Writers and writing

[AmberSolis]

Tough week, writing-wise. I've got a dozen storylines going, but the one I want to write has become the biggest, most disorganized, bloated mess. It was going to be a short non-consent story, but it's currently bloated up to 50K+ words, and still growing. And worst of all, for an erotic fantasy intended to be published on an erotic fantasy website, it has almost no sex! Every stab I take at it, intending to go in one direction, it splits off to a dozen others.

THEN, I get drunk one night, and respond to a perfectly innocent comment on my latest story. First time in ages I got drunk. Didn't stop me from doing something dumb. I was going to delete my comment, but the anonymous respondent was so understanding, and their reply was so well thought out, I'm leaving my dumb comment up for future comedic enjoyment of others.

 

[tenyari]

Some of the best stories I've read on erotica sites have had almost to no sex in them. Some of us also actually prefer longer stories. I personally avoid the non-consent category though.

However I do get it. I've gotten as far as about 300,000 words into a story once before I realized I was still writing the introduction to what was meant as a short one chapter there and done tale.

Sometimes things get out of control.

 

[Djmac1031]

I am pretty much on the opposite end of that spectrum.

I've got a single story I've been focused on for weeks now, pretty much all consuming everything else.

300K? 50K? Lol. Mine isn't even close to that, despite weeks of writing. It's almost finished and will clock in somewhere around 16K depending on editing.

I don't know how the rest of you do it lol.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Tough week, writing-wise. I've got a dozen storylines going, but the one I want to write has become the biggest, most disorganized, bloated mess. It was going to be a short non-consent story, but it's currently bloated up to 50K+ words, and still growing. And worst of all, for an erotic fantasy intended to be published on an erotic fantasy website, it has almost no sex! Every stab I take at it, intending to go in one direction, it splits off to a dozen others.

THEN, I get drunk one night, and respond to a perfectly innocent comment on my latest story. First time in ages I got drunk. Didn't stop me from doing something dumb. I was going to delete my comment, but the anonymous respondent was so understanding, and their reply was so well thought out, I'm leaving my dumb comment up for future comedic enjoyment of others.

Sometimes with sex in a story, less is more (trite but true). 50 K words is still ambitious; I've never tried one even close to that. As for drinking, I can't do anything right under the influence, so don't worry about it.

P.S.: If it's going in a dozen directions, maybe that is a signal that it should be broken into sequels, or a series, rather than one big text.

 

[Duleigh]

Tough week, writing-wise. I've got a dozen storylines going, but the one I want to write has become the biggest, most disorganized, bloated mess. It was going to be a short non-consent story, but it's currently bloated up to 50K+ words, and still growing. And worst of all, for an erotic fantasy intended to be published on an erotic fantasy website, it has almost no sex! Every stab I take at it, intending to go in one direction, it splits off to a dozen others.

THEN, I get drunk one night, and respond to a perfectly innocent comment on my latest story. First time in ages I got drunk. Didn't stop me from doing something dumb. I was going to delete my comment, but the anonymous respondent was so understanding, and their reply was so well thought out, I'm leaving my dumb comment up for future comedic enjoyment of others.

I just finished a non-contest story that was planned for 20K words, I just finished the first draft at 48K which will probably go up as the editing process progresses. But I loved every word, I want to write it more, I want to go back in and expand. There's only two short sex scenes but some of my best work is lite on sex. There is going to be a part 2, that's for sure.

 

[ronde]

I've experienced the same thing with the number of words I've written. Usually, it's my characters who are to blame. They seem to steer me in the direction they want to go and the results is a lot of words.

As for how much sex you put into a story, if it doesn't seem to you as if the story requires much sex, it probably doesn't.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I just finished a non-contest story that was planned for 20K words, I just finished the first draft at 48K which will probably go up as the editing process progresses. But I loved every word, I want to write it more, I want to go back in and expand. There's only two short sex scenes but some of my best work is lite on sex. There is going to be a part 2, that's for sure.

Duleigh, you are a speed-writing demon! I just can't handle that rate; I need some "recuperation" time, no matter how well it's going. But true, as I said, treading lightly with the amount of sex is often a good idea.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I've experienced the same thing with the number of words I've written. Usually, it's my characters who are to blame. They seem to steer me in the direction they want to go and the results is a lot of words.

As for how much sex you put into a story, if it doesn't seem to you as if the story requires much sex, it probably doesn't.

If the characters are running the show, as they often are, then you need to give them some room to do that - by separating those incidents out into separate pieces. An example I could use:. If my Geek Pride story seems to be worth a couple of sequels, then they should indeed be sequels (or chapters, or whatever). Even combining the two sequels together would be too much - they have to be distinct submissions.

 

[Rob_Royale]

As a planner I almost never have this problem. I start with notes and a rough mental outline. I write the story and then add the details. Edit, rewrite, edit etc.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I am a novice writer who is just playing around, but enjoying it.
When I sit down to write, I generally have nothing but a broad idea of where I am going, and who is who....
Some of the bad guys become lovable... LOL...
What started out as a 10,000 word story ends up at 40,000 or more.
What I am waffling on about is, it sounds like we are similar.
All I can say is let it happen. It will be bas long as it is...
All that matters is you love it. You are happy with where it ends. It is your story, so it goes where you take it...
Give it air, let it breathe... Leave it for a few days for thoughts to percolate...
Forget about how long it is. It is a story...
Writ what you write... Love every word, every syllable...Own it, for it is yours and yours alone

 

[Duleigh]

Duleigh, you are a speed-writing demon! I just can't handle that rate; I need some "recuperation" time, no matter how well it's going. But true, as I said, treading lightly with the amount of sex is often a good idea.

It's not always like that, if I'm not absolutly crazy about the story it will take quite a long time for the ideas to filter out of my brain and onto the keyboard.

 

[EmilyMiller]

THEN, I get drunk one night, and respond to a perfectly innocent comment on my latest story. First time in ages I got drunk. Didn't stop me from doing something dumb. I was going to delete my comment, but the anonymous respondent was so understanding, and their reply was so well thought out, I'm leaving my dumb comment up for future comedic enjoyment of others.

I have never posted on AH drunk. I was once the victim of identity theft and the thief posted a thread about not not getting cuckoldry. The FBI got involved and the miscreant is now encarcerated.

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

Writ what you write... Love every word, every syllable...Own it, for it is yours and yours alone

True, I have compared it to film-making, which, even if you the creative control of what Kubrick had, you are still dependent on what many other people do. With writing, it's all on you and you have nothing but words to go on. (Well, you could add illustrations, although the majority of us do not.) It can be almost uncanny when it does go well and it comes out exactly as you intended it to be.