The Pantser’s Bible: Mantras for Writing

[Britva415]

And then there's Shakespeare: "Brevity is the soul of wit."

Wilde, but good one

 

[SimonDoom]

Wilde, but good one

Shakespeare, Hamlet. Act 2, scene 2, spoken by Polonius:

Why day is day, night night, and time is time
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.
Therefore, ⟨since⟩ brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief. Your noble son is mad.

 

[yowser]

This sounds provocative (in the sense of thought-provoking, not in the sense of conflict-provoking). It could use more context. Is he talking about writing, here? "Stories we tell ourselves" sounds like he changed the subject and is talking about life.

From what else was said in the book, I think the 'stories we tell ourselves' refers to the inner monologue that writers (and other creative types) indulge. (My stuff's no good. I'll never finish this work. That last sentence is atrocious.)

'Lowering the stakes' is a suggestion, that when you've encountered a difficult point, find an obstacle that seems insurmountable, to veer off, do something simpler, to regain confidence and re-establish your center.

For what it's worth, the author is in the music business, a producer, and while some of his observations come from the songwriting end of things, they are largely applicable to a variety of creative endeavors, regardless of format.

 

[yowser]

Nobody asked, but here are another set of 'Bibles.'

I've always liked Susie Bright's take on everything sexual.

Parker, Derek. Writing Erotic Fiction. New York: Marlowe & Co., 1996.

Watts, Judith, and Mirren Baxter. Get Started in Writing Erotic Fiction. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2013.

Bright, Susie. How to Write a Dirty Story : Reading, Writing, and Publishing Erotica. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002.

 

[AchtungNight]

Adding to all posts I’ve liked-

Satisfy your characters and your readers will be happy also.

Give people a realistic reason for their behavior- or at least a believable explanation.

 

[Duleigh]

Do any of you have aphorisms or mantras you live by, or would describe your process?

Look at the people

Stories are about people interacting with people, so go look at people. Especially when you're doing something mundane like accompanying the lady in your life shopping. Look at the people around you, everyone. I get so many ideas from seeing the people around me and how they interact with other people. And if someone asks you what you're doing, tell the truth, "I'm a writer looking for inspiration." when they ask "What do you write?" that's when you can have fun.

 

[TheLobster]

when they ask "What do you write?" that's when you can have fun.

What happens next sure sounds like good story material.

 

[Duleigh]

What happens next sure sounds like good story material.

"Oh can I be in your next book?"

"I've already got you penciled in."

"What do you write?"

"Hard core pornography... ma'am? Ma'am? Come back! You forgot your purse!"