Story-Monster's got me.

[Kassiana]

Have you ever been sitting down to write a story, a simple little story, maybe at someone's request or maybe because an idea hit you out of the blue...and you suddenly realize it's already ten pages long and won't be resolved for at least another twenty?

I have had several different Story Monsters seize me this way. This one is one I'm writing at the request of my husband. I intended it to be a quick, painless, "This is a story of how two men got together and had sex, the end" story.

It's over six thousand words and at the beginning of its twelfth page. It will not be a quickie. Damn it.

Do I have any hope of cutting it down to size, or should I just go with what the Story-Monster wants? Any advice, ideas, or totally off-topic posts about sex? (Hey, they'll be here anyway, assuming anyone reads this damned thing. Might as well invite them.)

Thanks.

 

[TheEarl]

The last story monster that seized me is still going and is the basis for my novel. I say go with the flow; see what comes out.

The Earl

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Glad I'm not the only person having this problem. I worried a lot about the length of this monster of a story I'm working on right now. I really think a writer should tell the story, no matter how many words it takes to do it. Just ask yourself some questions along the way:

1. Is everything I'm writing relevant to telling the story?

2. Am I still excited and inspired to tell this story?

3. Is there a way I might illustrate something differently to make the story tighter and more concise?

Sometimes very good things come from those little tangents we get off on during the writing process. People always tell me that I'm in charge of my characters and the direction they take, but if the muse is still talking to me, I'm listening.

 

[cloudy]

Glad I'm not the only person having this problem. I worried a lot about the length of this monster of a story I'm working on right now. I really think a writer should tell the story, no matter how many words it takes to do it. Just ask yourself some questions along the way:

1. Is everything I'm writing relevant to telling the story?

2. Am I still excited and inspired to tell this story?

3. Is there a way I might illustrate something differently to make the story tighter and more concise?

Sometimes very good things come from those little tangents we get off on during the writing process. People always tell me that I'm in charge of my characters and the direction they take, but if the muse is still talking to me, I'm listening.

What Scarlett said.

I'm in the middle of a monster of a story as well. It's grown by leaps and bounds as I've written it, but I'm riding the wave as long as it lasts.

 

[carsonshepherd]

The story monster is inspiration. Ride that train as long as you can...

 

[impressive]

Bow to the monster.

Always two there are, a master and an apprentice. ~ Yoda

 

[cloudy]

Bow to the monster.

Always two there are, a master and an apprentice. ~ Yoda

Do or do not, there is no try.

 

[neonlyte]

Ride it.

Tomorrow it may have moved on.

 

[oggbashan]

Start worrying if you are in the middle and you have written 300,000 words...

Og

 

[dis_pac]

Story monster good.

I believe that we don't write stories, the float around and end up in our heads, like a virus. Each story is going to have a life of it's own and trying to shorten/lengthen/alter it in anyway is going to ruin it's integrety. Every tale is going to finish where it finishes, be it a sentance, a paragraph or a storage shed. Keep going.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Have you ever been sitting down to write a story, a simple little story, maybe at someone's request or maybe because an idea hit you out of the blue...and you suddenly realize it's already ten pages long and won't be resolved for at least another twenty?


I have had several different Story Monsters seize me this way. This one is one I'm writing at the request of my husband. I intended it to be a quick, painless, "This is a story of how two men got together and had sex, the end" story.

It's over six thousand words and at the beginning of its twelfth page. It will not be a quickie. Damn it.

Do I have any hope of cutting it down to size, or should I just go with what the Story-Monster wants? Any advice, ideas, or totally off-topic posts about sex? (Hey, they'll be here anyway, assuming anyone reads this damned thing. Might as well invite them.)

Thanks.

*smiles*

Every time I write. If not, there's no point in putting the words down.

Just ask yourself some questions along the way:

1. Is everything I'm writing relevant to telling the story?

2. Am I still excited and inspired to tell this story?

3. Is there a way I might illustrate something differently to make the story tighter and more concise?

Sometimes very good things come from those little tangents we get off on during the writing process. People always tell me that I'm in charge of my characters and the direction they take, but if the muse is still talking to me, I'm listening.

Well, said, Scarlett, but I can't agree altogether. Control isn't meant to be involved in the writing process, IMO. Save these questions for when you do your editing. You can change anything later and still (in fact, better0 preserve the story, but fighting the writing process is asking for trouble.

Q_C

 

[Guest]

Start worrying if you are in the middle and you have written 300,000 words...

