theyread*

[SweetWitch]

As authors, we all talk about our writing from our point of view. But what do you feel readers get out of the stories you write? Do you aim to get certain emotions, experiences or any other reactions out of your readers? What would be the top 3 or 4 things you feel that readers get out of your stories and not out of other authors'?

* This thread is dedicated to our resident reader, shereads.

For me, writing is an escape. It's always been like that. When I have no one to talk to, I put it down on paper. When no one listens, the paper hears my words. So I escape.

I guess I try to offer a bit of that escape to others through those words. I hope the reader:
1. Feels what it's like to be one of my characters.
2. Sees the scenes unfolding in a natural progression through the imagery and emotion of those same characters.
3. Finds a surprise in the bottom of the box.

But really, I write for me. It is, after all, my escape.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Arousal.

Warm feelings. In addition to the sex I write "comfort" stories.

 

[Corylea]

For me, writing is an escape. It's always been like that. When I have no one to talk to, I put it down on paper.

*nod* I can identify with this. When I'm thinking something that I'm worried my friends will think is too extreme if I share it with them, I tell the paper. Usually once I've actually seen it, I realize that it's not extreme after all.

3. Finds a surprise in the bottom of the box.

*laugh* That's a great way of putting it!

 

[SweetWitch]

*laugh* That's a great way of putting it!

But it's true.

 

[Corylea]

But it's true.

That's part of why it's a great way of putting it. *smile*

 

[SweetWitch]

That's part of why it's a great way of putting it. *smile*

For awhile here, Daniellekitten and I competed for the title of "cliffhanger queen". Every chapter left the reader hanging, screaming, writing threatening emails. And when the next chapter came out, it would start off with a surprise that had them shaking their heads, saying, "I didn't see that coming." I like surprises.

 

[Elianna]

For awhile here, Daniellekitten and I competed for the title of "cliffhanger queen". Every chapter left the reader hanging, screaming, writing threatening emails. And when the next chapter came out, it would start off with a surprise that had them shaking their heads, saying, "I didn't see that coming." I like surprises.

You both kept me going, too.

I just like to write. I think that I like to create characters that you fall in love with that you identify with. I like them to be human, and I like it when they screw up.

But part of writing is fantasy, too. Just a little too... je ne sai quoi... to be normal life. All my stories are like that. I like the sex to be hot, the characters to evoke emotion, and to entertain. I hope my stories take you somewhere special for a few hours for a pleasant escape.

 

[Belegon]

I don't think of my stories as having any agenda other than arousal and entertainment...

...but having my writing exposed to the wider world beyond Lit has exposed a "theme" of sorts... mind you, it's been exposed mostly in "negative" reviews. At least, it is those reviews that draw attention to it.

I'm uncomfortable writing a story where the main female character is not strong enough to attract me. Therefore, by default, I am espousing a portrayal of women who are unafraid to cross the barriers placed in front of them.

It wasn't deliberate.

But if I look back, with the benefit of hindsight I can see that every single woman I have written stands up and says, "this is who I am and if you don't like it, fuck off!"

I also write men who are strong enough and confident enough that they are not scared of such a woman, but attracted to her.

This has been branded "unrealistic" and even "anti-morality" by mainstream reviewers....

But I know that it is realistic... because I'm in love with a woman that embodies everything I write about.

 

[Boota]

I try to bring the reader into the story and get them wrapped up in it, no matter what it is I'm writing. I tend to stick to conversational English more than going for flowery, perfect structure. Nothing will bring a reader out of the suspension of disbelief like trying to figure out a word only found in a Scrabble dictionary. Mainly, I go for emotion. I push the buttons that make them like the character of hate the character. And if sometimes it's hard to figure out who it is they love/hate or why, so much the better.

In my comedy writing I still do all that, but there is an added complication of structring the language to deliver the best comedic punch. Like verbally telling a joke, it's all about timing. I may have to write a long way around a subject to make it funny, but it's always worth the trip.

 

[wishfulthinking]

Like others said above, entertainment (Liar), fantasy (cat) and escapism (Sweetwitch).

I don't write to provoke thoughts or confront or provide an original point of view or make people uncomfortable or to change their viewpoint on life (but yes, I think you can do this with erotica). I think the way I put words and a story together, rather than the story itself, is what makes mine differ from some others.

There is no way I could write without revealing a bit of me (as with all writers), but I wouldn't say this is necessarily enlightening to the reader. Same as a reader can't read something without imposing a bit of them. Of course, this is how the end product is formed, and the writer only travels half the way.

What I write or intend/aim for etc and the reader's interpretation are 2 different things, and this is always a constant surprise to me and sometimes freaky. Some comments on my latest story mention they absolutely hate a character and support another, and I thought cool, I've created a villain and didn't even know it. Even though this was accidental, I still consider it an achievement for me to add a new layer of complexity

 

[damppanties]

I'm enjoying this thread.

