Suggestions to improve my writing

[OldDog_NewTricks]

Hello again everyone.

I haven’t been around for quite some time, but I haven’t give up on posting some of my stories. Life has thrown a little curve ball at my wife and I so other things have taken priority. Life getting in the way of living, so to speak.

I have a couple of my old stories written out (as best I can remember from when I originally told them) but they just don’t sound as good the second time around. I’m not sure if it’s the medium (spoken as opposed to written) or something else. I know that comparing my meager writing to other real authors here could be self defeating, but to improve my writing I need to read works that are better than mine to see how it’s done.

So my request is, without overly promoting one author over another, or one genre over another, can you all point me towards stories I can find here that are very well written? Not the sexual aspect of the stories (that will become self evident as they are read) but just plain well written. Stories that you would recommend for the art of the writing just as much as the content of the writing.

I know we all have our genres we are drawn to and ones that we have no interest reading. Story lines that are very overplayed and some that are refreshingly unique. I’m willing to go out on a limb and read something that may not be in my sphere of personal favorites to try and see what good writing consists of.

Again, I’m not wanting to or trying to promote any authors or genres over others, but with the plethora of stories here at Lit, I would be searching forever to find what I’m looking for. And I’m not even sure I know exactly what I’m looking for in the first place. If this is the type of thread that is going to draw fire or cause strife, let me know and I’ll try and delete it. I don’t want to be the FNG causing trouble.

 

[VallesMarineris]

Just read the story you published. You're pretty good with words and the story did get a red H. But there are techniques for engaging the reader that would help. For example:

-- Start the story where the story starts. It doesn't start when Emma gets up in the morning. It starts when she finds Tyler's truck.

-- The usual dramatic arc for this kind of story is boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl. You can flip it with girl-meets-boy, no problem, but you went straight to the girl-gets-boy. You skipped the middle part.

Let me suggest Story, by Robert McKee. It's a classic on how to write a movie script. Almost everything he says in it is relevant to written stories also. He has many more techniques.

 

[SimonDoom]

Well, first of all, I'm sorry to hear about your wife. Most of us probably know what it is like to have life get in the way of our writing ambitions, so I sympathize. I hope things get better.

You don't have to apologize or feel reluctant about asking about authors or stories. It's a legitimate inquiry. Again, I think we're all in the same boat, looking for examples of stories that we enjoy and that will inspire us to do better.

I don't have specific recommendations, because I think taste is very personal and I strongly believe the best thing you can do is to do your homework and seek the stories that appeal to you, read them carefully, and learn from them. I did that for about 14 years here before I wrote anything.

Focus on genres you like and pick highly rated stories in those genres, and see what you think about them. When you find an author you like, check out the stories they have favorited and the authors they have followed. Check out contest winners and decide for yourself what you think of them.

It won't take forever. It will take less time, probably, to do it yourself than to take suggestions from fellow authors whose tastes may be completely different from your own. This has been my experience, and I've been reading stories at Literotica since maybe 2002. I don't even remember when I started.

The two best ways to get better at writing, in my opinion, are to read a lot and write a lot. I don't think there's a substitute for that.

 

[Bamagan]

I'll second what @SimonDoom is suggesting. There are top lists in every category. The so-called Hot status doesn't necessarily correlate well to the more nebulous ideas of quality writing, but for the most part, stories with major compositional deficiencies or errors find it harder to stay on the highest ratings echelons. If you find a story on one of those lists whose title, blurb, or tags seem promising, it stands a good chance of being at least technically competent, and quite possibly better.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Since you're asking for recommendations, I'll offer my opinion for what it's worth(About what you paid for it)...
Pure romantic story telling: onehitwanda. Her stories are like taking all evening to savor a glass of expensive scotch, and , for me, often accompany just that.
For world building, Son_of_Battles. He's moved a lot of stuff, so hurry.
Just good fun story telling, I like StillStunned,
And raw, edgy sex, how can I leave out EmilyMiller?

This place is full of excellent writers. Don't limit yourself to my list. Explore. Find an author you like and just read...

 

[glynndah]

Look for the stories with the green/blue/teal? Es. They're the stories Laurel and the powers that be have deemed especially worthwhile.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles.

