How do you write a post?

[Britwitch]

Love this thread Thyri!!

Let's see, I write/edit/compose/insert whichever creative verb you prefer in Word. I lost too many posts in my early days here on Lit thanks to internet screw ups to do that anymore! I type in a fairly standard form (speech in speech marks etc. but I do tend to italicise my own character's speech. I think this is a remnant from my early days here when some of my partners needed help finding what they were supposed to respond to in my rather long posts )

Although, I should probably point out my spelling is atrocious. I put 'u's all over the place and use 's' instead of 'z', I go doubling letters all over the shop...I am truly sorry for my treatment of the English language, blame my Britishness

In terms of approaching posts and stories it varies. Sometimes I've worked out a general arc of a story with my partner, others are almost planned to the last detail before we've even written an introductory post, sometimes it's more 'fly by the seat of our collective pants'.

As my posting time these days is more than a little infrequent (God bless my partners and their patience! ) I always read back a good few posts to get back into the character and what's going on. My characters are usually in very different situations and I can't jump from one to the other without 'getting back into it'. So I read back, lastly I read my partner's last post and I start typing. I use music to help me get into the mood, I watch movies, I do all the things I'd do if I were writing anything to get my muse working.

Sometimes, no actually most times, I usually know where I want my post to end and then work out how to get it there. (My writing usually has an ending before it has a beginning...I'm wierd I know!)
Constructing a post can take anything from half an hour to a couple of days (usually affected by the RW more than anything else) but I always read through at least twice before posting to Lit and then will still find things I want to change almost every time!

I like stories with story. I like characters with character.

And in order to have threads of that kind one needs partners who like the same and I've been lucky over the years to find lots of partners willing to challenge me and my characters in all sorts of ways and I am sure I am a better writer now than I was when I got here because of them. I guess I see my threads as short stories (although some are getting pretty long!) and I like to give them as much attention as I can. If you're going to do something, do it properly! I love a good hot sexy scene as much as the next red blooded woman but it's sooo much sexier if it features characters I care about...might just be me but there it is.

I found I preferred one-on-one threads to group ones purely because they are harder to maintain, there are so many more things that can go wrong. That said, I was in a couple of group threads when I started writing here that had the potential to be very good and they were for the most part...if nothing else they introduced me to writing partners I wouldn't have met otherwise! I have tried myself to set up a few group threads but without some serious orchestration, they tend to fizzle early. I am seriously impressed by threads with more than 3 or so writers that keep going and keep good!

I think it's true that we do tend to find writers we work well with, in my case if you look at my active threads they are all with the same exceedingly talented chap...but that will change soon...hopefully...
I always feel a little nervous approaching writers I haven't been lucky enough to write with yet. I guess I'm in awe of the talent round here, what can I say, so many of you blow me away and there are many writers here I admire and many I would love to write with one day...should inspiration and time allow...and this is another great thread for seeing what makes different writers 'tick'. Nice one Thyri!

Another rambler here, signing off!

 

[Annisthyrienne]

Thanks, Britwitch. It is proving to be interesting to see the similarities and differences that various writers have. And hearing them tell about how they compose and what motivates them really gives insight on the creative process.

And I can't believe it, but I thought of a couple more things I wanted to say, though it's not directly about how to write a post.

First, my general philosophy on stories here is that I am first and foremost a role player, not a writer. I do this for fun. I have no illusions that I'm ever going to write a book or get published and become the next big fantasy novelist. That's not my career. I have my career already, I'm an architectural drafter, and I'm good at it. That is my career. This is my fun. If I worried too much about the writing, it would get in the way of having the fun. I tell all my co-writers that same thing the moment they PM me asking me to write something with them. It's one of my conditions of writing with anyone.

And I don't ever want to hear my co-writers use the phrase 'I OWE you a post.' You don't. If you OWE something, that's an obligation, and obligations are almost never fun. If this gets to the point where it isn't fun, we should not be doing it. Same way with sex.

