What type of writing quirks do you guys have?

[ElectricBlue]

That blows my mind. Before I even open the Word doc, I have 90% of the story floating around in my brain. The idea of sitting down without that, is hard to fathom.

What you do is as equally hard to fathom for those of us who don't do that. If I had 90% figured out in my head I wouldn't bother writing it.

I'm with Erozetta and her blank page. When all you've got is a sentence, a pantser has to write the other 99% to find out what happens.

 

[TheLobster]

What you do is as equally hard to fathom for those of us who don't do that.

And those like me, who usually do it somewhere in between -- start with a general idea for the setting, characters and just the rough outline of at least the beginning of the plot -- think that all of you pure pantsers and pure plotters are clearly weirdos ;P

 

[BuffysInsta]

Warm water is my quirk. It seems most of the time the characters are interacting - sex or not - in or around a bathing feature like a spacious shower, or a hot tub. If one or more is searching around the house (or whatever) for another of the group, "Check the big shower!" or "On the patio, talking to [X] in the tub," and hilarity, sex, or both soon follows. Related was an entire scene at a home improvement store buying a new water heater.

Secondary quirk is conversation in the kitchen over breakfast after a night of loving. Characters have to start their day, too.

I also am a fan of the conversation in the kitchen over breakfast after a night of loving quirk. It's a necessity!

 

[MythMaker]

Adding alliteration at all attainable affairs.

 

[BuffysInsta]

Sex on a a chaise lounge or divan. Either outdoors on a patio type chair, or the lounge portion in a hot tub or a separate piece of indoor furniture or part of a sectional couch. It's like the ultimate piece of furniture made perfectly for sex. I'll bet 3/4 of my stories feature one.

I need to invest in a chaise lounge I think. Maybe it'll help with my comically non-existent sex life. lol

 

[Otto26]

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

 

[NoTalentHack]

If a character is at a low point, they will take up smoking again. I have no idea; I am not, nor have I ever been a smoker.

Confrontations happen at kitchen tables or apartment balconies.

People in my stories sigh, shrug, nod, and shake their heads a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Tall, athletic men with short, often slightly chubby women.

You can have my adverbs when you pry them from my cold, dead hands; same thing with my semicolons and--and I cannot stress this enough--my em-dashes.

 

[Lumiere_Amie]

I use the word ‘laved’ a lot when describing cunnilingus. “I flattened my tongue and laved her engorged lips.”
I like using obscure words.

 

[Erozetta]

If I had 90% figured out in my head I wouldn't bother writing it.

This right here.

If I know 90% of the story before I sit down to write, I ain't writing it. I already know the story and my interest in finding out about these characters and what happens has already waned.

I can make myself work off of an outline, but feeling shackled while writing it will show through in the end product and the story will suffer because I won't enjoy anything about it. It will be formulaic and cold.

 

[Taylor_Knight]

I found that my quirks, or "kinks" as I see them, tended to reveal themselves only after I'd written several pieces. Then I quickly learned how much "they" all seem to enjoy drinking so much. And I encourage them. I want them to drink. To me, the more they drink, the more they reveal their true desires. I like that about them.

 

[AlwaysDancing]

I tend to write about someone who doesn’t make choices and lets life happen to them with strong consequences.

With flowing dialog and clunky narration.

Cool thread topic btw.

 

[riverboy]

For the last year or two just about every story I've written features weed smoking. Perhaps it's not a coincidence that weed was legalized in my state about two years ago, and I'm now well versed (once again) in the pleasures of it. I also use a lot of...ellipses.

 

[BuffysInsta]

I've noticed a few authors seem to have a thing for food. Once in a while I come across a story that goes into some detail about making dinner, what people are eating. Maybe the pleasure food gives has a certain sensual quality that's similar to sex? I don't know.

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

Like you describe

If a character is at a low point, they will take up smoking again. I have no idea; I am not, nor have I ever been a smoker.

Confrontations happen at kitchen tables or apartment balconies.

People in my stories sigh, shrug, nod, and shake their heads a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Tall, athletic men with short, often slightly chubby women.