I agree with @SimonDoom, tastes are very personal. If you can name a writer or two that you do like, we might be able to point to similar ones here.

-Annie

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Nahh, I better not. If I recommend, my haters might go bomb their stories.

 

[Nynah]

Life is very difficult for a lot of people right now so my sympathies to you and your wife. Hoping that you're able to come out okay.

I also agree that taste is very personal and subjective. "Good writing" looks different for most people because we all have different things we gravitate towards. From how well you write, I can imagine that you're looking for a particular style of writing that tends to read more literary and "traditional" for lack of a better term. You'll find a fair bit of that here, but you'll need to seek it out because Lit publishes all sorts of stuff.

But if you're still seeking advice, looking at the top lists for each category is a good start as others have said. You can also use the search function to look for stories about a specific interest (which you can sort by score so the cream of the crop is first in line). And if you find a story or an author that you enjoy, check out their profile and see what they have favorited; chances are if you vibed with them, you might vibe with what they like as well.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

It's not a story, but a short "How-To" piece that might inspire you and possibly improve on what you feel are deficiencies in your writing. Good luck to you and your family.

 

[StillStunned]

For a quick overview of the styles of the locals in the Authors' Hangout, have a look at the Writing Exercises we've been doing over the past year or so. Here are a few, but there have been about a dozen, if I remember rightly:

Show us your style
Something for the weekend
Can we guess your identity from your writing style?
Writing Exercise: City Life
Writing Exercise 10: In the Dungeon
Writing exercise 8: fairy tales

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I have to ask. Are you sure you are in the right place?

Literotica is all about sexual fantasies and fulfillment, not about writing well. That's not to say that there aren't any well-written stories here; it's just that they are a stark minority, in my experience. But what's more important is that there aren't any obvious tells for such stories. There are no tags, ratings, or categories that could point you towards such stories.
I understand that you want us to recommend such stories, but you will see here just as many biased and conflicting opinions, which might mislead you one way or another.

My whole point is that you shouldn't form your conclusions about what makes good writing based on our recommendations. If learning about writing well is your primary goal, then maybe you should read some critically acclaimed mainstream stories first and then try to search for that kind of writing here among the categories and kinks you like in erotica.

 

[VerbalAbuse]

Recommendation won't work. Refer to those stories you like and are somewhat similar in tone/style to those you want to write.

 

[SimonDoom]

For a quick overview of the styles of the locals in the Authors' Hangout, have a look at the Writing Exercises we've been doing over the past year or so. Here are a few, but there have been about a dozen, if I remember rightly:

Show us your style
Something for the weekend
Can we guess your identity from your writing style?
Writing Exercise: City Life
Writing Exercise 10: In the Dungeon
Writing exercise 8: fairy tales

This is a good idea, and I'd add to it that you can check out the entrants in the 750 word story challenges, through which you can explore writers' styles without a significant time investment.

 

[SimonDoom]

Another thing about recommendations. It's possible to appreciate another author without wanting to write like them. I feel that way about a number of authors here. I appreciate their skills and their success, but I'm trying to do something different. And I'm comfortable with that because I've been reading here so long.

If I were in your shoes I would first ask myself what KINDS of stories I like. I like, among other things, Exhibitionist and Voyeur stories, so I would go to that category page and check out the new story lists and the top story lists and see what looks interesting. I would pick a story and see if it grabs me after four or five paragraphs. If yes, I continue, if no, I bug out. I would review the all-time most favorited and top-rated stories in that category. Once I found an author I'd like, I'd check out their favorite story and author lists, and I'd ALSO look at the "similar story" lists that appear at the ends of their stories.

Also, when you find a story you like, re-read it carefully to figure out what you like about it, and learn from that.

This site has some very helpful "how to" writing guides in its story collection, and those can be helpful, too, for understanding how to write erotica.

 

[OldDog_NewTricks]

First things first. Thank you all for the thoughts for my wife and I. Luckily for us it’s not a set back, or even major medical, just unexpected. The well wishes are so very appreciated from the both of us.

Secondly, thank you all for the suggestions and advice. It will be a lot of reading but I have the time. All the suggestions give me a place to start. The one thing I have done is reading stories by authors I like. Instead of using the Top Rated list in certain genres I try and read the “synopsis” sentence under the titles to pick stories that pique my interest. I also like using the Spin button at the top of the Random Stories area in those genres.

