Workshop for the SRP Writer's Craft

And sometimes it seems to just take a casual joke and you can find a partner.
Do most of you read the work of other writers here? I used to more, I need to get back into it. Never enough time lol.
Going to answer this so Glad doesn't get upset I've gone offroad with the thread...again!
I read a few threads, hard to know if you're gonna like them otherwise, I follow fewer thereafter but I get inspired by reading other people's work as well as wholly enjoying it so it pays off in my own work in the end
 
I have this bad tendency to start reading threads and then forget to go back to them, or don’t keep up with their new posts.
 
I'm gonna give you all a little brain scratcher before I go off into dream land (you're fucking welcome in advance).

We all get inspired by something that leads us to strike pay dirt in the form of a story (books and movies, fandom are all common) - where is the weirdest place you have gotten inspiration from?

Let's get freaky! Weird out, Lit.
 
I'm gonna give you all a little brain scratcher before I go off into dream land (you're fucking welcome in advance).

We all get inspired by something that leads us to strike pay dirt in the form of a story (books and movies, fandom are all common) - where is the weirdest place you have gotten inspiration from?

Let's get freaky! Weird out, Lit.
The weirdest place for me is IKEA while wandering through the show room... I keep getting inspiration for writing a free-use story about a DIY club that a couple interview to join for a deep discount on IKEA furniture. The idea being that whatever they are interested in buying, they agree to be bound to and used by whomever happens to be shopping from the club.
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's all about communication. There's no such thing as too much or too little, as long as you and your partner both know what you are getting into, whether it's one-liners or multi-para.

Personally, I am a HUGE fan of collaboration, so that it's a smoother read for anybody following along. It can still leave plenty of room for creativity and curve balls. It just helps make sure that any major character moments and plot points that each person REALLY wants go off without a hitch. Example, I've restarted thread ideas with the exact same starting post but different partners, but had the the new thread go in a WILDLY different direction, simply because of who was writing the other character.

~LD
 
I've found that having some sort of OOC communication also helps minimise those moments when your collaborator obviously hasn't read your last scene properly and completely contradicts an action or piece of dialogue within it.
 
everyone is allowed to make mistakes, but I’ve stopped writing with partners when I first started here and elsewhere for not reading my posts properly, contradicting what I just said. Of course I do this myself. I’ll name an npc and then forget I named them and name them something else later on occasion, did this once for sure that I remember, still bothers me when I reread it.
 
I had a long time co writer do that recently in two of our threads but I knew he was busy and probably tired and feeling pressured to write so I popped into his inbox to let him know.

I daresay it was embarrassing for him even though I was quite gentle in my approach and quickly outlined the mistakes and told him it was fine. It happens to all of us now and then. Honestly, I'd be happy if someone picked up that I'd done it and let me know cause sometimes i reread a post 4 and 5 times and don't collect a mistake and then go back on a whim, reread the whole thread and then i fucking see it 🤦‍♀️

Sometimes it's small enough to overlook it (have seen it in others threads when they're writing several characters and accidentally use the wrong name) and you can just correct it for them in your mind. But when it's a consistent issue, that's when you're either dipping out or having a frank conversation (depending on your attachment to the story or the co writer).
 
I agree, sometimes this very much depends on the situation. If it’s a long term partner more discussing happens. I used to not be the most patient with new partners especially for godmodding in the past. Of recent I’ve been more lax with that especially if it’s discussed ahead of time or just fits the character.
 
I've found that having some sort of OOC communication also helps minimise those moments when your collaborator obviously hasn't read your last scene properly and completely contradicts an action or piece of dialogue within it.
Exactly this! When you both discuss it before hand, the odds of this happening, and one of you having to have that awkward conversation, where you never know how a person is going to react, go down. Everyone makes mistakes, but if you can minimize the chances of it happening, why not do so if it's by doing a thing that you both don't mind doing?
 
I agree, sometimes this very much depends on the situation. If it’s a long term partner more discussing happens. I used to not be the most patient with new partners especially for godmodding in the past. Of recent I’ve been more lax with that especially if it’s discussed ahead of time or just fits the character.
So, for this, I've taken to just asking, even if it's the tiniest thing. Like, if my character wants to reach out and take my partner's hands. I will ask my partner behind the scenes if their character will let me take their hands before I even put the post in writing, and will only put it in the post if they'll let me. It's a small thing, but small things done in bulk can grate on a person. Where as, if I ask, the worst they can say is no, and I change the post. Either way, I'd rather ask to make sure. It goes against conventional wisdom of, "It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.", but it's served me well so far, lol.

~LD
 
So, for this, I've taken to just asking, even if it's the tiniest thing. Like, if my character wants to reach out and take my partner's hands. I will ask my partner behind the scenes if their character will let me take their hands before I even put the post in writing, and will only put it in the post if they'll let me. It's a small thing, but small things done in bulk can grate on a person. Where as, if I ask, the worst they can say is no, and I change the post. Either way, I'd rather ask to make sure. It goes against conventional wisdom of, "It's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.", but it's served me well so far, lol.

~LD
How interesting. Usually I'm fine with that sort of thing and take umbrage with more serious stuff - like a co writer wrote in my character having an orgasm once and I was like 'no dude, not cool' because that's totally optional and not necessary as far as I'm concerned. But then there's things like gripping my character etc and I'm fine with it. Because they're not taking over my actions and it assumes so little, if my character isn't happy then they snatch their hand back - adds an element of emotional intensity either way too.

Also, hi Lucian ;) 😂 Good to see you!
 
How interesting. Usually I'm fine with that sort of thing and take umbrage with more serious stuff - like a co writer wrote in my character having an orgasm once and I was like 'no dude, not cool' because that's totally optional and not necessary as far as I'm concerned. But then there's things like gripping my character etc and I'm fine with it. Because they're not taking over my actions and it assumes so little, if my character isn't happy then they snatch their hand back - adds an element of emotional intensity either way too.

Also, hi Lucian ;) 😂 Good to see you!


I’m with you that small things that are reactive or somethig they’re doing to me is ok, I can’t speak for how they react but I could write that I slapped you, and I might be able to assume your eyes teared up or stumbled back, but I can’t write you picked up a chair and started swinging it at me in response.
 
I’m with you that small things that are reactive or somethig they’re doing to me is ok, I can’t speak for how they react but I could write that I slapped you, and I might be able to assume your eyes teared up or stumbled back, but I can’t write you picked up a chair and started swinging it at me in response.
Can definitely assume certain reactions based in realism 😂 I can go along with a few things, I mean occasionally a male character has literally picked my character up bodily, tied my character up, smacked my character around etc.

You sort of learn the skill of what is and isn't within your purview to control. And it really is a skill that's harder than most think about role-playing if you ask me. A lot of us have been here a long time and it's hard to remember when we were new but I bet every single one of can write a lot more per post now than when we first dipped our feet because we didn't really know how to not write the other half as well until we practised and got a handle on it.
 
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