Scene changes

[8letters]

In my latest story Cycling Weekends With Sis (incest if you can't guess), I have a lot of scene changes, i.e. where the story jumps forward considerably in time. To note this, I put "* * * *" every time there is a jump in the story. I got several dings from readers who didn't see the need for a scene change marker. Did I screw up? Should I just leave it out? Any advice on how to smooth the jumps? Or should I just ignore those who complain?

 

[PennLady]

I think your problem is not using the asterisks for scene changes, but their placement. They should be on a separate line, like this:

end scene one

* * * *

begin scene two

Otherwise it just looks like a typo and is hard to read.

 

[_Lynn_]

For one, it's your placement. A scene break isn't in the text. Yours is the example in italics that I took from your story. The following example is mine using the same paragraph from your story.

I moved over to give her half of the bed. She slipped under the sheets and grabbed my hand. That felt awkward and wrong, but nice at the same time. We soon drifted off. * * * * I awoke the next morning to the sound of groans.



I moved over to give her half of the bed. She slipped under the sheets and grabbed my hand. That felt awkward and wrong, but nice at the same time. We soon drifted off.

* * * *

I awoke the next morning to the sound of groans.

 

[sr71plt]

I only saw 2 comments out of 38 on this point and both told you the same thing PennLady has here. It's simply not the standard way of designating section changes, so some won't understand what you were doing.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

CORMAC McCARTHY uses them for scene changes occasionally. He doesn't use them all the time. I found them in BLOOD MERIDIAN and not in ALL THE PRETTY PONIES and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.

Its uncommon. Its not unknown.

 

[sr71plt]

CORMAC McCARTHY uses them for scene changes occasionally. He doesn't use them all the time. I found them in BLOOD MERIDIAN and not in ALL THE PRETTY PONIES and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.

Its uncommon. Its not unknown.

The question isn't whether to use them (they are used on Literotica constantly. It's quite common on Literotica). It's where to place them.

 

[Handley_Page]

ALWAYS start a new scene with a clean new paragraph.

 

[johneb87]

Someone described to me the **** being the equivalent of the "screen wipe" transitions in Star Wars. It should be reserved if there is a major jump between locations or a period of time or a change in characters.

 

[8letters]

I think your problem is not using the asterisks for scene changes, but their placement. They should be on a separate line, like this:

end scene one

* * * *

begin scene two

Otherwise it just looks like a typo and is hard to read.

Ah! When I submitted the text, I submitted it as:
line 1
* * * *
line 2

And it got converted to line 1 * * * * line 2

Thanks for the help.

 

[HeyAll]

Ah! When I submitted the text, I submitted it as:
line 1
* * * *
line 2

And it got converted to line 1 * * * * line 2

Thanks for the help.

That happens sometimes.

I always make sure to skim through the Preview to make sure each space is done correctly.

On a side note, I write stories in the same format as I write essays in school. Each topic is its own paragraph.

Also, I start each scene with a simple sentence so the reader knows clearly the lapse in time. For instance, I might start a scene with, "The next day." That would be its own sentence so its perfectly clear.

 

[sr71plt]

I doubt that happens if the author has used the standard line return. It hasn't happened to me in over 600 stories. Who else has it happened to and how did you mark your returns?

 

[8letters]

How do I ask that a story be deleted?

It is like submitting the story with the same name, but with "DELETE" some place. I can't remember where

 

[sr71plt]

It is like submitting the story with the same name, but with "DELETE" some place. I can't remember where

Behind the title.

Probably should put a request that it be deleted in the "notes" box too.

 

[8letters]

Behind the title.

Probably should put a request that it be deleted in the "notes" box too.

Thanks!

I doubt that happens if the author has used the standard line return. It hasn't happened to me in over 600 stories. Who else has it happened to and how did you mark your returns?

I write in Scrivener on a PC. I copy and paste into MS WordPad and save as an RTF file.

 

[TxRad]

You do not have to delete the story in question to fix it. You can do an edit and not lose your views, votes, or comments.

 

[sr71plt]

Thanks!


I write in Scrivener on a PC. I copy and paste into MS WordPad and save as an RTF file.

You'd probably save a lot of grief and time just by cutting and pasting the text into the submissions box. You could tell at a glance whether it accepted your file. If it does, there couldn't be a simpler way of submitting to Lit.

 

[Darkniciad]

As SR says, your best bet is to submit via cut-n-paste, if you aren't already. Use the preview to make sure everything is correct, and make changes if necessary so the final version appears in the correct way.

Here's the editing method for Lit, covering pretty much any type of edit or delete you need to do and other useful information.

• Take note of the url of your story/chapter. That's the address appearing in the address bar of your browser when you view the first page of your story. You really only need the last part after the /s/ that represents your title.
• Start a new submission.
• Use the same title as the original ( or as much as will fit ) plus something such as *EDIT*
• Fill in the same category, then fill description and keywords with placeholders, as they don't matter. ( Unless one of these things are what you're editing )
• If editing the story text, paste/upload the new text in the "story text" section. You need to upload the whole story, not just the edited sections. If editing anything else, copy the "notes" section detailed below in order to fill this section.
• In the "notes" section, say what you are editing. If story text, then put that. If title, then put the requested NEW title here. You can fill in edited descriptions/keywords/category above, but you'll still want to list any such changes here. It's a good idea to list the url that I mentioned in step 1. This is unique to every story/chapter, and can help eliminate the potential for human error. As mentioned above, if you are editing something other than the story text, copy what you put in the notes section to the "story text" as well. This is simply because there must be something in that section for you to submit.
• Click "Review", then "Submit"

Edits are subject to the same wait time as a new story. I have seen edits go up in bulk in far less time than a story usually requires to post, though. Laurel has also said that edits have secondary priority to the story queue, though.

