Struggling to write

[Portly_Penguin]

For the past month or so I've been trying to write a handful of stories for Lit - from a long, slow-burn to something a little shorter (though not by much). At first, the writing for these stories was easy. Then it wasn't.

The moment I got close to any intimate scenes (erotic or otherwise), I froze. I couldn't seem to get through these scenes without second-guessing or not being able to find the words to write what I wanted to say. The worst part is, I know why I keep hitting this wall, but I can't manage to figure out a way around it and instead I just keep staring at the screen hoping the words would just magically appear for me.

For those of you who don't know me (if that's possible over the past few months), I've been vocal about AI rejections after receiving a good handful across a small time frame. When I got the last rejection, I stopped writing anything erotica based for a month before I wrote something short and managed to get it published. Then I just stopped entirely. I haven't written anything for Lit since March - that is, until recently.

I joined Lit because I'd never written erotica content before, heck, I'd barely dipped my toes into romance before and often just used it as small side-plots to my murder-based stories. It was a theme I always struggled with and Lit seemed like the perfect place to practise because everyone is brutally honest and I needed that.

Since those rejections, I have been second-guessing those elements of my stories. Do they sound awkward? Like an AI? And because of that, I can't move past certain parts in my stories. Any intimate moment became impossible to write because I'm questioning every element, every word, and I shouldn't be, but I don't know how to stop.

I guess this is more of a rant than a question, and I'm sorry for that. I just don't know what to do. I've read both erotica and non-erotica content, written other stories, gone and done other things, but the problem persists. I'm at a loss of how to get through these scenes.

Part of me thinks it might be easier to throw in the towel and write what I know rather than try something that isn't working.

 

[Lucien_Al]

I have hit the wall too but more because I am trying so hard to keen them fresh and new rather than just a rehash of the same.

 

[StillStunned]

I think the harsh answer is that perhaps you should give it up, at least for now. This is a hobby, it's supposed to be fun. If you're not enjoying it, then what's the point?

And maybe erotica just isn't your thing? It happens. I doubt I could write a murder mystery, or a slow-burn psychological romance, or an accurate historical novel. So just write what you want, and what works for you, and stop making yourself miserable trying to achieve something that isn't meant to be.

 

[Erozetta]

For the past month or so I've been trying to write a handful of stories for Lit - from a long, slow-burn to something a little shorter (though not by much). At first, the writing for these stories was easy. Then it wasn't.

The moment I got close to any intimate scenes (erotic or otherwise), I froze. I couldn't seem to get through these scenes without second-guessing or not being able to find the words to write what I wanted to say. The worst part is, I know why I keep hitting this wall, but I can't manage to figure out a way around it and instead I just keep staring at the screen hoping the words would just magically appear for me.

For those of you who don't know me (if that's possible over the past few months), I've been vocal about AI rejections after receiving a good handful across a small time frame. When I got the last rejection, I stopped writing anything erotica based for a month before I wrote something short and managed to get it published. Then I just stopped entirely. I haven't written anything for Lit since March - that is, until recently.

I joined Lit because I'd never written erotica content before, heck, I'd barely dipped my toes into romance before and often just used it as small side-plots to my murder-based stories. It was a theme I always struggled with and Lit seemed like the perfect place to practise because everyone is brutally honest and I needed that.

Since those rejections, I have been second-guessing those elements of my stories. Do they sound awkward? Like an AI? And because of that, I can't move past certain parts in my stories. Any intimate moment became impossible to write because I'm questioning every element, every word, and I shouldn't be, but I don't know how to stop.

I guess this is more of a rant than a question, and I'm sorry for that. I just don't know what to do. I've read both erotica and non-erotica content, written other stories, gone and done other things, but the problem persists. I'm at a loss of how to get through these scenes.

Part of me thinks it might be easier to throw in the towel and write what I know rather than try something that isn't working.

Try your hand at writing with someone. Step into a roleplay or the like for some lighthearted practice. I've found that when I fall into a rut like that, sometimes just stepping outside of the ordered world of "I need to write a story with an arc" the words flow much better and sometimes that means doing a simple RP with someone.

I suggest post apocalyptic. Much fun to be had when the rules of decency are no longer in play.

