Writing Young?

[tiger_smurf]

The hell with stories. You can even tell the age of the authors of the posts on this thread by the way they write.

The ones who think you have to refer to external events to guess an age are all young. The ones who know that age shows in the style are the older ones.

---dr.M.

That's only true for writers who are actually capable enough to have their own style/voice. I've read 30 year olds who try too hard to sound like a writer by immitating others. It isn't really fair to assume that a young writer doesn't have a writing style that is just as strong or stronger than those who are older. How can you tell a person's age by his/her writing? Ever?

You admit that a young author can do extensive research into a certain era or genre, historical event, etc. to obtain the nessecary knowledge to write about it accurately. So, this same author cannot do similar research on style? And if not, how does his style betray his youth? You can't tell me that style cannot change, because you're saying there is a clear difference between the styles of older and younger writers. Perhaps, you simply mean that a person gets better with age. But some writers at 25 are better than others will ever be, regardless of how long they try.

If an author is good enough. His/her age will probably be unguessable.

-ck

 

[Liar]

dr. M,
You are showing your age, you must have just had a birthday, because you seem so much more mature.
You are absolutely right, I find the external events are the last place to look for clues. They are more of a deception. Follow the words forget the rest, look for patterns and clues.

Huh. And here I thought it was the young that was blessed with the cockyness that leads to the misconception that the world is as black and white as that, and that things always are what they seem. Obviuosly, that was an incorrect cliché. I still consider myself quite young, and I had already come from thinking I could figure things like these out, to learning that I never will. Are you saying that that too will change, and that such insight awaits me? Man, o man, I can barely wait.

#L

 

[damppanties]

All this being said, we're talking about literacy. NOT literary value, i.e., good story. An older person's story can by highly literate, yet dull as dust; and the semiliterate younger person's story a gem in its essence.

J.

No, I don't want to talk about literacy. That is not an indication at all.

A good author has no reflection in his/her story, only thought patterns to share.

Yes, but with those thought patterns, can you guess the age of the author? Or make generalisations?

And multiple stories will show they are not the character.

Not to say it is not erotic to place fantasies and realities from a novice, that is cool. Just the better author can become the character male/female any age and place.

This gets me to a topic I have been thinking about since posting this thread. Does the age of your main characters have anything to do with the age of the author? (In the majority of cases... I am not saying every 20 year old will only write about 20 year olds, etc.)

Certain words and objects trigger a time frame, certain positions and actions trigger a gender. Repetitive descriptions gives a good base to work from. Several different stories will conclude the same person thinks the same about specific topics.

Phil, do give out your secret.
Explain more about this - with examples.

The ones who think you have to refer to external events to guess an age are all young. The ones who know that age shows in the style are the older ones.

I was talking about the style reflecting the age of the writer, not external factors. With external factors, it becomes kind of easy. Now what exactly is it in style which causes you to say that writer X might be in their early 20s?

Related question -- Does sentence structure play a part? Length of sentences? I ask this because this whole thing was triggered by a comment I got on my non-Lit work. It seemed pretty weird to me. It said "Your writing 'sounds' young. You write in broken, short sentences." --when I asked further, it was said that it does not sound mature. The story in question was a stream-of-consciousness piece where the main character (a 16-17 yr old female) examines her thoughts as she goes through an attempted suicide.

 

[NoJo]

The characters are placed in the time period you research. Sure, it helps if you were there, you would know the idiomatic expression of the period, small details, but good research can get you by. Its then down to your craft to weave your characters into the fabric you have chosen.

NL

My last script was set in the year 1600. I tell you those were great times. You had to be there.

 

[wishfulthinking]

I admit I'm generally unable to guess age from writing. I'd find it easier to guess characteristics such as education and location, but not age.

As to sexual fantasies and writing on lit, that makes it seem even more difficult in my mind, because people of all ages can share the same fantasy eg of that of a 20 year old, and people of varying ages can describe it with a depth of emotional exploration that others can't, simply because they may have better writing tools etc. Sentence structure - definitely wouldn't strike me as an age giveaway - education, yes. Short sentences - maybe. With today's lifestyle short/abrupt sentences are an increasing phenomenon - text, email etc - but these mediums are used by people of all ages.

