Things you wish you were better at writing

[JasonClearwater]

• Poetry
• Love stories that people enjoy
• Characters who aren't deeply damaged
• Women
• And, categorically, m/f incest

I set myself challenges regularly, but these are ones I still can't master. I've often thought I'd like to go the route of writing fiction privately for people, since there seems to be a market, but there are things I'm just not good at.

Bisque, where are you? I'm suffering ennui in your absinthe.

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

• Characters who aren't deeply damaged

This.
And having a style that isn't so sparse or cerebral or whatever approach I have that never quite seems to fill in all the blanks and often uses words that are too big.

 

[Sir_Maveric]

Details.

I find it hard to give the right amount of details in my writing. I read a Stephen King book (forget which one) and he went on for three pages about the colour of the grass. It turned me off so bad it scarred me. Now I’m terrified I’ll overdo it and scar someone else.

 

[Kantarii]

In the words of Clint Eastwood - “A man has got to know his limitations.”
Or
In the words of Captain Jack Sparrow - “Only two things really matter - what a man can do and what a man can’t do.”

Now, the way I see it, I tend to focus on the things I can do. That’s what I’m good at. I scares the Hell outta me trying to learn to swim in the ocean when there are sharks and all kinds of other crazy shit out there given the fact I’d probably drown long before either learning to swim or getting eaten by a shark.

That said, I’m in no hurry to write Incest or Loving wives, no mattter how good I am at conveying human emotion in the stories I write

<———- sitting my ass at home, staying away from the deep bodies of water. The closest i’m coming to a beach is wearing a gold bikini in my garden tub for sex.
Kant

 

[SimonDoom]

Thank you notes.

I have much to be thankful for, and I know many people to whom thanks are due. I don't think I've done an adequate job expressing thanks to those people.

 

[JasonClearwater]

This.
And having a style that isn't so sparse or cerebral or whatever approach I have that never quite seems to fill in all the blanks and often uses words that are too big.

My dad fixed that for me. 'Write simple words, and I'll read your books', he said. Often. He did eventually read one of my books and declared it 'just like a real book'.

*heavy, pained sigh*

Clearly, it wasn't smut, that one.

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

Details.

I find it hard to give the right amount of details in my writing. I read a Stephen King book (forget which one) and he went on for three pages about the colour of the grass. It turned me off so bad it scarred me. Now I’m terrified I’ll overdo it and scar someone else.

Lol. King would make Tolkien say 'give it a rest already'.
Like any genre, Incest is made all the more difficult when you're trying to make it emotionally realistic. I'm working on one right now and I can't make myself turn it into a gratuitous family fuckathon like a big part of me wants to.
Ever have that problem- not being able to write pure self-indulgent fantasy?

 

[JasonClearwater]

Details.

I find it hard to give the right amount of details in my writing. I read a Stephen King book (forget which one) and he went on for three pages about the colour of the grass. It turned me off so bad it scarred me. Now I’m terrified I’ll overdo it and scar someone else.

*chuckles* Yes. Rather. Studying screenwriting helped me jump deeper into scenes before putting them on the page. I think that helped crisp things up. As to detail, I strive to find the small words that will conjure up the image I want, without having to describe it. Sometimes a smell will do it (any combination of dust and old wood and sunlight and most people will paint the right image from their own experience), or just focusing in on one or two details. When I remember to describe anything at all. I don't in smut.

In the words of Clint Eastwood - “A man has got to know his limitations.”
Or
In the words of Captain Jack Sparrow - “Only two things really matter - what a man can do and what a man can’t do.”

Now, the way I see it, I tend to focus on the things I can do. That’s what I’m good at. I scares the Hell outta me trying to learn to swim in the ocean when there are sharks and all kinds of other crazy shit out there given the fact I’d probably drown long before either learning to swim or getting eaten by a shark.

That said, I’m in no hurry to write Incest or Loving wives, no mattter how good I am at conveying human emotion in the stories I write

<———- sitting my ass at home, staying away from the deep bodies of water. The closest i’m coming to a beach is wearing a gold bikini in my garden tub for sex.
Kant

Where's the fun in that? There may be sharks, but you can always shut your laptop, and they go away.

Thank you notes.

I have much to be thankful for, and I know many people to whom thanks are due. I don't think I've done an adequate job expressing thanks to those people.

I've been thinking on this. I'd like to give credit to some of the authors that've inspired me. Cogitating on that one.

 

[Jada59]

Love stories are hard for me, perhaps because I don't much enjoy reading them.

It's also hard for me to create male characters.

But probably my worst flaw is that I can get far too wordy.

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

My dad fixed that for me. 'Write simple words, and I'll read your books', he said. Often. He did eventually read one of my books and declared it 'just like a real book'.

*heavy, pained sigh*

Clearly, it wasn't smut, that one.

Good advice. Sounds like a sweet moment too
My mom wanted to read my last story but I discouraged her not because of the sex but because I didn't want to explain the tech.

 

[JasonClearwater]

Love stories are hard for me, perhaps because I don't much enjoy reading them.

It's also hard for me to create male characters.

But probably my worst flaw is that I can get far too wordy.

I'm with you on the love stories. They're often so unrealistic, or saccharine, or just uninteresting.

At the same time, being able to communicate love without it being boring, or unrealistic, or saccharine, is a challenge I've set myself.