I'm uncomfortable writing a story where the main female character is not strong enough to attract me. Therefore, by default, I am espousing a portrayal of women who are unafraid to cross the barriers placed in front of them.

It wasn't deliberate.

But if I look back, with the benefit of hindsight I can see that every single woman I have written stands up and says, "this is who I am and if you don't like it, fuck off!"

I also write men who are strong enough and confident enough that they are not scared of such a woman, but attracted to her.

I'm curious now. Would you ever want to write characters that are opposite of what you described here? As a sort of challenge?

This has been branded "unrealistic" and even "anti-morality" by mainstream reviewers....

Anti-morality?! How?

But I know that it is realistic... because I'm in love with a woman that embodies everything I write about.

Yes.

But you have to agree, being Imp is a one in a million thing. You write about women that are real, but extremely rare.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

That's interesting. That's what readers get out of a Stella story.

So what distinguishes a Dr. M story from a gauche story or a neon story? Anything?

I have themes and habits when I write. I'm a great believer in the unbridled juiciness of sex as a descriptor of emotion and my sex is always very graphic. Usually the climax of my story coincides with the sexual climax: changes happen to my characters through the sexual experience. I work a lot with the extremes of emotion -- reluctance and non-consent and BDSM -- because I get the most emotional acceleration in those violations against the self. Also, I'm just interested in that kind of forced, transgressive intimacy. I love the power games that occur not only between men and women but within oneself.

All this is observation after the fact, of course. I don't sit down and say, "I want to write a story involving forced, transgressive intimacy." I just write a story. But looking back on my stuff, this is what I notice.

 

[rgraham666]

I had to think about this.

Basically what I write about is the wonder and joy of being human. I try to communicate that to my readers.

In my more serious works I also try to add an ethical quality. I try do examine human conflict, explore what the wise thing to do is and the rewards that come from doing the wise thing.

And occasionally I just try to get the reader off.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

The best feedback I ever get -- the one that means the most to me -- is when readers tell me I've put into words things they've been trying to say but never could. That happened several times with a book I did about a woman struggling with her sexual guilt, and that made me feel so good, because I felt like I'd given them a tool for seizing part of life and making it their own, just by giving them the words for describing it.

That's why for a long time I had this quote from Anais Nin in my sig line: "The job of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but to say what no one else can say."

I firmly believe that.

 

[damppanties]

I have themes and habits when I write. I'm a great believer in the unbridled juiciness of sex as a descriptor of emotion and my sex is always very graphic. Usually the climax of my story coincides with the sexual climax: changes happen to my characters through the sexual experience. I work a lot with the extremes of emotion -- reluctance and non-consent and BDSM -- because I get the most emotional acceleration in those violations against the self. Also, I'm just interested in that kind of forced, transgressive intimacy. I love the power games that occur not only between men and women but within oneself.

All this is observation after the fact, of course. I don't sit down and say, "I want to write a story involving forced, transgressive intimacy." I just write a story. But looking back on my stuff, this is what I notice.

Hmmm. It appears I haven't read enough of your stories, because of the few I did read, I didn't really find it close to non-consent or BDSM.

 

[gauchecritic]

Not to discover it. If someone gets some kind of enlightement out of what I write, even though I didn't intentionally plant it there, more power to them. To expect it, though... or to strive for it, would be presumptuous, of me.

Not intentional, perhaps but definitely there.:

"Pale moonlight draped over her panties.

"He'd left her a quiet life...

and twining a short lifestory, containing sex and drugs and r&r into a description of a lazy life on all but empty winter beaches without missing a beat, (Driftwood) we're obviously not talking about the same thing.

Instead, let me ask you: Why is entertaining not enough? Why is it (seemingly to you) less than, instead of a worthy goal in itself? Why do you say "just" entertainment?

that was unfortunate usage (inference?) of the word. I didn't mean as lesser or only but as one aspect And there is definitely nothing 'unworthy' about entertainment per se.

I can watch tv and movies for transcendence, elightment and epiphany too. Or for escapism. Or for harmless fun. Same thing with listening to music. Or looking at a painting. Or reading a written story.

Then I'll ask a question back. Why is it that, by and large, a 'faithful' film is rarely as 'good' as the book?

 

[Belegon]

I'm enjoying this thread.
I'm curious now. Would you ever want to write characters that are opposite of what you described here? As a sort of challenge?

I've tried. I lose interest. The stories end up either being unfinished or about someone becoming the kind of person I want.

Anti-morality?! How?

