looking for something to read and found a book I had read back in the early 80s. I didn't remember much about the plot and since it's a small book, only a couple of hundred pages, I figured it would do to fill the sitting around time that was required of me.

Unfortunately I couldn't make it more than 20 pages into the book. I won't go into a full-blown description but it reminded me of things written by a 6th grader. The really puzzling thing to me was, if it was so bad, why did I even keep the book. That puzzle was solved a few days later when I mentioned it to my wife and she reminded me that my son had bought the book for me when he was 10 because he knew I liked Sci-Fi.
I don't remember thinking it was so bad way back then, but years and decades will cause some memories to fade.

I do believe the reason I see it the way I do now is because of all the writing I've done. I'm not sayin' mine's at a diamond level, but I do know how to construct things in writing and that now colors what I see in others' writing.

In case you're wondering, the book was: "Down to a Sunless Sea" by Lin Carter

On a side note Grammarly can be a PITA! It wanted to change the passage about sitting around time above. I didn't phrase it like it wanted me to because it doesn't sound like me. What I said does. The damn thing wants me to give up my style.

Comshaw

You can never go home again....


I've never used Grammarly, and don't want to start for that very reason. I'll live or die by my own sentence structure, thank you very much.

 

[RoperTrace]

When you become involved in any art form you start to view that art differently. I had a wonderful music professor in college who would play a song from a particular era and then we'd discuss it. It became really obvious that he was hearing things most of us weren't. Most people hear the beat, he hears the time signature, as a simple example.

It does make harder to enjoy things that are poorly done, because the flaws become more obvious. But it should give you a new found appreciation for the really good stuff. To appreciate the skill it took to create something great.

One of the attorney's I work with likes to say the two biggest groups of people in the world are the ones who almost went to law school, and the ones who are going to write a book someday.
Everyone thinks they can do it until they try.

We had nasty, 8th-grade, woman music teacher in what was once called Jr. High School. She played an old 33-1/3 rpm record of Albert Schweitzer, playing what I remember as an ancient reed organ. She was challenging us to identify the instrument he was playing. One of our crazier classmates yelled out that it was a tuba. she became incensed, and actually got out a large wooden paddle and smacked it across his ass. My dislike for her became more intense, than previously.

 

[DEFCOM5]

I am in the same boat. I think I started to write because I could not finish what I started to read. Or it would be hate read.
I knew my stuff was shite but I felt it was better than the crap I saw.
Then I entered Authors' Hangout and I found some excellent writers, with hundred of stories to read. So, when I read, it is a writer I respect, envy and inspire me.
I tried to diverge and read a couple of Halloween entries and stopped. It was so bad.

 

[filthytrancendence]

I find that I appreciate good literature more than before I was writing. I’ve quoted Richard Feynman about an analogous subject before.

Since we're ruining things...

Dunno where that one came from, but I was recently watching Angela Collier's video on Feynman, and learned along with her that all the really famous Feynman (non-physics) books weren't written by Feynman and have pretty tenuous connections to reality. They're not even ghost written, they're just titled as if he wrote them, and the author's name is written real small and nobody checks. It was just some guy that knew him and apparently decided that having known Richard Feynman should be his entire personality.

Anyway it's an interesting quote regardless.

 

[iwatchus]

Since we're ruining things...

Dunno where that one came from, but I was recently watching Angela Collier's video on Feynman, and learned along with her that all the really famous Feynman (non-physics) books weren't written by Feynman and have pretty tenuous connections to reality. They're not even ghost written, they're just titled as if he wrote them, and the author's name is written real small and nobody checks. It was just some guy that knew him and apparently decided that having known Richard Feynman should be his entire personality.

Anyway it's an interesting quote regardless.

The only non-physics book I know "by" him is Surely You're Joking ... which is the one most people know. It is officially co-written by Feynman and Leighton. According to the wikipedia article on the book (take that for what it's worth), it is based on a series of interviews Leighton recorded with Feynman. That pretty fits the feel of the book.