Second, I never, ever write something in a story or in a role play scene here in the lounge with the idea that other people than myself or my partner are going to be reading it. At first it just never occurred to me that other people would read a story they weren't involved in, or for that matter, a scene in the lounges. I had received PMs from people complimenting my writing in my stories, and I just took it as nice, but didn't think too much about it.

It wasn't until recently that I became aware that people read my posts in lounge scenes too, and follow along. This has kind of freaked me out because it's something I just don't do. I notice when others are doing a scene play, but I just pass over those posts and move on to the next thread. I just thought it was the same for everybody. But now, if I think about other people reading it, it intimidates me and the inhibitions go up.

And not only just friends I've made in the lounge here, but complete strangers who've never even posted before are reading this stuff. I think I would have never posted some of the things I have, especially the things I've posted in scenes, if I had thought about everyone possibly reading it. I'm trying really hard not to get hung up on it now, after being on Lit over a year. It's too late to get shy now, right? So I make it a point to imagine I'm only writing my posts for my partner and myself. I'll still have to deal with the scene thing.

 

[Veroe]

Let's see I usually read my cowriter's post and try to develop some idea of what I want my character to do, but that's never set in stone. I usually write it out in Lit because I'm too lazy to open word or notepad. Only the few times Lit has eaten my first post have I gone to the trouble of using a word processor for the second attempt.

When I post I generally copy and paste the last line of dialogue or last paragraph of my previous post and then copy how my cowriter responded to that. I see that as a foothold as I try to gain more ground and conquer that post. Ofcourse the evil forces of the dreaded writer's block try to prevent me from getting it done through distraction attempts and psychological warfare.

Sometimes I conquer the post with ease and sometimes they are successful at repulsing my invasion attempt on the post.

Generally it takes me a while and when I hit a snag in a post like right now with a post I'm writing for Vassal Academy I'll put around the lounge or post some pictures to my Visual Inspiration thread and attack the snag with renewed and refreshed eyes and brain cells in a few minutes.

 

[marauder13]

Firstly, thanks for the thread, Thyri. This has been a very good read so far.

Now, me... when I sit down to do a reply to one of my numerous threads, I will find my last post, then read through until the end. By that point, I am back in the character's head, and I know what has been happening. Then, I hand the reins over to the character, and write what they tell me. Sometimes it flows easily, other times it takes a little more time.

I write straight into Lit, only ever having lost posts to my own errors. But at least the second shot turned out as good, if not better than the first.

Some threads, the scenes are worked out in advance, ideas being passed back and forth until we're happy, then off we go writing. Others, it is read, think, reply. No collaboration, just reactions to the posts. I tend to write longer posts, but occasionally a short one will come out because that's all that is needed. I will work with what the other person gives me, and I do my best to give them lots to work with in return.

I do need time when my boys aren't around, because they break my concentration easily and that makes the writing process a lot harder. Other than that, I sit and I write. Sometimes with music, sometimes not. But when the words start flowing, all else drifts away until there is the inner voice and the images that voice paints.

I think that's it, though there may be more hiding in the deeper, darker depths.

 

[The_Spectre]

Depends on my partner. If they write little blurbs I tend to just make it up as I go. Usually I read my partners response and perhaps mow it over a bit, go out take a walk or whatever and run my response in my head, thinking about how my character would act. Sometimes I'll go as far as to type my response up on Word first and check for any error to make sure everything is clear. I usaully do this when I have a very story heavy part and to be honest I enjoy these parts a lot, nothing like a real good story to keep me interested. Even after I post I think about what other ideas we can incorparate. In short, when I feel my partner makes an effort, so do I.

 

[Britwitch]

Second, I never, ever write something in a story or in a role play scene here in the lounge with the idea that other people than myself or my partner are going to be reading it. At first it just never occurred to me that other people would read a story they weren't involved in, or for that matter, a scene in the lounges. I had received PMs from people complimenting my writing in my stories, and I just took it as nice, but didn't think too much about it.