 

[Sir_Maveric]

Lol. King would make Tolkien say 'give it a rest already'.
Like any genre, Incest is made all the more difficult when you're trying to make it emotionally realistic. I'm working on one right now and I can't make myself turn it into a gratuitous family fuckathon like a big part of me wants to.
Ever have that problem- not being able to write pure self-indulgent fantasy?

I have no problem writing it. I can see it perfectly in my mind. The issue is getting it on paper (figuratively) and keeping it there. I usually butcher it in editing.

Another issue I have is trying to keep things fresh. In a story with multiple parts it’s hard to keep the sex scenes fresh. There’s only so many times you can describe it before all you need to do is copy and paste from the last story. I’m learning how to insinuate it and keeping it real instead of detailing it for the readers. If I start doing one-offs I’ll get really detailed and hopefully leave it in post edit.

 

[TANSTAAFL58]

Lots of things:

• Action
• Poetry (although I write really awful Haikus)
• Lesbian, Gay and Bi sex. I have a great idea for a Lesbian relationship, but iIcould never write the sex.
• Original Sci-fi/Fantasy. Although I have a great idea for a horror story
• Balance between the erotic parts and plot and character development

That's why I'm reading almost all categories.(I'm not interested in LW, Incest, non-Con or Romance in the least). For the most part, the stories here , I hope are driving me to be a better writer. I threw out about 40 word pages because they weren't up to standard. Well, they're still there, I just don't think I can fix it, so I'm starting over. I'm keeping the story concept and characters. Also it's why I value the comments. I now realize I left a key plot point out of my Geek Pride story. Maybe Part Two?

 

[NotWise]

Ever have that problem- not being able to write pure self-indulgent fantasy?

I have this problem. I even set out last fall to write a simple-minded story ("Pixie by the Pool"), but it turned into four stories with more character development than is really consistent with a simple-minded fuck fest.

They're simpler than most of what I write so I can still use them the way I intended -- as a fairly relaxing break from more difficult stories. I have another in progress that I work on when other stories get too dense, and three more planned.

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

Another issue I have is trying to keep things fresh. In a story with multiple parts it’s hard to keep the sex scenes fresh. There’s only so many times you can describe it before all you need to do is copy and paste from the last story. I’m learning how to insinuate it and keeping it real instead of detailing it for the readers. If I start doing one-offs I’ll get really detailed and hopefully leave it in post edit.

The story I'm working on is the third chapter of a series and yeah, keeping things fresh once you've broken the seal is tricky. My solution this time is to introduce another couple to the mix. Readers have commented that the first two parts lacked detail so I'm really trying to slow down with this one. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

I have this problem. I even set out last fall to write a simple-minded story ("Pixie by the Pool"), but it turned into four stories with more character development than is really consistent with a simple-minded fuck fest.

They're simpler than most of what I write so I can still use them the way I intended -- as a fairly relaxing break from more difficult stories. I have another in progress that I work on when other stories get too dense, and three more planned.

Now I'm going to have to read Pixie By The Pool!

 

[ElectricBlue]

Ever have that problem- not being able to write pure self-indulgent fantasy?

Nope. I solved it by writing pure self-indulgent fantasy, which is currently 85,000 words in and counting. The end is in sight...

 

[Sir_Maveric]

As to detail, I strive to find the small words that will conjure up the image I want, without having to describe it. Sometimes a smell will do it (any combination of dust and old wood and sunlight and most people will paint the right image from their own experience), or just focusing in on one or two details. When I remember to describe anything at all. I don't in smut.

I'm tending to start in that direction as well. In a romantic series it gets tedious to keep describing how X screwed Y for the 200th time that morning. Need the element in the story but I want to let the reader remember what has already been written and fill it in themselves while I write more of the story.

 

[_Lynn_]

. . .

I've been thinking on this. I'd like to give credit to some of the authors that've inspired me. Cogitating on that one.

A positive and heartfelt PM is a good way to thank them.

That's what I did. With their approval, I mentioned their names on a thread. I wouldn't be here without their inspiration and mentoring.

 

[Hypoxia]

I'm pretty good at songwriting, not bad at tech writing and editing, and seemingly okay with erotic fiction, when I get around to it, which I haven't lately, so fuck me, I'm null.

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

Nope. I solved it by writing pure self-indulgent fantasy, which is currently 85,000 words in and counting. The end is in sight...

Hopefully you'll indulge your fans too and publish it on Lit when you're done

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

I'm pretty good at songwriting, not bad at tech writing and editing, and seemingly okay with erotic fiction, when I get around to it, which I haven't lately, so fuck me, I'm null.

Sounds like the punchline to a bad binary joke!

 

[MelissaBaby]

Love is easy, sex is hard.

So far, I feel that I have been pretty successful at everything I've tried.

But that just means I'm still new and haven't found my downfall yet.

 

[nosebone]

I have this problem. I even set out last fall to write a simple-minded story ("Pixie by the Pool"), but it turned into four stories with more character development than is really consistent with a simple-minded fuck fest.

They're simpler than most of what I write so I can still use them the way I intended -- as a fairly relaxing break from more difficult stories. I have another in progress that I work on when other stories get too dense, and three more planned.

Agreed. I can't seem to start anything that's just a one off. It always has to be a series that drags on. I like backstory and character development too much. The series are fun, but I need to learn to write 3500-7000 words and be done and move on.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hopefully you'll indulge your fans too and publish it on Lit when you're done

That's the plan.