need some advice. lost my inspiration.

[ghost_girl]

I joined Lit back in 2002. Under a different name, and at one time, I had about a dozen stories posted. They all did fairly well, none of them won any prizes, but that wasn't why i wrote them. (well, one of them, a How To, was chosen story of the month in its category)

I actually had developed a sort of fan base, regular readers who still contact me and ask if I have written anything new. I am ashamed to send them to my recent work.

A while back I had a story accepted at Clean Sheets and after that seems to be when I lost "it."

The last couple I submitted have not been received well, and when I go back and read them, something IS missing. That old spark. The "thing" that seemed to make my stories readable and good.

Has that happened to anyone else here? and what can I do to reclaim my old inspirations?

I am looking for genuine responses, and I appreciate any suggestions that any of you who post stories here may offer.

Thank you in advance

julie

 

[Belegon]

I go thru spots where nothing seems to flow. Like writing 100 words takes longer than 1000 should. At those times, my prose seems forced and I feel like I am missing that element that makes my work worth reading.

But I can't tell you a surefire way out of it. Other than the pressure of a deadline. But even then, it's not the deadline, it's the determination not to miss it that keeps me looking for a way to break out of my funks.

On ocassion, I've stepped away and tried to write something completely different. Or I've taken a forced day off, completely away from all writing sites and email... I remember a story I started one October and then let lie fallow until a few days after Christmas and finished it in a rush.

It seems like everytime is different.

The only sure thing I can tell you is to write Immediately if you get inspired and to write what inspires you, even if it seems wrong or silly. Anything to break the slump.

 

[ghost_girl]

Thank you< Belegon

that writing immediately sounds like a great idea. I have put ideas off until later when I thought I would be able to articulate better and then, poof, they were gone..

I wish I could figure out what happened, lol. It's like someone flipped a switch...off

thanks again



julie

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I don't think anyone can tell you whee story ideas come from. I get mine from converstations, newpaper clippings, incidents I witness and random thoughts and images.

Sometimes there just isn't anything worthy of my time to write. Sometimes there just isn't anything period.

You neve know.

 

[ghost_girl]

I don't think anyone can tell you whee story ideas come from. I get mine from converstations, newpaper clippings, incidents I witness and random thoughts and images.

Sometimes there just isn't anything worthy of my time to write. Sometimes there just isn't anything period.

You neve know.

I do get ideas, just when I sit down to write them out, I go completely blank. But that is a good idea about the newspaper. I will have to read with a more open mind when I get my morning paper.

thank you



julie

 

[Stella_Omega]

Thank you< Belegon

that writing immediately sounds like a great idea. I have put ideas off until later when I thought I would be able to articulate better and then, poof, they were gone..

I wish I could figure out what happened, lol. It's like someone flipped a switch...off

thanks again



julie

Don't think of it as a switch-- think of it as a muscle that needs to be exercised again!

I have been through your situation myself-- I had a three year dry period and I've been able to write for perhaps one year since then. It is harder than it was, partly because I want to do more with my writing than I did before. I have written, as you have, stories that missed the fire. I am editing some of those, to see if I can replace what's missing.
It's not easy!

 

[ghost_girl]

Don't think of it as a switch-- think of it as a muscle that needs to be exercised again!

I have been through your situation myself-- I had a three year dry period and I've been able to write for perhaps one year since then. It is harder than it was, partly because I want to do more with my writing than I did before. I have written, as you have, stories that missed the fire. I am editing some of those, to see if I can replace what's missing.
It's not easy!

Stella!

You hit on something. Absolutely. I used to write every day. I still do, but I have concentrated on my poetry for the longest while, and I just sort of assumed I would be able to write a story whenever I wanted. I never thought that my story muscles needed to be exercised.But obviously they do.

I'm sitting here all giggly now

because I feel like I have been diagnosed, and that helps a whole lot.

Thank you!! Thanks to ALL of you for taking time t o care.



julie

 

[Stella_Omega]

Stella!

You hit on something. Absolutely. I used to write every day. I still do, but I have concentrated on my poetry for the longest while, and I just sort of assumed I would be able to write a story whenever I wanted. I never thought that my story muscles needed to be exercised.But obviously they do.

I'm sitting here all giggly now

because I feel like I have been diagnosed, and that helps a whole lot.