It wasn't until recently that I became aware that people read my posts in lounge scenes too, and follow along. This has kind of freaked me out because it's something I just don't do. I notice when others are doing a scene play, but I just pass over those posts and move on to the next thread. I just thought it was the same for everybody. But now, if I think about other people reading it, it intimidates me and the inhibitions go up.

And not only just friends I've made in the lounge here, but complete strangers who've never even posted before are reading this stuff. I think I would have never posted some of the things I have, especially the things I've posted in scenes, if I had thought about everyone possibly reading it. I'm trying really hard not to get hung up on it now, after being on Lit over a year. It's too late to get shy now, right? So I make it a point to imagine I'm only writing my posts for my partner and myself. I'll still have to deal with the scene thing.

I know what you mean!
The first time I got a message about something I was writing that didn't come from my partner I was very flattered but also more than a little nervous!
That said I write because I want to, because I need to (I found that out during my time away when Baby Brit came along), and writing is kinda meant to be read...so as long as those that read along enjoy what is being created/played out then so much the better

(Can't imagine anyone not enjoying what you write Thyri - your mastery and command of vocabularly astounds me! )

 

[Fish_Tales]

Thanks, Britwitch. It is proving to be interesting to see the similarities and differences that various writers have. And hearing them tell about how they compose and what motivates them really gives insight on the creative process.

And I can't believe it, but I thought of a couple more things I wanted to say, though it's not directly about how to write a post.

First, my general philosophy on stories here is that I am first and foremost a role player, not a writer. I do this for fun. I have no illusions that I'm ever going to write a book or get published and become the next big fantasy novelist. That's not my career. I have my career already, I'm an architectural drafter, and I'm good at it. That is my career. This is my fun. If I worried too much about the writing, it would get in the way of having the fun. I tell all my co-writers that same thing the moment they PM me asking me to write something with them. It's one of my conditions of writing with anyone.

And I don't ever want to hear my co-writers use the phrase 'I OWE you a post.' You don't. If you OWE something, that's an obligation, and obligations are almost never fun. If this gets to the point where it isn't fun, we should not be doing it. Same way with sex.

Second, I never, ever write something in a story or in a role play scene here in the lounge with the idea that other people than myself or my partner are going to be reading it. At first it just never occurred to me that other people would read a story they weren't involved in, or for that matter, a scene in the lounges. I had received PMs from people complimenting my writing in my stories, and I just took it as nice, but didn't think too much about it.

It wasn't until recently that I became aware that people read my posts in lounge scenes too, and follow along. This has kind of freaked me out because it's something I just don't do. I notice when others are doing a scene play, but I just pass over those posts and move on to the next thread. I just thought it was the same for everybody. But now, if I think about other people reading it, it intimidates me and the inhibitions go up.

And not only just friends I've made in the lounge here, but complete strangers who've never even posted before are reading this stuff. I think I would have never posted some of the things I have, especially the things I've posted in scenes, if I had thought about everyone possibly reading it. I'm trying really hard not to get hung up on it now, after being on Lit over a year. It's too late to get shy now, right? So I make it a point to imagine I'm only writing my posts for my partner and myself. I'll still have to deal with the scene thing.

I know what you mean!
The first time I got a message about something I was writing that didn't come from my partner I was very flattered but also more than a little nervous!
That said I write because I want to, because I need to (I found that out during my time away when Baby Brit came along), and writing is kinda meant to be read...so as long as those that read along enjoy what is being created/played out then so much the better

(Can't imagine anyone not enjoying what you write Thyri - your mastery and command of vocabularly astounds me! )

Totally understand about "scenes" on threads. I've never done one and I don't think I could, no matter how much "appreciation" I got. It didn't help that when I first came on here I received some pretty shocking PM's "requesting" things. Some of them I hadn't even heard of before. I keep it to the stories, but even then I'm self conscious

 

[yeishia]

I agree with Thyri and Britwich .

When I first came to Lit I found lounge play very strange and disquieting.

People would gather around the couple playing, bring popcorn ,make lewd comments. wank off, join in at will, whatever … it totally embarrassed and weirded me out.

