Your strong suit

[BiscuitHammer]

When we write on here, I would imagine we're better at certain types of scenes, or concepts, than others. Yes, we all want to be good at the sex stuff, but what else in your writing really stands out? In your opinion, and maybe those of your readers.

I've got a knack for humour and comedy, I would say. Whether it's dry wit from a character, or something absurdist like a execution chase in the Colosseum involving a time traveller, I like to think I've got silly humour down to something of an art form.

My readers like my humour, but they've also commented on my romantic interplay between characters in love. Thankfully, I'm not too sappy, and keep the couple interesting. Something of a relief to hear, tbh.

How about the rest of you? Where do your strengths lie? It's never a bad thing to celebrate one another's ability.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

I’ve had consistent compliments that I’m good at balancing hot sex, plot development/twists and strong characterization.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think my biggest strengths are three:

1. I'm good at coming up with ideas for stories. I have dozens of story ideas written down that haven't been developed into full-blown stories yet. My idea production runs far ahead of my ability actually to write the stories based on my ideas.

2. I think I'm pretty good at constructing hot scenes for erotic stories. My readers seem to like them.

3. I have a decent grasp of prose and I like some of my lines, especially at the ends of stories. I think it's important to finish strong and this is something I try to do.

My biggest weakness, I think, is with developing and writing characters. I'm a "concept" author rather than a "character" author, and I sometimes give short shrift to my characters in service to the development of my concepts. My stories would be better if I worked harder and more successfully on writing characters and making their actions seem believable and appealing.

 

[yukonnights]

I'd say I'm the opposite of SimonDoom. The one thing I have confidence in is empathizing with people, and thus in the fictional characters I write. I spend a lot of time in their thoughts and emotions. I think I'm also pretty good a writing the sex scenes, again because I spend a lot of time in the thoughts instead of the physical description of the body parts. I've had a number of comments questioning whether I'm a male or female — or even a transgender author. I take those as compliments.

My weakness is in getting too wordy and flowery, in both 'thoughts' and descriptions of setting (especially in nature). I'm not a great planner, but have become somewhat better over time. I have a lot of wasted words that ended up in the trash because of this.

I'm also terrible at sci-fi and fantasy themes — but then, I don't much care for reading them or even most movies in that genre.

Whether good or bad, positive or negative; I am a sucker for Happy Ever After. I have a hard time coming up with meaningful conflict, doubt, and tension.

 

[RetroFan]

My speciality is writing stories set in the past, although some of my stories are set in the present day. I also write a lot of comedy and while this seems to work most of the time in Erotic Couplings, Fetish, Lesbian Sex and First Time, my attempts at humour in Incest/Taboo weren't so well received.

 

[Voboy]

Dialogue.

I enjoy writing it, and I think it shows.

 

[SamScribble]

My readers (I think I have more that ten of them now ), tell me that they like the characters ('totally believable') and the dialogue ('sounds real and it's often very witty').

 

[oggbashan]

My strong suit?

Staying alive to write more stories. 52 last year; four and two poems this year so far.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Other people say it better:

I’ve read a lot of erotica - I write it too - and you have blown me away. (Pun intended.) I love the patience, the slowness, how you focus on every single sense when you’re describing a scene.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Spelling.

And writing characters that people get invested in. But mostly spelling.

 

[davion2308]

Dialogue

My strong suit, at least when people write me emails or comments, is my dialogue.

I get compliments because I write dialogue well and I have many people tell me my characters sound realistic. "That's EXACTLY how people sound!" they say. "You have a great ear for language!" they tell me. "Thank you for just using he-said, she-said," they'd exclaim!

I like writing dialogue because I don't like writing description and dialogue moves things along more intuitively for me.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Characters. And GM sex scenes.

 

[gordo12]

My biggest strength is making mistakes. I've had some doozies. But the best part is that now I can see them for mistakes. That shows I'm learning and that is a huge strength.

But overall my (real) strong point is uniqueness. Over and over I get comments about how unique my stories are. Also plot twists. I love the "I didn't see that coming" comments.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

My strong suit?

Staying alive to write more stories. 52 last year; four and two poems this year so far.

Strength, thy name is Ogg!

I love the "I didn't see that coming" comments.

I agree, that’s my favorite feedback.

 

[HeyAll]

I think my strengths are, in my opinion, and the comments I get, are:

1) fun plots/scenarios
2) dialogue
3) getting straight the point with right enough buildup.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Writing sex scenes is probably my weakest suit.

What I have been told, by readers and other authors, is that I am very good at setting the scene, and that I write good dialogue. But what I think I do best is create well rounded characters that people relate to and to whom they become emotionally attached.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

Writing sex scenes is probably my weakest suit.

What I have been told, by readers and other authors, is that I am very good at setting the scene, and that I write good dialogue. But what I think I do best is create well rounded characters that people relate to and to whom they become emotionally attached.

I think you do an truly excellent job at that.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

I have gotten compliments about plausible world building, pacing and avoiding gratuitous violence. I had one reader who identified as a correctional officer liked my professional portrayal of guards as doing their jobs rather than casual sadism.

 

[YDB95]

Probably dialogue is the one I get the most positive feedback on.

 

[JamesMiehoff]

Probably writing characters. Although that is really a misnomer. I steal them from the people I meet, live with and work with. It is easier than making people up.

James

 

[BelleCanzuto]

*I* think my strong suit is use of language, in that I work hard (and mostly succeed) in not being repetitive with words or phrases unless I'm doing it deliberately. I pay close attention to making sure that I vary my descriptors, especially.

I haven't gotten a lot of comments or feedback on specific aspects of my writing. But in reference to my works overall, someone wrote recently that it was nice to see some realistic BDSM. I took that as a compliment.

 

[vanmyers86]

Answering questions about my own strong points always feels awkward, but I am trying to get out of my comfort zone more, so here goes. Readers have said they like the way I convey feelings and sensations. And I do well at getting details right.

I know I work hard at both those things, plus creating scenes one can see in the mind's eye. As a person, I am quite visual, but I love using all my senses to experience the world as fully as possible. That sensual appreciation is what I try to convey in my stories, plus my love of wordplay and wit.

Also, I can spell.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I think you do an truly excellent job at that.

Thank you, that's very kind.

 

[DarkWhispers2U]

like music

I had a reviewer state that one of my stories had a musical rhythm to the words. I found that interesting. I recorded myself reading it aloud. That's when I could detect what they were talking about. Kinda cool.

Trying out a new style of writing lately though.

 

[JamesMiehoff]

If the comments on my 750 word Valentines Day story are to be believed, my strong suit is writing characters that make the trolls in Loving Wives worry about their health and morals.

* LOL *

James