Og

Kassiana, worry not about the length of the story. There are no set lengths for stories; it takes as long as it takes.

That's one of the joys of writing: when it just takes on a life of its own and takes you to where you never would've imagined it going. I love that kind of writing - I call it backseat writing.

 

[Sabledrake]

I am no stranger to the story-monster. This is how "The Ravishing of Constance" ended up 80,000 words ... and a Harry Potter fanfic went 153,000 ...

It is, I think, one of the best and most enjoyable parts of being a writer. When the story sweeps you away, it's such a tremendous, wonderful feeling. Now, if I could only get that kind of creative fire going for what I'm SUPPOSED to be working on, I would be a happy girl.

-- Sabledrake

 

[angelicminx]

Have you ever been sitting down to write a story, a simple little story, maybe at someone's request or maybe because an idea hit you out of the blue...and you suddenly realize it's already ten pages long and won't be resolved for at least another twenty?

I have had several different Story Monsters seize me this way. This one is one I'm writing at the request of my husband. I intended it to be a quick, painless, "This is a story of how two men got together and had sex, the end" story.

It's over six thousand words and at the beginning of its twelfth page. It will not be a quickie. Damn it.

Do I have any hope of cutting it down to size, or should I just go with what the Story-Monster wants? Any advice, ideas, or totally off-topic posts about sex? (Hey, they'll be here anyway, assuming anyone reads this damned thing. Might as well invite them.)

Thanks.

Go, baby, go! Gotta love that monster!

 

[Kassiana]

19 pages so far and we've just finished the first "day." Just an update in case y'all are interested.

 

[Guest]

Write, Kassiana. Write like the wind!

Personally, I love long'uns.

(What? It was begging to be said. )

 

[Kassiana]

(begin Zen Buddhist impression) But in what sense can the wind be said to "write"? (/end Zen Buddhist impression)

You may like long ones, but most people tend to scream "Where's the sex?" after about the tenth page, IMO.

 

[Guest]

Fuck knows, I'm more into existentialism, or is that the same thing?

Oh, so it's not just one long fuck-fest then? You mean you actually have plot and substance? Bloody hell, what are you doing here?

 

[Kassiana]

Oh, so it's not just one long fuck-fest then? You mean you actually have plot and substance?

Yeah. Damned angsty characters so far are just fantasizing about each other. They won't just drop their pants and screw. Don't you hate it when that happens?

I'm having to deal with their "feelings" at the moment. Plus, one is bi and hasn't, in his memory, had sex with a man before, so he's going to take some work to get into bed.

::grumbles about freaking characters::

 

[Guest]

Yeah. Damned angsty characters so far are just fantasizing about each other. They won't just drop their pants and screw. Don't you hate it when that happens?

I'm having to deal with their "feelings" at the moment. Plus, one is bi and hasn't, in his memory, had sex with a man before, so he's going to take some work to get into bed.

::grumbles about freaking characters::

For my longer stuff, I tend to write erotic horrors. The bastard characters know that if they push me too far, it's a gruesome death for them. They play nice, most of the time, except those few who actually like the BAD stuff. Kinky fuckers.

 

[Kassiana]

Hm. I have three stories that have stretched on for a long time and still aren't "finished." One is a silly fun sex romp I have up here (my story "Exercise"). One is a dark fiction with adultery and thoughts of suicide. (Implied only, so it's not up here.) And this latest one is an attempt to get two guys, one who lives in denial and the other who lives in another world (no, literally, he's been dumped in a different world than the one he grew up in), into bed.

Kass, the Inconsistent, Strikes Again!

 

[silverwhisper]

as others have said, go w/ the monster. sometimes, the characters will take the story someplace you weren't expecting. let the moment carry you, i say. 19 pages already, eh? i think that's good. personally, i think that this site's focus on short stories is actually not very helpful to those who want to seek serious publication.

ed

 

[hmmnmm]

I tip my hat to you, Kass.
I often get ideas, but they grow too big before they even get to the screen/paper. Monster is a good word. You have story monsters - but at least they become stories. I have Idea Monsters and many of them thrive in the dank recesses. If they could come and be handled right, they have potential. Maybe someday.
Good job, keep it up.

 

[cantdog]

(begin Zen Buddhist impression) But in what sense can the wind be said to "write"? (/end Zen Buddhist impression)

You may like long ones, but most people tend to scream "Where's the sex?" after about the tenth page, IMO.

Too bad for them, then. If they went a whole day with no sex, though, shame on you.