If that makes any sense at all, you deserve a

 

[A7inchPhildo]

No, I don't want to talk about literacy. That is not an indication at all.



Yes, but with those thought patterns, can you guess the age of the author? Or make generalisations?

My sweet dampy,
How have you been?

Yes, it is the thought patterns that really give it away. Not so much the story content/direction, and not so much the external references. But how the author thinks.


This gets me to a topic I have been thinking about since posting this thread. Does the age of your main characters have anything to do with the age of the author? (In the majority of cases... I am not saying every 20 year old will only write about 20 year olds, etc.)

Hmm, No Not every 20 year old thinks like a 20 year old. In the case of the poster above Tiger Smurf, He writes more like a 25 - 28 year old. Having only read his newest story, because I don't like fanfic, I won't disect him too much. But it is very evident he is polite has manners, concerned that the female is looked out for in a swooning way. "example; The pick-nick basket getting heavy."and his thought of her asking, but would deny. Then there are a few places that still show the mental thoughts of a younger person. example; " Valentine had made such a fuss about leaving her stupid cassette tapes" That is the feeling or emotion of a teenager. Even though the action comes from the second caracter the emotion is fully placed on the first character.

To be more specific to your question. I think many authors relate to what they know better than to choose an age they don't know. Writing young is easy because we have all been young. Writing older is hard we have not the wisdom to understand the character.

Do most 20 year olds write 20 year old characters. No nor does 50 year old write 50 year old characters. Most writers write in past tense. That is why the story screws up with tense when they write the past in a current form. More younger writers write current tense or close to their age. Few are like TS who try a future tense story base from his age with a past reference point.

Phil, do give out your secret.
Explain more about this - with examples.
There is no secret! It is how you read, some read with content in mind others read with character feel, still some read with proper grammar in mind and so on.
Many find it strange when I tell them I read the story then wait a day to reply or that I have read the story several times. This is because you can't digest the meanings in a full swoop of one pass. You have to feel the story and live it in your mind to actulally see the underline message.

Even the best hidden secrets of a story from the best authors have a tell tale about the author. Just some are harder to find and take more than one story to locate.
In fact several stories make it easy to generate similar thought patterns from.

How do you locate the hidden, well it is quite simple. Look for neuro associations. The same as everything you do is linked to what you think, so is everything you think linked to who you are or what you do. The better authors can control their focus, shifting ones real life into that of a fictional character.

The belief system; "If I can imagine it, I can achieve it." Place these four in a rotary pattern.
1 potential
2 actions
3 results
4 beliefs
1 potential

That is what 90% of stories are based on: A dream that with some effort you will get results, making you believe the potential is easy to aquire. Thus strengthening the next actions getting better results and making you sure the potential is even greater.

Ok so how do you pull facts from that?
You have to first know the basic six human beliefs. I am not going to type out the entire reasonings as it will be 26 Lit pages long. I can expand if needed.
But we all function, everyone around the world have the same 6 basic needs. You have to or you die!

1 Certainty, we all have a need of certainty. (It is a survival thing we must know we are secure. We must know we have a purpose)
2 Uncertainty, (we need variety and surprise to be dead is peace. to be alive is challenge)
3 need for signifigance, (we need to know we are unique and different if only in the smallest ways, that make you you and me me)
4 Love and conection, (we all need a common bond, something that says we belong somehow refer to 6)
5 Grow, (we are living creatures if we stop growing we die. It is also true if we stop mentally growing we die inside, become unhappy and forget the will to live)
6 need to contribute, ( to go beyond ones self, everything must serve a higher purpose or we self destruct. To serve our selves alone has no ultimate purpose for living. We live for the future, weather it be children, god, anyother reason but self alone.)

I know you thinking great! Well it is now a simple aplication process. Do your characters come from your thoughts? If so what are their beliefs. You have to chart them in your mind. A repition of a belief moves the character closer to you. Repition in beliefs of several characters really pinpoints you.

