What I Wrote and Why: the support thread

[AchtungNight]

Laurel seems to think readers will be interested. And don't forget, you're so familiar with your process that you can't imagine it being exciting, but for many readers it will be entirely new.

If you say so. Maybe I will find inspiration. We’ll see.

 

[AlexFourways]

If you say so. Maybe I will find inspiration. We’ll see.

My 'essay' is more my personal exposition on the theme of Duleigh's sig, ie "How I became an author and how I am remainging one," including my early Anon prowls and author's who inspired and influenced my early works, and still do.

 

[ElectricBlue]

You never look back at what you've written and thought, "Wow, I love that piece of imagery!" or "Hey, I hadn't realised I was using all those sibilants in that piece of dialogue where the characters are whispering", or "This character's name shaped how their personality developed", or anything like that?

Well yes, but that's after the event, and I'm never sure that I deconstruct myself much - but I do get a buzz when someone else does it for me.

 

[AlexFourways]

Not on topic, but anyone notice the change to the Author Public Page? I'd have started a new thread, but have run out of time this morning... (at the moment).

 

[mildlyaroused]

Not on topic, but anyone notice the change to the Author Public Page? I'd have started a new thread, but have run out of time this morning... (at the moment).

Yep, it's just gone live publicly. There's a thread devoted to it here.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I'm thinking about writing one for the essays, but do a copy as a post here. Why? I can add photos to give readers an idea of what the desolate area I was writing about looks like.

 

[AchtungNight]

The main reason I don’t want to contribute to this project is it will force me to admit things about myself I am uncomfortable airing. And negative feedback seems more likely than positive right now. I don’t like engaging with the trolls that lurk on this site even though I have done it in the past. I would rather just write stories, accept occasional good feedback, and keep my reasons for writing to myself. Some people will never understand them.

 

[StillStunned]

Remember, people: the WIWAW challenge begins on 16 July! That's only a few weeks away.

If you have a story with a particular background, or if you want to highlight an element of your style, or if there's a theme that appears again and again in your stories, or if you want to explain how you approach a particular element of erotica or storytelling in general, and if you're still following this sentence, then now is your chance!

 

[Norway_1705]

it is presumable that dozens of trolls are waiting to read our confessions to mock us.
an essay involves at least part of the author's autobiography, while a novel allows (at least theoretically) hiding behind the (false) shielding "it's not MY life! I have never seen an Elf and I have never ridden Shadowfax, nor have I ever won a game of Quiddich!" (while we all know that the author smoked a pipe in the garden and was bullied in a classist British school).
I will participate with a partial description of some partial reasons why I write. Nothing "total." Just partial hints at partial curiosities. I will not confess "my whole life" nor all my curiosities nor everything I will do in the future.
However, my style is always so boring that trolls will soon tire of reading me (I think Woody Allen said that in 1971).

I know why I write what I write. I also know that trolls will want to mock me. A singing teacher, when I was a child, said, "Sing. Sing with your voice. Those who mock you don't have the courage to sing. And how do you feel when you sing? You are happy, because all human beings are happiest at their best when they sing. Sing without listening to the envious critics and allow yourself to be happy."

 

[StillStunned]

it is presumable that dozens of trolls are waiting to read our confessions to mock us.
an essay involves at least part of the author's autobiography, while a novel allows (at least theoretically) hiding behind the (false) shielding "it's not MY life! I have never seen an Elf and I have never ridden Shadowfax, nor have I ever won a game of Quiddich!" (while we all know that the author smoked a pipe in the garden and was bullied in a classist British school).
I will participate with a partial description of some partial reasons why I write. Nothing "total." Just partial hints at partial curiosities. I will not confess "my whole life" nor all my curiosities nor everything I will do in the future.
However, my style is always so boring that trolls will soon tire of reading me (I think Woody Allen said that in 1971).

I know why I write what I write. I also know that trolls will want to mock me. A singing teacher, when I was a child, said, "Sing. Sing with your voice. Those who mock you don't have the courage to sing. And how do you feel when you sing? You are happy, because all human beings are happiest at their best when they sing. Sing without listening to the envious critics and allow yourself to be happy."

So... are you going to write a WIWAW?

If you're worried about trolls, you could also post it as a thread here in the Hangout. The response here is usually quite positive.

 

[Duleigh]

it is presumable that dozens of trolls are waiting to read our confessions to mock us.

I did a long self-examination and history of my writing in the Lit25 Anniversary event (Lit Happens) and I have a VERY active "Fan Club" of trolls and other slime that lives under bridges and they didn't take the bite. They tend to stay away from categories that don't necessitate the use of hand lotion.