Also, it lets you toss out the idea of "does this sound awkward" it's written in the moment, on the fly. Mistakes happen, typos exist, bad grammar doesn't need to be fixed. Just a few humans interacting in a fictional world to build that world and their character how they see fit. It really can be a great way to dip your toes into a new writing style that lets you see what works and what doesn't.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I advise you take one of the shorter ones and PUSH THROUGH but don't worry about writing it well. The first draft doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done. Once it's done, you read it and say, "Ugh, that needs work."

Take a small break then come back, reread and polish it. Don't make huge changes, make small ones over and over, until you reread and ... it's done. I'm the same way with sex scenes. I stall on every one. And then I just write it as quickly and simply as I can, getting the basics down. She touched this, he touched that, they came. Done. Then I go back a flesh it out. Pun intended. But damn it feels good to get the first draft done.

 

[alohadave]

Since those rejections, I have been second-guessing those elements of my stories. Do they sound awkward?

I think it's safe to say that almost all of us have these feelings.

I don't have any advice, but you aren't alone in this.

 

[AllenWoody]

I’m the same way with sex scenes. I believe it stems from “not knowing what happens”. I can plow through the other parts of a story with relative ease, then bog down when it comes time to describe the sexy parts. And as others have mentioned, it may take some extra attention to keep the sex scenes fresh.

It helps to have something else to write which can take your mind off of that particular problem for a while, then return later.

 

[yowser]

You might find the suggestions in The Creative Act: A Way of Being’ by Rick Rubin helpful.

Some good advice above.

Write something different. Take a break, go for a long walk. One of the quotes addressing this very topic from the book mentioned:

'One of the best strategies is to lower the stakes.'

 

[burgwad]

Reading, for me, recharges the same battery that writing depletes. NYT published not too long ago a list of the top 100 novels of the 21st century (thus far), as ranked by top novelists. Lots of incredible stuff to peruse, there.

Reading others’ masterpieces might not seem directly relevant to writing sex scenes. But this is what works for me.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I think the harsh answer is that perhaps you should give it up, at least for now. This is a hobby, it's supposed to be fun. If you're not enjoying it, then what's the point?

And maybe erotica just isn't your thing? It happens. I doubt I could write a murder mystery, or a slow-burn psychological romance, or an accurate historical novel. So just write what you want, and what works for you, and stop making yourself miserable trying to achieve something that isn't meant to be.

That was a strange answer to what OP said. His problem is AI-rejection induced, which means it's completely arbitrary and doesn't really mean anything.
My advice would be for him to write the story however he wishes to write it. He shouldn't restrict himself and he should have fun while writing. And if Literotica rejects his story again, he should just flip his finger at them and go publish on a different website, such as SOL, AO3...
Changing his writing because of some AI-rejection fear and fretting about it instead of having fun is so not worth it. None of what we do here is worth it unless we are having fun.

 

[StillStunned]

That was a strange answer to what OP said. His problem is AI-rejection induced, which means it's completely arbitrary and doesn't really mean anything.
My advice would be for him to write the story however he wishes to write it. He shouldn't restrict himself and he should have fun while writing. And if Literotica rejects his story again, he should just flip his finger at them and go publish on a different website, such as SOL, AO3...
Changing his writing because of some AI-rejection fear and fretting about it instead of having fun is so not worth it. None of what we do here is worth it unless we are having fun.

I read the OP as saying "I write murder mysteries and thought I'd try my hand at romance and erotica. I'm struggling with the sex scenes and it's frustrating me. Should I call a day on this experiment?"

They're not having fun, they already have a writing outlet, they've been trying for months. Seems like an easy decision to me.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Okay, another approach. Permit me to set you a small writing exercise.

Think of what sort of sex scene you’d like to write for a story. Do a safe-filter-off web search for videos. Find one you like, a short one. Grab a pencil or fire up your laptop and describe the action, who does what to whom. Now go back an insert what each of them was thinking and feeling. I’m not suggesting you write Lit stories this way, but it can get you used to writing ‘those’ scenes.

Good luck.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I read the OP as saying "I write murder mysteries and thought I'd try my hand at romance and erotica. I'm struggling with the sex scenes and it's frustrating me. Should I call a day on this experiment?"