Now for the long part. I’d like to respond to most of the advice above and try to explain why I wrote my first story the way I did and where my head is at while writing or reading. Most of the public storytelling I do always has a thread of truth buried in it. It helps keep the mental flow going when making a story up on the fly.

@VallesMarineris. Thank you for the compliment and for reading my first story. I started the story where (when?) I did because I wanted a way to introduce the main character and give the location of “Nowhere” some meaning. The description of Nowhere is for the most part truthful, but at my best friends farm not mine. The beginning of the day seemed to fit (at least in my mind) to the beginning of the story. The way I had laid it out in my head was girl meets boy, girl wants boy but boy is indifferent, time goes by, girl goes after boy and gets him albeit with a bit of “smarminess”.

@SimonDoom. I’ve been doing the things you’ve suggested for a while. I have found a few authors I like and I definitely have my favorite genres. I hadn’t thought about the How-To section or even explored it. More out of ignorance because I didn’t think it was directed at prose (content), but more at relationships and the things that went with them. I’ve definitely been reading a lot, but not writing much. Maybe that needs to change.

@Bamagan. I tried to correlate the Star Ratings and red H’s to better writing. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. I think the ratings are maybe based more on content and “excitability” than on the quality of the writing? There have been some stories I’m interested in reading just because of the title or description, but in the first five paragraphs the spelling and grammatical errors make me quit. I’ll keep using the advice from above about the Top Rated lists.

@ShelbyDawn57. You mentioned three of my favorite authors that I try and read when I visit Lit (along with others). Not just the stories but forum posts also. The fourth I’ve never heard of until now, but it sounds like I had better investigate quickly.

@glynndah. I have always wondered what the teal E’s were for. Now I know. I wish there was a way I could narrow my searches to those.

@TheWritingGroup. I’ve mentioned a couple of authors above that I enjoy reading. One of the first authors I unofficially followed (and waited anxiously for each new installment) was named OutdoorCat and the series The Keys. They seem to be the only submissions for OutdoorCat.

 

[OldDog_NewTricks]

@TheWritingGroup. I’ve mentioned a couple of authors above that I enjoy reading. One of the first authors I unofficially followed (and waited anxiously for each new installment) was named OutdoorCat and the series The Keys. The genre interests me (from the outdoor angle) and the storyline because it seemed very unique. Unfortunately they seem to be the only submissions from OutdoorCat. I’m mentally working on something similar (a series of installments) with a very poor working title of “The Life and Times of Jane Doe”. I don’t want to give the real character name because at the speed I write, it could be years before it is ever finished. The Keys was the inspiration for a stand alone two part story that grew over time into its present mental form. The first installment is done, but it took months to write and then re-read and re-write to get it to its finished form.

@pink_silk_glove. I know there are haters out there. I’ll make you a deal…I promise not to let them bother me if you promise not to let them bother you.

@Nynah. Thanks for the compliment, but I think my writing is “functionally proficient” but not necessarily good. My philosophy is…In everything you do give 100%…unless you’re giving blood. And always try and improve. Literary and traditional are really all I know at this point. I did read a story here that I enjoyed for the content but more for the style. It was told by the Narrator who controlled the storyline and therefore the actions of the main character. The main character could talk to the Narrator but was definitely not in control of the story arc.

@BobbyBrandt. Thank you for suggesting the How-To section. Like I said earlier, I assumed it was only for other things, not the “writing” things.

@StillStunned. I’ve glanced at the Writing Exercises a few times, but being a true beginner I never thought I’d have much to contribute. I’d feel like I was detracting from other better writer’s efforts. Once I develop a more consistent style maybe I’ll feel comfortable posting on one of the Exercises.

@AwkwardlySet. I feel I’m in the right place because I chose to be here. I actually posted two other stories years ago on another site (only because I hadn’t found this one yet) that I think was called The Lusty Library or possibly Librarian. One was titled “Stargazing” and one was “If you can see me…call me” I’ve searched for both but they seem to be lost to the depths of the internet. They were my true first attempts, but I was proud of what I accomplished at the time. I know that Lit is about sexual fantasy and to some extent fulfillment, but I feel that there are good authors and good writing here. Will I ever be in their ranks, probably not. But I still want to improve for personal reasons. My Bio/Profile page might explain it better.