Thank you!! Thanks to ALL of you for taking time t o care.



julie

Now we need a little pill that's the miracle cure!

yeah, don't I wish... Of course i want someone else to do my exercising for me...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

GHOST GIRL

I always have about a dozen projects going, so when I lose a boner for one I move on to something else for a while. Sometimes distance helps me to see what I really wrote. Once in a while the writing is sublime, and mostly I see the blunders.

 

[DeeZire]

Could be you reached a plateau with your writing, and now you need to go to the next level in order to be interested enough to continue. Perhaps trying a new approach, or setting an arbitrary limitation to your story might force the inspiration out of you. Plus, there's always the Halloween challenge.

 

[MagicaPractica]

My best suggestion is Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. Some very good exercises for tapping into that creative fire.

 

[ghost_girl]

DeeZire and JamesB-

Thanks for your suggestions. My hubby is away at work and I won't be joining him until at least October, and maybe later than that, so all I have for now to occupy my time is my writing.

The Halloween Challenge does sound like a good idea and when the rules are posted, I w ill come up with something. I am setting that goal for myself. There will be a Halloween story, good or bad, lol, from miss ghostie


As for reaching a plateau, you might have something there. I aimed for Clean Sheets so long, wanted it so badly, that when it happened, I felt sort of panned out for a while afterwards. Thats weird, isn't it? anticlimax or something. and that was over 2 years ago...

I read so many of the gifted writers here and think, damn, I will never be able to write like that.

Guess i have to want it more, set some goals and work towards them. I used to do that, cant figure out what happened...

anyway, thanks again for your input



julie

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I do get ideas, just when I sit down to write them out, I go completely blank.

julie

Others' words can be inspiring, so I won't down anyone else's viewpoint or response, but I'd like to point out that there're always reasons for these things, and often if not always, they exist within the author. Work on you, and push through the difficulties. It's always best to keep working no matter what. And if you're having trouble merely when you sit down to work, may I suggest you find a place to perhaps exercise some of what you consider "poor writing." Perhaps an ALT, where you place your work aside from your persona, an ALT you care nothing for so you won't be beside yourself when things are ill-recieved. Have you tried going to the RP boards? Being on someone else's schedule (which is what it's like when others are waiting for your response in order to post again) and having to post on the spot, to edit minimally and write once and be done with it, has been a solid exercise in writing for me in the past.

Just my thoughts.

Q_C

p.s. If I didn't know your old persona, nice to meet you.

 

[ghost_girl]

hi Q-C

No doubt, the problem is with me ..it usually is

 

[Lisa Denton]

I haven't posted any new stories lately but have some that just need final touches, a little editing.

The best advice I got when I needed it:

Take any story idea, feel it with YOUR feelings, not the characters, and then start putting in how the character feels, acts, reacts. Open 2, 3, 4, different versions of the same story, see which one grabs you, interests YOU. If you need to, open a trash version, and putter there, with no hurries, no deadlines, write senseless crap or a grocery list between the paragraphs and often an idea pops up. Keep the trash version and go there anytime you need. Its your "no hurry, rest here" escape, and often, solution.

 

[ghost_girl]

Lisa-

The stories I had posted in the past few years, well, that was the difference. I had written the stories with my feeling as opposed to how I thought a character should react.

Stella suggested I take some of my older work and edit, so I have put in a delete for the one story I have had on here for over a year and I am reworking it. That was the main criticism about the work, that is was ungodly boring ( not enough graphic sex) and who wants to have a boring story on a porn site? not I

I have always attempted to have a plot of some kind, to develop my characters somewhat, or else it would be merely sucking and fucking and well, a monkey can write that stuff.

All of you have offered some really good suggestions and I am feeling more optimistic. The proof will be in the "pudding" as they say, lol. sounds rather nasty, doesn't it.

and Q-C? Hell, dude, I cant tell when people are joking. My Dad pointed out that I was waaaay too sensitive by the time I was 9, but a kid doesn't understand sarcasm and maybe I never grew up, in that respect. I seriously try to never offend anyone, on purpose anyway, it happens all the time by accident as I am prone to speaking my mind and then thinking about it later.

It hurts me to think I hurt someone else. so, i apologize for over reacting on the other thread, smoochies?

you guys have a nice day, I am washing my walls for ( introverted) inspiration



julie

 

[wanderwonder]

Though my loss of inspiration is more due to laziness than anything else, my best advice would be to read. Read a favorite book, read something new, read that book you've been dying to get to but were so busy trying to write you couldn't find the time. Whenever I know what I want to write but not how, I start reading again. I'll love how this author describes his characters, I love the acerbic subtlety of this author's humor (usually British, go figure), I love the fast past of that author…pretty soon I'm back at my computer, trying to capture everything I love about reading within my writing.