You can have my adverbs when you pry them from my cold, dead hands; same thing with my semicolons and--and I cannot stress this enough--my em-dashes.

I've become an em-dash addict myself. I can't stop it! And about shrugs/nogds/sighs etc, I was reading a fantasy book recommended to me called Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson. He's very popular with fantasy fans. I couldn't finish the book because one of the main characters is always smiling. It's literally every sentence he's in. "Character X smiled at her as he crossed the room." "Character X smiled as he looked at her..." It's freaking terrible. lol

 

[BuffysInsta]

I tend to write about someone who doesn’t make choices and lets life happen to them with strong consequences.

With flowing dialog and clunky narration.

Cool thread topic btw.

Thank you!

 

[BuffysInsta]

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

Do you edit some of them out or usually keep them?

 

[Otto26]

Do you edit some of them out or usually keep them?

I keep them. I'm writing what I want to read. Which is just one of the many reasons I'm a hobby writer and not a professional.

 

[TheLobster]

Confrontations happen at kitchen tables or apartment balconies.

Not necessarily confrontations but I've advanced many a plot over breakfasts.

People in my stories sigh, shrug, nod, and shake their heads a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Yes, sighing, especially sighing. And also smiling, grinning, smirking, chuckling, laughing, and tittering.

You can have my adverbs when you pry them from my cold, dead hands; same thing with my semicolons and--and I cannot stress this enough--my em-dashes.

Add colons for me. Lots, and lots, and lots of colons -- and I don't even write anal.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I have a tendency to get very specific about the cars my characters drive. Make, model, color, sometimes even the year get mentioned. I'm not really a "car guy," but you would never know that from my stories.

 

[AG31]

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

I'm going to look at some of your stories. I feel like lots of detail adds richness, depth. Which of your stories is the most detail laden?

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I have a weakness for semi-colons. And more hyphens than LibreOffice thinks acceptable.

Characters tend to have long conversations through morning after, over breakfast which is often a full English (or Scottish or Irish), and often in hotels. I often have characters staying in hotels, for that convenience and away-from-home factor. I've mentioned before that Premier Inn really should sponsor me...

 

[Koboldwithaquill]

Off the top of my head:

- The almighty em-dash
- "Ah, em, erm..."
- He or she smiled, smirked, grinned, etc.
- Gasped, groaned, huffed, etc.
- Shy friend/outgoing friend character duos
- Cocks described as girthy and/or veiny
- Hot, steaming, molten, searing, etc. When describing cum

 

[Rob_Royale]

Another writing quirk I have, is my description of facial expressions. I find that it makes a difference for me, in a story.

"Really?" he said with a wry smile.
and
"Really!?" he exclaimed, his eyes going wide.

They define the emotion being expressed and let me see the characters better in my mind. But, I think I do it too much. No one has yet called me out on it, but it's something I don't see as often in other writers. They let the punctuation do the work.

 

[TheLobster]

Another writing quirk I have, is my description of facial expressions. I find that it makes a difference for me, in a story.

"Really?" he said with a wry smile.
and
"Really!?" he exclaimed, his eyes going wide.

They define the emotion being expressed and let me see the characters better in my mind. But, I think I do it too much. No one has yet called me out on it, but it's something I don't see as often in other writers. They let the punctuation do the work.

I do it. All. The. Time.

...he said with a proud smirk

 

[OtterlyMindblowing]

I noticed this about my writing about a year ago: When I'm struggling to figure out a scene, I will, without realizing it, put my characters in hallways. Either that or I have them sit down to dinner. You'd think I was a writing for a food magazine or creating a cookbook. Why are my characters always so hungry? Who eats that much?

Do you guys have any fun or weird ones you'd like to share?

For me personally, there are a few.
First off, my narrators tend to be smartasses. Even when it’s a 3rd-person story.
Second, a reader pointed out that “coffee is love.” Every time coffee is served in one of my stories, it indicates at LEAST close friendship and usually love between the characters.
Third, I land chapters in the 4k to 4.3k word range. Like… every time, with VERY few exceptions. Out of 100 submitted chapters, only five landed outside of this range.

 

[BuffysInsta]

That's a good point about the coffee.