So I created a private bedroom for my own one on one play. *giggles* I totally didn’t realize (for over a year would you believe) that of course by default it had a webcam in one corner! So I was in fact playing for the whole world to see. *blushes* It's amazing how ones mind works sometimes!

Mostly when I play with my significant other in our private areas I try simply forget that it is essentially a public display.

I do not play in public lounges.

In my threads of course I am always conscious that we have readers, they are whom I seek to please with my stories.

 

[Noon_Shadow]

feel like some people who I have written with before are putting a lot more effort into each post than I do.

For most of my threads, I have a MSWord document which I use to keep notes. This is my starting point for most of my posts, even though I don't necessarily need to reference it each time. It contains my character backstory, and since I like to write a lot of fantastical or sci-fi type stories, it contains some world building details as well. I do this just to maintain internal consistency, really. I don't necessarily like to write big long bits of pure exposition because I think it gets boring, but it's still important to know what's driving my character, and to have a few things about his backstory worked out in advance so that I can mention bit later. I want it to feel like it flows naturally, rather than having to pause the story and flush a whole bunch of information out at once.

I do my actual writing in the lit posting window. This just makes it easier for formatting purposes, really. I've learned to do a CTRL+C and copy the entire text of a post before submitting, so that I don't lose it. Sometimes I will write a partial post, and find that I can't find the appropriate inspiration or words to finish what I feel needs to be completed, in which case I just copy and paste the text (which will be formatted as like, since I format as I go along), and paste it into my notes file in order to save it.

My notes are updated as the story goes along. I might see something another character does, but not want to respond to it in character or in the narrative context of a single post, so I'll jot a quick note. I'll fly fast and loose with my character backstory as I'm composing any single post, so if I add something, it goes into my notes, and I'll work it into the continuity.

So yes, generally, I have a planned direction for the story. I can be a bit railroading sometimes, ushering my partner in the direction I want the story to move. I don't know if this is a strength of weakness, but it's for this purpose that I much prefer to have a good idea of a full story arc before I agree to write with anyone. I'm not tyrannical, but I hate to learn that while I want to push the story in one direction, my partner has other ideas. I also enjoy PMing back and forth to get some general consent about things either of us might wish to incorporate later. Most of my writing is more concerned with plotting, even though I do enjoy developing characters. For this reason I plan ahead, thinking about what my two or three posts will look like. I'm not unwilling to change things, to respond to my co-writer, of course. I would hate to think my co-writer could think of me as inflexible. But I tend to think more as an author than a character. That is, I'm not necessarily in character as I'm writing, because I have more control over the world and the plot than the character himself does. Also, several of my characters can end up being sadistic, or complete bastards, and that's really not who I am-or not how I see myself, at least.

One other thing is that I do get aroused as I'm writing. I'll enjoy the set-up, even the non-erotic scenes. Even in those, though, I still like to find some manner of sex appeal within those moments. It's not that I need to rush into the sex scenes within the first 5 posts-quite the contrary, if you've read some of my stories. But I do feel that my best writing seems to come when I've got just the appropriate inspiration, regardless of the scene I'm actually writing. I think it's mostly because I prefer to be uninhibited when I'm writing, but I'm self conscious enough that I require a spur in order to get out of my own way. If that makes sense. That said, one of these days, I would still like to try a more traditional roleplaying experience, if I could get into a group thread (because I'd want plenty of other characters to interact with) with the right people, just so I could play around and explore my creativity in other ways. I'm really sad about the loss of our "Winter is Coming," thread, since I had tons and tons of notes written for a huge character backstory (and I kept filling in the details of his family and friends), with intricate plots and ulterior motives, and had the willingness to let my character be killed off if things collapsed.[/B] Sighs.

I guess that's it. I tend to do very minimal editing-I do a little as I go along, and I give one quick preview and read through before posting. Since, as I said, I do enjoy writing uninhibited, I guess it's kind of tough for me to pull back afterwards, and examine my writing with an objective eye afterwards. I do a decent enough job of typing, if I'm properly focused, so I don't usually have a ton of errors to correct. My only real issue is the self-editing as I'm typing. I can change my mind mid-sentence, which will lead to some subject verb disagreement, missing words, redundancy, or all kinds of mixed metaphors.

