serious feedback

[Guest]

What advice would you give to a writer who has had some difficulty writing erotic fiction? What sources do you recommend? Also, it seems Lit is not the pace to post stories so what other sites would be ideal?
*insightful feedback, not one liners.

 

[sophia jane]

Reread my post and decided I needed to rethink it.
SJ

 

[Boxlicker101]

What advice would you give to a writer who has had some difficulty writing erotic fiction? What sources do you recommend? Also, it seems Lit is not the pace to post stories so what other sites would be ideal?
*insightful feedback, not one liners.

At the home page to Lit., where you click on "Stories and Pics" there are some free sites listed, including Tommy's Bookmarks. In there are thousands of pics and movies which can be downloaded for free. I have copied some of those and I find it helpful to look at them for inspiration sometimes. I have actually written a few stories based on them.

 

[sophia jane]

after serious consideration...

I've rethought my earlier post, and now I'm going to say something completely different.
The best way to get better at writing is to practice, to get feedback from other writers, listen to advice and try to improve. As for getting ideas, I think about what turns me on and go from there. I don't worry so much about what turns someone else on because if I'm not interested in what I'm writing I'm probably not going to do a very good job writing it.

SJ

 

[justathought555]

What advice would you give to a writer who has had some difficulty writing erotic fiction? What sources do you recommend? Also, it seems Lit is not the pace to post stories so what other sites would be ideal?
*insightful feedback, not one liners.

Don't have a lot of insights for you (I am a new author and still learning how to write erotic fiction as well) but I have a question...you wrote "...it seems Lit is not the pace to post stories...".

Umm, there are almost 75,000 stories, poems, essays, etc. posted here. Could you clarify what you mean?

This is a great place to post stories (at least for amateurs). If you are having technical problems submitting a story, let the Lit Gods know; if it is a content issue, you are on your own. (i.e. - find a site that accepts your content, or edit the content into acceptable form for this site.)

 

[trendyredhead]

I would say - read. A lot. The more you read, the more you'll start to see what works and what doesn't. Read stories that are rated high and then read stories that are low, and compare them. Why do you think one got higher scores than the other? This should begin to tell you what to avoid - for example, burying dialogue in a block of text, not having any paragraph breaks, having no plot, having zero character development or just a list of physical characteristics....

Then, think about a story you'd like to tell. Think about the characters - what do they look like? What motivates them? What's bringing them together? Are they strangers or do they know each other?

When I have a story in mind, and have a basic idea of who my characters are, then I close my eyes and I start to imagine. I pretend I'm watching the story play out in a movie. Then I write what I'm seeing.

When you're starting out, you need to find an editor. Someone who will take the time to read your draft, help you polish it, and provide you with constructive, useful feedback that will help you get better. Lit has an editor program available - volunteers who will help you polish your story when you have a draft.

Keep in mind that writing erotic fiction isn't for everyone. Some people suck at it, no matter how much they WANT to write it. A lot of people do ok at it in varying degrees. And there are some people with a knack for writing who are damn good at it. Think of it like this --- I would LOVE to be able to run. I'm physically capable of it - I have legs and they work. I love the idea of it. But I suck at it. I'm not even okay at it. I never have been. I can walk for miles, but run? Forget it. Not even 1/4 mile. There are a lot of people who can run, and who do run - mostly for fun. And then there are those who are darn good at it and make a living at in in some cases. That will never be me. My point is - you may try writing a story, and realize that it's not for you. You may not like the process (which can certainly be difficult for even the most talented writers some days). And that's ok - it's not for everyone. We need lots and lots of readers, too!

And because you didn't mention what difficulty you're having with writing erotic fiction --- it's hard to say what kind of help you need. Are you having trouble with the sex scenes? Or with finding a suitable subject that Lit will allow? Or with .... what???

 

[elsol]

On storiesonline.net, there is a guide titled 'Elements of Erotic Literature' by Pleasureboy1.

You could start there.

ElSol

 

[davidwatts]

What advice would you give to a writer who has had some difficulty writing erotic fiction? What sources do you recommend? Also, it seems Lit is not the pace to post stories so what other sites would be ideal?
*insightful feedback, not one liners.

You must have fantasies that run through your head from time to time. Pick out one of them and just start typing away, describing it. Then after you finish, go back and take a look at it, trying to read it as someone else would. Rework it, polish it, and then submit it. Invite feedback, just like you have done here.

Take the constructive criticism and use it to either rewrite the story or employ it in future efforts. Use the invaluable "How-to" guides found here on the site. There are also editors that volunteer to work with you here as well.

Perhaps you've written something before and were disappointed in the end result. Look back at it again and try to distance yourself from it when you do. Is this something that other people might like to read? Is it too personal? Not personal enough? You're as anonymous as you want to be here. Let yourself go!

I have not written anywhere else so I have no idea what other sites would be "ideal". I've looked elsewhere and frankly thought that the ones I looked at were kind of cheesy looking. I've been treated wonderfully here by readers, fellow writers and the folks who run the place. They let you learn and grow, and are very helpful to you when you ask for guidance.

You have nothing to lose by trying. Good luck!