Now we know every person is different, so your belief may be I need certainty but only enough that, I have a house and I have food. While your uncertainty may be mowing the growing grass is boring I want to skydive I need the thrill.
While the next person needs a house, food, Job, family, .... and the uncertainty is crossing the street.

In the examples given above from TigerSmurf can you see the certainty he is not going to let the female cary the basket. He is also uncertain if he can carry it longer. He is showing signifigance by making the trip with the basket. Why? to creat a companion, to ensure he is growing with her and at the same time contributing his services to ensure he moves forward in the relationship.

And in the other he can not relate to the importance of the value of a tape. She needs the security he does not. A decision is made, but only after there is a conection by him reasuring her. How did they grow? She learned to trust him and he learnd she will expect him to keep her needs secure. Did it contribute? It did in a minor way by coming to a compromise they can now move on in a productive manner.

Ok now how do you break the age group? It takes several references especially if it is a seasoned writer. Example "basket case" says TS is mature.(because most younger folk think nothing of complaining out loud to aquire pity, where older peeps know if the deed goes un-noticed it is ok there will be other opertunities to make a wow impression. Simply having a perfect afternoon of no whiney stuff is wow to most females.) This gives TS a solid 28 at least for age.

Example "tape" says young (because any one over a certain age would have just secured the vehicle or the tapes to give peace of mind. That is something you learn with age you don't set your self up for conflict, even though in this case there was no conflict.) This give TS a 19 or lower for age

So now out of two examples alone an average would place TS at 23.5 years old. Several stories will greatly improve the chances of hitting the target real close. We also have an added benifit of excluding the real young and real old. In the laws of averages this makes a big difference.


Do you see it was not about the pick-nick nor the basket. They are just a distraction. It was about the character mental thoughts, and reactions to a common issue.

Same as the tape was the distraction. It could have been a box of candy who cares?

Now it instead of a tape it was $10K in cash well that makes the object a signifigant factor. Because most youth do not have cash like that nor reference $10k as really not that much. But it is still just a story so it could be $10. or $10mil. objects do not normally tell about the author. Thought patterns do!




Related question -- Does sentence structure play a part? Length of sentences? I ask this because this whole thing was triggered by a comment I got on my non-Lit work. It seemed pretty weird to me. It said "Your writing 'sounds' young. You write in broken, short sentences." --when I asked further, it was said that it does not sound mature. The story in question was a stream-of-consciousness piece where the main character (a 16-17 yr old female) examines her thoughts as she goes through an attempted suicide. [/QUOTE]

Sound is hard to convey. I mean "sounds" young. I have a strong tendancy to write in 19+ word sentences with concise words. I also have a tendancy to be poetic, it is natural for me to place words that group together by some common bond. This is not really attributed to age it is a learned way of writing for most. How you were schooled! A 15 year old can write long and a 50 year old can write short.

Small sentences with small words means realistic to me. That is how most people talk short and to the point. So it is natural to write short and to the point. Great for Lit stories, people like reality. They do not want to be mentally challenged with big words while getting off.

So yes when I write for young female/male characters. Short broken sentences along with passive sentences are a must! It makes the reader believe the character really wrote the story.

When I write for older intelectual characters long flowing sentences come into play. It shows a more relaxed confidence with wisdom in the characters mental thoughts. Older characters think before they speak! Getting all the point across with as few words as possible. Pausing to gain control of the conversation.

This is because with time you realize what you say can be held against you. So the more concise you are the less chance of being wrong. So when typically I am playing an older character writing a story I am selective, more of my words have a root meaning even between quotes.(less gibberish) Subliminally the reader feels this.

Another thing the older folks have learned is to answer with a question you can't be wrong. If you answer with a statement you have just commited your self. (no excape) Only the young and fool harted commit. Learn you never commit unless you are very sure you can, and are willing to back what you say.

Young, "I will do that for you."
Wise, " I will do my honest best to tend to the issue for you."