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

I am an awful person. *nods*

Each of my stories require certain bits of me so that means that I keep tons of notes, tons of bits and pieces stashed here, there and everywhere. I personally, do not think my writing is as good as it should be...and I work really hard to find words, phrases, ideas that are not repetitive.

What all of the above means is~I can not write cold. Not really. I need to read, once or twice, each time a new post is added to a thread. Then I note my initial reactions and begin plotting a response.

Because I suffer from dyslexia (and because I have a serious case of OCD), I don't feel like anything I write is finished until it has been edited three separate times~once for grammar, once for spelling and once for punctuation.

My usual way of writing is Word...I prefer it as starting something cold on Lit makes me break out into the shivers.

(And I have proven to myself that I don't write well cold...all you have to do is look at some of my writing from the past two weeks to see I suck at it~as I haven't been able to use my usual tricks since my lap top screen is busted for at least another 2 weeks....)

So the last few posts are read, the initial idea is plotted (response wise) and I write it all out. Flat out. No stops.

I will let it sit for an hour or two...and then come back. Read the very last post again...and see if it sparks a new idea. If it does? I integrate it into the previous run of words, if not? I start work on cleaning up what I have.

Because I am best at pushing action, I tend to pick partners who are action oriented as well...maybe I should think on changing that up?

(As for other writing~if it is a solo piece like the cavern or poetry? I tend to write it out and do editing...unless I am working on haiku or free form. But then again, my solo pieces are for me...and I don't care if any one EVER reads those.)

 

[Cheska]

Another note:

Characters: When I create a character for an RP, I do try to keep the RP in mind and if there is a storyteller/leader, I do what I can to work with them.

But when I make the character, I make it for me first and foremost and everyone else 2nd, maybe even 3rd in some cases.
I cannot enjoy an RP if I don't like the character.

I have tried being part of RP's where I played with someone elses creation or my own creation was altered too much.

I hated it, I became bored and annoyed and did not stay very long at all.

 

[Annisthyrienne]

Did you ever make a character that you thought maybe you wouldn't like and just weren't feeling it, and then you end up loving it?

 

[Perplexia]

Did you ever make a character that you thought maybe you wouldn't like and just weren't feeling it, and then you end up loving it?

yes

 

[yeishia]

Did you ever make a character that you thought maybe you wouldn't like and just weren't feeling it, and then you end up loving it?

All of my characters have little bits of me in them somewhere so I am motivated to try and love them all at some point

Art emulating real life I guess!

 

[Cheska]

Did you ever make a character that you thought maybe you wouldn't like and just weren't feeling it, and then you end up loving it?

A few times.

 

[Annisthyrienne]

yes

All of my characters have little bits of me in them somewhere so I am motivated to try and love them all at some point

Art emulating real life I guess!

A few times.

I recall making a character for a group thread here once called 'Alliance' that seemed to end just as it was getting off the ground. The character was named Izanna and was a shape-shifter child who had been left behind by her parents and was later raised by a real wolf pack. As such, playing her in human social settings was a challenge, but turned out to be fun. During the first few posts I made with her, I just didn't think I was going to like playing her, but then it became fun and that's about when the group thread died.

 

[The_Spectre]

Did you ever make a character that you thought maybe you wouldn't like and just weren't feeling it, and then you end up loving it?

A few times, but not many in terms of RPs more regulars stories.

 

[d16]

Lesbian cheerleader rape

I'm chimming in

 

[d16]

Hi..Im chimming in

 

[jack80]

Try and start small, with simple concepts, like what he is or does. Then his looks, cause sometimes, something like a birthmark or a scar can add a story almost by itself.

I try to feed off the other person(s)'s post and then add something that they can add to.

Add mood music, and hopefully its something someone can play off of.

I have found trying to rp a group together though.... not working out as well as I thought.

 

[Cheska]

I'm chimming in

Hi..Im chimming in

Noted.. with what?