 

[StillStunned]

I did a long self-examination and history of my writing in the Lit25 Anniversary event and I have a VERY active "Fan Club" of trolls and other slime that lives under bridges and they didn't take the bite. They tend to stay away from categories that don't necessitate the use of hand lotion.

Hand lotion could be quite useful in the frozen wasteland that is Reviews & Essays.

 

[AlexFourways]

I did a long self-examination and history of my writing in the Lit25 Anniversary event and I have a VERY active "Fan Club" of trolls and other slime that lives under bridges and they didn't take the bite. They tend to stay away from categories that don't necessitate the use of hand lotion.

My entry will be "My Literotica Journey" which I was writing before the challenge - intending to submit it on the similarly named forum. So that sounds a bit like yours, but will be oh so different!

 

[FreyaGersemi]

Remember, people: the WIWAW challenge begins on 16 July! That's only a few weeks away.

When can you submit? Now? With the proper note, will it be held until the start date?

And on a related note (ha ha), is there a timeframe for submissions on any challenge or contest? I mean, could I submit for all this year's challenges and contests and they will all go live on the correct dates for each one? Or (as an example) is it too early to submit for the Holiday Contest that is six months away?

 

[Duleigh]

When can you submit? Now? With the proper note, will it be held until the start date?

It looks like 16 July to 31 August to submit. I'll be saving mine until 16 July

 

[StillStunned]

As far as I can tell, Laurel will hold them until the challenge begins. Nothing is stopping you from asking to publish it sooner, of course - I had one published a bit ago just to see what I could learn before the actual challenge.

 

[TheLobster]

When can you submit? Now? With the proper note, will it be held until the start date?

And on a related note (ha ha), is there a timeframe for submissions on any challenge or contest? I mean, could I submit for all this year's challenges and contests and they will all go live on the correct dates for each one? Or (as an example) is it too early to submit for the Holiday Contest that is six months away?

I've submitted the Geek Pride one about a week before the start of submission window because I thought the entries are posted continuously, not in one big batch at the end. There didn't seem to be any problem with that.

As long as you put the right note to admin, I'd say you can submit whenever. Watch when it gets the orange New badge; the date should then be at the start of the submission window of whichever event the story is for.

 

[AndersonsBiographer]

I might use a story that no one can figure out why I wrote because all three of the characters are unlikeable and impossible to side with. Simply put I went with the bleak view of people are shitty and here's three of them with some hot sex mixed in.

People can't understand why I would put serious effort into something I knew few would like, but its because its what I wanted, and an example of the 'write for me"

I've often had people ask which if any of my characters should be the sympathetic/relatable ones, when even I don't know as often as not.

I've been asked before if one or another is a self-insert, and by christ I sure hope not. Though, I will admit that I pour out a lot of self-hatred when I write.

 

[FreyaGersemi]

It looks like 16 July to 31 August to submit. I'll be saving mine until 16 July

I thought that was when the challenge was running. So you could submit before that and then the "go live" date is 16 July. I know that there has been confusion on the last challenge, too, but I could be mistaken. Maybe @StillStunned will be able to clear this up?

 

[StillStunned]

I've dropped Laurel a line asking for confirmation.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've often had people ask which if any of my characters should be the sympathetic/relatable ones, when even I don't know as often as not.

I've been asked before if one or another is a self-insert, and by christ I sure hope not. Though, I will admit that I pour out a lot of self-hatred when I write.

Writing is a good outlet for all manner of not so healthy thoughts and feelings.

 

[WendyTrilby]

I just had a new story drop today, and then I came to the forum and saw this thread. I would have loved to explain where this recent story came from, which parts are true, and which parts are fiction. Which people are real and which are not. I suppose I could just do it myself for this story in the comments section of that story.

Still, I will submit something for this challenge when it goes live.

 

[StillStunned]

I just had a new story drop today, and then I came to the forum and saw this thread. I would have loved to explain where this recent story came from, which parts are true, and which parts are fiction. Which people are real and which are not. I suppose I could just do it myself for this story in the comments section of that story.

Still, I will submit something for this challenge when it goes live.

There's no need to link your WIWAW to a story that's published at the same time. Will probably be on either The Countesses of Tannensdal, or my series The Rivals.

 

[AndersonsBiographer]

Writing is a good outlet for all manner of not so healthy thoughts and feelings.

This is true. Though in my case I'm not even sure if self-hatred can be considered not so healthy.

 

[lovecraft68]

This is true. Though in my case I'm not even sure if self-hatred can be considered not so healthy.

My wife worked as a therapist for a long time. She has some real horror stories about what people do to themselves due to self loathing. Cutting is what people commonly think of but there's even worse ways to practice self-destruction. My late teens and early twenties were testament to my having a death wish, and somehow being fortunate enough to survive my own attempts to end myself (in non suicidal ways) until I managed to get my shit together...to some degree.