Y, "I promise to never do that again."
W, "I really screwd up this time, please let me try and make amends."

Y "How about, I give you oral sex?"
W"How about, If pleasure you with oral sex?"

Notice: Young is leaving no room for error. Also young is not concise in exact meaning of what is to be accomplished. Wise is utilizing longer sentences to be more precise. Also wise is commiting to nothing. Technically there is more words, but realistically less is said.
That is a lifestyle only learned with cause and effect. No one can teach you how to react, you learn it from life's experiences. Some learn faster than others. So the age can be skewed but most times it is fairly close.

That's it in a nut shell! See no secrets, just a matter of perception.


Phildo

 

[NoJo]

Thanks for the entertaining post, 7".

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Thanks Joe,

That means something having read your posts.

Reading stories can be entertaining in many ways besides just a porn view. While writing can be entertaining as well if there is something more on display, other than just another story.

 

[Guest]

While writing can be entertaining as well if there is something more on display, other than just another story.

Great statement, Phil; it's more often than not why I read.

P.

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Great statement, Phil; it's more often than not why I read.

P.

I really think that is why many read, and write. We are all capable of our own dreams, but it is interesting to see how others feel about the same situations.



Ok, out with the truth. I really have a crystal ball. And it is hooked into my pipline on the net!


Phildo

 

[damppanties]

Thanks Phil. You're a dear. That was a long post and I appreciate the time and thoughts which must have gone into it.

Ok, out with the truth. I really have a crystal ball. And it is hooked into my pipline on the net!

Cool.

When will I find the love of my life?
Will I be successful? Famous? Happy? Rich?

How old am I?

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Thanks sweetie,

How old are you? Well you know. I already know that one. So I won't ruin your fun.

Looking into the crystal ball; Oh I see you are my little princess, definately a model.

You may have already found the love of your life, but you are way over there. Nope sorry the ball is getting fuzzy now very hard to see, maybe another time. And you were just getting into that bikini I sent you.



Phil

 

[damppanties]

Looking into the crystal ball; Oh I see you are my little princess, definately a model.

Grrr....

You may have already found the love of your life, but you are way over there. Nope sorry the ball is getting fuzzy now very hard to see, maybe another time. And you were just getting into that bikini I sent you.

Lol. You better get that ball serviced. The crystal ball, of course!

 

[A7inchPhildo]

http://161.58.174.184/Pictures/crystalball200w.jpg


Don't you worry about my ball s. They "it" works just fine!

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Now staying on topic. Any other chalenges as to age? Dampy don't count and Auto don't count for me.

 

[bg23]

I write exactly the same way I did as when I was sixteen, (I'm serious) except I know a few extra words, and, ahem, I actually feature explicit details in my sex scenes now. I say writing style cannot be used as an indication of maturity. Someone who writes well is not necessarily someone with experience, although there are those who will say that good writing ONLY comes with experience. Someone who writes extremely badly cannot be immediately said to be young, either. I know plenty of mature adults who cannot structure a piece of writing for the life of them. I suppose experience may give insight into certain aspects of life, but that's really a rather moot point, seeing as to how most of the literature featured on this site is sexually based, and imagination, more often than not, is a great deal more important in a story, since seldom do writers experience all that they write about.

Anyway, that was my two cents for you.

 

[rgraham666]

…seldom do writers experience all that they write about.

And considering what many of the people here write about, that's probably just as well.

 

[curiousphantaC]

I find if I start trying to imagine things about the author, then s/he haven't done a very good job of drawing me into their story. It's like if you watch a sitcom and start imagining where the cameras are, or how they add the canned laughter.

 

[oggbashan]

My middle daughter (who is older than Dampy) wrote a poem for a local writing competition. She came third. I was unplaced that year.

The judge thought that the poem showed the world weariness of an old woman who had seen and experienced the world. The poem was 'dark and brooding'.

My daughter was being thirteen - thirteen year old girls often see the dark side of things. She liked the prize. She enjoyed shocking the judge much more.

Og