@VerbalAbuse. The biggest reason I’m asking for recommendations (and asking in this particular forum) is the few interactions I’ve had in here lead me to believe the folks in here are well read in all types of writing, not just erotica. I try and read here on Lit what appeals to me, but as a beginner, what I consider “good writing” and what good writing actually is may not be the same thing. That’s where I'm wanting to learn and improve.

@SimonDoom (again) Appreciating other authors while not wanting to write like them (i.e. in their style) is in a sense what I’m searching for. There are many styles of writing but I’m assuming that good structure in written storytelling is somewhat consistent. I still feel verbal storytelling is different than written storytelling because of the audience and more so the time constraints. A written story might start slowly but you have time to keep reading to see if and when the story starts to build. Verbal storytelling has to grab your attention earlier to keep the audience from losing interest and walking away.

As a side note SimonDoom, I finally looked closer at your avatar and realized it was a close up of an eye. What I had been seeing (up until now) was a hat and the right side of a cartoonish face wearing sunglasses. It reminded me of the black hatted character from the comic/cartoon Spy vs. Spy. Perspective is a funny thing.

Again, thank you all.

 

[OldDog_NewTricks]

Question…are my replies so long that it won’t let me post it in its entirety? It only posted a portion at first. I had to copy it to my Notes and CCP the rest of the reply into a separate post.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Question…are my replies so long that it won’t let me post it in its entirety? It only posted a portion at first. I had to copy it to my Notes and CCP the rest of the reply into a separate post.

There's a character limit on posts. Judging by yours, it's around 4000, 4500.

 

[OldDog_NewTricks]

Oh my. My post is probably longer than my stories. I’ll try and be a bit more concise from now on.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

Theoretically, the post size limit is 10,000 characters. In reality, it seems to be counting some invisible stuff (HTML? CSS?) and my colleague, Annie, can't get over 9,000 in her posts here.

(Annie writes really long essays on her published stories.)

-Rocco

 

[ElectricBlue]

Theoretically, the post size limit is 10,000 characters. In reality, it seems to be counting some invisible stuff (HTML? CSS?) and my colleague, Annie, can't get over 9,000 in her posts here.

(Annie writes really long essays on her published stories.)

-Rocco

That big? I'm surprised by that.

10,000 characters would be around 2000 words - based on the speculation that a Lit page is approx 3750 words in a 20,000 character bin size.

OldDog's two posts were nowhere near 10,000 characters, even if you counted in the characters needed to code the links.

But if you guys are maxing out with 10,000 based on your story essays, there's a proof.

 

[StillStunned]

@StillStunned. I’ve glanced at the Writing Exercises a few times, but being a true beginner I never thought I’d have much to contribute. I’d feel like I was detracting from other better writer’s efforts. Once I develop a more consistent style maybe I’ll feel comfortable posting on one of the Exercises.

There are no entry requirements for the Writing Exercises. Your snippets have just as much value as anyone else's. And if we can't use a thread literally called "exercise" to flex our writing muscles, then where can we?

Next time you see one - or even if there's an older one you have an idea for - just write and post. Nobody's going to gatekeep there.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

There are no entry requirements for the Writing Exercises. Your snippets have just as much value as anyone else's. And if we can't use a thread literally called "exercise" to flex our writing muscles, then where can we?

Next time you see one - or even if there's an older one you have an idea for - just write and post. Nobody's going to gatekeep there.

Oh, come on. We all know who the wannabe’s are.

 

[Erozetta]

@StillStunned. I’ve glanced at the Writing Exercises a few times, but being a true beginner I never thought I’d have much to contribute. I’d feel like I was detracting from other better writer’s efforts. Once I develop a more consistent style maybe I’ll feel comfortable posting on one of the Exercises.

Writing exercises are meant as a way to sharpen and hone your skills. Use them as such to see what you can do without pressure. They can help you find that comfortable space where your writing shines and because they are all snippet based and not full works, you can develop a sense of what needs to be included and what can be tossed.

Much like regular exercise, writing exercises are meant to strengthen and tone, although this is your craft rather than your body.

Take that little leap of faith and start the workout circuit. It's fun and addictive.