Narrative trademarks

[CharleyH]

You know how figure skaters have a particular move they do and everyone cheers? How film directors may have a certain authorial signature, or symbolic reference ... something they always include in every movie?

Do you, as an erotic writer, have something you add to every story, as if it were your trademark? Or maybe you write something into your stories that could be taken as your authorial 'signature'?

 

[The_Darkness]

You know how figure skaters have a particular move they do and everyone cheers? How film directors may have a certain authorial signature, or symbolic reference ... something they always include in every movie?

Do you, as an erotic writer, have something you add to every story, as if it were your trademark? Or maybe you write something into your stories that could be taken as your authorial 'signature'?

"I slowly inserted one finger and then two......"

No seriously....I don't think I have one. Maybe I should start.

Does all the women in my stories being sluts and all the guys being pussy-crazed maniacs count?

 

[Penelope Street]

Do you, as an erotic writer, have something you add to every story, as if it were your trademark? Or maybe you write something into your stories that could be taken as your authorial 'signature'?

No. About the closest thing I do is insert easter eggs for those kind enough to edit or otherwise help me with my stories.

 

[McKenna]

A narrative trademark. Oh that's good.


Now I'm going to have to think of one.


The Shadow knows.... oh wait, that one's been taken.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I've noticed at least one author here at Lit who uses alliteration on all the titles of her (I think) stories. That's sort of a trademark.

 

[The_Darkness]

I've noticed at least one author here at Lit who uses alliteration on all the titles of her (I think) stories. That's sort of a trademark.

Given the variety out here, that might be close enough to count. I always leave a thanks for you kind folks who post the stories in the notes box during submission....but I think that's as far as I go...besides my usual "please italicize the author's comment at the beginning."

 

[TheEarl]

My stories are always wet.

It started out just as a useful metaphor and the way my writing tended when I wrote an orgasm. It always had tsunamis, rushing waves crashing on their resistance, surging tides, breaking dams, etc. Now I deliberately insert a reference to water into every story during at least one orgasm scene.

Occasionally there's Easter Eggs buried in there for friends as well.

The Earl

 

[Lauren Hynde]

One of my favourite (real) authors, Bret Easton Ellis, has a cool signature mark. Every book he wrote re-uses one or more characters from the previous ones. It may be a very secondary character in one book that is brought back as the protagonist of the next, or it may be an important character who is mentioned in passing. One book in particular even managed to completely canibalise, almost word-by-word, three scenes from the previous two books.

Personally, I don't think I have a signature move as such, but there are several common elements that can be found on many of the things I write. The most important of those signature elements is a voice. I'd like to think I have one.

 

[CharleyH]

Ok now we are getting somewhere.

 

[CharleyH]

One of my favourite (real) authors, Bret Easton Ellis, has a cool signature mark. Every book he wrote re-uses one or more characters from the previous ones. It may be a very secondary character in one book that is brought back as the protagonist of the next, or it may be an important character who is mentioned in passing. One book in particular even managed to completely canibalise, almost word-by-word, three scenes from the previous two books.

Personally, I don't think I have a signature move as such, but there are several common elements that can be found on many of the things I write. The most important of those signature elements is a voice. I'd like to think I have one.

Well, all of us have a style. In the few stories I see of yours, you do linger on architecture History.

I'm wet too Earl. THANKS!

 

[NoJo]

One of my favourite (real) authors, Bret Easton Ellis, has a cool signature mark. Every book he wrote re-uses one or more characters from the previous ones. It may be a very secondary character in one book that is brought back as the protagonist of the next, or it may be an important character who is mentioned in passing. One book in particular even managed to completely canibalise, almost word-by-word, three scenes from the previous two books.

The original guy to do that was Kurt Vonnegut, I think. He even had one of his charcters publish his own, real, novel.

John Sladek would always introduce a "Technical Author, whose first published work was entitled "The Fork Lift Truck" into his novels, a reference to Sladek himself.

 

[Liar]

asyndeton
polysyndeton
&
apposition​

Look it up.

 

[CharleyH]

My stories are always wet.

It started out just as a useful metaphor and the way my writing tended when I wrote an orgasm. It always had tsunamis, rushing waves crashing on their resistance, surging tides, breaking dams, etc. Now I deliberately insert a reference to water into every story during at least one orgasm scene.

Occasionally there's Easter Eggs buried in there for friends as well.

The Earl

Actually, wet is a part of some stories. Food plays a role in mine, and even if it seems to be added with no thought, it is always added ... carefully.

 

[impressive]

My characters don't have sex in bed.

 

[CharleyH]

asyndeton
polysyndeton
&
apposition​

Look it up.

I seriously doubt Lauren will have too

But let me get my dictionary! lol

 

[Guest]

My piss poor typing skills?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

The original guy to do that was Kurt Vonnegut, I think. He even had one of his charcters publish his own, real, novel.

John Sladek would always introduce a "Technical Author, whose first published work was entitled "The Fork Lift Truck" into his novels, a reference to Sladek himself.

I think a lot of authors end always find a way of writing themselves into their books - which is something Ellis does in his latest, I hear - by having characters who are writers. It's so prevalent that I hesitate to call it a trademark. Stephen King does it often, and almost every other screenwriter eventually goes there as well. It's almost - but not quite - the same as Hitchcock working himself into every movie he directed, until it became an Easter Egg hunt for fans...

 

[Lauren Hynde]

asyndeton
polysyndeton
&
apposition​

Look it up.

Oh, I get it now. My signature trademark is conceptual hyperbaton.

 

[CharleyH]

A narrative trademark. Oh that's good.


Now I'm going to have to think of one.


The Shadow knows.... oh wait, that one's been taken.

Dammit, Mc!

 

[CharleyH]

My characters don't have sex in bed.

Thanks Imp. I do recall you stating this before.

Any reason why you choose to go this way? Any reason Earl decides to be wet, any reason perhaps that Ellis or Vonnegut repeat characters?

 

[impressive]

Thanks Imp. I do recall you stating this before.

Any reason why you choose to go this way?

Probably 'cause I very rarely have sex in bed myself. Sofa ... chair ... floor ... picnic table ... deck ... or just plain free-standing ... are all much more versatile.

Plus, I equate bed with sleep.

 

[neonlyte]

... any reason perhaps that Ellis or Vonnegut repeat characters?

Verbal indigestion?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Thanks Imp. I do recall you stating this before.

Any reason why you choose to go this way? Any reason Earl decides to be wet, any reason perhaps that Ellis or Vonnegut repeat characters?

I only ever read one Vonnegut's book, so I can't say, but in Ellis's case it is quite clear to me why he does that. On one hand, having familiar characters popping up has a very comforting effect on the reader. Whenever I'm reading one of his books and come across one of those familiar names, I feel a bit excited, because I know more about the character than what is being said, and so I feel more immersed in the fictional world he created. On the other hand, it's more than just a candy for the fans. It has a purpose within the narrative structure, which is to show how every story we can tell is somehow connected to every other. That particular thing I mentioned, of the book canibalising, almost word-by-word, three scenes from the previous two books, had a very clear effect, to me, of showing that this character was just the same as any other, and that his story was the story of an entire society.

 

[CharleyH]

Probably 'cause I very rarely have sex in bed myself. Sofa ... chair ... floor ... picnic table ... deck ... or just plain free-standing ... are all much more versatile.

Plus, I equate bed with sleep.

LOL

 

[CharleyH]

Verbal indigestion?

LOL - you 'talkin' to me?'

You are a very careful writer - I'm sure that consciously or not there is some similar thing you add every time! Theme, symbol, anything recurring.