So, the edit could go up more quickly or slowly than a normal story. Real helpful, huh? LOL

Edits will not appear on the public side immediately. Wait at least 24 hours after the "edited" submission vanishes from your private author list before worrying that your changes haven't been applied. Changes may not all appear at the same time, either. Page 1 may change, while page 2 will remain the same until an hour or so later. Be patient as the system catches up.

If you edit the story in this manner ( as opposed to deleting and re-submitting ) you'll retain your votes, views, comments, etc. The only thing that will be changed is what you say that you want changed. It will not appear on the New List again.

If you wish to delete a story, use much the same method, except put something such as *DELETE* in the title, and say that you want to delete the story in question in the "notes" section.

If you wish to delete all of your stories, an entire series, etc., then use the normal delete process, but explain in the "notes" section that you want to do a mass delete, and what type.

Convoluted, but it does work. It gets a little easier as you get used to it.

 

[patientlee]

I have had better luck attaching a word document. When I cut and paste, I always end up with wonky formatting, no matter how many times I check it.

 

[sr71plt]

I have had better luck attaching a word document. When I cut and paste, I always end up with wonky formatting, no matter how many times I check it.

It reverts to standard Literotica formatting. So, you must be trying to do something wonky with it to begin with.

 

[TxRad]

I have had better luck attaching a word document. When I cut and paste, I always end up with wonky formatting, no matter how many times I check it.

When going from Word .doc to cut and paste, save as MSDOS text with line breaks. That keeps most all of your formatting.

 

[patientlee]

When going from Word .doc to cut and paste, save as MSDOS text with line breaks. That keeps most all of your formatting.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[8letters]

As SR says, your best bet is to submit via cut-n-paste, if you aren't already. Use the preview to make sure everything is correct, and make changes if necessary so the final version appears in the correct way.

Will do from now on.

Here's the editing method for Lit, covering pretty much any type of edit or delete you need to do and other useful information.

Thanks! Delete request killed and Edit request submitted. This story did much, much better than my first, so I am glad to not lose the comments, votes, views, etc.

 

[PennLady]

It reverts to standard Literotica formatting. So, you must be trying to do something wonky with it to begin with.

That's what I was thinking. I copy and paste straight from Word all the time with no problem. But I keep it pretty plain in Word when I'm working on stories. I separate paragraphs with a line, that sort of thing.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

A word on Word formatting...

I cut and paste directly from word to Lit. or I did back when and I never had a problem with format. Lit. likes the use of block format text. Each paragraph is its own separate block of text, broken up by two hard returns between blocks.

e.g.

The room was dark and cool, the air circulating causes a slight echo deep in the darkness. Slowly lights flicker to life. Small red, green and white lights all around the great room start to dispel the darkness that drapes it. Then, suddenly, great overhead lights flash into existence accompanied by a buzzing sound, banishing the darkness to the furthest reaches of the large room. The odd shapes, barely visible in the darkness, now become solid forms, consisting of couches and control boards, studded with buttons, dials, leavers, telltales and switches.

All surfaces gleam whitely, the grey couch cushions appear soft and comfortable. Above each couch, monitors hang, just now coming to life, showing various functions and parameters. One huge screen on the wall, facing the couches comes to life, luminescent letters scrolling across its surface. Then as the letters and numbers coalesce into words, other sounds occur, somewhere deep below the great room. Clicks, bumps, whirring sounds, loud clunks and kerchunks echo through the passageways as the waking of some great, huge thing, continues.

The above was cut from a word doc and pasted directly into this text box without modification.


To achieve this effect in Word your indents and spacing should be set as follows:

And as you can see the same applies to LibreOffice Text Docunment, which means that OpenOffice would be the same.

In order achieve the proper format with the indents and spacing set as above, you will have to have two hard returns between paragraphs.

As for scene changes...

“Mister Steel, is Doctor Charles awake? His capsule was out, but its door had yet to open.”

“Yes, sir, he is at work helping those coming out of cold sleep.”

“Very good Candle," Captain Nichols replies.

“Thank you sir," Candle says.

* * * *​

Becky is standing over the capsule as the top flips up and out of the way. She smiles down at the man now visible in the capsule. His eyelids flutter as the fresh air floods the compartment. When his eyes are fully open he looks up at Becky and smiles.

“Aye, girl, it went off without a hitch, just like you said it would,” Connor MacDonald wheezes.

As you can see, two hard returns are required before the * and two after.

FYI

 

[Athalia]

I think your problem is not using the asterisks for scene changes, but their placement. They should be on a separate line, like this:

end scene one

* * * *

begin scene two

Otherwise it just looks like a typo and is hard to read.

I agree.

I've used segues like this in a few of my stories. To help the reader, I not only use a row of asterisks, but give him or her a bit of a clue that the scene is about to change:

Our passions spent for the moment, our bodies relaxed. I nestled up next to him, drinking in the smell of his body and the regularity of his breaths as he drifted off to sleep. And then I slept, too. And I dreamed...

*****

The wagon jounced along the road, an occasional turnip falling out onto the road, where Otho would find them later. They were the only the only food the boy would find that day, and he muttered a prayer in thanks to Sif.

When the flashback and/or dream sequence was over, I would use another row of asterisks, who by this time would (I hope) recognize it as a marker for another scene change. That technique seems to work for me, and I've heard no reports that readers are confused.