Romantic Times said that about ArtiFactual because the "villain" in one story is an intolerant member of the far right. She was trying to shut down a business and ruin lives because she was "exposed" (to herself only) as having a homoerotic fantasy.

Obviously, in my opinion, the reviewer was a person in need of moral caffeine. She saw the trappings of the character and decided a "good" person was being portrayed as negative. It is an unfortunately common mistake to be unable to see the rust that the fresh paint is covering.

Yes.
But you have to agree, being Imp is a one in a million thing. You write about women that are real, but extremely rare.

I agree with your opinion of Imp. How rare? If you take a picture of Imp with you to the mirror, I think you'll see two such women... so while rare, they are out there to find.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Hmmm. It appears I haven't read enough of your stories, because of the few I did read, I didn't really find it close to non-consent or BDSM.

Actually, I just went and checked and it's 30 out of 71 that are non-consent/ BDSM, or about 42%, which really isn't as much as I'd thought. But I've had a bunch of D/s stories pulled, which I think would bring it more to something like 50%.

I don't think of myself as a thematic or genre writer in that all my stories aren't going to be BDSM, but I do show a tendency to stay away from loving sex and vanilla in general unless I can find some really compelling plot there. I'm not interested in normal people making normal love. I tend toward the extremes. It's easier to work out there.

I guess what I'm trying to do is dig deep into people's emotions and motivations, present rich and believable characters having incendiary sex, and do it all with beautiful and insightful prose. Maybe it's presumptuous, but I'd like my stories to do a lot more than just entertain.

 

[damppanties]

I agree with your opinion of Imp. How rare? If you take a picture of Imp with you to the mirror, I think you'll see two such women... so while rare, they are out there to find.

Hardly, but I loved the compliment. Thank you.

 

[damppanties]

I don't think of myself as a thematic or genre writer in that all my stories aren't going to be BDSM...

That's another thing I've been thinking about. Does it help grow the readership / fan following if you are?

 

[Stella_Omega]

That's another thing I've been thinking about. Does it help grow the readership / fan following if you are?

I think it might... At least, I am sure that my sexual pairings are so across the map that I offend certain types of readers-- Straight men often dislike my gay male stories, and gay men (and some straight women) are turned off by my lesbian stories.

I have readers who are devoted to my fanfic, but are reluctant to read anything I produce without a familiar character's name attached. That one really irritates me, but it's not going to change

And I don't produce in quantity, so there's only a few stories in any category-- If you like my style, you'll have to be adventuresome in your perversions...

 

[wildsweetone]

...

and for WSO. after far too long away.

thank you

That's another thing I've been thinking about. Does it help grow the readership / fan following if you are?

if you write only sci fi, you're going to have mostly sci fi readers.

as a reader if i find a great author then i have an expectation that all their stories will be great. that in turn will keep me reading their work and encouraging others to read it also.

i know several authors on Lit who are posting novels, one chapter at a time with long breaks between. the chapters are generally in one main genre and there are a lot of readers who are begging the authors to Get Writing! they are going to be telling other readers about the author's work also so yes, it must help expand the readership.

being consistent in your chosen genre is a plus and comforts readers who expect to be reading more, and similar, stories.

does sticking to one genre help the author to grow?

 

[Stella_Omega]

...

does sticking to one genre help the author to grow?

I don't think genre has very much to do with growth, but an author can certainly grow within a genre...

 

[damppanties]

does sticking to one genre help the author to grow?

Grow...what? Writing skills - definitely. Writing skills across different genres - no.

We all aren't good at everything. And I don't see the reason why one should, unless it's experimenting. So doesn't it make sense to stick to what you're good at?

 

[Equinoxe]

I don't think I have ever written a story that had more than six readers and nothing that's ever been published (even at a site like this), nor, for that matter, anything which is particularly suited to a site like this. In fact, I did once try to write erotica as an experiment to see if I could—but I became embarrassed writing the first line.

I think that the fundamental unifying elements of my interest in art, whether it is literature, painting, music, or anything, are a sense of moment and a feeling of wonder—in that sense I tend to prefer non-narrative art and literature, or perhaps more correctly, art and literature which does not take as its centre narrative and so is more akin to how we experience the world than how we remember it. In many respects, this is the core of my interest in anything and not merely in art. My interest as a creator of any art form is the same, although it has varied exactly my intentions: I do not particularly find my own work successful in that respect. Whether any of the six other people who have read stories I've written do, I couldn't say.

... (and some straight women) are turned off by my lesbian stories.

I would think that your particular style of lesbian story would be alternately well-received (perhaps even to the surprise of the reader herself) and off-putting to straight women, depending largely on the individual's level of 'curiosity'—I would suspect that they would be better liked by straight women who would not necessarily expect to enjoy a lesbian story than those who would.