They're not having fun, they already have a writing outlet, they've been trying for months. Seems like an easy decision to me.

I agree about the fun part for sure. But I understood his post that he started having this problem only after all the AI-based rejections here. Who can say if the rejections were due to the sex scenes or not? Yet he feels like that because they started happening on Literotica. It's not an objective thing.

 

[Portly_Penguin]

I think the harsh answer is that perhaps you should give it up, at least for now. This is a hobby, it's supposed to be fun. If you're not enjoying it, then what's the point?

And maybe erotica just isn't your thing? It happens. I doubt I could write a murder mystery, or a slow-burn psychological romance, or an accurate historical novel. So just write what you want, and what works for you, and stop making yourself miserable trying to achieve something that isn't meant to be.

Harsh answer sounds about right To be honest, I was going to throw in the towel a month or so ago and then I got a bunch of different ideas and figured I'd try again and see what happened. It was fun to begin with, but not so much anymore. Being 11k into something and figuring out it isn't going to work sucks, but I can't do anything about it.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Harsh answer sounds about right To be honest, I was going to throw in the towel a month or so ago and then I got a bunch of different ideas and figured I'd try again and see what happened. It was fun to begin with, but not so much anymore. Being 11k into something and figuring out it isn't going to work sucks, but I can't do anything about it.

Don't be afraid to let it sit a while. I've had stories go almost two years from start to being published with a lot of that just sitting there being ignored until I go back and read it again and something just clicks. Sometimes that looks like picking up where I left off. Other times it looks like chopping off the last third of the story and giving it a new ending. Remember, it started as an intriguing idea.

 

[CherryCupcake]

You need a picture in your mind. I start with characters because people don't have sex because someone else says that want to, they need a reason to want sex with this other person. Then where are they? in a car? a tent, a bedroom? A stranger's bathroom. Consider your viewpoint characters point of view and tell it from their point of view. Maintain it as one action flows naturally to the next. That partner's can't surprise each other.

Try to turn yourself on. I'm wet when I'm writing a sex scene. But don't stop to do anything about it. No matter how much you throb, polish the story before you polish anything else.

 

[Erozetta]

Don't be afraid to let it sit a while. I've had stories go almost two years from start to being published with a lot of that just sitting there being ignored until I go back and read it again and something just clicks. Sometimes that looks like picking up where I left off. Other times it looks like chopping off the last third of the story and giving it a new ending. Remember, it started as an intriguing idea.

This.

I've gotten 50k into a few stories before realizing they weren't working. So, I cried, scrapped them and started them over because the main little nugget of the story was gold.

Other times I end up removing a scene and turning that into an entirely different story that worked where the original didn't.

Sometimes a story dies, sometimes it's murdered, and sometimes that shit can be Frankensteined into greatness. Or at least decent porn.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

This thread is sort of similar: https://forum.literotica.com/threads/i-cant-make-it-flow.1617841/

I was having trouble with wording and pacing.

Reading, for me, recharges the same battery that writing depletes.

I just did that. Read one that sounded like it might be fun, but I found it clumsy. Using the base premise, I'm trying to work something similar out.

 

[Portly_Penguin]

This thread is sort of similar: https://forum.literotica.com/threads/i-cant-make-it-flow.1617841/

I was having trouble with wording and pacing.



I just did that. Read one that sounded like it might be fun, but I found it clumsy. Using the base premise, I'm trying to work something similar out.

Pacing-wise for me is fine because these were always going to be slow-burn, build-up stories because I love a bit of character development. It's the doubting and second-guessing myself that I'm struggling with, and I know the cause, but I don't think it's fixable.

The joy of writing what I was writing isn't there anymore which I think I need to admit rather than flogging the metaphorical dead horse.

 

[Portly_Penguin]

Thank you all for the advice. After thinking about it, I think StillStunned is probably right.

It's not fun anymore, even though it was, and it's just not working. No use in trying to do something that wants to fight me every step of the way. Time for the penguin to hang it up.

Soooo, yeah. Thanks again, guys

 

[Bazzle]

Research? also look for a muse?

I hang on on Reddit annoying the girls on there sourcing inspiration and ideas that feed into my fiction.

So rather than write, absorb?