With that in mind, I need to go read something…

 

[Lisa Denton]

Lisa-

That was the main criticism about the work, that is was ungodly boring ( not enough graphic sex) and who wants to have a boring story on a porn site? not I

I have always attempted to have a plot of some kind, to develop my characters somewhat, or else it would be merely sucking and fucking and well, a monkey can write that stuff.


julie

He, he.

Of my posted stories all were probably ungodly boring, before submitting I have a "boring editor" who suggests what I should remove. The first time I was worried but looked at the two versions.

My original was nice, lots of, well, ungodly boring crap, but nice.

The edited for boring version was nice, and hot.

Now the reader wants hot, at least here, and thats why I will always post only edited for boring stories now.

You can ask and almost anybody will "edit for boring" to help. A good story doesn't get cut by that, but improved.

 

[Andy_Pipkin]

i look a pillock

 

[Stella_Omega]

He, he.

Of my posted stories all were probably ungodly boring, before submitting I have a "boring editor" who suggests what I should remove. The first time I was worried but looked at the two versions.

My original was nice, lots of, well, ungodly boring crap, but nice.

The edited for boring version was nice, and hot.

Now the reader wants hot, at least here, and thats why I will always post only edited for boring stories now.

You can ask and almost anybody will "edit for boring" to help. A good story doesn't get cut by that, but improved.

ooh, good advice! That would work for several of mine, I'd say...

 

[DeeZire]

The Halloween Challenge does sound like a good idea and when the rules are posted, I will come up with something.

I went searching for the rules and couldn't find them, but there is a Haloween contest support thread around here somewhere.

All I know is, the opening for submissions is Oct 1 (I think) and the subject is not limited to Halloween parties and such. Apparantly, anything scary is fine. I guess it comes down to whether you want votes (and the prize money) or just the satisfaction of a new story.

I forgot to mention the 'flashfic' thread, which can be a kick in the pants, inspiration-wise. They put up a subject, then 10 writers post at 100 words each, and then the subject changes. (First come, first served - either that or I just butted in - twice!) It's a great lesson in economy of writing, and your 100 word piece could conceivably lead you into a new story.

 

[glynndah]

I went searching for the rules and couldn't find them, but there is a Haloween contest support thread around here somewhere.

All I know is, the opening for submissions is Oct 1 (I think) and the subject is not limited to Halloween parties and such. Apparantly, anything scary is fine. I guess it comes down to whether you want votes (and the prize money) or just the satisfaction of a new story.

I forgot to mention the 'flashfic' thread, which can be a kick in the pants, inspiration-wise. They put up a subject, then 10 writers post at 100 words each, and then the subject changes. (First come, first served - either that or I just butted in - twice!) It's a great lesson in economy of writing, and your 100 word piece could conceivably lead you into a new story.

I was just going to suggest that. It's a great way to jumpstart the creative process, too. You may butt in whenever you'd like and contribute as often as you like. I've written two or three stories in the same group of ten and no one's complained yet.

 

[DeeZire]

I've written two or three stories in the same group of ten and no one's complained yet.

That's good to know. Since the current topic is 'red velvet', don't they use red velvet in churches? (I suppose I could actually go to a church and check, but I think I'm allergic.)

 

[glynndah]

That's good to know. Since the current topic is 'red velvet', don't they use red velvet in churches? (I suppose I could actually go to a church and check, but I think I'm allergic.)

Oh, yes. All the churches of Lit are just awash in red velvet.

 

[perfect_deb]

I joined Lit back in 2002. Under a different name, and at one time, I had about a dozen stories posted. They all did fairly well, none of them won any prizes, but that wasn't why i wrote them. (well, one of them, a How To, was chosen story of the month in its category)

I actually had developed a sort of fan base, regular readers who still contact me and ask if I have written anything new. I am ashamed to send them to my recent work.

A while back I had a story accepted at Clean Sheets and after that seems to be when I lost "it."

The last couple I submitted have not been received well, and when I go back and read them, something IS missing. That old spark. The "thing" that seemed to make my stories readable and good.

Has that happened to anyone else here? and what can I do to reclaim my old inspirations?

I am looking for genuine responses, and I appreciate any suggestions that any of you who post stories here may offer.

Thank you in advance

julie

go check out the thread i just posted - might get the creative juices flowing
http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=538349